Ziplining in Southeast Asia

Temples, food, beaches, shopping, elephants…. These are the highlights for most visitors to Southeast Asia.
 
But how about ziplining?

 
Many ziplining companies have set up shop in Thailand and Cambodia, even in Laos, and a visit will be a highlight of your vacation. It is also a way to support a green business (there are still many forests in Southeast Asia, and one way to keep them intact is to support businesses that use the forests in a sustainable way).

Consistently top-rated for ziplining is Flight of the Gibbon (FlightOfTheGibbon.com and TreeTopAsia.com). With their locations in three of the most visited sites in Southeast Asia, adding a visit to your itinerary should be easy.
 
Why Flight of the Gibbon?
 
Flight of the Gibbon is the originator of ziplining in the region. They did their homework to find the best locations, secure approvals and to design, engineer and maintain safe facilities and equipment (using New Zealand experts). They use triple-bolted construction, attach all lines independently, and exceed the highest international safety standards.
 

Flight of the Gibbon has well-trained staff who are good at their jobs, speak excellent English, and know how to ensure that guests have a fun and safe experience. Safety briefings and checks are thorough, and they adapt to each guest’s comfort level, height and weight (especially for kids), and the use of a still or video camera.

They also donate 10% of their profits to gibbon rehabilitation programs.
 
Flight of the Gibbon’s locations
 
Whether in Thailand or Cambodia, a Flight of the Gibbon location is near you:
 
Near Chiang Mai, Thailand

Featuring 7 km of ziplines (18 of them!) including the longest single canopy zipline in the world, at 800 m. This course is in a 1500 year old rainforest, less than an hour from the old city of Chiang Mai. Read more about what you can expect here: http://traveleater.wordpress.com/ziplining-in-chiang-mai-with-flight-of-the-gibbon/
 

Just 30 minutes outside of Siem Reap (near the “Tomb Raider” Ta Phrom temple) with 10 ziplines, 4 sky bridges, 21 platforms, spiral staircases circling giant trees, and a 15 meter abseil finish. A great way to cool off from temple tramping.
 

An hour from either Bangkok or Pattaya, in the Chompoo Nature Reserve. This site features the highest zipline in the country, just one part of the 5km course. The excursion includes a tour of the Khao Kheow Open Safari Park.

Always wanted to fly? Both kids and adults will enjoy a half day’s ziplining with Flight of the Gibbon, exploring the tree canopy from the perspective of a gibbon.
 

Blog and pictures by Johanna Read