It looked scary as heck. Seat on a metal bullet-shaped base, what looks like a giant kite, and a couple of metal fixings. Open air, exposed to the elements. The most unique Chiang Mai attraction on my itinerary would, quite possibly, make me pee my pants.

Unique Chiang Mai Attraction: Mountain Micro Flight

The buzzing sound of the engine revs up your adrenaline to levels I’d only experienced when I went paragliding in Indonesia. You shake, you giggle, you scream. Before you can change your mind though, you’re up in the air.

The rush of emotions you go through during a micro flight is hard to describe.

You feel so light. So free. Like a bird!

No pressure compresses you. Just noisy wind, rushing over your helmet.

And such a force of euphoria that tears stream down your face effortlessly.

The views are gorgeous, too, obviously. Thankfully, the micro flight is long enough that you have time to pull yourself together and enjoy the scenery.

Lush mountains, flooded rice paddies, golden stupas, and even a dam and artificial lake sprinkle the the vistas.

I even got to see what seem to be a pack of white geese flying over the fields right before landing!

It was so damn beautiful.

I had not read anything about micro flights before arriving to Chiang Mai. So, upon my exhilarating experience, I looked into it to learn a bit more about the light vehicle that made me feel like a bird for a bout of time.

What I learned is a bit crazy: ultralight aircraft has only been around since the late 1970s or early 1980s!

As “young” as this type of aircraft might be though, they are extremely sophisticated and safe.

They can actually be flown with your hands off the control bar!

Unbelievably so, the ultralight aircraft automatically corrects for small disturbances when experiencing light turbulence in pitch and, to lesser degree, in role.

Don’t worry though: local Thai pilot Prayote won’t take his hands off.

(I would have probably passed out if he did, honestly 😀)

If you’re ever in Chiang Mai Thailand, I highly recommend you book this unique experience. Naturally, it highly depends on weather, so it is best if you plan your visit outside the rainy season.

Even though I visited in July, greater chances for bright sunny days fall between November and March.

What’s your favorite thing to do in Chiang Mai? Have you been there?

Khob kun kha to Prayote and his team at Sky Adventure for taking my micro flight virginity in Chiang Mai free of charge! The roller coaster of emotions I just described is genuinely part of my experience, though. Nothing about this piece has been fabricated nor did I receive payment for a positive review.