19-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Wingsuit flying, kitesurfing and other daring adventures in Asia
Sometimes described as the closest humans come to true flight, Wingsuit flying is not for the faint-hearted, and to enrol in a training course a novice must already be an accomplished skydiver. Wearing fabric wings stretched between their arms and legs, these thrill-seekers steer with subtle shifts in body position like dive-bombing flying squirrels. One of the most dramatic locations in which the activity takes place is
Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park , in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province. Its near-vertical cliffs and the Tianmen Cave, a massive natural arch, create a GoPro-ready setting for daring descents. The
World Wingsuit League holds annual championships here (usually in September), with athletes launching from helicopters and threading through narrow valleys at speeds of up to 200km/h. Combining cinematic scenery with extreme risk, Tianmen Mountain is considered one of the ultimate challenges, and dedicated viewing areas are set up for spectators when competitions take place.
