The famous zipline point in Toro Verde Nature Adventure Park. (Image Credit: Flickr//OH Carrero)
Southeast Asia has been at the top of the list for adventure tourists around the world. Its exotic forests, amazing landscapes and scenery in addition to a huge variety of colourful cultures in the region has made it appealing for every type of tourists. The region offers tourists both budget and luxurious trips for all kinds of tourists. Diving enthusiasts can look to dive at the famous Koh Phi Phi, mountain tourists can climb the majestic Mount Kinabalu, gastronomy tourists feasting on the street foods of Chiang Mai or Angkor Wat for those who looks to immerse themselves into learning the culture of others. Southeast Asia is definitely a tourist hotspot as a whole with third world countries such as Cambodia and Laos opening up towards the world in terms of tourism activities. Even with so much on the plate, there are so many more to discover in Southeast Asia.
Following the rise of adventure tourism in the recent decades, Southeast Asia has been one of the regions to go for exciting adventures because of its rich culture and the exotic landscapes. Adventurous activities such as scuba diving, paragliding, kayaking, rafting, trekking, caving, rock climbing or even sandboarding and many more can be found in various countries in Southeast Asia. Among all of the adventurous activities, zip lining has gradually upsurge to a prominent level in Southeast Asia. There are more and more zip lining activities being established all over the region and thrill seeking tourists have been flocking over in search for a huge surge on their adrenaline. Zip lining in all tours in Southeast Asia includes gliding over the top of rainforest canopy, whizzing across the sea beneath you, hanging over deep cliffs or even fly over rapid waterfalls. Here are some of the best zip line points in Southeast Asia that can fill your thirst for exhilarating adventures and provide you a memorable experience.
LAOS
Casually ziplining out from the 40 metres high treehouse where you will spend your night. (Image Credit: Flickr//Christian Haugen)
The Gibbon Experience, Ban Houayxay, Bokeo Province
The landlocked Laos is a laid-back country with its capital city Vientiane known as the sleeping capital. With dark lush green forests blanketing its landscapes, Laos is a fantastic location for ecotourism, nature tourism or even adventure tourism and many nature related tourism activities. Its luscious and tall jungles houses various wildlife such as the rare black crested gibbon, elephants and even tigers.
One of the most famous outdoor activities in Laos would be zip lining with the Gibbon Experience in the Bokeo Forest Reserve near Houayxay. The Houayxay zip line will let you experience the Laos jungle with a bird’s eye view. Zip line brings you to traverse the jungle through the tall tree canopies where you can look at the vast jungle that Laos has to offer. The Gibbon Experience features a total of 15 kilometres of zip line where the longest zip line is almost 600 metres and about 150 metres high off the ground. The longest zip line will bring you almost a minute off the ground before reaching to the other side. Zip lining isn’t actually for recreation purpose only but it has reduced the trekking time of 8 hours total to only 2 hours. The zip line can travel fastest around 40 km/h.
Other than zip lining across the forest, you will get the chance to sleep in one of the world’s highest treehouses about 40 metres above the ground on a large and tall tree. The 3-storey treehouse is only accessible through zip lining in and out. It is a somewhat luxury stay amidst of the wild jungle with, running water and solar powered electricity. Your meal will also be zipped in by the staffs. During the night, you will immerse yourself into the jungle ambience filled with noise of the creatures living in the jungle, it would be an experience found nowhere else.
THAILAND
Fly across the jungle of Chiang Mai with the Flight of the Gibbon.
Flight of the Gibbon, Chiang Mai
Further away from capital of Bangkok is the ancient city of Chiang Mai which has a rich culture and ancient history in its book. Famed for its busy night market and tasty street food, Chiang Mai is another tourist hotspot in Thailand. Just an hour away from the Chiang Mai city, at the Mae Kampong village there is a zip lining experience with the Flight of the Gibbon which is one of the best of all zip line tours in Thailand. The experience of flying through the rainforest jungle canopy in Chiang Mai will definitely fill your adrenaline as you admire the scenic view during the zip lining.
Chiang Mai’s Flight of the Gibbon features 5 kilometres of zip line with 33 platforms. Most of the zip lines are as tall as tree canopies in the jungle where you can view the top of the jungles when you glide through various zip line courses. The longest and highest zip line in Chiang Mai’s Flight of the Gibbon is approximately 850 metres long and suspended 50 metres above the floor of jungle. It takes over a minute to glide from one end to the other. If you are lucky, you can even get to see wild animals roaming around the jungle beneath you. As the name pronounced, gibbon is the highlight of the jungle but not everyone will get the chance to sight the rare animal. The zip line will definitely fill your excitement bar full at its full speed of flight, perfect for thrill seekers. Other than zip lining activity, you will also walk across a hanging sky bridge and go on 2 rappel descents. Do not miss the Flight of the Gibbon if you are looking for a unique adventure.
MALAYSIA
The fun zipline in Colmar Tropicale Adventure Park suitable for anyone.
Colmar Tropicale Adventure Park, Bukit Tinggi
Malaysia is a popular place for zip lining in Southeast Asia. They are also referred as flying fox by the locals. Zip lining across the treetop of green rainforest is certainly an exhilarating experience for adventure seekers. The Bukit Tinggi Flying Fox boasts a combined length of 1 kilometres and around 150 metres above the ground with flourishing forest beneath you as you glide past the jungle. With a speed up to 100 km/h, it will certainly provide a boost on those who brave the zip line.
Other than zip lining, the adventure park also features a refreshing canopy walk and a 5 metre high rope obstacle course. Paintball and rock climbing activity can also be done here as a comprehensive adventure park.
Glide across the blue ocean beneath you with the Coral Flyer in Borneo.
Coral Flyer, Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
Among all zip line tours in Malaysia, an island-to-island zip lining activity is featured by Coral Flyer at Sabah in the Borneo. The experience of zip lining across the face of the crystal clear ocean beneath you is definitely a very special experience. Great height, quick speed and scenic view, the Coral Flyer zip line has it all. It is a zip line connecting two beautiful islands in Sabah, the Gaya Island and Sapi Island. The zip line is 250 metres long and 50 metres high above the ocean. You will glide across the sea with a speed around 50 km/h and soak into the magnificent view of the ocean around the islands. As not many destinations in the world has island-to-island zip line, the Coral Flyer zip line is definitely an eccentric experience.
PHILIPPINES
One of the most famous zipline in Philippines with its amazing view of waterfalls along the zipline. (Image Credit: Flickr//Mao Ayunan)
Seven Falls Zipline, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
Lake Sebu located at South Cotabato in the Philippines is famous for its highland landscape and majestic waterfalls along with rich biodiversity and interesting culture. In this beautiful town, the Seven Falls zip line is one of its famous attractions. It is one of the 20 over zip lines in Philippines where zip lining activity is becoming more popular. The zip line is one of the highest in Asia with a height of 180 metres above ground. The high zip line enabled people to look at the stunning scenery of Seven Falls Waterfall. The waterfalls varied from wide, high, short and powerful with each of them has a different unique attraction.
The best way to enjoy the view of the seven waterfalls would be to go on the zip lining activity because of its high viewing point. The zip line features a length of over 1 kilometres which is separated into 2 lines. The longer line is over 700 metres in length and the other one is around 400 metres. The impressive waterfalls will splash below you while you glide past the flourishing green forest of Lake Sebu where it will certainly be a memorable experience.
VIETNAM
Zipline through the wide river towards the Dark Cave in one of Vietnam's National Park. (Image Credit: Flickr//Craigs Travel)
Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh
Vietnam like other countries in Southeast Asia is home to many adventurous activities. Mountains made of limestone and beautiful bays are one of Vietnam’s main attraction. Ever thinking of combining this two elements with zip lining? You will get Phong Nha-Ke Bang Zip line if you were to do so. The zip lining activity is situated within the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. This zip line activity is very unique where it brings zip liners gliding into caves or plunge into the river.
The zip line stretches about 400 metres across the river to the mouth of Dark Cave. The Dark Cave is one of the main attractions in the park where caving activity is done. The zip line will take you gliding past the clear waters of the river and through small rocky limestone mountains. You can explore the dark caves after the zip lining as it brings you straight to the entrance of Dark Cave where there are many lakes inside and also a natural mud bath available. There is also another smaller zip line and obstacle course that you can try in the area.
