I have always loved the outdoors, and the excitement of doing adventurous activities. So when I finally got the chance to try paragliding, I jumped at it.
I went to Kuala Kubu Bharu Paragliding Park, located in the small town of Kuala Kubu Bharu in Selangor, about an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur city centre.
I went with a small group of other journalists. Upon arriving at the station, we stored our belongings in a room before being briefed on safety procedures.
Soon after, a van drove us up a hill. As we made our way up, one thought kept looping in my head: “How scary could it possibly be?”
It was a mix of anticipation, nervousness and excitement. Somehow the bumpy ride up helped calm my nerves a little, but I still couldn’t stop thinking about the height at which I would be gliding.
Just as I was about to ask, the driver casually said, “It’s not that high, only about 420m above ground.”
After around 20 minutes, we reached the take-off point. The launch area was marked with clear lines. Think parking spaces, except you definitely can’t park a car here.
The sun was relentless that day, and leaving my sunscreen at the hotel was definitely a mistake. Lesson learnt.
While waiting for our turn, we watched other participants run toward the edge and gradually disappear into the sky. At that point, I thought it looked easy enough: just run and lift off.
One participant, however, had to do it more than five times; he kept running to the edge but stopped just before lifting off each time. I couldn’t remember the reason, but my confidence slowly faded. And I could feel my heart racing.
Somehow, I ended up being among the last in my group to take off. My instructor carefully strapped me into a harness attached to the parachute and handed me a camera, which I fastened securely to my wrist.
All flights are conducted in tandem with certified instructors, and equipment checks are carried out before each flight.
Then we waited – longer than the others, for some reason – about eight minutes. Out of curiosity, I asked why.
He explained, “We have to wait for the wind to shift direction, so it ‘blows up’ the slope. Otherwise, launching would be unsafe.”
The key to paragliding is the wind. When it hits the hill just right, it creates an upward current – also called ridge lift – that lifts and helps the paraglider stay aloft.
When the moment finally came, he told me to run with all my strength because stopping midway could cause technical issues, like tangled lines, which would be dangerous for both of us.
It may sound a little scary, but you don’t need any prior experience to do it, and the instructor guides you the whole way.
Participants also only had to run briefly.
And so I ran.
Initially, it felt as though I was dragging a heavy rock behind me. Then suddenly, the resistance vanished. The thrill hit as we lifted off the ground.
“Wow,” I whispered, unable to hide my excitement.
The flight lasted about 10 minutes. It was short but memorable, with the green hills of Bukit Batu Pahat in front of us as we glided effortlessly, carried by the “invisible” currents of the wind.
The view was beautiful. But if you’re prone to dizziness, it’s a good idea to take motion sickness medication beforehand. Your instructors can slow the turns if needed.
There’s also a trick for calming your nerves while in the air: focus on the distant horizon. Fixing your eyes at a point not only reduces motion sickness but eases one’s fear of heights, too.
Of course, you can also just take in the surroundings.
I landed with shaky legs, but my heart was full.
Sometimes, all it takes is a change in perspective to see life through a new lens.
