SkyExtreme Thailand Paramotor

SkyExtreme describes itself as Chiang Mai’s first paramotor operator, flying since 2012 — first out of San Kamphaeng, and since 2019 from a rice-field strip in Inthakhin, Mae Taeng, about an hour north of the city. The signature route climbs from the paddies and passes the gilded hillside spread of Wat Ban Den, one of the north’s most photogenic temple complexes, a kilometre from the strip.

The flight

You’re strapped into a tandem rig in front of a pilot; a short rolling start and the wing lifts you over a quilt of rice fields, canals and mountain foothills. Booking platforms list 20-25 minutes of air time on the standard Wat Ban Den route, with a longer Chiang Dao mountain option for around 4,900 THB. Morning slots collect you from your hotel around 06:00 and have you back by 09:00-10:00; the afternoon window picks up around 15:00-15:30 for golden-hour light.

Worth knowing

Book through the major activity platforms — Klook, KKday, GetYourGuide, Pelago or Agoda — rather than hunting for the operator’s own website, which has been unreliable. Dates do sell out in peak periods, so don’t leave it to your last morning; weather postponements are routine in any season, and the two-traveller minimum means solo bookings can be bumped with a day’s notice. Weight limits run 30-120 kg, minimum age 12.

Insider Tip: Take the sunrise slot and treat the temple as part of the plan — you overfly Wat Ban Den at altitude, then can ask your driver to stop for a ground-level visit on the way back while the tour vans are still elsewhere.

Two other operators fly the area: Upper in the Air from the Lamphun aeronautic club field, and FlyingBird from San Kamphaeng, the closest strip to the city. For balloons, skydiving and everything else airborne, see our guide to flying over Chiang Mai.