Go hard or go home: Extreme Sports in Bali

If your idea of a holiday is an adrenalin-fuelled adventure, then read on my friends, read on. From jumping off cliffs to climbing active volcanoes or ejecting yourself superhero-style up in the air – Bali is the perfect place to engage your wild side in some action-packed extreme sports.

Canyoning at Gitgit Waterfall, North Bali

Gitgit Waterfall is about 11 kilometres from the township of Singaraja. Featuring a number of smaller waterfalls as well as the impressive 40 metre high Gitgit, it is a popular spot for tourists to take some happy snaps as part of a tour. But why photograph something from a distance when you can experience it up close and personal? Gitgit is a great canyoning spot for those looking for a bit of everything. If you like to test your physical endurance and agility, canyoning combines rock climbing, river trekking, cliff jumping and abseiling in one.  Add some water slides, natural springs and amazing scenery and you have yourself a perfect Bali adventure. 

Jet Packs and Jet Bikes, Nusa Dua

Ever wondered what it would feel like to be Ironman or AstroBoy flying from the ground and up into the air? Well, strapping a Jet Pack on your back and being lifted up to 30 feet into the air at 30 miles per hour may be as close as you’re going to get (for now).

Unleash your inner Rambo

The Jet Packs use water as a high-density propulsion fluid that can lift you up and thrust you forward above the water’s surface. There are also Jet Bikes that are basically the same thing, but instead of strapping one to your back, you sit on it like an extreme futuristic jet ski. Aussie Bali Adventures offer the ultimate Jet Pack and Jet Bike experience and operate from within the Bali Apollo Water Sports, Tanjung Benoa in Nusa Dua.

Bali Paintball Arena, Bukit Ungasan

The cliff top arena is made up of three separate playing fields that stretch over two hectares of Balinese terrain. Expect to commando roll your way through natural undergrowth as well as custom-made hideouts, obstacles and bunkers.

In the rainy season, lush green trees will provide you extra cover for doing some recon, but in the dry season, expect more scrub and dry surrounds. Boasting the latest imported equipment, military-styled camouflage jumpsuits and double-lens face protector Anex masks, the Bali Paintball Arena is a great place to unleash your inner Rambo with a group of family and friends.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9KMh7iGafM

White Water Rafting, Ubud

If, like all good adrenalin holiday makers, you are looking for some river rapids, Sungai Ayung (Ayung River) is the place to go. Start from north of Ubud and make your way west along the stream towards the Amandari Hotel.

If you like it wild, make sure you plan your trip during wet season (November to March) as heavy rainfall means a more extreme experience. The rapids here are classed between 19 and 25 Class II to III, which means they can be full on, but not life threateningly dangerous.

White water rafting on Ayung River via The Swashbucklers Club Adventure Tour

Bali Flying Fish, Tanjung Benoa Beach

Here’s a wild idea: strap yourself into a rubber boat attached to a speedboat and flap and fly into the air like a flying fish.

Three rubber banana boats are combined together with “wings” on either side so that its shape actually looks like a fish fin. Each boat has a capacity of three including a guide in the middle as balance is key to getting some serious airtime.

A speedboat drags you about as the waves and wind launch you around two metres above the sea. The rubber boat jumps, turns and hurls you in the air at fast speeds for one adrenalin-packed day on the water. Wira Watersports Bali have the Flying Fish experience as well as other water sport activities such as jet skiing and parasailing for you to indulge in as well.

Paragliding, Denpasar

Soar like an eagle along the shores of the Indian Ocean by the picturesque Bali cliffs of Timbis Beach. Every year, from May through to October, the southerly trade winds blow in off the Indian Ocean and allow for a 12 kilometre flight above the beautiful turquoise sea.

Take off from the top of a cliff and enjoy a bird’s eye view of Southern Bali from Nusa Dua to Uluwatu. There are a number of operators that offer tandem flights and special deals so you can have your pick of seasoned professionals to fly with.

Climb Gunung Batur

Gunung Batur is Bali’s most active volcano, letting off steam and unsettling tremors spontaneously to keep the island’s residence on their toes. In the past, Batur has had a number of small eruptions every few years, with the last main eruption taking place in 1963.

The active area of the volcano, just west of the main peak, can be deadly and is prone to unstable surfaces, spurts of steam, sulphurous gases and explosions of lava. However, the vista surrounding Batur is a geological marvel, which is why it is still a popular trek with tourists.

The scene here can be a bit feisty as well, so hang on to your belongings and do a bit of research before selecting a trekking agency and guide – there can be some lively competition for your business between local setups. The Swashbuckler’s Club Adventure Tour has a great action-packed running tour that encompasses climbing Mt Batur as well as white water rafting, jungle and beach runs, and a visit to see some elephants and baby turtles.

Jumping for joy at the top of Mt Batur. Image courtesy of Sharing Bali

Bali Treetop Adventure Park, Candikuning

If you can’t remember the last time you felt the wind in your hair while soaring through the air on a flying fox, then check out the Bali Treetop Adventure Park and feel it once again. Situated within the Bali Botanical Gardens, this open-air adventure park has seven adventure circuits and 72 challenges that are linked from one tree to another by cables, nets and swings. The family-friendly park has a range of different circuits for every age and comfort level.

If you want to get your extreme Tarzan on, opt for the Adrenaline Black Circuit that will have you swinging, flying and jumping from trees as tall as 20 metres.

Bali Treetop Adventure Park via The Swashbucklers Club Adventure Tour

ATV Quad biking, Ubud

Fancy a bit of extreme sports, but exercise and pushing your body to its utmost limits isn’t your thing? Then hop on an ATV and let the Quad bike do the work for you. An ATV Quad bike is basically a four-wheeled motorbike that can handle a range of natural terrains, making it a great tool for sightseeing.

Taro is an awesome place for Quad biking as you can roam through local villages, plantations, the jungle, the countryside, a bamboo forest and more – all on the one Quad track. Taro village is also close to the Ayung river, so you can double up on the extremities by combining some quad biking and white water rafting.

Bali Taro Adventure Tours offers package deals that include both ATV and rafting. Just remember to bring a change of clothes, particularly in the wet season as quad bikes can splash mud around like nobody’s business. Exhibit A:

ATV quad biking via Bali Quad

Motocross, Central Bali

Dirt bike riding allows you the freedom to explore remote Bali, while satisfying your need for speed. Take a half-day tour or opt for the more extreme off-road endurance tours that last for 3-4 days. A dirt bike can go where tour buses cannot, so it’s an ideal way to see more of the “real” Bali that Bali-lovers are always talking about.

Bali Wilderness Dirt Bike Club offers a “real adrenaline packed” dirt bike tour for those who like to turn it up a notch. It encompasses a rice paddy field track, traditional villages, steep hills, jungles and rivers. This is a great way to explore rural Bali on two wheels.

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