Take a backseat, acrophobia.
They say that the best way to overcome your fears is by facing them, so here are five extraordinary places where you can conquer your acrophobia in the most adventurous way possible. And don't worry – it's not skydiving.
Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge – China
Fancy a stroll through the world’s highest glass-bottomed bridge? Then head to northwest Hunan in China, where you will find the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge. Spanning 430 meters and suspended 300 metres above a gorge, the impressive steel-framed structure features 120 tempered glass panels, each two inches thick. It is strong enough to carry up to 800 visitors at a time. Those who brave the walkway will be rewarded with panoramic views of the surrounding Zhangjiajie National Park. True adrenaline junkies can also opt to go bungee jumping off the bridge, plunging some 260 meters down below.
Drill And Chill Festival – Bosnia & Herzegovina
Think hammock, think lazy snooze by the beach. Now imagine that same hammock… suspended hundreds of feet over a canyon. The Drill and Chill Highlining Festival has been held annually in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2015, and attracts adrenaline junkies from all over the world. Highlining is an extreme sport that is particularly popular in Eastern Europe, and involves walking across a tightrope-like contraption, usually set up between two high places. In this case, the festival has its participants in a row of colourful hammocks that form a rainbow-like line between two cliffs in the Tijesno Canyon, where they can read, take selfies and just chill for several hours while suspended 600 feet in mid-air. 2018 dates have yet to be confirmed, but this is definitely one festival that’s not for the faint-hearted.
The Gravityz – Malaysia
Obstacle courses are tough enough on their own, but when they’re hundreds of meters above ground, that’s when things get really challenging. Enter The Gravityz, a new attraction located on the 65th floor of the Komtar building in Penang, Malaysia. There are a total of six obstacles to conquer, and they’re built outside the building, so visitors can feel the roar of the wind and enjoy spectacular views of the city and its surroundings from a high vantage point.Start with the Confidence Path, and once you’ve gotten past the initial knee-trembling, move to the High Bench where you can sit back, relax and dangle your legs over the edge. Then it's on to the Great Bridge – a narrow walkway with gaps in between, followed by the Z-Wire flying fox, and last but not least, the G-Rocky where you can lie down and feel the breeze.
The Gibbon Experience – Laos
Zipline your way through the tropical jungles of Huay Xai in Laos, home to a tourism-based conservation project dubbed The Gibbon Experience. Here, guests stay in some of the highest tree houses in the world, built at canopy-level some 20 to 30 metres above the forest floor. These can only be reached via zipline, so be prepared to soar across vast forested valleys and in between trees. The treehouse is an excellent place to observe nature and catch a glimpse of the beautiful and agile creatures the experience is named for – gibbons. Each lodging is equipped with amenities such as showers, mattresses and drinks, and visitors can even get hot food delivered via zipline! It’s all for a good cause, as the project works with rural communities in the area, to fund forest patrols, schools and wildlife conservation.
Skylodge Adventure Suites – Peru
What’s it like to live in a condor’s nest? One might never know, but you CAN experience the next best thing at Natura Vive Skylodge Adventure Suites. Touted as the first hanging lodge in the world, the unique accommodation comprises of three transparent capsule ‘suites’, perched 365-metres on the side of a mountain in Cuzco, Peru. Each capsule measures seven metres long and two meters in width and height, and comes complete with four beds, a dining area and a bathroom. Getting there by Via Ferrata can be a challenge, but the climb is well worth it when you arrive at your lodgings, which offer a 300-degree view of the breathtaking Sacred Valley. When it’s time to leave, zip wire down to the ground below.
Photo Credits:
China – Highest Bridges, Wikimedia Commons
Bosnia & Herzegovina – Wahl Huetter
