Words by Chelsie Kozera
It’s a bird – it’s a plane – it’s a paraglider!
My experience Paragliding in Korea
“Three…two…one…run!” Darting towards the side of the mountain, pulling an outstretched parachute behind me, feeling my heart racing and a lump in my throat, I hurled myself off a cliff in Danyang for my first tandem paragliding experience. Leaning back in the harness, my fears subsided and I enjoyed the twenty-minute flight above the rural landscape.
Paragliding in Korea is an experience everyone should have, if not for the thrill, then for the peaceful moments while in flight when you can look down and admire Korea’s vast mountains. One excellent organization that can help you get up in the air is Paraglide Danyang. The activity is easily booked through a phone call a few days before your desired flight date. If you remind them, they can even make a video of your experience and email it to you, giving you a great keepsake of your action-packed day in the not-so-sleepy town of Danyang.
To make the most of your experience, be sure to wear sneakers and pants or you’ll be borrowing them from fellow paragliders as you wait atop the mountain for a gust of wind in the right direction. You should also set aside an afternoon for paragliding because waiting for the breeze to pick up is, wait for it, not always a breeze. You may find yourself gliding off the mountain within minutes of arrival or enjoying the outdoors and the friendly atmosphere the instructors create for an hour or so before flight begins. Nonetheless, paragliding high above the ground is an unforgettable experience, and well worth the W80,000 that your twenty-minute soar session will cost.
Getting There Take a bus to Danyang as it will leave you closer to the pickup point than the train station. Call the instructors before you arrive and they can transport you to the paragliding location free of charge. Call 010-9072-4553 to speak to the English-speaking instructor.
If you want to try paragliding in Korea, check this website to find a location and book your experience!
If you are interested in climbing, check out our article about climbing in Korea!