Tourists experience paragliding on the summit of Langbiang.
From Radar Peak, Langbiang ( Lam Dong province ), visitors can gaze out over the sprawling pine forests, Dankia - Suoi Vang lake, greenhouses, and valleys at the foot of the mountain. A paragliding flight takes visitors soaring over the vast landscape of the plateau before landing at the Lonely Pine Tree Meadow.
In recent years, sports tourism has developed strongly in Vietnam with many forms such as trekking, mountain climbing, mountain biking, surfing, and scuba diving. Meanwhile, aerial activities such as paragliding are still relatively new and only appear in a few localities with suitable terrain conditions.
| SETTING ALTITUDE AT SOME POPULAR PARAGLIDING SPOTS IN VIETNAM | |||||
| Label | Radar Peak (Langbiang, Lam Dong) | Ham Rong Peak ( Lao Cai ) | Khau Pha Pass (Yen Bai) | Son Tra Peninsula (Da Nang) | |
| m | 1900 | 1750 | 1200 | 700 | |
While in the past, most tourists came to Da Lat to sightsee, "hunt" for clouds, or take photos, many now prioritize activities that allow direct interaction with nature.
In this context, paragliding has emerged as a new option, offering expansive views of the Langbiang plateau from the air. At an altitude of 1,900 meters above sea level, the Langbiang paragliding site is touted as one of the most impressively high-altitude paragliding spots in Vietnam.
"Da Lat has terrain very suitable for paragliding, and local tourism is also orienting towards developing more extreme sports products," Ms. Hanh Nguyen, representative of Fly Dalat, a commercial paragliding service provider, shared with Tri Thuc - Znews .
Besides familiar activities like trekking, whitewater rafting, and mountain biking, paragliding expands the options for tourists who want to explore nature in more unique ways.
Foreign tourists favor sports tourism in Vietnam.
The operator stated that the majority of domestic tourists who came to experience paragliding came from the South, where commercial paragliding is not as popular as in some northern localities.
Meanwhile, many international tourists, especially from South Korea and China, choose this activity to observe the Langbiang plateau landscape from an aerial perspective.
With costs ranging from 2.2-2.5 million VND per person (excluding VAT), the actual flight time for each trip is usually around 10-15 minutes, depending on weather conditions and wind speed.
However, the total time for a single experience can last 1-2 hours as visitors must go through instruction, equipment fitting, and safety checks before takeoff. Paragliding is highly dependent on weather conditions, so flight schedules may be adjusted or postponed if the weather is unfavorable.
The period from November to April is the ideal time to experience paragliding on Langbiang peak. Stable weather, wide views, and minimal fog make it easy for visitors to admire the beauty of the mountains and forests from above.
July, even on clear days, is still a good time to explore this destination. However, Da Lat's characteristic rainy weather means flight schedules sometimes have to be adjusted depending on actual conditions. Therefore, tourists should plan their time flexibly to avoid affecting their travel plans.
According to a representative from Fly Dalat, after about three months of operation, the paragliding site on Langbiang peak has seen a significant increase in visitors each month. In May, the site recorded approximately 300 visitors. From June 1st to June 23rd, the number exceeded 400, equivalent to a growth rate of over 30%.