Ko Samui is one of Thailand’s big names. This island in the Gulf of Thailand is known throughout the world as a place to top up the tan and enjoy wide tropical beaches. Travellers come to party all night, and sunbathe all day. But for those with a spirit of adventure, there is plenty of space to get up in the air on a Ko Samui paragliding trip.
Ko Samui is fringed by beaches, with Chaweng beach being the main tourist hub, with plenty of smaller, quieter beaches around too. The interior is hilly and jungly, covered in thick vegetation. This and traffic coming into the island’s airport, can make paragliding difficult on Samui. But some still manage it, taking off from coastal ridges and hills and landing on the beaches. The most popular launch site is from the cliffs Na Thon, the island’s main port. The nearby islands of Ko Phangan and Koh Tao are also good places for coastal flights, both quieter than Samui and without air traffic to contend with.
Beginners might need to stick with parasailing in Ko Samui: most of those who fly there bring their own wings. Take a short hop over to the mainland to Chumphon, and you’ll find some great paragliding over flatlands and rice fields, taking off from a ridge. You’ll be able to get beginners’ lessons and tandem flights there. The more experienced will find some great cross-country flying from Chumphon.
Thailand is one of the world’s most welcoming and beautiful countries, with Ko Samui one of its most popular tourist resorts. While you’re sure to have a good time there sunbathing on the beach, you’d miss some of the best the country has to offer if you don’t get up in the air while you’re there. A Ko Samui paragliding trip is the perfect way to get another perspective on Thailand.
