Around Lunar New Year 2022, I went paragliding at Bu Hill. It was something I had wanted to do for a long time, partly out of curiosity and partly to experience the thrill.

I booked a ticket through Traveloka. Although they call it a “ticket,” Traveloka simply partners with paragliding instructors to facilitate bookings. The day before my scheduled flight, the instructor called to inform me that heavy fog was forecast for the next day. If the conditions were unsuitable, we would have to turn back without flying. Paragliding heavily depends on weather conditions—some people have attempted three times but had to return home empty-handed each time due to thick fog.

The next day, I met the instructor at BigC Tran Duy Hung as planned. Around 12:30 PM, he drove me to Bu Hill, which took about an hour. While called a hill, its highest peak reaches 833 meters in Hoa Binh Province. The spot where I flew was on a smaller hill about 650 meters high, located on the outskirts of Hanoi.

The road to the top of the hill was winding, steep, and slippery. We had to hire a local guide with a mountain bike to take us up. Upon arrival, the fog was indeed thick, but fortunately, it was still clear enough to proceed. As long as the landing point was faintly visible, conditions were deemed acceptable.

After securing the safety harnesses and a brief discussion on technique, we were ready to go. Together, we ran forward, caught the wind, and leapt off the slope. The moment we left the ground and were lifted into the air, there was a slight drop that made me feel weightless for a few seconds. Once I regained composure, I was able to fully enjoy the sensation of floating in the air.

Paragliding differs from skydiving. In skydiving, you jump from a great height and deploy the parachute mid-air to land gradually. In paragliding, the parachute is opened on the ground, and you ride the wind to ascend, much like flying a kite. Skydiving is significantly more dangerous and typically lasts only a few dozen seconds, whereas paragliders can soar for hours.

Paragliding isn’t simply about letting the wind lift the parachute. The pilot adjusts the direction by pulling two control lines to catch the wind. They must predict where wind columns are located and maneuver the parachute into them. Paragliders can even fly through clouds, which also provide lift. In professional competitions, athletes can travel hundreds of kilometers by navigating between wind columns and clouds.

Paragliding is a challenging sport. To earn a flying certificate, trainees need hundreds of flight hours. As mentioned earlier, flying depends heavily on weather conditions, making practice time-consuming. People like me, who just want to try it for the experience, require an instructor to sit behind and control the flight. My instructor had been paragliding for seven years, and it’s rare to find someone as skilled as him.

From above, I could see panoramic views of vast forests, fields, and herds of cattle. The area is still undeveloped, with few people and minimal tourism, giving it a natural and majestic beauty.

After flying for a while, the instructor performed some 360-degree spins with the parachute to heighten the excitement. Although I rarely get motion sickness, I felt quite dizzy during those maneuvers. We landed gently at the base of the hill.

I returned to central Hanoi around 4 PM, still feeling exhilarated the next day.

This trip was meant to satisfy my curiosity rather than a passion, so I don’t plan to paraglide again anytime soon. Instead, I’ll explore other experiences in the future. However, if you’re interested in trying paragliding, I highly recommend it—it’s truly a unique and thrilling activity.