Oslob Paragliding: Why You’ll Absolutely Love Taking The Jump

Google Maps says the drive from my front door to the Oslob paragliding site takes three hours and thirty minutes. It has taken me seven years. Most of that time, I told myself the same lie everyone tells themselves: that there would be time for it later. What finally moved me wasn’t courage. It was the news.

Every time I opened social media, it was the same thing. Politics, cruelty, and someone’s certainty that the world was ending. I don’t believe the world is ending. 

I believe my time on it is short, and I was spending too much of it doom-scrolling my way through other people’s certainty.

So, after a cancelled trip to Luzon, I decided to do something I’d never done in my own backyard: paragliding in Cebu.

It had been a dream for years. 

The cancelled trip just gave me the push I needed. So I did it. And for a few minutes in the air over Oslob, none of it, the politics, the chaos, and the certainty that everything was falling apart, existed at all. 

I learned more up there than I had in months of scrolling through other people’s opinions.

My Oslob paragliding experience

When I first heard our trip to Apayao was cancelled, I wasn’t disappointed at all.

When you have traveled and explored so many places, you know disruptions are inevitable. There was a younger version of me who would probably be frustrated with the news. He would have ranted online and blamed other people.

This wasn’t that version.

Instead of complaining, I remained grateful. I saw it as another opportunity to do something different in my own province. I wanted to try an experience that I hadn’t done before, something that had lingered on my radar and my never-ending wishlist.

So, I used social media for a much better purpose. I scrolled past the noise to find more positive pictures and reels. Then I saw a video about Oslob paragliding.

That was it.

That was the sign I was waiting for from the universe.

The trip to Oslob from Cebu 

As with most day trips in Cebu, my journey started with a bus ride from the South Bus Terminal. 

For my Oslob paragliding adventure, I was joined by my niece, who was fast becoming a risk taker and adventure-seeker, like her uncle. 

The terminal is exactly the kind of chaos I was trying to escape. Vendors shouting. Engines rumbling. People rushing to secure a seat. But there is a specific comfort in that familiar morning rush.

The bus ride down south is a ritual. Once the vehicle pulled onto the highway, the noise faded. The concrete of the city slowly gave way to the quieter coastal towns. You learn to appreciate the slow transition from the heavy traffic to the open roads of the province.

We didn’t talk much during the ride. We did not need to. We finally had enough space to just breathe and watch the world pass by. 

There were no urgent notifications to check and no feeds to scroll through. There was just the steady hum of the engine and the promise of the open air waiting for us in Oslob.

When we arrived in Oslob, it was surprisingly quiet. 

The town is famous for whale sharks, waterfalls like Tumalog Falls, and packed itineraries. But on that particular morning, it was refreshingly slow. No one was in a rush.

We stopped by Seven Eleven  to ask where we could catch a habal-habal to the Oslob paragliding site. 

I took a sip of water, set my bottle on the table outside, and completely forgot it there. Sometimes your mind is already focused on where you are going next.

We found a motorcycle and began the steep climb up the mountain.

As the engine fought the incline, the road started to look familiar. I remembered I had been here years ago.

Two friends and I had used it as our exit on our hike to Mount Hambubuyog from Inambakan Falls.

It was a strange feeling. I was on my way to do something new, but I was traveling through a forgotten memory to get there.

I remembered how beautiful the views were on our way down to Oslob back then. They were just as stunning on our climb today. I honestly wanted to stop the motorcycle so we could pause and take it all in. The vastness of it leaves you speechless.

But as I looked at the sky to the southwest, I saw dark clouds.

There were only a few of them, but the weather is always unpredictable. We knew from our research that the Oslob paragliding site cancel all flights when the conditions turn bad. 

So, instead of asking the driver to stop, we pushed forward until we  arrived at the Oslob paragliding site.

Arrival at Oslob Cebu Paragliding Development

The gates were open when we pulled in.

Even so, I was still a bit worried our flights would not happen. The sky was blue and sunny above us, and the wind seemed perfect. 

But I was not the expert here. I was not going to pretend I knew everything, or act like I knew for certain our Oslob paragliding adventure would push through.

When we stopped at the parking area, the whole place was quiet. I could not see a single soul or hear any voices.

Fortunately, the driver told us there were people around, and he led us straight to the reception area.

I asked the person in the reception area if today was a good day to go on a Oslob paragliding adventure.

He said yes. But he also mentioned we would have to sit tight for a few minutes and wait for the wind conditions to improve.

Even with his assurance, I was still a little worried that our Oslob paragliding experience would happen.

Anything can happen up in the mountains. The sky could turn grey in a matter of seconds. A sudden downpour could ruin a perfectly sunny day.

I roamed around the area. I didn’t talk about the possibility of the flight being canceled. I refused to even entertain the idea in my head.

The thing is, thoughts have a way of shaping your reality.

It reminded me of all the people online who constantly insist the world is a terrible place. 

They focus on the politics, the wars, and the chaos. 

They spend all their time staring at the worst parts of humanity, and eventually, that becomes the only world they actually live in.

We build the reality we experience by choosing what we pay attention to.

If you fill your mind with noise and disaster, your life will always feel heavy and crowded. 

But if you protect your attention, you create enough space to experience life abundantly.

I was not going to let a few dark clouds in the distance rob me of the sky right in front of me.

Then moments later, one of the guides handed us a contract of our Oslob paragliding adventure.

It was happening, and I couldn’t hide my excitement. 

The first Oslob paragliding flight 

When the guides asked who would go first, my niece didn’t hesitate. She, in an instant, said she would take the first flight.

I was so proud of her.

Paragliding over 1,700 feet in the air is no joke. But she was not scared of it at all. On the contrary, she was pumped up and ready to experience the sky.

One day, when I’m no longer around, she will remember how this micro-adventure helped shape her. And hopefully, she will pass those lessons down to her cousin, my daughter, Adrielle.

I want them both to be fearless.

Not just in adventures and on trails, but in life in general.

Fear is the only thing that keeps you from finding out what you are actually capable of.

Fear is the ultimate manipulator. It builds walls around your comfort zone and convinces you the outside world is too dangerous to explore.

Think of a writer who has a wonderful story. 

They pour their soul into a manuscript. But the fear of speaking in public keeps them quiet. 

That brilliant story stays hidden in a drawer forever. The world misses out on something beautiful just because the author was terrified of stepping into the spotlight.

Fear wears so many different masks. We let the fear of failing stop us before we even try. We let the fear of getting embarrassed keep us from taking a risk. We swallow our words because we fear having our opinions invalidated by strangers.

Even the fear of missing out controls us. It’s probably why so many people make terrible decisions. You see it constantly. 

People will pick a politician who is unfit for the position simply because the rest of the world seems to think it is a good choice. They let the fear of standing alone make the decision for them.

And fear shrinks your reality. It stops you from growing. It convinces you to stay on the ground when the wind is perfectly fine for flying.

That’s why I want my children to be fearless. And that’s why I want them to go on adventures, like this Oslob paragliding experience.

Waiting for my Oslob paragliding adventure

On average, it takes around fifteen to twenty minutes to complete an Oslob paragliding flight. That meant I had some spare time to enjoy the view, feel the fresh mountain breeze, and take pictures of the site.

And so I did.

Then I retreated to a quiet corner to read my book. It was scheduled to be released just a few days from then.

In the first chapter, I read about how the fear of making mistakes stops us from growing and living fully. It somehow reminded me of my spontaneous decision to go paragliding.

I have always been known for doing things on a whim. Some people might think I am reckless or impulsive. They might be right. But I don’t let their opinions change my principles.

My decisions may seem impulsive and not carefully thought out, but they always teach me something.

If I fail and make a mistake, I don’t dwell on it. I never let it live rent-free inside my head. I learn from it, and I let it go.

If my decision to go on an Oslob paragliding tour today turned out to be a mistake, I wouldn’t regret it. I wouldn’t erase it. It certainly wouldn’t stop me from making spontaneous choices in the future.

The worst thing that can happen to a person is not making a mistake.

It’s standing completely still because you are too afraid to make one. It’s choosing the safe path every single time and calling it wisdom when it is actually fear.

My Oslob paragliding adventure 

The whole Oslob paragliding team was fast and efficient.

I had only read a few pages of my book when they arrived back at the site. It was finally my turn. I was ready to soar like an eagle high above the town of Oslob.

I wasted no time and prepared everything needed for the flight. The team finished the setup and gave me instructions on what to do.

Earlier, the wind was entirely in my niece’s favor. She soared instantly with no issues at all. 

She didn’t even have to run for he take off.

I expected it to be slightly different for me, considering I am much heavier than her.

And just as we were about to take off, we tumbled. Both the pilot and I completely lost our balance.

It didn’t look graceful at all. 

I admit. It was all on me. I didn’t listen to the instructions given as we were about to take off.

But I never let me mistakes define my me and my existence.

I made a mistake. So what? We all do. We are human. We are not robots or AI platforms like ChatGPT.

And honestly, even AI makes mistakes.

We got back up. We dusted the dirt off our gear and reset the lines.

The true weight of a mistake is measured by how long you choose to stay on the ground. 

A failed attempt doesn’t mean you belong in the dirt. It just means you need to adjust your footing.

So I paid close attention this time. The Oslob paragliding pilot gave the signal. I felt the sudden, heavy tug of the canopy catching the air behind us.

I leaned forward and I ran.

And this time, the earth simply fell away.

Suddenly, I was like a bird. It was like seeing the world through the lens of a drone, but with a much clearer, better perspective. There was no screen between me and the landscape. It was just me and the open air.

My first moments of Oslob paragliding was not scary at all. Maybe I am just used to thrills, or maybe the fear only exists when your feet are still on the ground.

Up there, I was completely speechless. I was in absolute awe. As I watched the coastline of Oslob stretch out below me, I just could not believe I was actually doing this. I was finally here.

There was a time when I couldn’t do any of this.

It wasn’t because I was afraid of heights or worried about the risks. It was because I was not financially capable. 

Back then, an experience like this was a luxury. Oslob paragliding was a dream reserved for people who had extra money to spend on weekend thrills.

But things change. Slowly but surely, I built a life where I could afford the things I wanted to do.

I didn’t get here by playing it safe. 

I got here because I took risks. I applied for jobs that looked terrifying. I stepped up for positions where I felt like I didn’t belong.

I pushed through the discomfort. And one day, the effort paid off.

I was rewarded with a good job. The pay is good. More importantly, it gave me the freedom to experience the things I had only watched on a screen. 

Floating above Oslob, I realized the real adventure started years ago when I decided to take a leap in my own life.

Taking flight was just the reward.

The short but sweet flight 

Words don’t do justice to the beauty of Oslob from a bird’s perspective.

I saw rugged peaks and rolling hills. I saw Sumilon Island, Bohol, and the picturesque coastline with its crystal-clear blue waters. 

As I glided high in the air, I saw a masterpiece. And more importantly, I saw the world from a different perspective.

People always see the world these days as a terrible place to live.

They always say it’s trashy.

I can’t blame them. We are riddled with wars, corruption, debt, and chaos. 

Everything seems to be going on a downward spiral.

But it’s not as bad as most people think.

It looks bad because they focus on that part. They keep feeding that information into their system.

Sometimes, the universe works exactly like a social media algorithm. 

If you keep feeding negativity into your mind, the universe will keep sending you unfortunate things. It gives you more negativity because it thinks that is what you love to engage with.

I’m not saying that life is all sunshine and butterflies because it’s not. You’ll have bad days. You’ll have moments when you think your existence is hopeless.

But if you keep operating on a negative frequency, you’ll be stuck there until you figure your way out.

The world is still a beautiful place. You just have to be grateful and spend some time outside. It doesn’t have to be an Oslob paragliding adventure.

Just go outside and live.

The end of my Oslob paragliding adventure 

Earlier, the guides asked if we wanted to end of Oslob paragliding tour at the Cuartel.

There would be a small extra fee if we chose that option.

We opted to take it.

I was incredibly glad we did. The views on the way down were absolutely out of this world.

It was something out of a dream. 

At first, it felt a bit scary because we were directly above the sea.

And if something terrible happens, we’d fell directly to the deep blue below, which I wasn’t fond of because I wasn’t a great swimmer.

But I trusted the pilot, and I knew nothing would go wrong.

We took a couple of turns until we landed smoothly on solid ground.

Unlike my first Oslob paragliding takeoff, we didn’t stumble.

From the Cuartel, we went straight to the cafe where we transferred files from their 360 camera to our phone. 

Then we went back to Seven Eleven, to buy some food and hopefully find my Nalgene before going back home.

And guess what? My water bottle was still exactly where I left it.

It was a quiet reminder that the world is not always out to get you. Sometimes things just wait for you to return.

This trip to Oslob gave me exactly what I needed. It reminded me that when you step away from the noise and stop letting fear make your decisions, the universe opens up.

When you protect your peace, you create enough space to experience life abundantly.

You just have to be willing to take the jump.

How much is paragliding in Oslob?

Oslob paragliding costs about PHP 3,500 to 4,800 per person, depending on the type of package you choose. For more information, contact them through their Facebook page.