San Kamphaeng is the craft district on the east side of Chiang Mai, and it rewards a slow day of painted umbrellas and working looms, with warm springs and cool hill villages further out.
What are the best things to do in San Kamphaeng?
San Kamphaeng is craft country. Start at Bo Sang, the umbrella village, where artists hand paint paper and cotton parasols and will often paint a small design on your bag or phone case. Visit a cotton or silk weaving workshop to watch the looms at work, then drive further east to the hot springs in Mae On for a soak and a picnic under the trees.
Bo Sang is the headline stop. The workshops let you watch each stage, from shaping the bamboo frame to stretching the mulberry paper and painting the final flowers, so you can see a whole umbrella come together in a single morning. Chiang Mai a la carte's Bo Sang guide walks through the same hand-made process.
The weaving shops along the handicraft road are quieter. Silk and cotton pieces hang in long rows, and some shops still run looms at the back. Scarves and table runners make light, useful souvenirs.
Past San Kamphaeng, the road climbs into Mae On. The hot springs there have warm pools, landscaped gardens and baskets for boiling eggs in the spring water. Nearby, Tham Muang On is a cave temple reached by a long stair climb, worth it for the cool air inside.
How do you plan a day out on the east side of Chiang Mai?
Go early and work outwards. Do the craft workshops in the cooler morning, reach the hot springs around lunchtime, and save the hills for the afternoon, when Mae Kampong's forest village offers shade and coffee. Hire a driver or rent a car for the day, because the stops are spread out and public transport between them is thin.
The east side suits a loop. Crafts sit closest to the city, the springs and cave are further out, and Mae Kampong is the furthest and highest point. Driving out first and working back means the last stretch of the day is the trip home, which is easier on a tired group.
Mae Kampong is a small village of wooden houses strung along a stream, with cafés built out over the valley. It feels noticeably cooler than the plains below, which makes it a gentle place to spend the warm part of the afternoon.
If you want a lighter version, pick two stops and skip the rest. Bo Sang and the hot springs together make a relaxed half day. For more ideas on shaping a short outing, see our one afternoon plan for Chiang Mai.
Is San Kamphaeng good for kids and families?
Yes, with a short plan. Children enjoy watching umbrellas being painted at Bo Sang and usually leave with a small painted keepsake. At the hot springs, boiling eggs in the spring water is a highlight. Skip the long cave stairs with toddlers, keep water and snacks in the car, and aim to be heading home before tiredness sets in.
The craft workshops hold attention because something is always being made in front of you. The hot springs gardens have open lawn and shade trees, so younger children can run about while adults sit.
The cave and the hill village suit older children and teenagers better. The stair climb and winding roads are easier with a group that can manage a longer day.
What should you do when the afternoon gets too hot?
Move indoors or uphill. The weaving shops are shaded and calm, the cave at Tham Muang On stays cool inside, and Mae Kampong sits high enough to feel fresher than the valley. Plan the most exposed stops for the morning and keep the middle of the day for shade, a long lunch and something cold to drink.
In the hot season before the rains, open ground becomes hard work by early afternoon. The same logic applies across the city, and our guide to what to do when it is too hot for temples has more shaded options.
In the cool season the whole loop is comfortable, and the hot springs feel their best when the air is fresh.
Where can you finish the day with something easy?
If you are back in the city with daylight left, pick something slow and outdoors. A round of garden mini golf suits a tired group because anyone can play and you can sit out holes in the shade with a cold drink or an ice cream. Mini Golf CNX is open every day until 18:00, so you can walk in without booking.
After a day of driving and walking, an unhurried hour in a garden is a gentle landing. A round takes about 1 to 2 hours; our piece on how long mini golf takes explains what changes the pace.
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Course | 18-hole garden mini golf in Chiang Mai |
| Booking | None needed, walk in |
| Hours | Open every day, 09:00 to 18:00 |
| Round length | About 1 to 2 hours |
| Food and drink | Cold drinks, snacks and ice cream on site |
| Seating | Shaded garden seating |
| Extras | Cornhole, board games and frisbee on the lawn |
| Groups | Groups, birthdays and events welcome, message ahead so space is set aside |