What the Vietnamese Press Wrote About Paragliding in Sapa, 2026
In a single week of August 2026, four major Vietnamese outlets covered paragliding over the Muong Hoa golden season. What they reported, and the figures they agree on.
Between 19 and 20 August 2026, four major Vietnamese newspapers published on the same subject: paragliding over the Muong Hoa Valley during the golden rice season. Four different angles — travel, business, culture and youth media — yet the figures and descriptions largely agree. Here is what the coverage reported, with links to each original article.
🗞 Lao Dong: How a Flight Session Actually Runs
Lao Dong (20 August 2026) focused on the practical shape of a flight. It reported that the journey starts at Hang Da village above 1,500m and ends near the Lao Chai bridge; airtime runs 8–15 minutes while the whole trip takes about 90 minutes; pick-up from hotels in central Sapa starts around 06:30, with 07:00–09:30 the usual window.
On cost, the paper reported packages starting at 2.09 million VND per passenger; the standard 2.19 million package covers the tandem flight, round-trip transfer, an English-speaking guide, insurance, GoPro photos and video, drinking water and a completion certificate; the 2.99 million Premium package adds drone and 360-degree camera footage.
Lao Dong also noted the nearly 1,000 hectares of terraces stretching across Lao Chai, Ta Van and Hau Thao, and advised booking one to two days ahead in peak season and scheduling the flight early in the trip so there is room to reschedule if the weather turns.
🗞 Van Hoa: International Visitors Arriving for the Season
Van Hoa (19 August 2026) placed the experience in the wider tourism picture. It cited nearly 14 million international arrivals to Vietnam in the first seven months of 2026, up 13.8% year on year, with the Philippine market up 63.6% and European markets up 53.4%. Paragliding over the golden season is framed as a new product combining landscape, outdoor sport and local culture.
🗞 Bao Dau Tu: The View Walkers Never Get
Bao Dau Tu (19 August 2026) compared the aerial view directly with trekking the valley on foot. It reported nearly 1,000 hectares of terraces, a launch above 1,500m, 8–15 minutes of airtime within a 90-minute experience, and a price of 2.19 million VND per passenger, operated by Sapa Paragliding Sports and Tourism JSC with a team of more than 15 pilots.
🗞 Kenh14: The Decade Before the First Flight
Kenh14 (20 August 2026) went into the part few people see: how the site came to exist. It reported that pilot Dang Van My first surveyed Sapa's terrain for flying in 2016 and continued test flying at various spots around Sapa from 2018 to 2020. On 14 February 2025, Sapa Paragliding Sports and Tourism JSC received its certificate of eligibility to operate — the first business in Sapa licensed to run paragliding.
The article also set out his record: more than ten years of experience with over 1,000 solo and more than 6,000 tandem flights, the first Vietnamese pilot to hold Japan's IPPI5 certification, author of four books on paragliding and translator of over 1,000 pages of technical material into Vietnamese.
The most useful part for anyone about to book is the legal standard it lays out, under Decree 36/2019 and Circular 19/2018: a take-off area of at least 15m x 10m, a landing area of at least 30m x 30m, a height difference of at least 70m between them, and technical, rescue and medical staff on duty.
🔢 The Figures All Four Outlets Agree On
- Hang Da take-off elevation: above 1,500m
- Airtime: 8 – 15 minutes
- Full experience: about 90 minutes
- Muong Hoa terraces: nearly 1,000 hectares
- Flight team: more than 15 pilots
- Operator: Sapa Paragliding Sports and Tourism JSC
🛡️ What All Four Agree On: Safety Decides the Flight
All four reports pause on safety. According to Dang Van My, the company's technical director, before every flight the main canopy, reserve, lines, harness buckles, radio and helmet are all checked, while the ground team monitors wind direction, wind speed and visibility.
The point they stress most: the pilot decides whether to launch. If conditions are not right, the flight waits or stops, even when the passenger is ready. That is also why every article recommends scheduling the flight for the first day of a Sapa trip.
📅 How to Catch the Golden Season
Pulling the four articles together: book one to two days ahead in peak season, take the 07:00–09:30 window when the sky is usually clearest and the wind steadiest, and put the flight on the first day of your trip so you keep a spare day. Late August through the end of September is when the Muong Hoa terraces are at their most golden.
Four articles in two days, four angles, one practical conclusion: the Muong Hoa golden season from the air is a view you cannot get from the valley floor. If Sapa is on your calendar this season, book early. Hotline / Zalo / WhatsApp: Ms. Judy +84 386 887 489 · Mr. August +84 985 95 0123 · Mr. Truong (flight coordinator) +84 336 233 789. Email: sapa.paragliding@gmail.com
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