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If hiking or biking around the vast Sukhothai Historical Park isn't enough exercise for you, here are a few other options to choose from. [more]
Sukhothai Cycle Tours
Ronny, the Belgain-born owner of the Ban Thai guest house, offers escorted bicycle tours of the countryside surrounding Sukhothai. There are tours to suit all levels of fitness, from one-hour tours to full day excursions, including sunset rides for the romantics amongst you. The names of the levels give you a clue, from 'turtle tours' for the slow and 'antelope tours' for the Lycra and bulging calf muscle brigade. Ronny likes to theme his tours, so you can join a 'coffee tour' that takes you through the local plantations, or try the 'eccentric hermit' version which visits, well, an eccentric hermit actually. Ronny is also happy to create a personalised tour for you if requested.
Alternatively, just hire a decent bike (carefully check the tyres and brakes before you ride off - you don't want a puncture miles from anywhere), grab a map and pedal off to explore. Take plenty of water and a smile, and enjoy the Thai countryside.
Thai Boxing (Muay Thai) in Sukhothai
Five nights a week, tv stations broadcast muay Thai boxing matches, an exhilarating blend of martial arts and wind band concert! Each Thai boxing bout starts with the contestants performing the wai khru dance, to honour their opponent and warm up their muscles, before the real the fighting starts.
Each bout lasts for five rounds, and each round lasts three minutes, with a two-minute breather between each round. The winner is decided either by points or a knock out, and the whole fight is accompanied by a live wind and percussion ensemble. Like a Hollywood sound track for a blockbuster movie, these musicians increase the tempo of the music during the fight, as the excitement builds.
Unfortunately, you probably won't find any live Thai boxing matches in Sukhothai, but it's always worth asking. If not, simply ask which bars show live matches, grab a beer, and join in the excitement! If you wish to take a muay thai training course, you will have to travel from Sukhothai to either Bangkok or Chiang Mai to find foreigner-friendly but professional training camps at reasonable prices. Phuket muay thai training camps tend to cater for the holiday student rather than those interested in serious training.
Football in Sukhothai
Thais love two kinds of football; anything played by the major European premier clubs and their own special variety, Sepak Takraw.
If you have even a small amount of knowledge of English premier club football, you'll easily find friends in a Sukhothai bar. Ask your Sukhothai hotel concierge which bars show live football matches on tv screens, order in the beers before first whistle, and watch cultural barriers disappear in the face of a dodgy call by the ref.
Sepak takraw is less football, more volleyball, and is played using the feet. Players aim to kick a ball the size of a small melon over a 1.52 metre net across a badminton-sized court. It's incredibly acrobatic and how the three players manage to keep the ball in the air at all without crashing into each other seems a minor miracle. Within three touches, the ball must cross the net, and the first team to score either 15 or 21 points is the winner. Again, there may not be an official match happening in new Sukhothai, but again it's worth asking at your Sukhothai hotel reception, or at a guesthouse whose information may be more reliable on local matters, if any informal games happen in parks or temple grounds that you can watch. It's well worth making the effort to find out.
Fitness Centres in Sukhothai
The Suan Nam Premsuk sports complex on Route 101 has a swimming pool, tennis courts and table tennis facilities. Some of the Sukhothai major hotels also have fitness centres on site for guests, such as the Ananda Museum Gallery Hotel, which may be available to non-residents for a small fee and a big smile!
Golf in Sukhothai
Thais do enjoy a good round of golf, but there are no major courses in Sukhothai. The nearest courses listed by the Professional Golf Association of Thailand (www.pgathailand.com) are at Phitsanulok; the Waterland Golf Resort and the Dong Phu Kert Golf Club.
Swimming in Sukhothai
Most of the 'resort' hotels near old Sukhothai have swimming pools for guests, although they are more for recreation than 'serious' swimming. If you want to swim proper lengths, it's best to head for the Suan Nam Premsuk sports complex on Route 101, but be advised it can get very crowded at weekends. The locals may swim in the Yom River, but this is certainly not recommended.
Sukhothai Tennis
Thanks to the international success of Thai tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan, the sport of lawn tennis has grown in popularity in Thailand. The Suan Nam Premsuk sports complex on Route 101 has courts for hire, although these will be booked up at weekends.
Sukhothai Thai Massage
OK, it's not a sport as such, but it can certainly cure most of sports-induced aches and pains. Most Sukhothai hotels offer massages for guests, and in new Sukhothai there are plenty of local masseurs available. Check with your Sukhothai hotel reservations for local recommendations, or ask at the new Sukhothai guest houses for local massage services that are what they say they are and not something more seedy...
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"Everything you ever wanted to know about Sukhothai activities"
