SAFA Skysailor Magazine

23 January | February 2022 SKY SAILOR In between the flags Main launch All photos: Will Lodder Koh Larn key facts Location: 12.9182° N, 100.7803° E 120km drive from Bangkok airport to Pattaya ferry terminal. Season: October to February is generally considered best times to fly Koh Larn. Access: You leave your car at an overnight carpark at the Pattaya ferry terminal. 20-minute speed boat or 45-minute ferry ride out to the island. 5-minute scooter ride from ferry terminal on Koh Larn to launch. Accommodation: There’s plenty of options from budget to luxury resorts. We stayed at the Suntosa resort close to the ferry terminal. Launch: Wind direction needed is NE-NW with the launch facing NNE. A radio must be carried at all times and frequency is 144.425Mhz. Site fees are 100 baht per day. Importantly don’t fly over the Buddha’s head as it will cause issues with the local temple. Landing: The beach directly below launch is the LZ. On a outgoing tide landing is quite easy. Care should be taken as there are powerlines running parallel to the beach along the road. Top landings are discouraged by the local pilots. Local operator: Fly Koh Larn is the local tandem operator with Geoff being one of the owners who was an amazing help and offers solo instruction. Although not having the long cliff run in Bali out to Uluwatu or the option of going to Candi Dasa, Koh Larn offers a uncomplicated paragliding trip. The friendly atmosphere on launch, the consistent lift in light winds and easy beach landings are an hour builders paradise. The proximity to Bangkok is also another plus for this small island. With options later in the season to head north when the weather and wind direction are more favour- able to places like Koh Sadao for XC, ‘the land of smiles’ might just have to be added as a alternate to the well-trodden Bali paragliding escape. And there is just no beating that feeling that you can only get riding a 50cc scooter in the tropical heat with a light sea- breeze and the weight of a glider on your back on the way to launch!