When it comes to vacations, do you really fly halfway across the world to just sit by
a hotel pool and relax all day?
Or are you the type of adrenaline junkie that needs a daily thrill
boost – always on the hunt for the most insane, heart-stopping experiences?
You can save the relaxation for later; because today we’re interested in the most insane
attractions from all across the world that are sure to get your heart pumping.
From death-defying rides to precariously placed pools and every thrill-seeking adventure in
between.
Ready for an adrenaline rush?
Let’s get it on.
KILIMANJARO WATERSLIDE Waterslides are for kids right?
Well not all of them.
Imagine a waterslide so big that a third of people who make it to the top, turn
right around.
Well you don’t have to imagine, just book a trip to Rio de Janeiro.
The Kilimanjaro waterslide has been open almost 20 years, regardless though, it’s remained
at the top of the list as the dominant king of all water slide drops across the globe.
The 60-degree decline enables the lucky rider to hit 62mph – that’s as fast as a car
on the freeway, and all this in a matter of seconds!
The water park also sports a 160 room hotel, 17 swimming pools and a wave pool.
Definitely put this down on your to-do list if you’re craving a ride down the world's
most terrifying waterslide!
THE BIG RUSH I’m convinced that most thrill-rides are
just super-sized versions of kids toys.
And that’s definitely the case when it comes to the Big
Rush.
South Africa’s Moses Mabhida Stadium is home to the world’s biggest and only stadium
rope-swing.
After a quick cable car ride up to the top of the dome, your first trial begins – a
352 step set of stairs slanted on a crazily steep incline.
You’re harnessed in just like you are climbing a mountain!
Take it from me, you have to put in the work for this one.
After a moment on the 262-foot-high platform, your life flashing before your eyes, you jump
out - swinging out on a 721-foot parabolic arc over the ground.
There’s a lot of mixed emotions – one second you’re on a free-falling journey
towards the Earth – the next you’re swinging across the stadium like an uncoordinated Tarzan.
But don’t worry, there’s no spectators in the stands, and no players on the field
– the Big Rush is only in operation on non-game days.
Sadly, there’s no chance of a mid-swing intercept – that would be one crazy a way
to score though!
TRIFT BRIDGE How good does a holiday to the Swiss Alps
sound?
Well forget the skis and rolling slopes packed full of powdery snow – we’re chasing
thrills.
There’s no better way to view the spectacular beauty of the Alps – and maybe even peep
over into France while you’re at it – than taking a walk along the Trift Bridge.
Maybe the word bridge is too strong a word to describe this – it’s more like a fancy
version of a tightrope really.
The cable car ride to reach the top is pleasant enough, but it’s the high winds in this
area that make the bridge shake and swing side to side – it won’t be just the scenery
that takes your breath away.
This steel suspension bridge is only one person in diameter – so be sure to proceed single
file and in an orderly fashion.
It spans the distance between a 328-foot gorge, complete with sparse vegetation and craggy
peaks.
The walk is a long one – try not to look down for 558 feet.
Or if you are feeling brave enough, stop halfway and drink in the picturesque view of the Alps
from what is undisputedly the best possible vantage point.
WILDFIRE ROLLERCOASTER It’s time to give Europe some love and head
over to Kolmarden Wildlife Park in Sweden.
Sure the Wildfire may not be the biggest or fastest rollercoaster in the world, but what
makes it so impressive is that it’s made entirely
out of timber.
You don’t normally associate zoos with rollercoasters but it turns out combining your love of animals
and going really fast works quite well.
During the 2-minute ride, thrill seekers travel through three inversions and twelve airtime
hills – all the while taking in the breathtaking scenery of the surrounding pine forests and
zoo.
We wonder if any of those nearby trees realize how close they were to becoming part of the
attraction.
One the scenic coaster, you’ll hit max speeds of around 71mph –not as fast as some of
the entries in today’s video – but still impressive when you consider it’s the third
fastest wooden roller coaster on the planet.
The title of world’s fastest wooden coaster is the Lightning Rod at the Dollywood theme
park in Tennessee, but it only beats Wildfire by a measly 2 miles per hour.
I’ll take the coaster with a view, thanks!
JEBEL JAIS FLIGHT Have you ever wondered what it feels like
to be shot out of a cannon?
Yeah me too.
Unfortunately it’s not the safest of pastimes outside the big top, so the next best thing
is probably Jebel Jais Flight – it’s only the world’s longest zip wire.
The expedition to this over 6000-foot-tall peak will take you all the way to the Hajar
mountain range in the United Arab Emirates.
The zipline opened back in 2018 and extends a crazy 9,291 feet long.
If you like the idea of hurtling forward through space face first, cheeks flapping as the air
rips past your face, then this ride is for you.
Topping out at a speed of 93mph, you won’t be able to move your arms from down by your
side, let alone smile or raise an eyebrow.
The ride itself only takes about a minute and a half – but that’s 90 seconds of
white-knuckled speed.
Ready to get strapped in, and feel the Gs?
THE EDGE POOL There’s nothing quite like chilling out
and relaxing on tropical holiday away in South East
Asia.
I mean not every attraction has to induce adrenaline-induced sweat patches on our
shirts.
The Infinity Pool at The Edge Resort in Bali is the perfect place to cool off, enjoy a
tasty beverage, and test out your fear of heights.
But I mean, take a minute and just look at how stunning this architectural tour de force
really is.
Where better to soak up the sun than nestled against the edge of a cliff at a gut-wrenching
height of 500 feet above the crashing ocean swell below.
A 21-foot extension protrudes out over the Indian Ocean, with only 3.5 inches of glass
between you – and a long dive into the deep blue.
I would say don’t look down – but that’s the best part!
CHINA CLIFF SWING The world’s biggest swing goes to China’s
own Cliff Swing.
Simple by name, absolutely insane by nature.
This gargantuan mass of structural steel is set to be unveiled on June 30 2020, this gives
you plenty of time to save for a visit to China and who knows, you may even be one of
the first foreign people to ride it.
Not much is known about this humongous super swing, however we do know that the launching
tower is a whopping 354 feet above the ground – that’s like being on the roof of a 30-storey
building!
As if it wasn’t terrifying enough, the swing is perched on the edge of a straight 2,300
foot drop down into the river valley below.
Is it sturdy?
You bet it is – engineered to be able to withstand a magnitude 10 earthquake and a
level 14 typhoon.
Make sure you commit this vertigo-inducing, velocity-driven swing of mayhem to memory.
ARC GLASS BOTTOM POOL The ARC tower in Vancouver Canada is home
to a very unique attraction.
Now I know what you’re thinking – hotels are boring, we
want amusement park rides!
Well the designer of this building wanted to make a statement and
stand out from the crowd.
How did he do that?
Nothing stands out from the crowd more than a glass bottomed pool perched over a 200-foot
drop – straight down.
What makes this so cool?
Let me paint a picture for you.
Imagine you’re a kid again, reading a Superman comic.
Remember wanting to be able to fly?
Well this is the next best thing.
Being suspended in a pool on the underside of the building archway, looking down through
the viewing aperture has to be pretty close to having that feeling like you flying at
an altitude of 200 feet.
I think the people on the pavement below however, will look more like ants than citizens of
Metropolis.
ZUMANJARO DROP OF DOOM This attraction really has to be seen to be
believed – you really can’t get your head around the scale of the thing until you’re
actually there in the flesh.
The Zumanjaro drop of doom absolutely lives up to its name.
Located at the Six Flags amusement park in Jackson New Jersey, it's been shattering records
ever since it was opened back in 2014.
It’s the world’s tallest and fastest drop tower ride, and remains at the top of the
pile to this day.
I know what you might be saying.
How tall is tall?
Well tall doesn’t even begin to describe it.
This titanic structure stands at a whopping 415 feet above the ground – that’s around
41 floors!
It’s actually attached, and part of another colossal structure – KingdaKa.
Sound familiar?
Well yeah, it also broke records when it was unveiled back in 2005 – for the world’s
tallest and fastest rollercoaster.
Zumanjaro consists of 3 floorless gondolas holding 8 people in each.
As it ascends slowly to the top, the view is simply breathtaking – you can even see
skyscrapers in not-so-nearby Philadelphia 41 miles away!
It takes 30 seconds to get to the top, and that’s plenty of time for you to regret
the choices that got you into this mess in the first place.
Then there’s a wait at the top that feels like an absolute eternity…until you’re
dropped hitting speeds of 90mph for a full 6 seconds before it hits the brakes – pulling
3.5 times the force of gravity!
The rush is exhilarating, but you might want to leave lunch till after you’ve had a ride.
SLIDEWHEEL WATER SLIDE What’s more loved than a waterslide, and
more fun than a Ferris wheel?
Have you guessed it yet?
The Sidewheel – leave it to China to take the best of both worlds and
combine them into an engineering masterpiece.
This work of art is still in the development phase, but it needs to be on your radar for
the cool factor alone.
As I said, this whacky ride is part water slide, part rotating Ferris wheel.
When finished, it will stand 79 feet from the ground and sport tubes 9 feet in diameter
– that’s enough room for you and 3 buddies to ride together side by side!
This 459-foot mass of tubes gave birth to an extraordinarily complex design that has
to be seen to be believed.
The added benefit?
Jet propulsion of the water, height, and the drop are generally the ways in which you gain
speed in a waterslide.
Not this design!
As the mass of tubes are rotating, centrifugal force is the main driver pushing riders through
the tubes.
Think of how a washing machine works – it’s like that, but on a gigantic scale.
Theoretically, just a 5% increase in rotational speed would turn this ride from a leisurely
paced water slide to the extreme, adrenaline fuelled, ride of your life that would leave
you completely disorientated - not knowing which way is
up or down!