Would you jump from a plane, board down a volcano, or face a tornado? These travellers did. Photo / Supplied
Would you jump from a plane, board down a volcano, or face a tornado? These travellers did. Photo / Supplied
From tornado chasing in the American Midwest to swimming with stingless jellyfish, these offbeat adventures aren’t for the faint-hearted, writes Naomi Chadderton.
Step off the beaten path and into the downright bizarre with some of the world’s most extreme travel experiences.
Volcano boarding in Nicaragua
If you’ve perfectedsnowboarding and are looking for your next big adrenaline fix then it might be time to head to Nicaragua – here you can strap on a board and fly down the country’s youngest volcano Cerro Negro which, thanks to its active status, is completely covered in loose volcanic ash. Most tours begin bright and early in Leon, with operators picking up adventurers for the journey to Cerro Negro, where you’ll begin the exhilarating ascent to the summit at 726m. Just keep in mind you’ll be carrying your board all the way to the top, so come prepared for a bit of a workout before the real thrill begins. Visit from November to April for peak conditions.
Forget snow, Nicaragua’s Cerro Negro lets you board down volcanic ash at thrilling speeds. Photo / Supplied
Did your mother always tell you to keep away from jellyfish? As much as you should usually stand by her advice, you can take no notice in Palau in the South Pacific, where you can swim with millions of them safely as they migrate across Jellyfish Lake. This specific species of jellyfish in this 14-acre saltwater lake has evolved without their stingers so, while no scuba diving is allowed to protect the animals, you can snorkel with them to your heart’s content as they make their way through the depths of the lake, acquiring necessary nitrogen and other nutrients. Be sure to bring an underwater camera.
Float among millions of harmless jellyfish in Palau’s lake. Photo / Supplied
Abseiling down Table Mountain
While climbing Table Mountain in South Africa is up there on many travellers’ bucket list experiences, you’ll most likely find them taking the cable car down. If you’re feeling adventurous, however, why not experience a completely different descent by abseiling down a 112m section of rockface? Done under expert safety and instruction, not only will you get to enjoy the mountain’s jaw-dropping views of Cape Town from a completely unique angle, you will also feel like you have the place completely to yourself, turning a popular tourist trek into your own private adventure.
Would you dare abseil down Table Mountain? Photo / Supplied
Visiting the Island of the Dolls
A must for fans of horror movies, the Island of the Dolls, or “La Isla de la Munecas” in Spanish, is perhaps one of the creepiest tourist attractions in the world, located in Xochimilco near Mexico City. Legend has it that a man called Don Julian Santana moved to this island after leaving his wife, but when a young girl drowned nearby, her spirit began haunting the place. To appease her, Don Julian hung a doll in a tree (some say it was one that washed ashore where she died), but the activity only intensified, so he kept adding more dolls, collecting them obsessively, even trading food for them. Today locals believe each doll holds a piece of the girl’s spirit, and you can take a tour around it if you dare.
Dare to visit Mexico’s eerie Island of the Dolls, where legend and spirits linger in the trees. Photo / Supplied
Exploring the Ghost Town of Namibia
While Namibia may be known for its otherworldly landscapes and exotic wildlife, it is also home to one of the most unique towns in the world. Once a rich diamond mining town that has been completely abandoned since the 1950s, Kolmanskop has been slowly reclaimed by the desert over the years, with its 32 buildings almost entirely covered in sand. You must obtain a permit to enter, with a standard ticket allowing access during the normal operating hours, and a photography permit allowing you access out of hours.
Highly regarded as one of the most desired skydives in the world, if the idea of jumping out of a plane and straight into turquoise waters sounds like your kind of thrill, Belize has you sorted. So much more than a regular skydive, you’ll freefall from 10,000ft above the iconic Blue Hole – an enormous marine sinkhole surrounded by a vibrant reef – and actually land in the water before hopping aboard a boat, gearing up and diving beneath the surface to explore this Unesco-listed wonder. You can book this once-in-a-lifetime experience through Skydive Belize, and while it doesn’t come cheap, the memories are totally priceless.
Experience the thrill of skydiving into Belize’s iconic Blue Hole. Photo / Supplied
Catch a tornado on a storm chasing tour in the US
If you’ve always dreamed of getting up close and personal with nature’s most powerful forces after watching Twister as a kid, a storm-chasing tour across America’s Tornado Alley is the ultimate thrill. Join expert meteorologists in states like Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas to track and follow severe supercell storms, with the hope of witnessing a tornado in action. These multi-day tours involve long drives, real-time forecasting and unpredictable weather – all part of the excitement – and while safety is paramount, nothing quite compares to the heart-pounding moment a twister forms on the horizon. This is extreme tourism at its finest.
Chase twisters across Tornado Alley on a guided storm-chasing tour through the American Midwest. Photo / Supplied
