Top Scenic Skydiving Locations Around The World
Scenic Skydiving Locations Around the World
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Do you enjoy the thrill of adrenaline and want to enjoy some amazing views? There are few ways to get a more authentic, meaningful, and memorable experience than skydiving at the places you travel to. If you love to travel, (and who doesn’t?) skydiving could be the catalyst for extraordinary trips abroad. One of the amazing benefits of skydiving is that you get a bird’s eye view of each location—taking in more of the sights at one time than you could possibly get on the ground.
New to Skydiving? Don’t Worry
There are skydiving locations for beginner and experienced skydivers on every continent on Earth, offering stunning and diverse views of man-made and natural wonders from heights of 8,000 to 20,000 feet. Tandem skydiving at these locations will cost from $190 – $450 (USD) and does not require prior skydiving experience. Here are four of our top picks for destinations in a skydiving world tour!
O’ahu, Hawaii
O’ahu island in Hawai’i is home to the state’s capital city a Honolulu and offers a fascinating mix of eastern and western culture and ancient and modern traditions against a backdrop of tropical beaches and volcanic mountains.
The city of Honolulu itself is a lively international metropolis in tropical style, while the island’s other regions offer history (Pearl Harbor), agricultural interest (Dole pineapple plantation), world-class surfing (North Shore), ancient temples (Byodo-in on the Windward Coast) and nature adventures with hiking, volcano tours, and mountaineering. You can find out more about O’ahu on the Go Hawaii website.
Skydiving in Hawaii
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Why not take in the entire region at once by flying through the Hawaiian sky? On a clear day, skydiving drop zones on O’ahu operate near Honolulu and on the North Shore, giving you stunning, tropical views of Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, and even beyond O’ahu to the surrounding islands from heights of 8,000 to 20,000 feet! In winter, you might even be able to spot whales and marine life in the Pacific Ocean.
If you want to skydive in O’ahu, you need to be at least 18 years old, weigh less than 200 or 250 pounds (depending on the operator), and avoid scuba diving for at least 24 hours before you plan on dropping down through Hawaiian skies in a parachute. Sudden changes in tropical weather could also affect freefall altitudes and operator opening times, so check with the operator before you go.
Dubai
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and a common stopover destination for connecting flights. Known for luxury resorts, this Middle Eastern city is also located near arid, sandy deserts and the Mediterranean Sea. Learn more about Dubai at Visit Dubai.com.
Destination: Dubai
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On a visit to Dubai or a stopover on your way through, there is lots to do outside of the main city center, with mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking in the mountain enclave of Hatta, and the chance to see Dubai from above with two skydiving drop zones—the desert and city campuses.
Dubai’s desert skydiving campus offers views of the Arabian Desert, where sandy desert dunes meet the blue Dubai skyline. The more popular Palm Jumeirah city campus treats skydivers to an aerial view of the man-made palm-shaped island, the Atlantis Hotel, the Ain Dubai (the world’s largest Ferris Wheel), and the Dubai Marina from a height of 13,000 feet.
Queenstown, New Zealand
For nature lovers, Queenstown in New Zealand is known as the “adventure capital of the world”—and for good reason! This small city, located in the Southern Alps of the South Island, boasts an unmatched number of adventure activities:
Bungee jumping
Whitewater rafting
Rock climbing
Canyoning
Abseiling
Paragliding
Hang gliding
Heli biking and dirt biking
Hiking
Backcountry snowboarding
…and of course, skydiving!
The Discover Queenstown website has more information about each of these activities.
Skydiving in Queenstown
Going skydiving in Queenstown from heights of 15,000 feet allows you to take in breathtaking views of the World Heritage-listed Mt Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks, the sapphire-blue Wakatipu Lake and its basin, rural farmland landscapes, and the small alpine village of Glenorchy, which Lord of the Rings fans will recognize as the setting used for Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings movies.
To go skydiving in Queenstown, you need to be at least 18 or have parental or guardian consent if under 18, and weigh under 220 pounds. Be sure to dress warm!
Taft, California
To finish (or begin) your world skydiving tour, head over to Los Angeles in California. There is so much to do in Los Angeles—from the Hollywood studio tour at Universal Studios, to world-class museums, to hiking the Hollywood Sign. Find more to do described in detail on the Discover Los Angeles website.
Once you’ve had your fill of luxury shopping sprees, taken in fine music and choral finesse at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and enjoyed a 360-degree view of the city from the OUE Skyspace observation deck, head over to Skydive Taft, one of the most well-established and professional drop zones in the USA.
Skydiving in Southern California
During your tandem or solo dive, you’ll be able to see the sparkling Pacific Ocean, the San Andreas Fault almost directly beneath you, and the San Joaquin Valley snow-capped mountains in the east. The idyllic California weather is perfect for skydiving all year round.
With such diverse and exciting destinations, skydiving gives you the unique opportunity to take in the big picture of bustling cities and pristine landscapes—or both in one go! Take the plunge and add skydiving to your travel plans for a thrilling, scenic adventure around the globe.
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About The Author: Jordan McDowell is a writer and outdoorsman with a love of travel and exploration. He often writes for adventure & travel companies including Skydive Taft. In his free time, you can find Jordan hiking, hunting, or skydiving.
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