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RSS FeedFor adventure travelers, is Australia or New Zealand the more extreme down under experience?
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| AU | 45% | 66 votes | Total: 147 votes | |
| NZ | 55% | 81 votes |
AU
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Add to FavoritesAustralia is a fantastic destination with so many different sights for all to enjoy and be dazzled by. From surfing on the magical white sandy beaches to visiting some of the worlds most beautiful sites.
450 kilometers from Alice Springs in Central Australia lies Ayers Rock, There are many ways to enjoy this unique site, the rock is composed of feldspar-rich sandstone arkose, which means that it changes color significantly in different light, particularly at sunrise and sunset.
Located in the tropical north of Australia, Kakadu National Park is internationally recognized as a cultural and ecological treasure and is home to thousands of different species.
Along the southern coastline of Victoria is the perfect surrounding as the Twelve Apostles rock formations stand as sentinels against a dramatic backdrop of cliffs and wild ocean. A 200-meter cliff-top boardwalk reaches the main viewing platform and Castle Rock, which provides stunning views of the wild coastline.
In my opinion the best attraction i have visited would have to be The Great Barrier Reef experience. This natural wonder is as big as Great Britain and Ireland combined It has more than 1,000 islands, from sandy cays to rainforest isles, and supports prolific marine life. It is home to the most diverse animal and plant ecosystems on Earth and this once in a lifetime experience is definitely worth a visit.
The most known attraction to tourists would be The Sydney Opera House. The Opera House is an extraordinary structure and one of the world's premier performing-arts facilities. Its organic shape and lack of surface decoration give the Opera House a timeless beauty. It is recognized globally as a modern wonder. Opened in 1973, it has taken its place among the world's most architecturally significant buildings.
Cascading in the fantastic setting of the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge towers above the exotic marine and Opera House with a number of bars and restaurants to relax at whilst enjoying the fantastic views.
With stunning golden beaches, clean water, energetic surf, vibrant nightlife, entertainment theme parks and natural attractions for visitors of all ages, Australia is definitely worth a visit and is highly rated as one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Learn more about this author, Daniel Hulston.
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NZ
A trip to New Zealand can be an extreme adventure travel experience to satisfy even the most addicted adrenaline junkie. If you're looking for a wide variety of adventure activities, try out a few of the following.
White water rafting. This sport is available all over the country but if you're looking for extremes you might want to raft over the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world on the Kaituna river. Be prepared to get wet. The raft hits the water hard enough to submerge almost completely before catapulting you back to the surface. This seven meter drop is one of fourteen drops you'll experience on a short trip of only 45 minutes.
Black water rafting. This is similar to white water rafting but is done on inner tubes in underground caves , using miners' helmets and the abundant glow worms for light. Not for the faint-hearted or claustrophobic. Try this activity at the Waitomo caves on the north island. Their Black Abyss experience combines black water rafting with climbing and abseiling.
Bungy jumping. New Zealand is the home of bungy jumping. It was invented by Kiwi AJ Hackett and the original AJ Hackett bungy jump center still operates at Queenstown on the South Island. You can do the original jump from the Kawaru Bridge which is a pretty scary 43 meters high, but why stop there? New Zealanders like to push to extremes. You can jump the Pipeline bungy at 102 meters, the Ledge which swings you out 400 meters over Queenstown (at night if you really need an extra edge to your thrills). You can even do a heli-bungy (yes that is what it sounds like you bungy out of a helicopter).
Sky-diving. There are centers all over New Zealand, offering courses or tandem sky dives. I did a tandem over the beautiful Marlborough Sounds at the north end of the South Island. It was worth it just for the scenery on the way down (which you get to enjoy on the relaxing float back to earth after the thrill of a thirty second freefall).
Jet boating. Fast and furious, this consists of bombing around in high speed jet boats at various river and lake locations. Due to the jet engine set-up these boats can be operated in shallow water, are maneuverable at very high speeds, turn in their own length and are capable of fast 360 spins. Jet boat operators really like to demonstrate this. Don't attempt this if you have any back or neck injuries and think carefully about it if you don't want any back or neck injuries.
Skiing and snowboarding. There are opportunities for both, at all levels on both islands. Watch out, even if you're taking it easy yourself. Native New Zealand snowboarders are even more extreme than elsewhere in the world.
Wilderness trips. If your idea of adventure is pitting yourself against the elements and camping out in the wilderness, there are plenty of opportunities for this in New Zealand. Several hiking trails on both islands can take up to a week to travel, camping out or staying in wilderness huts along the way. Two of the more famous (and spectacular) multi-day hikes are along the Milford Sound track and the Abel Tasman trail, but check local tourist offices for information on what's available in different regions.
Other adventure sports in New Zealand include kite surfing, paragliding, rock climbing, glacier hiking, kayaking and hang gliding. If you're looking to pack a lot of adventure into a short vacation New Zealand has one big advantage over Australia - its size and its accessibility. You're never far from your next adventure. You can spend a month traveling around New Zealand and take your life in your hands (in a different way) every single day. I know. I've done it.
Learn more about this author, Karen Banes.
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