Lonely Planet named 10 unusual extreme sports for thrill seekers

Via ferrata and diving to sunken objects are extreme sports worth trying / UNIAN collage, photo ua.depositphotos.comWhile most vacationers prioritize safety, some vacationers are willing to take big risks for thrills.

Fan of extreme tourism, Flip Byrnes, in his blog for the world’s largest travel publication Lonely Planet, named ten unusual extreme sports that should not be missed by those who like to test themselves.

“From ski mountaineering to cliff diving, kite-flying and wreck diving, here’s a list of extreme sports you can’t miss and are guaranteed to give you an adrenaline rush,” Flip intrigues.

10 Extreme Sports You Can’t Miss1. Kitefoiling. This sport is suitable for those who find the more popular kitesurfing too easy. Kitefoiling, on the other hand, allows riders to “fly” over the water on hydrofoils attached to boards that propel huge kites. Flip recommends trying it at Eastney Beach near Portsmouth in England or El Goun on the Red Sea in Egypt.

2. Diving to sunken objects. “Scuba diving becomes more exciting when the goal is the gloomy remains of a ship, plane or other sunken structure below the surface,” says the extremalka, especially recommending the Baltic Sea coast in Denmark for this type of vacation – a real treasure trove for diving on sunken objects thanks to the low level of salt, which helped to preserve the wooden cruisers and steamers of the First World War.

3. SailGP. A kind of equivalent of “Formula 1” on the water is a high-speed race on F50 catamarans. Sydney Harbor in Australia is one of the most famous events in this area.

4. Jumping from a cliff. This seemingly simple activity requires athletes to have extreme physical fitness and concentration to hit the water with nearly 10 times the force of gravity. In Europe, the most popular places for cliff jumping are the regions of Apulia in Italy and the Algarve in Portugal, as well as the Cyclades of Greece.

5. Alpine skiing. In this case, skiers start by climbing the mountain and then ski back down. Depending on the difficulty of the route, they may need additional equipment – ice axes, harnesses, ropes, etc. For those who are interested in this type of extreme recreation, Flip advises to go to the French Alps or the mountains of Colorado in the USA, where there are appropriate schools and tracks.

6. Ice diving. “You don’t need to be a star athlete to take up ice diving – you just need determination. In the Finnish Lev, Norwegian Bude and even in the Danish seaside Copenhagen, teenagers regularly dive into the icy water,” says the expert. She advises to consolidate the impression in the nearby sauna to get a thermal shock that causes endorphins.

7. Via ferrata. “Via ferrata” means “iron way” in Italian, passing through a mountain path consisting of crossbars, railings and cables cut into the rock. It was developed during the First World War for the movement of troops across the Alps, but now it is an exciting route through areas that would otherwise be reserved only for mountaineers. The main center of via ferrata in the world is the Italian Dolomites.

8. Extreme snorkeling. “You don’t need a hot air balloon to have an extreme experience – just head to Iceland. This mystical land of lava and otherworldly splendor, where geysers erupt and glaciers mercilessly tear through the landscape, offers endless entertainment to awaken any adventurous soul. Not least among them is snorkeling in a dry suit in the Silfra rift. Imagine yourself swimming in it a giant diamond above an underwater landscape that has taken millions of years to form, where algae flutters like chiffon, and it becomes clear why this experience is like no other,” says Flip.

9. High-speed start on a mountain bike. The main difference from ordinary cycling here is the absence of speed limits. Extremals in full protective gear simply fly down special tracks. This sport has recently become especially popular in Miami (USA), where many special tracks have suddenly appeared.

10. Long distance hiking. This extreme sport differs from ordinary hiking in terms of duration – weeks of difficult ascents and descents in mountainous terrain await tourists. The easiest place to learn long-distance hiking skills is the Camino in Spain and Portugal, which can take up to a month to complete.

As UNIAN reported, security experts previously named the deadliest types of recreation. Alpinism topped the rating.

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