Paragliding in Hong Kong: not for the faint-hearted, but what a thrill to get airborne
The adventure sport has a small but devoted following in Hong Kong. Elaine Yau throws caution to the winds and launches herself off a cliff to see if it’s for her. Plus: where you can paraglide
It’s a sweltering day in June and there are a dozen adventurers, including me, standing at the edge of a cliff in Pak Kung Au on Lantau Island. It takes 40 minutes to hike there in the blazing sun, carrying heavy gear on our sweaty backs. When we eventually reach our destination, we jump off the cliff and soar into the sky, and are rewarded for our efforts with a panoramic bird’s-eye view of the mountains and sea.
There are about 200 regular paragliders in Hong Kong, who can practise this sport of daredevils in eight approved locations.
Paragliding differs from other sports in that there are no advantages gained from physical stature and it doesn’t matter where you come from, says Yuen Wai-kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Paragliding Federation. “It requires skill and experience, rather than physical stamina.”
Watch Elaine Yau take to the skies
Yuen accepted my request for a training session and, as a nervous beginner, I ask to fly tandem with him at the controls. With a large rucksack doubling as a seat, buckled up and wearing a helmet, and elbow and kneepads, I wait for the order from Yuen, who is strapped behind me, to run to the edge of the cliff.