Thousands of lights light up Thailand's 700-year-old capital

People release lanterns at the Loy Krathong festival, Sukhothai in late October. Photo: @amsjaaa.

Not as bustling as Bangkok, nor as crowded with tourists as Phuket, Sukhothai - the first capital of Thailand - has a peaceful and quiet beauty with a series of ancient architectural works, historical and cultural relics.

About 450 km from Bangkok, this place was once the center of power of the Sukhothai kingdom - the name means "dawn of happiness".

Sukhothai is considered the birthplace of Loy Krathong, a famous floating lantern festival that takes place on the 12th full moon day of the Thai calendar, which usually falls in November. This year, the festival takes place from October 27 to November 5 at the Sukhothai Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As the afternoon falls, locals and tourists, dressed in traditional costumes, stroll to the lake in the middle of the historical park. In each person’s hand are “krathongs” – small floats made from banana leaves, decorated with fresh flowers and candles in the middle.

Colorful flower boats carry wishes for a lucky and peaceful new year. Photo: Thanh Ngan.

Each float released into the water is also a time for Thai people to let go of their worries and send wishes for a peaceful new year. This is also considered a thank you to the river god - the one who protects the water source, life and peace. Thousands of flower lanterns float on the water, creating a sparkling river in the middle of the night.

The festival in Sukhothai is special in that it is a combination of three traditional customs: Loy Krathong (floating lanterns), Phao Thian (lighting candles) and Len Fai (fire performance), creating the most brilliant "Loy Krathong - Phao Thian Len Fai" festival in Thailand.

Ancient temples and pagodas are lit up, combined with fireworks, sky lantern ceremonies and spectacular fire shows to create a shimmering, magical atmosphere, making the entire 780-year-old heritage site seem to awaken in a sea of light.

Wearing traditional Thai costumes and walking among ancient temples, visitors seem to travel back in time, admiring the glorious beauty of the Sukhothai kingdom in its golden age.

The sound and light show recreates the history of the formation and development of Sukhothai in its golden age, attracting tourists. Photo: Thanh Ngan.

Coming here on this occasion, visitors also have the opportunity to learn about the local culture through the sound and light performance, recreating the history of the formation and development of Sukhothai, from the first dynasty to the river god worship ceremony, to the birth of Loy Krathong. More than 400 dancers, along with war elephants and a traditional orchestra, combined with modern lighting technology, bring a magnificent performance, enough to overwhelm visitors.

In addition, visitors can stroll around the traditional market recreated in ancient style, choose for themselves handicrafts, from hand-woven fabrics, Sangkhalok pottery souvenirs - with the aroma of traditional Thai dishes spreading in the air.

Tickets to the show cost around 1,600 baht per person, or 2,000 baht if you choose a package with dinner. In addition, the festival also features many unique cultural activities such as folk music , martial arts, puppetry and Ramayana storytelling, bringing visitors closer to Thai cultural heritage.

The heritage site is surrounded by lush green lawns, visitors can explore by bike or picnic in the grounds before the festival. Photo: Thanh Ngan.

Amidst the ancient space of the ancient capital of Sukhothai, thousands of floating lanterns shimmering on the lake surface seem to connect the past with the present, making people believe that the light of happiness has always been lit - from the dawn of Sukhothai until today.

To get to Sukhothai, Vietnamese tourists can fly from Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok, then continue with a domestic flight to Sukhothai. Besides the Loy Krathong festival, tourists can combine a visit to Si Satchanalai historical park, explore the spectacular natural landscape in Ramkhamhaeng national park or learn about the ancient dam and canal system Saritphong Dam (also known as Phra Ruang Dam) serving to regulate drainage and daily life for the capital city of Sukhothai.

Thailand shines during the Loy Krathong festival. Under the candlelight of thousands of lanterns and impressive sound and light performances, visitors seem to go back in time, admiring the overwhelming beauty of the ancient capital of Sukhothai (Thailand).

Source: https://znews.vn/hang-nghin-ngon-den-thap-sang-co-do-hon-700-nam-tuoi-cua-thai-lan-post1602364.html