Sharks … while most of us have a healthy respect for sharks, for those who are willing to journey down from our world into theirs, there is beauty to be found …

In this picture Thomas Vignaud captured the transition from our world into theirs. The lush green island is Moorea located in French Polynesia, below the water a black tipped reef shark.

Photo credit: Autopsea

Shark with what they don

The South Pacific is well known for being an excellent shark dive location, its crystal clear blue waters provide excellent opportunities to observe sharks such as this picture taken near Rangiroa.

Photo credit: SF Brit

Swimming with Sharks in Rangiroa

For true shark fans nothing can measure up to cage diving and shark feeding with a great white shark as shown in this picture from Gansbaai, South Africa.

Photo credit: Deon Maritz

-Deon Maritz157

While South Africa is one of more famous great white diving locations, you can also find them all over the world. This picture below was taken from Isla Guadalupe, Mexico by Ken Bondy, and shows the size and power of a great white.

Photo credit: Ken Bondy

White Shark

Of course images of great white sharks are not immune from a bit of humor, such as this photoshopped image below. There are a few versions floating around the internet with different foreground characters. Another famous shark hoax picture has great white attacking a helicopter. Although the shark following a kayak off Capetown Africa is real and should be seen.

Photo credit: egarc2

the teen, the shark

We’re completely out of our element in the water, and sharks are right at home, so it can sometimes be a bit unsettling, if one sneaks up behind you and gives you a little nudge.

Photo credit: Oceanic Dreams

Wolfgang Leander

However some brave divers are comfortable enough to touch or even ride a shark.

Photo credit: Iggy.

Tiger shark & brave women

This is not something we recommend trying at home …

Photo credit: Iggy.

Touch

If you aren’t comfortable going for a dive there are lots of aquariums with sharks that you can view comfortably from behind a thick window. This photo below is of a nurse shark in the Cincinnati Aquarium.

Photo credit: Jeff Kubina

Shark-Jeff Kubina96

Both the Atlanta Aquarium and Okinawa Aquarium have the largest of all sharks, the whale shark on display.

Photo credit: cotaro70s

whale shark

Here’s a black tip reef shark from Australian Aquarium,

Photo credit: StormyDog

Shark

and another from La Rochelle, France Aquarium.

Photo credit: Jonas Witt

Shark-Jonas Witt19

Here’s a bull shark one of the more aggressive types of shark you can encounter, when diving.

Photo credit: eloyhouse

Bull shark

Here’s a basking shark a very peaceful shark off the coast of Cornwall England, with a few swimmers brave enough to come out and join it.

Photo credit: candiche

basking sharks at Cornwall

Thanks to all the photgrpahers who gave us special permission to use their pictures. If you’d like to see more pictures check out the Shark Lovers Group and Sharks Around the World group on flickr.

Photo credit: hermanusbackpackers

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Sharks from Flickr

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Sharks.  They are one of the few animals on Earth, which man still fears.  They are a credit to evolution (or creation if you swing that way), as they are the perfect aquatic hunting machine.  They can track blood for miles.  They can sense the rhythm of a wounded or dying creature trying to swim.  But it’s the jaws and their multiple rows of razor sharp teeth that pull our attention.  That being said, it’s really the stealth where most of our fear comes from.  While in the water, we are already out of our element, and you simply can’t see a shark coming. 

Photo credit: Mike Johnston

Whale Shark

The irony is, that implies an exaggeration.  Whenever there is a shark attack in the United States, it often makes the national news.  It’s newsworthy, because it’s rare.  Consider that.  Shark attacks are rare.  While sharks may be perfectly designed aquatic hunters, they are also relatively peaceful creatures.  Diving with sharks can be a wonderful, exciting excursion allowing one to face one’s fear, get outside, and enjoy some of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Africa

Click here to view the embedded video.

The most popular place for shark diving in Africa is likely South Africa.  There, one can dive with the most famous and feared shark of all, the Great White.  A 45 minute boat ride south of Gansbaal will take you to an area of the Atlantic Ocean known as “Shark Alley”.  The islands there are full of seals, the sharks’ favorite food, and a natural bay is formed giving the sharks a perfect hunting ground.  Besides South Africa, the north coast of Kenya is another great place for shark diving.  Especially if one wants to see Whale Sharks.

Galapagos Islands

Click here to view the embedded video.

Charles Darwin made these islands famous with their unique and beautiful wildlife.  The islands even have a shark named after them, the Galapagos shark.  Other species can also be found here, but the most amazing are the scalloped hammerheads.  These sharks form huge schools.  Where as one may be used to a dozen or so sharks on a successful dive, schools of scalloped hammerheads around the Galapagos Islands can reach to groups of over a hundred.  This is without doubt one of the most amazing underwater sites on Earth and should not be missed if one is an avid shark diver.

Asian South Pacific

Photo credit: tensaibuta

Sharks in Rangiroa

Two locations in the Asian south pacific are especially known to be great places for shark diving.  The first is the Philippines.  The other is Thailand.  These areas of the Asian south Pacific lie right in the center of the migration paths for a number of shark species.  Suffice to say, this makes for some excellent shark diving.

United States

Hammerhead sharks in coral reef

There are a number of places in the United States to go Shark diving.  One of the favorites is southern California, especially between Los Angeles and San Diego.  Boats take adventurers out to much deeper water where one can cage dive, or even explore without the protection of steel.  Other areas include Florida and even Rhode Island.  Florida is the number one location for shark attacks on the North American continent.  Unlike California, the water is also much warmer.  Species in Florida include tiger sharks, hammerhead, bull sharks, and even whale sharks.  If cold water is more of one’s forte, then they should check out Rhode Island.  Blue sharks are known to gather off the coast during their migration.  Just be sure to bring your wetsuit.

Bahamas

Photo credit: manoellemos

Shark Feeding Dive

The Bahamas are known for their crystal clear water, which obviously makes them a fantastic location for shark diving.  With the islands already a popular destination for divers in general, shark diving comes with the territory and can be found offered by many diving locations.  Unlike other areas such as California, where dives take place in deep water, shark dives in the Bahamas usually take place around shallow reefs.

Australia

Blacktip reef shark from the great barrier reef

If you’re going to mention Shark Diving then you have to mention Australia.  Why?  Three words.  Great Barrier Reef.  The water is also crystal clear like the Bahamas, another reason why Australia is known for some of the best diving in the southern hemisphere.  So what about shark diving?  Its waters are teaming with reef sharks.  In the south, especially around Adelaide, great whites are even known to roam.  It’s tough to go wrong with Australia.

South America

Photo credit: Barnaby

Shark Diving

When looking for shark diving in South America, look to Brazil.  The lemon shark is a favorite in the region, but the one making all the news for the past few years has been Brazil’s bull shark.  The beaches of Brazil recently had an influx of bull shark attacks at one of its favorite beaches.  While the media tried to hype it up as “the sharks rebelling against humanity”, the reality was harbor construction in the area had moved the sharks feeding ground.  Worse, a nearby  slaughterhouse had been illegally dumping its waste into the ocean, effectively pouring chum into the waters where Brazil’s surfers play.

England

Photo credit: candiche

Basking shark in Cornwall

When one thinks of shark diving, one probably doesn’t think of England.  This is a shame, since England might be one of the best places of all to dive with sharks.  Why, you may ask?  Because England is home to one of the few shark aquariums in the world that actually allows visitors to dive into the tank and swim around.  Blue Planet Aquarium in Liverpool is the place, and they have been doing it for over a decade now.  Even better, you can bring your friends and have them watch in comfort outside the tank as you show off your shark diving prowess.  If diving into aquariums isn’t for you though, England does have the occasional basking shark off the coast of Cornwall, and there’s nothing to stop a person from jumping in for a closer look.

No matter what continent you’re on (except perhaps Antarctica), there is someplace where one may go to easily experience sharks.  They are a misunderstood and beautiful predator, worthy of a closer look.

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Best Places to Dive with Sharks

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The seed was planted in the 1950’s.  David Attenborough returned with his BBC film crew from Pentecost Island in Vanuatu.  What he and his group filmed on that journey can still be found sometimes on TV today.  Young boys, as part of their passage into manhood, would be forced to dive off of tall wooden towers with vines tied to their angles.  Two decades later, on April Fool’s Day 1979, several members of the “Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club” attached modern bungee cords to themselves and dove off of the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.  By the mid 1980’s, the first permanent commercial bungee location was established in New Zealand.  The sport had definitely hit the main-stream when in 1995 James Bond himself bungee-jumped at the beginning of the film, “Golden Eye”.  Today there are countless places where one may experience bungee-jumping.  Below are some of the best.

Verzasca Dam, Val Verzasca, Switzerland

Click here to view the embedded video.

So, do you want to be like James Bond?  If so, then this is about as close as it gets.  Why?  Because this was the dam Bond dove off of at the beginning of “Golden Eye”.  Okay yes, we could technically say it was Pierce Brosnan who jumped off, but to heck with that, it was James Bond and you’re not going to tell any of us otherwise.  A commercial bungee-jump company offers anyone willing to do it the opportunity to take the same jump Bond did.  And at 722 feet it’s one of the longest jumps in the world.

Bloukrans Bridge, Plettenburg Bay, South Africa

Click here to view the embedded video.

There is one very specific reason to go here.  Bloukrans Bridge is acknowledged as the highest commercially operated bridge jump in the world.  At 708 feet above the river below, you’ll be in for quite a fall.

Victoria Falls Bridge

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This bridge traverses the Zambezi river, which serves as a border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.  The bridge is so close to Victoria Falls that one can feel the spray as they dive 364 feet down.

The Bhote Kosi, Kathmandu, Nepal

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How does bungee-jumping in the Himalayas sound?  If that’s right up your alley, then you’re in luck as anyone can take a 500 foot dive off of a suspension bridge directly above the Bhote Kosi, one of Nepals wildest rivers in the Himalayas.

Auckland Harbour Bridge, Auckland, New Zealand

Click here to view the embedded video.

This 131 foot dive into Auckland harbor is especially fun due to the options it has.  One can choose a normal, jump, or they can extend the dive just enough to allow one to touch the water with their hands.  Best of all though is the option to go all out and plunge completely into the water before being pulled out.

The seed was planted in the 1950’s.  David Attenborough returned with his BBC film crew from Pentecost Island in Vanuatu.  What he and his group filmed on that journey can still be found sometimes on TV today.  Young boys, as part of their passage into manhood, would be forced to dive off of tall wooden towers with vines tied to their angles.  Two decades later, on April Fool’s Day 1979, several members of the “Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club” attached modern bungee cords to themselves and dove off of the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.  By the mid 1980’s, the first permanent commercial bungee location was established in New Zealand.  The sport had definitely hit the main-stream when in 1995 James Bond himself bungee-jumped at the beginning of the film, “Golden Eye”.  Today there are countless places where one may experience bungee-jumping.  Below are some of the best.

Villarrica, Pucon, Chile

Alright, let’s start with something big.  You probably have never heard of the town of Villarrica, and that’s because it’s not a town, nor is it a city.  It’s a volcano.  Not only that, it’s active.  And we’re not talking, “Oh… yeah, some day that normal looking mountain could blow.”  This volcano is one of only four in the world to have a crater at its peak containing an active lava lake.  So what does this have to do with Bungee jumping?  If you’ve got the guts, and the cash, a helicopter will fly you up over the crater and let you dive straight down with a fiery Hell literally staring you in the face.  It’s widely considered the most extreme bungee jump in the world, and it’s easy to see why.

Macau Tower, Macau, China

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Located on the outer ring of the famous Macau tower, this is quite possibly the longest jump in the world.  Diving off will result in a fall of 762 feet that stops at only 30 feet above the ground.  Not for the feint of heart, and possibly the only jump that could hold a candle to diving into a volcano.

Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles, California

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Natives to Los Angeles like to brag that they can surf in the morning and snow-ski in the afternoon.  Well, if they drive fast enough they can also sneak in a bungee jump on their way up to the mountains.  Angeles National Forest offers the only state licensed bridge jump in the state of California.  The company hosting the jump is also the oldest, still-operating bungee company in the United States.

West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Canada

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This jump is a 106 foot drop.  But that’s not why you go here.  This jump is entirely indoors.  In fact, it’s in a very large shopping mall.  Where else can you jump, grab a “Hot Dog on a Stick”, then catch a movie?

Kawerau Suspension Bridge, Otago, New Zealand

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This is genesis, site of the world’s first commercial bungee jumping operation.  Hovering 141 feet above the river below, this is a location one should visit for the sheer history as much as the jump itself.  After all, how can one truly understand bungee-jumping and how it has evolved if they’ve never experienced how it began.

The Rock, Wakefield, Quebec

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“The Rock” is a 200 foot high chunk of limestone that offers one of the best commercial cliff dives in the Americas.  Not only that, it is also one of, if not the longest jump that can be found on both continents.

Click here to view the embedded video.

There’s a lot more variety than one might expect from a sport that sounds as simple as jumping from a perch with elastic ropes tied to your ankles.  Whether it be from a bridge, a cliff, a helicopter, or even inside a shopping mall, bungee jumping is one of the most thrilling sports in the world today.

Photo credit: Strocchi

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Extreme Bungee Jumping

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Rabaul Caldera, Papua New Guinea

Rabaul Caldera on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea

The Rabaul Caldera on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea erupted in 1937, 1944, and 1994. In the 1994 eruption, the two craters of Tavurvur and Vulcan erupted simultaneously, covering the nearby town of Rabaul in ash and causing the evacuation of about 90,000 people. The volcanic activity has continued at a low level to the present day. The recent eruptions were small events compared to the great eruption that took place in the 6th century, when the caldera was formed by the collapse of the volcano. The low-level activity of Rabaul Caldera could be a prelude to a giant eruption.
photo credit: tarotastic

Krakatau Volcano, Indonesia

Krakatau in Indonesia

The volcanic island of Krakatau in Indonesia is probably second only to Mount Vesuvius in its notoriety as one of Earth’s killer volcanoes. In 1883 more than half of Krakatau Island disintegrated during an explosive eruption. The entrance of pyroclastic flows into the sea during the eruption caused huge tsunamis (tidal waves) to strike the neighboring islands of Java and Sumatra, killing about 34,000 people. The eruption was so violent that hot pyroclastic flows, riding on an air cushion, swept over the surface of the sea and reached Sumatra 40 km (25 mi) away, fatally burning 2,000 people. Subsequent eruptions formed a new island inside the submarine caldera. This new island is called Anak Krakatau, meaning “child of Krakatau.” The volcano’s current eruptions are small and frequent, but another large one is possible.
photo credit: flydime

Mount Fuji Volcano, Japan

Mount Fuji Japan

Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan, rising to 3,776 m (12,387 ft). The volcano is located less than 100 km (62 mi) west of Tokyo. With a population of about 30 million people, the Tokyo metropolitan area is the most populated metropolitan region in the world. The beauty of Fuji has been a source of inspiration for artists for centuries, but it has also been a source of terror in Japan. Its last eruption occurred in 1707, when huge quantities of volcanic ash fell over a large area to the east of the volcano, burying villages under several feet of volcanic ash. The ash fallout was also intense in the Tokyo region, where it blocked out sunlight and caused days of darkness. A repeat of this eruption would have devastating effects for Japan’s economy and the way of life of millions of people living in the greater Tokyo region and elsewhere in central Japan. The length of Fuji’s dormant period, since 1707, is a cause of concern. Typically, the longer the dormant period, the greater the likelihood that a violent eruption will follow.

Mount Fuji Japan

After a dormancy of nearly 300 years, Fuji may be coming back to life, judging from a large number of earthquakes that started in October 2000. Hundreds of tremors have been detected, all of them originating below the volcano. Fuji has been placed on official eruption watch by the Japanese authorities, and monitoring efforts have been stepped up in order to provide advance warning. An eruption like the one in 1707 would spread ash over a wide area, bring Tokyo’s economy to a halt, force the closure of airports, damage water supplies, and cause serious health risks from the volcanic dust. photo credit: robertpaulyoung, photo credit: lemoncat1

Mount Rainier United States

Mount Rainier

Located in the western United States in Washington state, Mount Rainier is the largest volcano in the Cascade Range, reaching a height of 4,392 m (14,410 ft). The majestic volcano is situated near the large urban areas of Tacoma and Seattle. It is one of the most dangerous volcanoes to be located near a huge population and economic center. The main hazard from an eruption of Mount Rainier would be the creation of lahars (landslides or mudflows of volcanic debris that resemble wet concrete). An eruption would probably melt the glaciers capping the mountain, causing flash floods that would mix with loose volcanic ash and other rock debris. This concrete like mixture would rapidly flow down the flanks of the volcano and into the surrounding lowlands, destroying everything in its path. In past eruptions, lahars from Mount Rainier have reached Puget Sound, a large and sheltered arm of the Pacific Ocean that forms the waterfront of several cities, including Seattle. A volcanic eruption of Mount Rainier about 5,700 years ago caused one of the world’s largest-known lahars, and 600 years ago another large lahar was generated on the mountain’s western flank. Even a small eruption of Mount Rainier is almost certain to generate lahars. Today the effects would be devastating to the millions of people who live in the area.

Mount Vesuvius Italy

Mount Vesuvius Italy

Anyone interested in volcanoes has heard about the deadly eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ad 79 that buried the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The volcano had many more eruptions afterward, some of them violent, such as the eruption of 1631. The last eruption of Mount Vesuvius was in 1944, and this notorious volcano has remained quiet ever since. Quiet at the surface, that is. From August to November in 1999 the volcano alarmed volcanologists in nearby Naples when they detected earthquake activity at depths of up to 4 km (2 mi) below the crater. The activity then subsided. About 3 million people live near the volcano, so even the smallest eruption is almost certain to have a large impact. Probably no other active volcano on the planet is surrounded by such a dense population. Mount Vesuvius is therefore closely monitored for any new signs of unrest.
photo credit: Unhindered by Talent

Long Valley Caldera United States

photo credit: Paraflyer

This enormous volcano in east central California has been in a state of unrest since 1979, with earthquakes along the boundary of the caldera, periodic uplift of the caldera floor, and increased emission of gases. The suffocating gases have already killed trees and other plant life. The volcano is actually a large oval-shaped depression located 20 km (12 mi) south of Mono Lake on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. About 700,000 years ago the Long Valley Caldera exploded in one of the largest eruptions on the North American continent. Ash fallout occurred over much of the area of the United States, and pyroclastic flows (a mixture of hot ash, rock fragments, and gas) spread widely over the region surrounding the caldera. A major eruption of this volcano would have severe effects throughout northern and central California and Nevada.

Reykjanes Peninsula Iceland

photo credit: Soffia S

The submarine mid-ocean ridges form Earth’s longest and most active volcanic zones. The only place where a mid-ocean ridge appears above sea level is in Iceland on the Reykjanes Peninsula. This peninsula has been volcanically quiet since the Middle Ages, but one day it will burst to life. The peninsula contains Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavík and nearby towns, with about half the country’s population and most of its industries. An eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula would create large and fast-moving basaltic lava flows, or flood basalts, that would threaten this vulnerable community.

Santoríni Caldera Greece

photo credit: WorldIslandInfo.com

In about 1640 bc a gigantic eruption occurred on the eastern Mediterranean island of Thíra (Thera), also known as Santoríni. The eruption was so destructive that it was probably a factor in the decline of the Minoan culture. Many scholars attribute the legend of the lost continent of Atlantis to this eruption. Today the volcano is a huge caldera called Santoríni that is submerged in the sea and nearly encircled by what remained of Thíra after the eruption. The island is now one of the Aegean Islands of Greece. Several minor lava eruptions have built up two small islands in the caldera’s center. The last of these eruptions was in 1950. Although that eruption was minor, the history of this volcano shows that it is capable of truly enormous explosions that would have devastating effects.

Taupo Volcano New Zealand

photo credit: piotr zurek

Most volcanoes are high mountains, but some of the most violent volcanoes are almost invisible, such as Taupo in New Zealand. This volcano had such a violent eruption in ad 186 that it blew apart and created a huge hole in the ground to form Lake Taupo. It was one of the world’s most violent eruptions. Numerous earthquakes have shaken the area in recent times, although this activity appears to have ceased. Taupo volcano bears watching closely because more than 200,000 local residents would be affected by volcanic activity.

Paektu-san Baitou Shan East Asia

photo credit: [Satbir]

In about ad 1050 a colossal volcanic eruption occurred on the present-day border of China and North Korea. The explosion formed a caldera now filled by lake Chŏn-ji (Tian Chi). It was one of the largest explosive eruptions of the Holocene Epoch, the period spanning the last 10,000 years. It ejected about 150 cu km (36 cu mi) of material and spread ash as far away as northern Japan. This eruption and the volcano itself have only recently come to the attention of volcanologists. Unconfirmed reports indicate that this little-known volcano erupted again in the early 18th century. It is clearly not an extinct volcano, and we are likely to see much more from it in the future.

Campi Flegrei Caldera Italy

photo credit: Porfirio

This dangerous volcano is located west of Naples, Italy. It shook with gigantic explosive eruptions about 35,000 and 12,000 years ago. These eruptions created a large caldera, or volcanic crater, that is partially filled in by the Gulf of Pozzuoli. Since a small eruption in 1538, the volcano has remained quiet at the surface. However, the caldera floor has moved up and down by several meters at various times during the last two centuries, indicating that the volcano is in a state of unrest. A major eruption of Campi Flegrei would have a direct impact on more than 1 million people who live in Naples and nearby cities. However, much of the eruption would be directed into the Tyrrhenian Sea.

photo credit: rastafabi

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Travel Hot Spots – 11 Volcanic Regions Around the World

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Europe, land of castles and culture. But sometimes you need more thrills than a trip to an art museum can give. Sometimes you just want to get the wind in your hair and scream. Here’s a guide to 15 of Europe’s top roller coasters that you’ll want to consult next time you need to let loose.

Nemesis
Alton Towers
Staffordshire, England

The first inverted roller coaster built outside the United States, Nemesis opened in 1994 in the Forbidden Valley area of the park.

As the story goes, an evil monster created a giant hole in the ground that riders swoop over and about this hole with the irate monster chained below. Red waterfalls dripping into pools of blood heighten the effects.

Oblivion
Alton Towers
Staffordshire, England

Oblivion was the world’s first vertical drop coaster, dropping riders straight down at a near 90 degree angle. Down 60 meters into a big, dark hole covered by steam, followed by a 180-degree turn back to the station. This coaster reaches speeds of more than 68 miles per hour and reaches 4.5 Gs.

Dragon Khan
Port Aventura
Tarragona, Spain

One of the world’s largest looping roller coasters, Dragon Khan for many years held the world record for inversions with eight. After boarding the ride, riders climb 148 feet to the top of the lift hill, before plummeting back to earth and going straight into a 118-foot vertical loop, followed by a diving loop, a zero-G roll, and a cobra roll. A smaller vertical loop and two interlocking corkscrews complete the ride, which hits speeds over 65 miles per hour.

Colossos
Heide Park
Soltau, Germany

The tallest wooden roller coaster in Europe at 196 feet, the Colossos offers one of the smoothest rides of any wooden roller coaster thanks to the prefabricated track used to build it. Because the track is cut with a laser instead of by hand the pieces fit together better and provide a steel-smooth ride. Colossos reaches speeds of close to 74 niles per hour, making it the fastest wooden coaster in the world.

Megafobia
Oakwood Theme Park
Pembrokeshire, Wales

A twister-style coaster with with 3,000 feet of track, 11 crossovers and a scream-worthy stop from 28 mph, Megafobia features lots of airtime and a 55 foot drop as it reaches 2.75 Gs. Also likely the only coaster in the world with a herd of sheep living beneath it.

ThunderCoaster
Tusenfryd
Oslo, Norway

Featuring a 105-foot drop and speeds near 60 miles per hour, this wooden coaster’s special feature is its second parabola-shaped drop which provides air time that seems to go on forever.

Eurostar
Germany

The world’s first and largest traveling inverted coaster, Eurostar moves from one fair to another around Germany. It takes 20 workers working around the clock eight days to disassemble and reassemble the coaster. The coaster has been moved 60 times since its 1995 debut.

After leaving the station, the coaster makes a wide U turn and ascends 99 feet before dropping at speeds of 50 miles per hour. After the drop, the ride navigates a large vertical loop followed by a 121-degree left turn that leads into a 0 G roll. Riders then make another left turn up into the first block brake then before going through through two back-to-back corkscrews, a second block break and a downward helix before returning to the station.

Big Dipper
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Blackpool, England

This 85-year-old wooden roller coaster features five large drops and lots of airtime. American teacher Richard Rodriguez made history here by spending 2,000 hours on the ride in June 2000. Rodriguez beat his own world record, set in 1998, of 1,013 hours on the ride.

The Big One
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Blackpool, England

The UK’s tallest coaster, at 235 feet, the Big One reaches speeds of 85 miles per hour and a max of 3.5 Gs. The initial drop is a corkscrewing 65-degree dive down an incredible 205 feet.

Shockwave
Drayton Manor
Staffordshire, England

The only stand-up rollercoaster in Europe and the only stand-up roller coaster with a zero-g roll in the world Shockwave features four inversions at 53 mph and 4 Gs. The coaster takes riders to a dizzy height of 120 fee and then swirls them through a series of loops, corkscrews and turns.

The Poseidon
Europa Park
Rust, Germany

Poseidon is where the log flume meets the roller coaster. When riders aren’t cruising through scenes taken from Greek mythology, they’re climbing 45 feet of track and being thrown into 110-degree turns.

Euro-Mir
Europa Park
Rust, Germany

Named after the Russian space station, this spinning coaster ride simulates a trip into space and reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere. The bright blue tracks wind through and around five enormous mirrored towers for more than four minutes during which the cars are turned 180 degrees about every four seconds. The ride ends with a series of tight spirals.

Goliath
Walibi World
Biddinghuizen, Dronten, The Netherlands

This megacoaster is 150 feet high, has a first drop angle of 70 degrees and achieves speeds of 65 miles per hour.

The ride slowly winches up and then plummets almost vertically. It’s unique features is known as the Stengel Dive which begins at the top of the third hill when the track banks 90 degrees to the right, and then descends into the third drop as the banking levels out towards the bottom of the drop.

Expedition GeForce
Holiday Park
Hassloch, Germany

This coaster stands 17 stories tall and features a memorable first drop at a very steep 82 degree angle. Expedition GeForce carries 28 passengers over 4,000 feet of steel track at speeds of up to 75 miles per hour. The course features seven periods of weightlessness.

Tonnerre de Zeus
Parc Asterix
Plailly, France

Tonnerre de Zeus, Europe’s third largest wooden roller coaster, was named the world’s top wooden roller coaster for three years in a row. The coaster has a 98-foot-tall lift hill and a first drop into a tunnel. The two-minute ride features many long sweeping bends and plenty of drops.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Twisting in the Wind: Great European Roller Coaster Videos

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New Zealand is rapidly gathering a reputation as the adventure capital of the world, with all manner of adrenalin-pumping activities. One of the centers of this action is the town of Queenstown on the South Island, where almost countless exciting activities can be found, including:

• Bungy jumping: The Nevis Highwire Bungy above the Nevis River is the highest platform jump in the country.
• White water rafting: Plenty of action can be found on a rafting trip down the Shotover River near Queenstown.
• Canyon swing: An alternative to bungy jumping, perhaps, with the world’s highest swing – strap yourself in to ropes, jump, and swing back and forth on the Shotover Canyon Swing. You’ll have 200 feet of freefall and then swing through an arc of 650 feet at high speed.
• Jetboat ride: If you’re not keen on jumping, then a really speedy ride down the Shotover River on a jet boat is still enough to get the adrenalin pumping.
• In the air: All kinds of airborne adventure is also available in and around Queenstown, including sky diving, hang gliding, paragliding and riding in a stunt plane.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Get adventurous in Queenstown, New Zealand

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The Margaret River and Dunsborough regions of Western Australia, the southwest corner of this vast country, are well known as the home to many fascinating caves, several of which are open to the public:

• Ngilgi Cave: Located near Yallingup, and formerly known as Yallingup Cave, this cave has two large areas once you get down inside it. One side hosts weddings and has hosted choirs in the past, while the other takes visitors on a long walk up and down stairs to see various formations in the cave. It’s all full of stalactites and stalagmites, cleverly lit so we can see them best.
• Jewel Cave: At the opposite end of the cape, Jewel Cave is actually the largest of the accessible caves in the area. It’s much darker and the entrance is a little scarier, but once you’re inside it’s worth it.
• Mammoth Cave: Located closer to Margaret River, Mammoth Cave is unique in that you don’t need to join a tour guide to get access to the cave. There is even a wide boardwalk path entering it which allows some wheelchair access, although only into the first part of the cave.
• Lake Cave: Also located near Margaret River, Lake Cave includes water features, as you’d expect from the name. This means that you can see some incredible reflections of the stalactites in the water.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Explore the caves of southwest Australia

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Slovenia’s Postojnska cave has been attracting tourists for more than 175 years. Indeed, the home to the rare human fish has been visited by humans since as early as the 13th Century.

These ancient caverns are home to some of the world’s most spectacular stalactites and stalagmites, as well as rare species of animals and fossils from the ice age..

Guided tours of the cave begin at the cave railway station and take about an hour and a half. The train first carries visitors through an artificial tunnel to a passage, known as the Upturned Ship. Next comes the Gothic Hall, rich in stalactite decoration, where the remains of ice age animals have been found. Many of the geological formations along the route have names that reflect their peculiar shapes. The most famous are the Turtle, the Cone, the Palms, the Charcoal Heaps, the Curtain, the Dwarf.

The tour continues on foot at the great mountain, where the trail goes into the White Hall, the Red Hall, the Tiger Hall and the Winter Hall, all the way to the Brilliant Passage, the home of the Brilliant, the world’s most famous stalagmite and the symbol of Postojna Cave. Visitors then reboard the train and return to the surface.

Postojnska is the largest karst cave in Slovenia. Across the country there are some 8,000 more karst caves already discovered, and a number are open for visitors. The Škocjan caves in particular are already inscribed on the World Heritage List and include the largest underground canyon in the world. Along with others including Pivka Cave, Black Cave and Vilenica Cave, this makes Slovenia a must-see destination for all cave fans.

For more information about visiting the caves, visit www.postojnska-jama.si/?cat=9&lang=en.
Photo credit: Iversonic

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Go spelunking in Slovenia

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An increasing number of travelers are foregoing the usual beach vacation for something more meaningful. Dubbed “voluntourism,” the concept combines travel with helping others around the globe. A typical trip might involve building homes or schools or caring for wildlife in a nature preserve.

Most voluntourism trips also include free days to explore the area and sightsee. To make finding a trip that’s right for your skills and interests easier, a number of operators have sprung up that organize such trips.

• STA Travel – This student travel wholesaler offers a wide array of opportunities, including many voluntourism trips.
• International Volunteer Headquarters – This organization matches individuals with humanitarian projects around the globe for trips beginning at two weeks in length.
• Earth Watch – Earth Watch travelers supplement field research teams around the world.

So, if the usual, predictable vacation has lost its appeal consider voluntourism.

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This post originally came from Kathika Travel Blog. Stop by and read our most popular travel blog posts.

Voluntourism – A New Trend in Travel

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