San Kamphaeng

San Kamphaeng is a district 13km east of Chiang Mai, known throughout Thailand as the centre of the city’s handicraft industry. The road from Chiang Mai to San Kamphaeng (Route 1006) is lined with workshops, showrooms and factories — silk, celadon, lacquerware, silverwork, carved wood and umbrellas — all operating as both production facilities and showrooms. Most are open to visitors during working hours, with free tours of the production process as standard.

What to See & Do

The Bo Sang Umbrella Village, about 10km east of Chiang Mai, is the best-known attraction on the route. Traditional umbrellas here are made from bamboo frames with saa paper stretched over them — a material produced from mulberry bark. You can watch artisans hand-painting the parasols at their benches, choose from an enormous range of colours and patterns, and buy direct. Custom orders are possible. The annual Bo Sang Umbrella Festival (usually the third weekend of January) turns the main street into an open-air gallery with decorated facades and craft stalls across the village.

Further east, Baan Celadon and Siam Celadon are the best-known celadon producers in northern Thailand, making the distinctive crackle-glazed green ceramics that have become a Chiang Mai signature. Both factories offer free tours covering the full process — hand-shaping, glazing and kiln-firing. If you’re buying, the further you travel from the city along Route 1006, the better the prices tend to get.

San Kamphaeng Hot Springs are 36km east of Chiang Mai — about 50 minutes by motorbike from the city. The site has soaking pools cooled from the 100°C source water, private tub hire and egg-boiling stations. The springs are a popular final stop on a handicraft road day trip. Arrive on a weekday for quieter pools; weekend afternoons fill up with Chiang Mai day-trippers.

The district also has 19 temples worth exploring if you’re on a motorbike with time. Most are working community temples rather than tourist sites, which makes them noticeably less crowded than the Chiang Mai old city wats.

Getting There

Songthaews from near Warorot Market in Chiang Mai run to the San Kamphaeng area for 30-40 baht. By motorbike or car on Route 1006, the workshops start appearing about 8km east of the city and continue for several kilometres before you reach Bo Sang. Motorbike rental in Chiang Mai is the most practical option — public transport doesn’t reach the hot springs or the further factories.

Best Time to Visit

November to February is cool and comfortable for the drive. January brings the Umbrella Festival. The handicraft shops operate year-round regardless of weather; the hot springs are equally popular in the dry cool season.

Insider Tip: Negotiate at the factory showrooms — prices are flexible, especially for multiple pieces or larger items. Shops closer to the city mark up more for the tourist trade; the factories further along the road are generally better value and the production areas are more active midweek.