Most Adventurous Holiday Spots in the World

The world is a wild place, filled with both natural marvels and human-made attractions. We’ve scouted the planet for the most adventurous holiday spots, and you’ve simply got to visit them, whether you raft, fly, or skydive to get there. And the best part? Some of these daring destinations are surprisingly close to home, and some are even your favourite big cities. From overnights in the Outback to surfing in New York City, check out these awesome—and unexpected—adventures.

Exmouth, Western Australia

This town on the Coral Coast is home to one of Australia’s “biggest” attractions—literally. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean (weighing in at up to 18.7 tonnes!), and between April and July, they’re Exmouth’s main event. Join up with Ningaloo Discovery to meet plankton-eating whale sharks, manta rays, and more in their natural habitat. Exmouth Diving Centre offers a great whale shark encounter as well, or you can dive even deeper and befriend wobbegong carpet sharks, moray eels, and other harmless, but perhaps intimidating, sea creatures.

Prefer a sky-high perspective? How about from a tiny, two-seat, ultra-light aircraft? Learn the art of microlight flying with Birds Eye View and check out the incredible colour palette that only the albatross see. You’ll walk away with amazing memories of being lighter than air—and some great photos, too.

Katherine, Northern Territory

Located south of Nitmiluk National Park, Katherine is your window to the Outback, ready to introduce you to all its rugged wonders. Start off underground at the Cutta Cutta Caves. These limestone caverns were formed millions of years ago, and they’re still growing today. Keep an eye out for blind shrimp, brown tree snakes, and ghost bats.

Next, take to the region’s wide open spaces with a canoe tour to some gorgeous gorges. From June to November, Nitmiluk Tours takes you on an overnight outing where you’ll glide through the waterways and wilderness of the Nitmiluk Gorge and camp under the stars. If you need an excursion that’s even more epic, wind your way through rocky riverbeds and small rapids on Gecko Canoeing’s three-day Katherine River adventure.

Oahu, Hawaii

Oahu is teeming with tropical escapades by land and sea—and also by air. There’s nothing quite like seeing Honolulu’s Pearl Harbor from the cockpit of a plane speeding through the clouds. Pearl Harbor Warbirds offers a spectacular experience and heart-pounding aerial moves for adrenaline junkies.

Back at sea level, Hawaii’s legendary waves attract surfers from all over the world. Grommets can rent a board at Faith Surf School to ride the waves of Waikiki Beach, while the pros should check out the renowned Banzai Pipeline. When the smashing scenery woos you toward land, keep the expedition moving on the Jurassic Park Waterfall Adventure with Oahu Nature Tours, which takes you on a secret trail featured in the iconic film. It’s the next best thing to actually walking among the dinosaurs.

Singapore

Your best friends may be planning holidays to “urban jungles” like New York or Hong Kong, but you’d rather visit a real jungle. In Singapore, you’ll get the best of both worlds: it has lush landscapes you could spend days getting lost in, but it also has a vibrant city centre. Hike through the island’s dense foliage in search of hidden bunkers, used during WWII as POW camps, artilleries, and even secret homes.

Since Singapore is an island, you’ve got to make the most of the water. Spot kingfishers, herons, and hornbills as you kayak through dense mangrove forests with Asian Detours. Ready to take your aquatic exploits to the next level? Build your own sea raft with PA Water-Venture, then test it out on the open water. If your raft-building cohort goes topsy turvy in the Johor Strait, that’s on you.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Things happen fast in Las Vegas. If you don’t believe us, you haven’t seen someone win big with one roll of the dice. If you’ve got a need for speed, head to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to zoom around in a supercar from Dream Racing. Or, take a doors-off helicopter tour with Bullets & Burgers, and add on an adrenaline-pumping ride in the World’s Largest Monster Truck Limo. Yes, that’s a thing.

Go aerial as you freefall from the 108th floor of the Stratosphere Tower—Sin City looks spectacular from 252 metres. And while the Strip is a neon beauty, you don’t want to miss the Nevada wilderness. Gain some velocity on the steep downhills of Bootleg Canyon Mountain Bike Park in the Vegas suburb of Boulder City, 40 km south. Rent a bike from All Mountain Cyclery in the centre of Boulder City and take their shuttle to the park.

Beechworth, Victoria