11 Things to do at San Kamphaeng just 30 minutes from central Chiang Mai

Did you know Chiang Mai has an Art Village? Yes, you read it right. An Art Village located just 30 minutes from central Chiang Mai. And it’s not just any ordinary one. Here, you can:

– Shop handcrafted things
– See how jewelry, traditional celadon, silk, etc are made
– Tour around art museums
– Visit nature attractions (the famous San Kamphaeng Hot Springs is here!)

Better known as San Kamphaeng, you don’t need to be a creative person to fully enjoy this place. All you need are tons of energy and willingness to have fun!

Curious? Bring your loved ones here and do these 11 things for the ultimate San Kamphaeng experience.

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1. Beautiful traditional handmade paper umbrellas – Umbrella Making Centre

You might wonder why San Kamphaeng is famous for their handmade paper umbrellas when the city is supposed to be cool and dry most of the time. According to history, this all started when a Thai monk that just came from Burma returned back home to (surprise surprise) Bo Sang!

Since then, the villagers have been making these umbrellas (originally in the harvest season but now 365 days a year), which has now become the city’s signature. I mean, there’s even an annual Umbrella Festival just for this beautiful craft!

Although you can use these paper umbrellas when it rains (the special water-repellent oils on the paper keeps the umbrella dry), it also makes a great decoration piece in your house. Or else, we highly recommend coming here to at least see how they’re made.

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2. Shopping time at the handicraft market!! – ChamCha Market

What’s the #1 thing you must do while travelling? Shopping! But what if you can get something meaningful and special like a handcrafted item meticulously crafted by local artisans? Whether it’s a painting or a handmade tassel earrings, find all this at ChamCha Market, a weekend flea market at San Kamphaeng with tons of homemade handicrafts, souvenirs, clothes and more for sale. They also have cakes, drinks and other types of food ready for hungry shoppers to buy.

3. Ceramics are so fragile yet stunning – Baan Celadon

Thai ceramics’ history dates all the way back to the third millenium BC, where the first earthenware was made. But with the Chinese trading with the Thais and bringing their culture and influence into Thailand in the 18th century, the style of Thai ceramics had evolved and resulted in two of Thailand’s most famous ceramics – “Benjarong” and “Celadon”, where the latter can be found here.

Here, you’ll discover how traditional celadons are made and find all sorts of ceramics available for purchase, from plates and cups to pots and statues. You can even get your own traditional celadon, all handcrafted and meticulously painted ensuring top-notch quality.

4. What’s an art village without an art museum?! – MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum

What I love about San Kamphaeng is that this village is brimming with artistic vibes (you can feel it in the air!!). And with the numerous artists residing and honing their craft here, they’ve built a creative community that is not found anywhere else in Thailand. Inspired by this, the Bunnag-Beurdeley family founded MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum as a way to share their 30 year old private art collection with the public and enrich people’s lives through art.

What’s amazing about MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum is you get to see numerous Thai contemporary artworks and artworks from neighbouring countries. The variety of artwork that’s displayed here will also stun you, from videos to paintings to 3d installations. So don’t hold yourself from taking loads of pictures with the artworks.

PS: The MAIIAM building itself is a work of art! It’s super photogenic!

5. Silk is oh so soft and dreamy… – Thai Silk Village

Thai silk may be renowned for its soft texture and unique patterns, but did you know that silk was originally from China and India? In fact, the creation of Thai silk was spearheaded by Jim Thompson, which was successfully made by using silk from Thai silkworms and Thai design patterns.

The great news is you no longer need to go out of your way to Jim Thompson just for Thai Silk. At this art village, you can get authentic Thai Silk in various colours and designs. You can also tour their factory and learn how silk is made.

6. Find lovely wood carvings here – Baan Jang Nak

One thing you’ll notice in Thailand is that they use a lot of wood, whether it’s for their art, temples or furniture. This is because Northern Thailand is abundant with teak wood, unsurprising since it’s the country’s mountainous region. At Baan Jang Nak, they’ve combined two of Thailand’s unique aspects – wood and elephants – to create art pieces.

From elephant statues to wall decorations, discover wooden elephants in various styles at this small, wooden Thai-style house. There’s also a coffee shop you can sit around and grab a drink at in case you feel famished mid-way.

7. It’s a girl’s best friend – Gems Gallery

Ask any expert about gems and you’ll hear Thailand being mentioned as one of the main trading centres for gemstones. This is because they once extracted gemstones from their mines, although many of them are now depleted. But with prior knowledge in gemstones, Thailand has perfected their gem extraction and crafting skills, enabling them to produce world-class gems.

What’s great about this gem centre at San Kamphaeng is you can see how each gemstone is refined and turned into precious jewellery. You’ll then be taken to the shop area where you’ll be shown different jewellery – from rings to necklaces – at various price points. So why not take this opportunity to get one for yourself or as a gift? It’ll be an unforgettable gift for sure!

8. Meet the (cotton) fabric of your life – Huanfai Daingam (เฮือนฝ้าย ด้ายงาม)

Cotton is EVERYWHERE! From your socks and underwear to your clothes, I bet a lot of them (if not most) are made of cotton, which isn’t surprising seeing how affordable yet comfortable they are. So even though Thailand is known for its silk, it produces cotton too – which started due to the influence from India back in the days.

Guess where the best cotton is produced in the country? It’s at our beloved Chiang Mai! So why not get even more cotton products at Huanfai Daingam, albeit higher quality?

You can even see how cotton products are made from scratch here.

Time to relax – Nature Attractions

Tired from walking around and shopping? Take a break at one of the nature spots in this Art Village.

9. This feels so warm and cozy – San Kamphaeng Hot Springs

When I feel tired, all I want to do is have a nice, warm bath. So why not recuperate your energy by soaking your legs in the hot spring water at San Kamphaeng Hot Springs? You can even boil eggs at one of the wells and have them soft or hard boiled.

10. Beautiful rocks on display – Muang On Caves

Nature’s beauty and fresh air never fails to give me positive energy. Hence, when I’m feeling down or tired, I like to walk around being surrounded by trees or even beautiful stones like the stalagmites and limestone at Muang On Caves. The positive vibes you get here will even last you a whole day!

11. Sheeps and horsessss!! – Dutch Farm

Who doesn’t like farm animals? They’re sweet and so cuddly that you’ll never get enough of them. So why hold yourself back from feeding and playing with them if you can come to Dutch Farm to do so?

12. Special Mention: Design and paint your mini elephant – Elephant Parade House

If you love painting and elephants, then we highly recommend visiting here. Although this place isn’t in San Kamphaeng (it’s near the centre of Chiang Mai), you’ll be able to see a parade of elephant statues made by various artists in their museum. You can also paint your own mini elephant (comes in 2 sizes) and take it home for a more creative souvenir.

How does it sound? Different from the usual Chiang Mai adventures right? One thing’s for sure, it’s a super fun place to go to with your loved ones! So remember to visit San Kamphaeng the next time you’re in Chiang Mai.

Happy adventuring! 😀

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