Bo Sang Umbrella VillageBo Sang (also spelt Bor Sang) has been making umbrellas for generations, and its bright, flower-painted parasols are now sold all over Thailand. Many village families trace their roots to the Tai Lue, who migrated from Yunnan, and the village lies in San Kamphaeng district, on the stretch of Route 1006 known as the Handicraft Highway, about 9 km east of Chiang Mai.
The umbrellas are made by hand from local materials: frames and spokes of split bamboo, carved wooden handles, and covers of sa paper (made from mulberry bark), cotton or silk, sealed with oil or lacquer. In the larger workshops you can follow the whole process, from shaping and assembling the frames to stretching the covers and painting the designs freehand, before browsing showrooms stocked with everything from pocket-sized parasols to garden umbrellas.
The painters will decorate other things too, and many visitors have a small design painted onto a bag, phone case or shirt while they wait.
Nearby Attractions to Bo Sang Umbrella Village#
The Bo Sang Umbrella Festival#
Each January, usually around the third weekend of the month, the village holds its Umbrella Festival. The main street is hung with umbrellas and lanterns, and there are craft contests, parades, stalls of local food and the Miss Bo Sang pageant. It is the liveliest time to visit, though the workshops operate all year.
Bo Sang fits naturally into a day on the Handicraft Highway, where silk weavers, celadon potters, lacquerware makers and silversmiths line the road between the city and San Kamphaeng.
Weather & Climate near Bo Sang Umbrella Village#
Bo Sang Umbrella Village's climate is classified as Tropical Savanna - Tropical Savanna climate with hot summers (peaking in April) and warm winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 13°C to 36°C. Abundant rainfall (1058 mm/year), wettest in August with a pronounced dry season.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Ideal | 13° - 29° | 21° | 2 mm | mostly sunny | 69% | 0.8 m/s | 1.4 high | 11.0h |
| February | Ideal | 15° - 32° | 23° | 6 mm | mostly sunny | 58% | 0.8 m/s | 1.7 very high | 11.4h |
| March | Excellent | 18° - 35° | 27° | 23 mm | mostly sunny | 53% | 1.1 m/s | 1.8 very high | 11.9h |
| April | Very Good | 22° - 36° | 30° | 49 mm | some cloud | 56% | 1.3 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 12.4h |
| May | Acceptable | 23° - 34° | 32° | 164 mm | overcast | 75% | 1.2 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 12.9h |
| June | Good | 23° - 33° | 32° | 122 mm | overcast | 81% | 1.2 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 13.1h |
| July | Acceptable | 23° - 32° | 31° | 149 mm | overcast | 84% | 1.1 m/s | 2.0 very high | 13.0h |
| August | Acceptable | 23° - 31° | 31° | 196 mm | overcast | 88% | 1.0 m/s | 1.9 very high | 12.6h |
| September | Acceptable | 23° - 31° | 27° | 187 mm | overcast | 88% | 0.7 m/s | 1.9 very high | 12.1h |
| October | Very Good | 21° - 31° | 26° | 107 mm | partly cloudy | 86% | 0.7 m/s | 1.6 very high | 11.6h |
| November | Excellent | 18° - 29° | 24° | 44 mm | some cloud | 81% | 0.8 m/s | 1.5 very high | 11.2h |
| December | Ideal | 14° - 28° | 21° | 9 mm | mostly sunny | 76% | 0.7 m/s | 1.4 high | 10.9h |
How to Get to Bo Sang Umbrella Village#
Bo Sang is about 9 km east of Chiang Mai on the San Kamphaeng road (Route 1006), a 20 to 30-minute drive. Songthaews heading for San Kamphaeng pass the village, but to stop at several workshops along the way it is easier to hire a driver for half a day or rent a scooter. Be wary of tuk-tuk drivers offering cheap rides out here: they earn commission on whatever you buy.