Blessed with spectacular scenery, big mountains, verdant jungles, sandy beaches, and year-round flying conditions, Hong Kong is one of the best paragliding locations in East Asia. Particularly appealing is the unparalleled convenience as all the paragliding sites are located very near public transit infrastructure, meaning that you are always just a few minutes away from an amazing adventure.

While we do not have drive-up sites, all paragliding locations are within 15-25 minute hikes from easily accessible trailheads. Most of the hikes are on well-marked trails, but you will need to have hiking or running shoes to ensure secure footing.

One thing always working against paragliders is the weather. While overall the temperatures here in Hong Kong allow for comfortable, year-round paragliding, coastal weather patterns can be quite unpredictable. Wind, clouds and rains can cause delays, which means you need to be armed with a lot of patience and a positive attitude, as it is not unheard of to hike up to the takeoff, only to find it clouded-in, wait around for 3 hours, and then hike out without a flight.

However, patience always pays off, as inevitably we eventually get blue skies and sunny days again, and enjoy spectacular flights alongside hawks and eagles. The paragliding community jokingly refers to this forced patience as “parawaiting”, and everyone knows that it is all part of the fun. We will not win the battle against the weather, thus preparation, patience, and snacks are the best way to ensure a fun and safe day out.

Once you have tasted free flight under a paraglider, you may wish to pursue a license course. Naturally, as a novice pilot, you will be tested by the weather even more than a first-time flyer with a tandem pilot. In order to learn paragliding safely, you need to be totally ok with the idea of delays, cancellations, and rescheduling. However, for a student pilot there is no such thing as a wasted day: a full day at the flight site is still a great opportunity to practice wing-handling skills without flying (we call it “groundhandling”), or picking up valuable tips and pointers from experienced pilots.

To ensure personal safety, participants are urged to select reputable tandem paraglider pilots, and students to find a reputable school/instructor. In Hong Kong, individuals should look for instructors who are certified by the Hong Kong Paragliding Association and authorized by the Civil Aviation Department. The association can provide more information about legitimate, licensed schools.