This video is an attempt to share tips and facts about tandem paragliding at the Blue Lagoon in Oludeniz, Turkey.
1. No experience is required to fly in tandem with a professional experienced pilot. Just be ready to have fun!
2. Wear proper shoes. If you’re in slippers or flip flops, you may end up having to wear shoes provided by the company
3. Bring sunglasses. I didn’t have mine with me, and ended up squinting at the sun, resulting in some weird expressions in my photos and videos.
4. Babadag is almost 2000m high and it can sometimes get chilly, keep a light jacket if going in October/November or taking the morning flight. The descent may be preceded by an ascent up to 3000m on thermal currents at times
5. A helmet and flightsuit are provided on request and are optional. I chose to wear the jumpsuit over my clothes because I was feeling cold, but I declined the helmet.
6. If you plan to use your own camera, make sure you have a secure tether. Most companies provide photos and videos of the flight, the price may be included in the package or charged separately. You could request for pilot for a recorded introduction.
7. Choose your timing: the first morning flight usually has the most stable conditions,
Daytime flights – the winds are stronger and are good for riding thermals,
while the sunset flight is good for the experience of watching the sunset while paragliding.
Check the weather the day before: if there is a morning haze, choose early afternoon instead.
8. Follow instructions and don’t panic. I was quite nervous before my turn. As I watched, the girl ahead folded up her legs before their tandem chute reached the edge, and it began to drag. They were pulled up at the last minute by the alert crew, averting a disaster.When it was our turn, I was told to “run, keep running, don’t sit.” I followed that and everything was fine.
9. If you are afraid of heights or prone to motion sickness, please specify this before the flight.
10. Regarding Aerobatics – tell the pilot clearly before you take off, whether you want a steady flight or want to try your hand at fancy turns and spins – you don’t want to have an unpleasant experience just because of a lack of communication
11. If you are really keen to have this experience, keep a buffer day. The weather can be unpredictable and paragliding sessions sometimes get cancelled or postponed. Having an extra day just in case will save you from disappointment in case of bad weather. This happened to us – our trip was cancelled on the first day and we ended up going the next day.
12. The flight duration may vary from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the weight of an individual and the weather conditions.
13. You don’t need to worry about the landing: it is smooth, mostly taking place on the promenade – but minor deviations may occur!
14. People with heart disease and other chronic illnesses may not be allowed to paraglide. There may also be an age or weight limit - check with the company you have booked the flight with.
15. When choosing a company, always check their safety record and online reviews.
Before we end, some general information you might find interesting:
Oludeniz is a beach resort and it is one of the best places in the world for tandem paragliding, due to 3 main reasons:
One, the beautiful panoramic views of the Blue Lagoon
Second, stable weather conditions
And third, Babadag the mountain itself – it is rare to find such a high mountain (1969m) so close to the beach – as a result it is the highest commercial take-off site
