The tiny kingdom of Laos sits tucked away between several better-known neighbours, including Thailand and Vietnam. It is a landlocked, mountainous country where time seems to have stood still. Outside the capital Vientiane, much of it is very remote, with tiny villages of subsistence farmers and little else. Finding places to fly from in Laos can be challenging, but the countryside is awe-inspiring.
For many, a Laos paragliding trip is based in the ‘adventure’ capital of Vang Vieng. Famed for its tubing, where people float downriver in tyres, Vang Vieng has grown to become an all-round multisports destination. Paragliding is just one of the sports available. The rocky, tree-covered mountains around the town are good for starting short flights down the river valley. It’s the place to head if you are a beginner looking for tandem flights.
Elsewhere in Laos, you might need to be a bit more self-sufficient if you want to fly. The country’s landscape lends itself well to flying, but its remoteness can make it difficult. Make friends with the locals and find out the lay of the land before you fly. Much of the more remote areas are covered in virgin forest and inaccessible. But there are plenty of hills, and some wind, so you’ll certainly find somewhere to take-off from with a bit of dedication.
Laos isn’t first on many people’s lists when it comes to finding somewhere to fly, with most of it being well off the beaten track. But with a willingness to explore, a Laos paragliding trip could be a fantastic adventure through one of the world’s last countries to be almost untouched by modern civilisation.
