Launching off a mountain may not be top of your vacation plans, but if you’ve ever had even a passing daydream about soaring through the air and landing on a ski slope, the world of extreme sports may give you a new reason to travel.
I’ve tried some of these sports, like winter paragliding in the French Alps. It was in the ski area Alpe d’Huez where I found myself strapped to Didier, a professional tandem paraglider. “I will pull up the kite and then” – dramatic pause – “we will ski off the mountain” he told me. Excusez-moi? Before I knew it, we were strapped together and soaring at 2115m (6940ft), landing finally on the ski slopes like rock star extras in a James Bond film: stirred, and a little shaken. I (now) know the French Alps are a heavenwards highway for paragliding fanatics chasing swirling thermals, giving travelers a new reason to visit. Chasing these kinds of thrills may be the best way to find your next travel destination too.
From ski mountaineering to cliff diving, kite foiling and wreck diving, here’s a hit list of unmissable extreme sports that are guaranteed to give you a rush of adrenaline.
Kitesurfing is one of the most beginner-friendly sports out there, with schools from Bali to Bermuda full of like-minded sea lovers. But for those seeking their next big thrill, kite foiling has joined the fray. In this variation, you step into foot straps on a board that sits on a hydrofoil. Suspended above the water line, riders can go much faster – think 45 knots (51mph, or 82km/h) – and in lighter winds.
Where to try kite foiling: Head to Eastney Beach near Portsmouth, England, where the 2024 Summer Olympic kite foiling qualifiers were held, and take a class at the Andrew Simpson Centre. Amp up the excitement at chic El Gouna on Egypt’s Red Sea (just a 30-minute drive from Hurghada International Airport) or Jericoacoara in Brazil, which both receive cross-shore winds.
Heading underwater is more intense when the destination is the shadowy remains of a ship, plane or other structure sunk below the surface. Sri Lanka’s HMS Hermes tops many a wreck diver’s must-see list. The first purpose-built aircraft carrier, it sank in 1942 to its current resting place at a depth of about 55m (180ft). As wreck diving grows in popularity, some destinations are scuttling retired ships to make artificial reefs, such as those around Recife in Brazil and the Witconcrete in Belize.
Where to go wreck diving: Denmark’s Baltic Sea coast is a treasure chest for wreck diving, thanks to the low salt levels that have helped preserve WWI-era wooden cruiser and steamship wrecks. In Langeland and Bornholm, beginners can join tours with local dive schools.
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I've always been an independent traveler. I've traveled to five continents and over 90 countries, planning nearly every aspect of each trip on my own. For years, I was happy with having complete control over my trips and the flexibility to make changes on the fly.
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