Where to Paraglide in May: The Places That Fly Most
The paragliding places with the most flyable days in May, counted from three years of hourly weather at every launch, continent by continent.
Published · OutDare Team
In May, the paragliding places in Europe that flew most often over the last three years were Avià, Catalonia, Spain (100% of days), Kadaň, Ústí nad Labem Region, Czechia (100% of days) and Doetinchem, Gelderland, Netherlands (100% of days). Further away, each continent's leader was Oliver in Canada, Caracas in Venezuela, Spirit in Azerbaijan, Elandshoek in South Africa and York in Australia. Each figure is the share of May days, from 2023-09 to 2026-08, when at least one launch of the place had a two-hour window a typical EN-B pilot would fly: wind 5–25 km/h from a direction the launch faces (or a calm day with good thermals), gusts under 39 km/h, no rain or storm, and cloud off the launch.
Where to paraglide in Europe in May
| # | Place | Where | Flyable days | Launches | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avià | 🇪🇸 Catalonia | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 5 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
| 2 | Kadaň | 🇨🇿 Ústí nad Labem Region | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 5 | Thermals, Soaring, Winch launch, Flatland |
| 3 | Doetinchem | 🇳🇱 Gelderland | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 3 | Thermals, Winch launch, Flatland |
| 4 | Tubbergen | 🇳🇱 Overijssel | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 3 | Thermals, Winch launch, Flatland |
| 5 | Capdepera | 🇪🇸 Balearic Islands | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 2 | Soaring, Hike & fly |
What May is like at the top two:
- Avià: afternoons around 10 °C, rain on 10% of days, typical wind 10 km/h, thermals topping out near 1,050 m, 12.1 h of sun.
- Kadaň: afternoons around 16 °C, rain on 20% of days, storms on 11%, typical wind 11 km/h, thermals topping out near 1,650 m, 10.5 h of sun.
Where to paraglide in North America in May
| # | Place | Where | Flyable days | Launches | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oliver | 🇨🇦 British Columbia | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 5 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
| 2 | Whitehorse | 🇨🇦 Yukon | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 5 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
| 3 | Rainbow Valley - South Bullard | 🇺🇸 Arizona | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 4 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Winch launch, Flatland |
| 4 | Santa Anita | 🇲🇽 Baja California | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 4 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
| 5 | Pilón | 🇨🇺 Granma Province | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 3 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
What May is like at the top two:
- Oliver: afternoons around 19 °C, rain on 2% of days, typical wind 11 km/h, thermals topping out near 2,350 m, 10.9 h of sun.
- Whitehorse: afternoons around 11 °C, rain on 5% of days, typical wind 12 km/h, thermals topping out near 2,100 m, 12.8 h of sun.
Where to paraglide in South America in May
| # | Place | Where | Flyable days | Launches | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caracas | 🇻🇪 Distrito Federal | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 4 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
| 2 | Iquique | 🇨🇱 Tarapacá | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 4 | Thermals, Soaring |
| 3 | Huaraz | 🇵🇪 Ancash | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 3 | Thermals, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
| 4 | Puerto La Cruz | 🇻🇪 Anzoátegui | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 3 | Soaring, Cross-country |
| 5 | Alegre | 🇧🇷 Espírito Santo | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 2 | Thermals, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
What May is like at the top two:
- Caracas: afternoons around 29 °C, rain on 44% of days, storms on 9%, typical wind 9 km/h, thermals topping out near 1,000 m, 10.8 h of sun.
- Iquique: afternoons around 19 °C, rain on 0% of days, typical wind 9 km/h, thermals topping out near 150 m, 10.8 h of sun.
Where to paraglide in Asia in May
| # | Place | Where | Flyable days | Launches | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spirit | 🇦🇿 Sumqayit | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 7 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly, Flatland |
| 2 | Virār | 🇮🇳 Maharashtra | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 6 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly, Winch launch, Flatland |
| 3 | Lār | 🇮🇷 Fars | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 2 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly, Flatland |
| 4 | Tafīhān | 🇮🇷 Fars | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 2 | Thermals, Soaring, Hike & fly |
| 5 | Pokhara | 🇳🇵 Gandaki Pradesh | 99% (about 31 of 31 days) | 7 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
What May is like at the top two:
- Spirit: afternoons around 21 °C, rain on 8% of days, storms on 1%, typical wind 18 km/h, thermals topping out near 1,450 m, 9.9 h of sun.
- Virār: afternoons around 34 °C, rain on 4% of days, storms on 2%, typical wind 16 km/h, thermals topping out near 1,350 m, 11 h of sun.
Where to paraglide in Africa in May
| # | Place | Where | Flyable days | Launches | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elandshoek | 🇿🇦 Mpumalanga | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 2 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
| 2 | Rutana | 🇧🇮 Rutana | 100% (about 31 of 31 days) | 2 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly, Flatland |
| 3 | Mokopane | 🇿🇦 Limpopo | 99% (about 31 of 31 days) | 5 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly, Winch launch, Flatland |
| 4 | Sefrou | 🇲🇦 Fes-Meknes | 99% (about 31 of 31 days) | 3 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly |
| 5 | Kuruman | 🇿🇦 Northern Cape | 99% (about 31 of 31 days) | 2 | not recorded |
What May is like at the top two:
- Elandshoek: afternoons around 20 °C, rain on 1% of days, typical wind 7 km/h, thermals topping out near 1,600 m, 10 h of sun.
- Rutana: afternoons around 19 °C, rain on 9% of days, typical wind 14 km/h, thermals topping out near 950 m, 11.1 h of sun.
Where to paraglide in Oceania in May
| # | Place | Where | Flyable days | Launches | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | York | 🇦🇺 Western Australia | 99% (about 31 of 31 days) | 3 | Thermals, Soaring, Flatland |
| 2 | Kuendu Beach | 🇳🇨 South Province | 96% (about 30 of 31 days) | 4 | Thermals, Soaring |
| 3 | Tamborine Mountain | 🇦🇺 Queensland | 95% (about 29 of 31 days) | 3 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly, Flatland |
| 4 | Christchurch | 🇳🇿 Canterbury | 90% (about 28 of 31 days) | 9 | Thermals, Soaring |
| 5 | Punaauia | 🇵🇫 Îles du Vent | 90% (about 28 of 31 days) | 6 | Thermals, Soaring, Cross-country, Hike & fly, Winch launch |
What May is like at the top two:
- York: afternoons around 21 °C, rain on 1% of days, typical wind 14 km/h, thermals topping out near 1,600 m, 8.9 h of sun.
- Kuendu Beach: afternoons around 24 °C, rain on 13% of days, storms on 3%, typical wind 15 km/h, thermals topping out near 950 m, 9.1 h of sun.
How this is measured
Every launch in the OutDare map is judged hour by hour against the weather model's history at that spot: wind at the ground and at launch height, gusts, rain and thunderstorms, low cloud and the thermal ceiling. Places group the launches you would choose between on a trip, and a place flies on a day when any of its launches does. Only places with at least 2 launches are listed, and tow-only flatland fields are left out. Your own limits change the answer: the trip planner re-ranks every place for your wind range, and each place opens on the OutDare map for your exact dates.
A seasonal guide from past weather, never a substitute for the live forecast and your own judgement on the day.
Other months: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Frequently asked questions
- Where can you paraglide in Europe in May?
- Measured over the last three years, the European places with the most flyable May days were Avià, Catalonia, Spain on about 31 of 31 days, Kadaň, Ústí nad Labem Region, Czechia on about 31 of 31 days and Doetinchem, Gelderland, Netherlands on about 31 of 31 days. A day counts when at least one launch had a two-hour window a typical EN-B pilot would fly. Check the live forecast before you travel.
- Where is the best paragliding weather in May outside Europe?
- Outside Europe, the places with the most flyable May days over the last three years were Oliver in Canada (North America, 100%), Caracas in Venezuela (South America, 100%), Spirit in Azerbaijan (Asia, 100%), Elandshoek in South Africa (Africa, 100%) and York in Australia (Oceania, 99%), each the top place of its continent. The share is the part of May days when at least one launch had a flyable two-hour window for a typical EN-B pilot.
Keep reading
Where to Paraglide in April: The Places That Fly Most
The paragliding places with the most flyable days in April, counted from three years of hourly weather at every launch, continent by continent.
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Where to Paraglide in December: The Places That Fly Most
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