When the city of Sydney is not busy charming residents and visitors with its beaches, multicultural food scene and world-famous Opera House, it’s often inspiring travelers to find their spunk to jump out of planes, dive in 65 degree water with sharks, and confront ghosts in its oldest suburbs.
This harbor city knows how to take care of people who visit in search of that intoxicating mix of endorphins, adrenaline and nerves. Whether you call yourself a thrill-seeker, a daredevil or an adventure-junkie, these four activities will get your heart racing faster than love at first sight.
BridgeClimb Sydney
Celebrities and daredevils from Bill Gates to the cast of Glee have climbed up the 440-foot structure of this architectural pride in the heart of the city, and now it’s your turn. BridgeClimb Sydney offers a stunning panoramic view of the suburbs, beaches and beyond.
The climb demands a total of 1,332 steps, panned out over several ladders, which lead you to the topmost point – the arch of the bridge. This is where you cross to the other side and descend downward.
The bridge climb adventure begins at four distinct times throughout the day (dawn, day, twilight or night), all with unique vistas. The experience takes a total of three-and-a-half hours.
The real thrill lies in standing on Sydney’s most iconic heritage spot, embracing the depth of the city and screaming, “I’m the King of the World!” at the top of your lungs (the latter action being optional, of course, but highly encouraged).
Manly Sea Life Sanctuary and Shark Dive Xtreme
They’re accused of being “man-hunters” of the ocean, but here at the Manly Sea Life Sanctuary, sharks are just another variety of beautiful marine creatures. This is one of only a few diving experiences in the world that guarantees an encounter with critically endangered Grey Nurse sharks, stingrays, sea turtles and schools of fascinating fish.
Sea Life Sanctuary swears by its ecological philosophy of breeding, rescuing and protecting its marine life, giving your dive bonus conservation points.
This cage-free experience takes you into the territory of the world’s scariest creature, and lets you acquaint yourself with the allure of this formidable being up-close and very personal. Don’t panic though; highly trained instructors supervise the 40-minute dive.
Skydive the Beach Sydney
Nothing offers a complete out-of-body (and mind) experience quite like jumping out of a plane from 14,000 feet above ground, and free-falling for about 60 seconds with a turquoise-hued coastline to look down upon.
If skydiving is on your bucket list, travel an hour outside of Sydney to the serene and untouched beaches of Wollongong. There, you’ll find the enthusiastic tandem trainers at Skydive the Beach Sydney. Tandem jumps treat you to a full minute of free-falling and five to seven minutes of hovering under a parachute before your feet touch the ground again.
The company’s decade-plus of experience in the business comes with proven credibility that your safety is always of prime importance, especially when you’re falling from the sky at a rate of 124 miles per hour. Surely, there’s got to be a reason why more than 200 divers a day prefer to take in this 360-degree view of the southern beaches over any other skydiving destination in the country.
The Rocks Ghost Tour
An after-hours masterpiece, this ghost tour around Sydney’s oldest laneways takes you on an unusually eerie and supernatural journey. Starting from the cobblestoned pathway at The Rocks, “Ghost Host Garry” (your guide for the evening) snakes the group through several haunted houses, courtyards and alleyways, highlighting stories about local murders, suicides and unusual coincidences. With a beaming light here and a lonely shadow there, this paranormally charged twilight tour, which lasts from 90 to 120 minutes, will leave you in sweats. A friendly warning – don’t take this tour alone. You’ll want to have a mate to hold on to when you quiver with fear and your nerves get the best of you.
Photos Courtesy of Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, The Rocks Ghost Tours, Shark Dive Xtreme and Skydive The Beach Sydney
