Thread: Asia : 10 insane activities for thrill-seekers

10 insane activities for thrill-seekers
La Carmina
11 January, 2011

Extremely extreme sports involving yaks, angry bulls and the North Korean border

Daredevil activities are on the rise in Asia -- and we don’t only mean snowboarding or skydiving. For the truly hardcore, there’s yak skiing in India. Or rolling down the Cambodian hillside in a giant sphere.

Here are 10 thrills that will get the most jaded heart thumping.

1. Pakistan: Crossing a barely-there suspension bridge


Often hailed as "the most dangerous bridge in the world", the Hussaini-Borit Lake bridge in Northern Pakistan looks like a set from an Indiana Jones film. The “platform” is made from rotting wooden planks, many of which are missing, haphazardly strung together with bits of rope. One misstep on the high, wavering walk across the water, and it’s lights out Indiana.

2. India: Skiing with the yaks


The peculiar sport of yak skiing originates from the snowy resort town of Manali. A yak stands on top of a hill, connected to the skier below by a rope and pulley. The skier shakes a bucket of pony nuts, causing the hungry beast to charge downhill and yank the skier up at lighting speed. Yeah, good luck with that.

3. Cambodia: Rolling downhill in a giant sphere


I-Ball Adventure Park in Sihanoukville puts thrill seekers inside big inflatable Zorb balls, then hurtles them down a steep hill and across a rickety bridge. The upside-down, bouncy ride can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour.

4. South Korea: Whitewater rafting in the DMZ


In the latest season of The Amazing Race, contestants had to raft down the furious Hantangang River. To make matters more perilous, the challenge took place in the demilitarized zone, only paddle strokes away from the North Korean border.

5. India: Running with mad bulls


The Tamil Nadu festival is famous for jallikattu, a bull-taming sport. Villagers chase the drunk and fuming animals, risking injury to grab the money taped to their horns. Photographer Arul Jegadish says, “The raging bulls and excitement of being among a high-voltage crowd makes this a thrilling encounter.”

6. China: Driving on Guoliang Tunnel Road


Built by 13 villagers in the late 1970s, this tunnel in Henan Province is nicknamed “the road that does not tolerate any mistakes.” Winding high above gravel and stone, the passage is barely wide enough for a single car.
Guardrails? Not a chance.

7. Philippines: Steering a motorcycle through Manila traffic


Riding a Harley-Davidson doesn’t usually qualify as an extreme activity. Unless the biker is in congested Manila, where hospitals tallied up 1,662 injuries from motorbike accidents in the first three months of 2010.

8. Thailand: Formula racing in a single-seater


A racecar experience is one-of-a-kind: the speed, the handling, the risk of hurtling off the tracks. Bangkok’s Taki Racing school puts students in a Formula Renault and lets them stomp on the pedal.
After only two days of training.

9. Kuala Lumpur: BASE jumping off the KL Tower


A BASE jumper leaps off a fixed object such as an antenna, deploys a parachute and hopes for the best. At the annual Kuala Lumpur Tower Jump, daredevils from around the world somersault off the edge and drop 421 meters to the concrete.

10. Macau: Braving the highest bungee jump in the world


At 233 meters, the bungee jump from Macau Tower is the highest in the world. The free-fall clocks in at 200 kilometers per hour -- enough said.

cnngo.com

Hmmm... Seem to have missed out doing a runner from a Soi Yodsak bar without paying the short time fee.

Well, I'm 1/10. Guess I need to step up my game.

After riding trail bikes for about 20 years in the Andies and north African mountains for fun I thought I knew it all - Wrong !!
Did # 6 on a Chinese Army dispatch riders bike and left a trail of shit for the whole length !!! Scary or What !!