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Zip Wiring
Go Ape with Zip Wire Adventures in South East Asia
Whizzing through the trees at the height of the birds and the monkeys above the canopy of the rainforest is one South East Asian experience not to be missed! You will feel like a bird yourself as you glide by luscious, green vegetation in the heart of the jungle from tree-top to tree-top amidst the chirping buzz. Zip wire adventures are a thrilling way to experience adrenalin-pumping action and get closer to nature at the same time.
Where are the best places to go Zip Wiring in South East Asia?
Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand
Located just one hour’s drive from Chiang Mai, Flight of the Gibbon is an exciting and safe zip-wire tour that invites you to discover pristine, 1,500 year old virgin rainforest of Thailand. The tour is based just outside the beautiful village ‘Mae Kompong,’ known for its coffee and tea plantations cultivated by local hill tribes in the area. There are 2km of zip lines and 18 platforms, which connect the vistas and allow you to experience different layers of the rainforest ecosystem. Reaching up to a height of 50 metres it’s certainly enough to get your heart beating fast, yet with the professional and safety conscious guides you feel in good hands always. The views over the surrounding forests are breathtaking.
Huay Xai, Northern Laos
In Laos, the similarly named but unconnected ‘Gibbon Experience’ is an altogether wilder adventure. Situated in Bokeo Nature Reserve in Northern Laos, close to the border town of Huay Xai, the p
roject is aimed at preserving the primary forest and protecting the wildlife that is under constant threat due to poaching, logging and slash and burn farming. The reserve itself consists of 123,000 hectares of forested, mountainous terrain that is home to a wide variety of birds, insects and mammals, including black gibbons, elephants, wild buffalo, bears and even tigers!
Remember those treehouses you built as a kid? Well here at the ‘Gibbon Experience’ your childhood games become a reality as you can actually live in amazing tree houses in the jungle, which offer ‘out of this world’ views of the surrounding forest. Exploring the jungle in your own speed in the day across a network of zip-wire cables and at night retreating to your own treehouse to drift asleep to the sounds of the jungle – you couldn’t get closer to nature here. Sitting on the balcony, you may be able to spot a family of gibbons going about their daily life in your new neighbourhood. It’s no surprise why people go ape for zip wire adventures such as this.
Zip line high up in the tree canopy with the birds and the monkeys!
Koh Tao, Thailand
Ajoining the stunning island of Koh Tao is a tiny island by the name of Koh Nangyuan. Between these two hangs the World’s only zip line between islands! Groups set off every hour from 9am to 4pm but need to be signed up for in advance as this is unsurprisingly popular and places are limited. There are many tour companies on Koh Tao who will be more than happy to sell you a half or full day of sightseeing, with the zip wire included. Otherwise, hop on a boat from Koh Tao and the journey to Koh Nangyuan shouldn’t set you back more than 100 Baht. Well worth a trip, this is a zip wire beyond the action hero’s dreams!
The incredible new island-to-island Zip Wire in Koh Tao, Thailand!
Make sure you have travel insurance before embarking upon adventure activities. We recommend World Nomads as the best travel insurance for Southeast Asia Backpackers.
Nikki Scott is the founder & editor of South East Asia Backpacker. A traveller-turned-entrepreneur, she left the UK in 2009 and after 6 months on the road, she started a bi-monthly print magazine about backpacking in Asia. South America Backpacker soon followed and today she runs her backpacking enterprise from her base in Spain. Her honest and fascinating book, Backpacker Business, tells the story of her success in the face of adversity.