Thrill seekers
JANE MEMMLER lists the places to go for a big fix of adrenaline
ADVENTURE can be found in almost every corner of the world but some destinations offer more in the way of hair-raising experiences.
We’ve teamed up with outdoor trip experts Cool Camping, who have put together a new Adrenaline Index which lists the best places on the planet for high-octane fun.
They created the index by studying seven thrill categories in 134 countries – number of national parks, outdoor tourism activities, tallest mountain, off-road cycling trails, motorbike routes, fastest rollercoaster and highest bungee jump – and collated the data to rank the nations.
Check the top five in the global buzz-list…
1. ITALY
Rated the best in the world after scoring highly in all seven categories – including fourth place for the number of motorbike routes, fifth for off-road trails and sixth for its outdoor tourism. Italy also has 55 cultural sites on the UNESCO world heritage list and therefore takes the overall top spot.
2. COSTA RICA
This Central American pocket rocket came second holding its own against far larger countries. It boasts 30 national al parks – an impressive number for its modest size – and they represent more than a quarter (28%) of Costa Rica’s entire land area.
The country ry also has a specectacularly high bungee jump, allowing owing thrill-seekers to o freefall 469ft into the he Monteverde Cloud d Forest Biological Reserve. rve. This area also has the he largest number of orchids in the world and is home to 91 species of migratory birds – two things to check out when you’ve got your feet back on the ground.
3. USA
America rated highly for outdoor tourism activities, mountains and the speed of its fastest rollercoaster.
Located in the vast state of Alaska, Denali (also known by its former name of Mount McKinley) is the highest peak in North America and the 13th highest in the world at 20,194ft. Climbing it is no easy feat, with roughly only 60% of the 35,000 climbers who have attempted it reaching the top.
For those preferring speed to height, the second-fastest rollercoaster in the world is at Six Flags Great Adventure Park in New Jersey, with the hair-raising Kingda Ka hitting 128mph.
4. SPAIN
It’s fever España Es for the array of off-road bike trails and motorbike routes – more mo than 61,200 of the latter.
As for off-road cycling, northern Spain is a popular choice thanks to the sheer variety on offer, from riding through the desert to smugglers’ trails that zig-zag through the Pyrenees. For anyone looking to tick off one of the highest roads in the mountain range, the track to the summit of Pic Negre (which is actually located just over the border in Andorra) offers a breathtaking ride – both thanks to the view and elevation of more than 8,660ft. It’s also one of the best rock climbing destinations in the world.
Spain scores highly for rollercoaster speed too, with Red Force at PortAventura World, near Barcelona, hitting 112mph.
5. MEXICO
Rounding up the top five, Mexico has a big-hitting array of outdoor tourism activities, off-road bike trails and motorbike routes. The country’s diverse landscape also offers excellent outdoor activities such as volcano hiking.
NOTABLE OTHERS Abu Dhabi
Strap in and put your goggles on because the Formula Rossa ride at Ferrari World theme park is the world’s fastest rollercoaster, going from 0-149mph in 4.9 seconds.
Switzerland
The 722ft bungee jump from the Verzasca Dam in Ticino featured in the opening credits of the 007 movie GoldenEye, while Southern Hemisphere heroics are on offer at the 709ft bungee at Bloukrans Bridge in the Western Cape of South Africa.
For home-grown action, the UK was 23rd on the list, with Ireland 78th.
For more visit: coolcamping.com