Since the beginning of time, humans have been fascinated by flight– perhaps because we admire the talent of winged creatures who can take to the air with ease while we can’t. However, our greatest talent is the ability to use our brains to overcome physical limitations. Thus, the first successful human flight in a powered aircraft was achieved by the Wright Brothers on December 17, 1903 in North Carolina, USA. Fast forward one century later and now flying is seen as commonplace. Flights allow the fastest movement of goods and people, but can still be enjoyed recreationally. With that said, today let’s talk about three ways to fly for fun in Jamaica: through recreational flights with the Aeronautical School of the West Indies, through parasailing, and finally through paragliding.
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1. Recreational Flights
The only place to take a recreational flight in Jamaica currently is at the Aeronautical School of the West Indies, located at the Tinson Pen Aerodrome in Kingston, Jamaica. It is the only certified flight school in Jamaica and offers training courses for private and commercial pilots, as well as experience flights. Experience flights are perfect for those who want to explore a career in aviation or for thrill-seekers who want to try a new adventurous activity. For as little as US$80, you can get an aerial view of the city of Kingston. In fact, their instructors even allow you to be in control of the aircraft for a short while so you can experience the exhilaration and euphoria of flying. Before my experience flight last year, I’d only ever flown commercial so I was a little nervous about flying in a two-seater monoplane. However, life is all about conquering fears so I crossed this item from my bucket list like a boss!
Read about my full flight experience [HERE].
2. Parasailing
Parasailing involves being towed behind a boat while attached to a parachute-like canopy, known as a parasail. The parasail is connected to the boat by a long towline. Parasailing in Jamaica is offered at our three main resort towns, namely Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios. Both of my parasailing experiences so far have been in Negril in 2019 and 2020 with the Fly High Parasailing company, and I had a blast each time. My only complaint is that I wish the experience was a little longer. Anyway, parasailing is a great way to experience a panoramic view of Jamaica’s beautiful rugged coastline with its numerous bays, ridges and coves. I also liked how passive the activity was as participants are not actively steering or controlling the parachute. The experience is only about enjoying the ride and scenery.
Statistically speaking, flying is safer than driving.
3. Paragliding
The only activity on this list which I haven’t tried yet is paragliding. Paragliding involves a non-motorized, lightweight, foot-launched glider. The glider is made of fabric and is supported by a structure of interconnected lines. A harness is worn by the pilot, who is suspended beneath the glider. We have tandem paragliding available in Jamaica with Paradise Wings and they launch from: the 2,000ft high John Crow Hill near Treasure Beach, at 1500ft high from Skyline Drive near Kingston and also from the Sugar Loaf Hill at Bob Marley Beach. With tandem paragliding, the pilot does all the work and flies the glider so you as passenger can enjoy the incredible and breathtaking vistas and feel free like a bird. Hopefully, I’ll check it off my list soon. 🙂
Wrap Up
I often get asked, what will I do when I run out of things to write about in Jamaica. It’s not a question I have an answer to because I don’t think it’ll ever come to that! Not with over one hundred rivers, new activities and attractions springing up every year, and I’m still learning of new local places to visit and things to do. We even have Dinner in the Sky launching this summer! So who knows, one day I may have to do a sequel to this post and feature things like helicopter tours, sky-diving and hot air balloon rides. The possibilities in a country which relies so heavily on tourism are endless. Anyway, tell me, have you ever done these activities? Which would you be most excited to try? Sound off in the comments section below.
If you liked this post, you would also enjoy:
- 7 Off-the-Beaten Places in Jamaica Worth the Effort
- 8 Adventurous Things to Do in Jamaica
- 9 Places for a Nature Retreat in Jamaica
- 10 Best Hiking Trails in Jamaica
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