Just 30 minutes’ drive from Da Nang’s centre, and only 200m away from the top of the Ban Co (Chessboard) Peak on the Son Tra Peninsula, a vacant spacious area is really an ideal take-off place for paragliding lovers who are interested in flying in the air to enjoy a bird's-eye view of the city's stunning landscapes. 

Paragliders during a practice session

Notably, the venue is currently considered as one of the most spectacular flying sites in Viet Nam.

As normal, paragliders always take off from this vacant area, at about 600m above sea level, and land on the district’s Man Thai Beach after flying over a distance of about 2.5km.

The Head of the over 20 member- Da Nang Paragliding Club, Mr Duong Hien Hoang, remarked that flights offer adventure sport lovers striking vistas which change noticeably as their gliders flutter in the wind.  In particular, the sense of peace and freedom from worry can be ignored while winging in the blue sky and garnering a deeper admiration for the city’s breathtaking landscapes.

“Paragliding flight gives you the wonderful opportunity to enjoy stunning panoramic views of the green Son Tra Nature Reserve, the beautiful beaches, the local high buildings and the impressive bridges crossing the Han River”, said the seasoned paraglider.

Ms Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, a paragliding lover from the northern city of Hai Phong, happily said that her recent first-ever flight gave her thrilling experience of being in the clouds at the height of hundreds of metres above sea level.

Winging in the blue sky over the stunning Son Tra Peninsula

Paragliding, like any extreme sport, is a potentially dangerous activity.  The potential for injury can be significantly reduced by training and risk management.  The use of proper equipment such as a wing designed for the pilot's size and skill level, as well as a helmet, a reserve parachute, and a cushioned harness also minimize risk.  Pilot safety is influenced by an understanding of the site conditions such as air turbulence (rotors), strong thermals, gusty wind, and ground obstacles such as power lines.   It is highly recommended that flights should be conducted in normal weather conditions.

Paragliding teams are typically divided into individual and tandem flyers.  Individual paragliders are seasoned pilots, while tourists or extreme sports fanatics are able to experience paragliding by flying in tandem with qualified trainers or pilots.

Visitors only need to perform simple maneuvers during take-off and landing, and to comply with the pilots’ in-flight instructions.

As a highly safe adventure sport, paragliding can be done by anyone in normal health who has conquered their fear of heights.  Tourists and pilots perform seamlessly in tandem and are connected by fail-safe gear.

Cameras must be kept in bags strapped to the flyers’ body during take-off and landing. The gadgets can only be used with the accompanying pilot’s permission while the glider is hovering in stable conditions.

As part of the 2016 Da Nang - Summer Rendezvous programme, a total of about 60 professional and amateur fliers from Da Nang and other localities nationwide competed in the 2016 Da Nang Paragliding Open Race themed ‘Flying over the Tien Sa Festival’ in June.  Local residents and visitors were thrilled with many adventurous paragliding performances. 

More recently, the 3-day Da Nang Paragliding Open 2017 attracted a total of 100 fliers from Viet Nam, South Korea, South Africa, the US, the UK, Australia, and Laos.  The fliers competed in accurate landing category for single and duo. 

Local professional paragliders hopes that this adventure sport will develop further in order to diversify the city’s tourism products in the future years.