Rhodes Parasailing

Rhodes parasailing is a flight under a canopy on a towline behind a speedboat: the canopy lifts riders above the sea, and a winch lands them back on the boat. Greece Tours covers the Rhodes parasailing flights on sale at Faliraki bay and Elli beach, with single, tandem and triple options for one, two or three riders.

Take-off and landing happen on the boat’s platform, so riders stay dry unless the captain dips their feet. The season runs from May to October, and morning flights meet lighter wind. Age, weight and health limits vary by tour, so every rider checks the tour listing before booking a Rhodes parasailing slot.

What is Rhodes parasailing?

Rhodes parasailing is a watersport in which a canopy on a towline behind a speedboat lifts riders above the sea. A winch on the boat lets the line out and reels it back in to land riders on the platform.

The canopy works like a parachute that fills with air as the speedboat gathers speed. Riders sit in a harness clipped below the canopy, and the pull of the boat keeps them in the air while the crew sets the height with the winch. Riders do not steer, so no experience is needed. Flights run from beach watersports centres, and the whole ride stays over open water close to the shore.

The island of Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands, and its long coastline gives the boats room to run. The tour titles on sale name two bases: Faliraki bay on the east coast and Elli beach at the northern tip of Rhodes Town. Both bases sit on organised resort beaches, so a Rhodes parasailing flight fits into an ordinary beach day and needs no separate excursion across the island.

Which parasailing flights are on sale in Rhodes?

The tours on sale offer single, tandem and triple flights under one canopy. Each Rhodes parasailing flight starts and ends on the boat’s platform with a winch, and riders stay dry unless the captain dips their feet.

Three separate tour listings are on sale for the island. The first is a coastline flight sold on its views along the shore, the second is a parasailing experience in the resort of Faliraki, and the third is a parasailing experience at Elli beach in Rhodes Town. Each listing sets its own flight types, so a group of three friends checks it for a triple option before booking a slot together.

Take-off and landing happen on the platform at the stern of the boat. The crew clips riders into the harness, the winch lets out the towline, and the canopy lifts them off the deck. At the end of a Rhodes parasailing flight, the winch reels the line back in and lowers riders onto the deck. A feet dip happens only when the captain slows the boat and the canopy sinks.

• Single flight – one rider under one canopy.
• Tandem flight – two riders under one canopy.
• Triple flight – three riders under one canopy.

Where does Rhodes parasailing take place?

Rhodes parasailing takes place in Faliraki bay on the east coast and off Elli beach at the northern tip of Rhodes Town. The windy west coast at Ixia suits windsurfing, while the parasailing boats work calmer water.

Faliraki is the main resort on the east coast of Rhodes, and its long sandy bay gives the speedboats a wide stretch of open water. From the air, riders look down on the sand, the rows of sunbeds and the hotels along the shore, then out across the east coast. Hotels and restaurants in Faliraki line the same beach, so guests who stay in the resort walk to this Rhodes parasailing base.

Elli beach is the town beach at the northern tip of Rhodes, below the Aquarium. A flight from Elli beach climbs above the edge of Rhodes Town, with views over the medieval walls of the Old Town and the boats in Mandraki harbour. This base suits visitors who stay in town, since the beach sits within walking distance of the Old Town gates and the hotels and cafes of the new town.

Ixia and Ialysos on the west coast face the open sea to the north-west and take the stronger wind, which is why that shore suits windsurfing more than parasailing. The east side stays calmer, and calm water gives smoother take-offs and steadier flights. Riders based at Ixia or Ialysos book their flight at Elli beach, a short ride into Rhodes Town, or at Faliraki further down the east coast.

• Faliraki bay – the main resort bay on the east coast.
• Elli beach – the town beach below the Aquarium.
• Ixia – the windy west coast shore for windsurfing.

What can riders see from the air?

Riders see the coastline from every base, the medieval Old Town walls and Mandraki harbour from Elli beach, and the long sandy bay from Faliraki. On clear days, a Rhodes parasailing flight also shows the Turkish coast.

The Old Town of Rhodes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its medieval walls still enclose the old quarter beside the harbour. From a canopy above Elli beach, the walls, towers and rooftops of the Rhodes Old Town spread out behind the shoreline. Mandraki harbour sits between the beach and the walls, with yachts and excursion boats moored along its quay, so the flight shows the whole historic waterfront at once.

Height changes the view. As the winch lets out the line, the beach shrinks below and the coastline opens up in both directions, with bays, headlands and hotel strips along the shore. The water shifts from pale shallows near the sand to deep blue further out. On clear days the mountains of the Turkish coast show on the horizon, and a Rhodes parasailing rider sees Greece and Turkey in one view.

Who can fly, and how safe is it?

Age, weight and health limits for Rhodes parasailing vary by tour, so check the tour listing. Children fly in tandem with an adult, and licensed watersports centres run the flights with a harness, a life jacket and a briefing.

The crew at the watersports centre checks each rider against the limits on the tour listing before take-off. Weight matters because it changes how the canopy lifts and how hard the boat pulls. A child flies next to a parent or another adult in a tandem flight. Riders with back, neck or heart problems, and pregnant travellers, read the health notes on the listing before booking a Rhodes parasailing flight.

Rhodes parasailing flights run from licensed watersports centres on organised beaches. Before take-off, the crew fits each rider with a harness and a life jacket, checks every clip and buckle, and gives a briefing on the take-off, the flight and the landing. The life jacket stays on from platform to platform, so a rider floats with the head above the water if the canopy ever lands on the sea.

Wind sets the limit on every flight. The captain checks the wind before each trip, and flights are cancelled in strong wind, because gusts pull the canopy hard and make the landing on the platform rough. The tour listing sets the rebooking and cancellation terms for a slot lost to wind, so riders read them before booking and keep a spare day in case the first flight does not go ahead.

• Harness – the seat that holds the rider under the canopy.
• Life jacket – the vest worn from take-off to landing.
• Briefing – the talk on take-off, flight and landing.

When is the best time to fly?

The Rhodes parasailing season runs from May to October. Morning flights are the smoothest, because the summer north wind builds through the afternoon, and the meltemi, the strong seasonal north wind, blows in July and August.

The season follows the beach months, and the watersports centres close for the winter. May and June come before the meltemi and bring quieter beaches, while July and August bring the busiest beaches and the strongest afternoon wind. September and October keep the sea warm after the summer heat. A Rhodes parasailing flight in May, June, September or October meets less wind and quieter beaches than a flight in the peak weeks.

The time of day matters as much as the month. The summer north wind builds through the afternoon, so a morning Rhodes parasailing slot meets lighter air, a steadier canopy and a smoother landing on the platform. Afternoon flights still run on calm days, but July and August afternoons bring more wind cancellations, which makes the first slot of the morning the surest choice for a flight in the peak weeks.

How do riders dress and pack for the boat?

Riders wear a swimsuit and secure sunglasses and carry no loose items on a Rhodes parasailing flight. A phone goes up only in a waterproof pouch on a lanyard, or it stays on the boat for the whole flight.

A swimsuit is the base layer, since the deck is wet and a feet dip puts the legs in the sea. A thin top over the swimsuit keeps the sun off the shoulders during the wait. Sunglasses need a strap or a tight fit, and sun cream goes on before the boat leaves the beach. Hats, caps and flip-flops stay on deck, because anything loose falls off in the air.

Photos and videos turn a Rhodes parasailing flight into a keepsake. A phone in a waterproof pouch on a lanyard records the climb and the view without the risk of a drop into the sea. Crew photos and videos are set per tour, so check the tour listing to see whether the crew films the flight. Riders who leave the phone aboard ask a friend on deck to film the canopy from below.

• Swimsuit – worn under a thin top against the sun.
• Sunglasses – held on with a strap or a tight fit.
• Phone – sealed in a waterproof pouch or left on deck.

How long is a flight, and how does booking work?

Flight length depends on the tour, so check the tour listing for the time in the air and on the boat. Rhodes parasailing flights book online through the listing, which names the meeting point and the cancellation terms.

Flight time is set per listing, and the time on the boat runs longer than the time in the air. When the boat carries other riders, each single, tandem or triple group takes its turn under the canopy while the rest wait on deck. The ride out from the beach and back adds to the total, so riders plan the day around the whole Rhodes parasailing trip, not only the flight itself.

Online booking through the tour listing fixes the date, the time slot and the flight type before the beach day. Riders reach the meeting point early with the swimsuit already on, ready to board when the crew calls the group. July and August bring the busiest weeks, which makes an early booking the surest way to get a morning slot. Reading the rebooking terms first keeps a wind cancellation from ending the plan.

• Flight type – the single, tandem or triple option.
• Flight time – the time spent under the canopy.
• Terms – the rebooking rules after a wind cancellation.

Can Rhodes parasailing be combined with other activities?

Yes. Rhodes parasailing combines with a jet ski ride, a day at the water park and a swim at the island’s beaches. A morning flight leaves the rest of the day open for all three activities.

A Rhodes jet ski ride adds speed at sea level to the height of the canopy, and both run from resort beaches. The jet ski gives the rider the controls, while the canopy flight hands the controls to the captain and the crew. The Rhodes water park fills a whole day with slides and pools, and it suits families whose younger children fall below the Rhodes parasailing limits on the listing.

The beaches fill the rest of the day. After a morning flight, the afternoon stays open for a swim at one of the Rhodes beaches, from the sand of Faliraki to the pebbles of the west coast. Visitors based near Elli beach walk into the Old Town for the evening, so a Rhodes parasailing morning, a beach afternoon and a walk inside the medieval walls make one full day in Rhodes Town.

Is Rhodes parasailing worth it?

Yes, Rhodes parasailing is worth it for riders who want a view of the coast, the Old Town and the open sea without skill or training. The flight keeps riders dry and fits into a normal beach day.

The flight shows the coast from above the water, a view that no beach or boat gives. First-time riders need no experience, since the crew and the winch do the work. Friends share a tandem or triple flight, and a child flies in tandem with an adult. The Elli beach flights add the medieval walls and Mandraki harbour, which turns a Rhodes parasailing flight into a view of the island’s history.

Two groups gain less from the flight. Riders with a fear of heights, and riders whose health falls outside the limits on the listing, choose a boat trip or a day on the beach instead. For everyone else, a morning Rhodes parasailing flight booked early in the stay, with spare days left to rebook after a windy morning, gives the best chance of calm air and a clear view of the island.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Rhodes parasailing safe?

Rhodes parasailing follows a set safety routine at licensed watersports centres: a harness, a life jacket and a crew briefing for every rider. The captain checks the wind before each trip and cancels flights in strong wind, when gusts make the canopy pull hard.

Do riders get wet during the flight?

Riders stay dry on a Rhodes parasailing flight, because take-off and landing happen on the boat’s platform with a winch. The feet touch the water only when the captain slows the boat and lowers the canopy for a dip.

Can children join Rhodes parasailing flights?

Children fly in tandem with an adult rather than alone. Age and weight limits differ between tours, so check the tour listing for the rules that apply to a child before booking, and read the health notes for every rider in the group.

Can two or three people fly together?

Two or three people fly together on the tandem and triple flights sold for Rhodes parasailing. The riders sit side by side under one canopy, so check the tour listing for the weight limits that apply to a shared flight.

Which Rhodes parasailing base shows the Old Town?

Elli beach is the base with the Old Town view. It sits at the northern tip of Rhodes Town below the Aquarium, and flights from it look over the medieval walls, Mandraki harbour and, on clear days, the Turkish coast.