Want to experience a psychedelic without actually having to consume a substance? Watch one of these movies. The films on this list are visually mesmerizing, have hypnotizing soundtracks, and feature some of the most unconventional story structures and plotlines in cinematic history.

10 Well Known Movies With Bizarre Backstories

10 2001: A Space Odyssey

2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 science fiction film from the visionary Stanley Kubrick. Considered by many to be one of the most ambitious films of all time, it attempts to tell the story of evolution from the time of primitive apes to the future of space travel.

The first ten minutes of the film show the daily lives of prehistoric hominids going about their existence until an alien monolith appears before them. This object is the one thing that remains constant throughout the film, showing up even millions of years later. The rest of the film follows a team of astronauts who set out on a mysterious mission, guided by a piece of artificial intelligence called HAL, who begins to display troubling behavior.

MGM studios spent $12 million on Odyssey, the most money they had spent on any film at the time. The initial billing as “an epic drama of adventure and exploration” was poorly received by audiences. Mike Kaplan, “the resident longhair in the publicity department of MGM” was brought in to rethink the film. He noted that younger audience members—those of the 1960s youth revolution—liked to get high during the concluding section of the film. Kaplan designed a poster, “The Ultimate Trip,” to appeal to this counterculture. The film has since come to be regarded as a classic with a reputation as a psychedelic film.^[1]

9 Eraserhead

1977’s Eraserhead was the first full-length feature film from writer/director David Lynch. During his time at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, Lynch produced this black and white, experimental, body horror film. It tells the story of Henry (John Nance), who discovers that a girl with whom he had a fling is now pregnant. He marries the expectant mother and moves her in with him. Already overwhelmed with the fear of becoming a father, things get even worse for Henry when the baby turns out to be a bizarre looking creature that won’t stop screaming. This drives the mother into hysteria, leaving Henry to care for the child while also burdened by a woman living in the radiator.

Lynch drew inspiration for the film’s oppressive mood from his own living conditions. “I saw so many things in Philadelphia I couldn’t believe … I saw a grown woman grab her breasts and speak like a baby, complaining her nipples hurt. This kind of thing will set you back.”^[2]

8 Irreversible

The unrelenting Irreversible from 2002 was written and directed by Gaspar Noé and is almost impossible to sit through. One of the most controversial films ever made, its jarring visuals, 28 Hz sub audible sound, and graphic violence come together to create a truly unpleasant, if not unbearable, viewing experience. The film is told in reverse and chronicles a man (Vincent Cassell) who seeks revenge after his girlfriend (Monica Bellucci) is mercilessly raped and beaten in an underpass. The attack is brutally shown for nine painful minutes in one shot that never cuts away.

The low-frequency sound of the film’s first thirty minutes is almost inaudible. Similar to the noise produced by an earthquake, it can cause nausea and vertigo. Not surprisingly, moviegoers walked out during this sequence as a result of the sickening sound and even more sickening on-screen content. Roger Ebert witnessed critics exiting the film and admitted that he himself had to close his eyes during some of it. But Ebert adds that it was totally worth it. Viewers who stuck it out were rewarded with loving, innocent content.^[3]

7 Inland Empire

Inland Empire is a 2006 experimental film from David Lynch, and it’s perhaps one of his most difficult to decipher. Laura Dern plays Nikki, an actress who takes on a role in a new film in which she plays a woman having an affair. The romantic interest in the film is Devon (Justin Theroux) of whom Nikki’s husband is very jealous. As Nikki’s onscreen persona starts to bleed into her real life, her world becomes a surreal nightmare, and she soon realizes that the film is a remake of one in which the stars were murdered.

Dern and Theroux, who each worked with Lynch on other projects, are both on record as saying that they have no idea what Inland Empire is actually about. The movie’s title provides little clarity, as it was nothing more than the byproduct of a conversation Lynch had with Dern, who told him that her husband was originally from Inland Empire in California. “I like the word inland, and I like the word empire,” Lynch simply said.^[4]

6 Holy Motors

If you want to see something truly unique and original, 2012’s Holy Motors will not disappoint. After a 13-year gap, filmmaker Leos Carax made his return to feature filmmaking with this bizarre and enigmatic fantasy film that requires multiple viewings.

Denis Lavant plays the mysterious Monsieur Oscar, who is driven around Paris in a limousine by his loyal driver (Édith Scob). From dawn to dusk, Oscar “the actor” dresses up in costumes and plays a number of strange characters, but there are never any cameras or audiences.

A review by NPR describes the film as “a love letter to movies. But this isn’t a spot-the-references extravaganza; the more movies you’ve seen in your lifetime, the less sense Holy Motors is likely to make.^[5]

10 Dark Theories Surrounding Beloved Kids Movies

5 Lost River

Lost River is the 2016 directorial debut of writer/director Ryan Gosling. The movie was undoubtedly inspired and highly influenced by greats like David Lynch and Nicolas Winding Refn, who directed Gosling in Drive and Only God Forgives (featured below). This fantasy-mystery film incorporates familiar elements that will be recognizable to those well-versed in avant-garde filmmaking, but it does so with a fresh take by Gosling.

A single mother (Christina Hendricks) living in the deteriorating and apocalyptic city of Detroit is swept into a dark underworld when one of her sons discovers a road that leads him to a secret underwater town that is home to a beast they must capture.

In his review of Lost River, Toronto Star critic Peter Howell wrote, “Designed to daze and confuse, and succeeding, Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut is a stunner in visual terms alone.” But the brilliant imagery wasn’t enough to garner more than a 31 percent from Rotten Tomatoes.^[6]

4 Only God Forgives

Set in Bangkok, Only God Forgives is a 2013 crime-thriller written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. It stars Ryan Gosling as Julian, a drug trafficker who is sent on a mission by his mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) to avenge the death of his brother Billy.

Julian’s life gets more complicated when he discovers that his brother’s killer is the father of an underage prostitute whom Billy had raped and murdered. Julian believes that the father was justified in avenging his daughter’s death and won’t kill him.

Refn’s daughter, who was born with the ability to see ghosts, woke up screaming many nights in the Bangkok apartment where his family lived during production for six months. Refn explains that Thai culture’s readiness to accept these phenomena and send a shaman to cleanse the house made him realize “that spirituality and mysticism and reality has a different meaning in Asia and that’s when I really realized that this was the kind of movie I wanted to make.”^[7]

3 Climax

Be sure to steer clear of psychedelic drugs while watching Gaspar Noé’s 2018 psychological horror film Climax. The film centers around a troupe of French dancers who are rehearsing for an upcoming tour at an abandoned school in the dead of winter.

After rehearsal, the dancers decide to cut loose and enjoy some sangria while getting to know each other. Little do they know that the sangria has been laced with LSD, and it’s not long before the celebration morphs into a hallucinatory nightmare.

Noé completed filming in 15 days. He got the idea for Climax in December 2017, and by the end of February 2018, it was ready for its Cannes debut. Incredibly, none of the movie’s talented performers are professional dancers.^[8]

2 mother!

Jennifer Lawrence stars as a young woman who spends her days renovating the Victorian mansion that she lives in with her writer husband (Javier Bardem) in this 2017 psychological horror film written and directed by Darren Aronofsky. A stranger shows up late one night and knocks on their door. Before long, his wife and two children come along and make themselves at home. More unwanted guests begin to arrive and begin to take over the home, much to the young woman’s horror and her husband’s delight.

Interestingly, none of the film’s characters have actual names. There’s “Mother,” of course, and her husband, “Him.” Among the dozens of others are Man, Woman, Fool, Pisser, Fornicator, and Whoremonger!^[9]

1 Enter The Void

There’s only one film that could top this list: 2009’s Enter The Void. Writer/director Gaspar Noé takes the viewer on a psychedelic tour of life and death from the point of view of an American drug dealer (Nathaniel Brown) living in Tokyo who takes a powerful hallucinogen some DMT and brings the audience along for the ride.

During his trip, Oscar gets busted by police and ends up being shot and killed. The film, which is entirely shot in a first-person viewpoint, then transitions into an out-of-body experience as the deceased Oscar watches subsequent events unfold while floating above the neon-lit city streets, recalling moments of his life.

Los Angeles Times reviewer Robert Abele describes it like this: “Probing the fuzzy, synaptic turbulence of drug culture and life-after-death — ‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead’ is referenced early on, while Stanley Kubrick and Kenneth Anger get visual shout-outs — Enter the Void displays a dizzying virtuosity with the cinema of altered states.”^[10]

Top 10 Bizarre Award Show Moments

So it is the New Year and you’ve decided you want to get smarter. New Year, new you. But looking at the state of the world around you it might seem like a good idea to stay curled up in your bed. Luckily for you there are dozens of incredibly smart people making informative and entertaining videos on YouTube. Without leaving your bed you can stare at your phone and feel just a little bit cleverer.

Top 10 YouTube Channels To Make You Seem Smarter

10 OverSimplified

Ask any historian and they will tell you that the world is pretty complicated – to say the least. Any time you try to write down history you have to leave things out to construct the story that you want to tell. All history is an act of simplification, it’s just that most histories don’t tell you that they are simplifying. At least the YouTuber OverSimplified admits what he is doing from the outset.

In a series of videos about various historical topics OverSimplified sets out to make history a bit more understandable. In the video dealing with the prohibition of alcohol in the United States you’ll learn both the broad strokes of a complex sociological movement and the fun details. Did you know about a little old lady called Carrie Nation who travelled around smashing up saloons with her hatchet?

As well as big world events OverSimplified also tackles lesser known topics – like the time Australia went to war with Emus, and lost.

9 Legal Eagle

Law can seem like a pretty impenetrable topic to research. Latin phrases, arcane procedures, and historical precedents all serve to make law a weird world. Legal Eagle tries to make it all make sense.

While mainly focused on United States law Legal Eagle’s videos serve as a good basis for understanding how any legal system is supposed to work. Recently, for obvious reasons, he has produced a lot of videos on election law that help both Americans and gobsmacked foreign observers comprehend the twists and turns of the 2020 election.

Some of the most ‘fun’ videos are in his True Crime series – from the time the Police blew up a house (and who should pay for the damage) to the famous Leopold and Loeb murder case he tracks how the legal system dealt with each event.

8 Crash Course

No one can know everything. If you ever fell asleep in class you’ve missed at least some of the facts out there. Luckily for you there is always a video out there for whatever class you snoozed through. And most of them can be found on Crash Course’s channel.

If you need to brush up on your biology then everything from DNA to evolution is covered. If you want some history then you can watch videos going from pre-history to how our media consumption is changing our brains. Yes, even the media put our by Crash Course.

After 2020 you might be feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious. Maybe Crash Course’s Psychology series might be a good place to start…

7 Journey to the Microcosmos

Okay, some topics are just too big for the human brain to comprehend. Unfortunately even when you look at small things things can get a bit complex. And Journey to the Microcosmos studies things that are really small.

It turns out that every drop of pond water is brimming with activity. Tiny single-celled organisms are milling around in their millions and fighting life or death battles that most of us never get to see. To focus on the struggle going on all around us Journey to the Microcosmos turns powerful microscopes on these hidden creatures.

As well as revealing beautiful mini wonders the presenter may just have one of the most calming voices YouTube has to offer.

6 Tier Zoo

If you prefer the animals you look at to be a bit more visible to the naked eye then Tier Zoo is the channel for you. As well as looking at weird and wonderful animals this channel does it in a way that will appeal to gamers. By treating the natural world like a game he examines the abilities evolution has developed.

Are Tardigrades playing the game of life on God Mode? Should Dinosaurs be unbanned? And have sloths had their stats Nerfed? Tier Zoo will let you decide. It will also help new players decide which starter animal they should really pick – cat or dog?

Top 10 Ways to Seem Smarter than You Are

5 Vsauce

Vsauce is one of the biggest science YouTubers out there, and for good reason. While there are plenty of websites out there that promise pictures of hot people (I’m told) only Vsauce will reveal the hottest things in the universe. And most of them you will definitely not want to get intimate with.

As well as physics Vsauce has videos covering why we find things creepy (thing Sonic the Hedgehog with teeth) and why curse words are though of as bad (but don’t say them if you don’t want to get banned).

Some of the more entertaining videos on the channel deal with fun hypotheticals like what would happen if the Earth stopped spinning. And aside from being a logistical nightmare what would be the consequences of everyone jumping at once?

4 Ted Ed

TED Talks have a bit of a mixed reputation. There are those who view the glossy presentations as insightful and a great way to communicate research and ideas to a wider audience. There are also those who think that TED leads to oversimplification and the commercialisation of knowledge. Both may be right. But TED Ed is a channel that produces short introductions to great topics you might want to research further for yourself.

As well as retelling some of the great myths of world culture with stunning animations they tackle topics ranging from the opioid epidemic to common logical fallacies. We could probably all do with a brush up on spotting the tricks other YouTube videos use to convince us of untruths. Or we might end up walking off the edge of the flat Earth.

3 CGP Grey

While there are lots of YouTubers out there who have incredible animation skills they are not always required to make great videos. CGP Grey may not have the most visually stunning videos but they are always interesting and informative. Where else will you find out how to become Pope in five minutes?

Among other topics you’ll find covered on his channel are things like the difference between the UK and Britain, why you actually have two people in your brain, and why domesticating Zebras is a bad idea.

He even did videos explaining Brexit, which even lots of British people might need help with…

2 Sabine Hossenfelder

If some channels can be accused of dumbing down complex topics that is not a charge that can be levelled at Sabine Hossenfelder. Hossenfelder is not just a YouTuber – she is a physics researcher working on quantum gravity, itself a field that scares other theoretical researchers. So she knows what she is talking about.

Luckily for those intimidated by quantum gravity Hossenfelder tackles ideas in a huge range of fields in physics, and sometimes beyond. You can find out the current thinking on whether there is a smallest size in the universe, how to travel faster than the speed of light, and even if you have free will. Don’t worry, even if you don’t have free will you will want to watch these videos.

And though complex equations often pop up on the screen Hossenfelder will hold your hand as she walks you through them.

1 Tom Scott

Ever wanted to see a nerd pass out in a giant centrifuge? Of course you have and Tom Scott is a YouTuber willing to push his body to the edge in the name of science education. While there is fun in watching the expression on a person’s face as their blood is forced out of their brain and into their buttocks it is also a teaching opportunity. Just what is G-force? And jerk, it turns out, is not just an expression of greeting in online comments.

As well as the science of things like batteries that still work after 176 years and why getting brain eating amoebas in your nose is a bad idea Scott also looks at social issues. Why do Americans find it weird when British people start conversations with “You alright?” And how should GIF be pronounced?

The further you delve into these videos the more topics you discover that you never knew you never knew about. And that is what makes for a great YouTube channel.

10 Books That Will Make You Smarter

Have you ever felt guilty for something? You might have thought it was illegal, but it 100% wasn’t. Sometimes we feel weird about our actions, but our surroundings and beliefs could be influencing those emotions. We often use the law to measure the legality of our actions. Before you freak out, let’s learn about things that might seem illegal but actually aren’t.

Here are the top ten things that might shock you when you do them, but they are not illegal in the United States.

10 Baby Walkers Are Trouble

Baby walkers are adorable toys that are good for a child’s growth. They help infants stand upright and walk by fluttering their tiny feet on the floor. But did you know that other nations have banned them? They believe they can impair an infant’s physical and mental development. Others may see baby walkers as giving infants mobility beyond their age-appropriate abilities. But they can also prevent infants from learning essential skills like crawling, as it’s the first step to learning how to walk.

Another reason that baby walkers are potentially dangerous is that they allow children to get into hazardous situations. They could fall from the top of the stairs or wander outside. The dangers associated are what make you feel that these are illegal. Still, baby walkers are allowed in the United States, and most parents unknowingly enjoy them.

9 Don’t be Embarrassed to Window Shop

It feels weird to walk into a store, browse the products on sale, then leave without buying anything. It might sound normal to some people, but others find it unbearable. Is this illegal? Does it break any laws? Consider your freedom of choice. There are many reasons one might change their mind after entering a store, such as:

• The prices may be too high for your budget.
• The item you needed is out of stock.
• You may simply change your mind and decide you don’t need the product you came for.
• Window shopping is totally normal.

It isn’t illegal to leave any store without making a purchase. Furthermore, no law requires customers to make purchases. In fact, a common strategy for customer retention among store owners and employees is to always treat the customer with kindness and respect, regardless of their purchases—or lack thereof. So there’s no need to worry. Think of the alternative—what kind of world would it be if we were forced to spend our hard-earned money just because we entered a building?

If you feel guilty about leaving a store without a purchase, it’s not because it’s illegal—it’s because of your perception. Take your time at any store, and don’t feel obligated to buy anything for any reason.

8 Can You Pass a Police Car in Traffic?

I have always believed that police cars are allowed to go 20 mph above the speed limit at all times. With this perception, you may feel guilty each time you pass a police car with a speed below this limit. You begin to ask yourself, are you waiting to pull someone over? On many occasions, police cars are seen moving at low speeds when they patrol an area. With this in mind, you may wonder if you are breaching road safety regulations.

No need to worry. Passing a police car while both are moving under the speed limit is completely legal, though it may be a good idea not to go too fast. What could be worse, driving at a high or a low speed? If you understand road safety and regulations, driving at a low speed is the first step to protecting lives.

So, are you supposed to be scared if you find yourself in this situation? No, you’re alright, so long as you are not violating any laws or safety regulations.

7 Bringing Your Own Food to a Restaurant

It may not feel right to make yourself comfortable in other people’s restaurants when you have your food purchased from other shops. Restaurants operate on competitive terms where each one of them intends to make a profit. The main products sold in a restaurant are food and atmosphere. When you carry your food to go and occupy a space reserved for a potential client, it makes you feel like a criminal.

But it isn’t a crime and cannot be classified as illegal. We all have different tastes, and you may prefer to carry complimentary food items, such as drinks from a hotel room, into a space where you can enjoy them. Sometimes, the restaurant may not even offer food that you enjoy or options for certain dietary restrictions.

It’s also not a crime to reserve a table and bring your own food to it. What matters is that you have paid for one of the services offered. You are still doing business with the restaurant and not using its facilities for free.

6 Airport Security Is Legally Crossing the Line

Airports are tightly secured. When you’re not used to their security protocols, it can be irritating to go through them. Some of their more invasive procedures make you feel like a criminal—don’t even get me started on strip-searching. They make you stressed out that they’ll find illicit contraband you didn’t even know was there.

However, there is no way that passing through airport security is illegal. The security protocol is just a formality, as the security officers are obligated to provide safety measures. Feeling scared is normal, but not everything that scares you is illegal.

5 Surgeons are Allowed to Work Without Sleep

The importance of a good night’s sleep has everything to do with the performance of a particular task. When it comes to performing surgery, accuracy becomes more vital. Surgery puts a person’s life at stake, and the pressure is on. Professionals suggest that lack of a good night’s sleep deprives or impairs cognitive performance and motor skills.

How illegal can it be to perform surgery without a good night’s sleep? Strangely, no law in the United States demands that a surgeon has a good night’s sleep before performing surgery. Instead, the duty of care is solely on the surgeon’s shoulders.

4 Recording a Conversation

Recording someone in a conversation sounds like tampering with their privacy and the confidentiality of the information you share. Sometimes people share with you because of the trust they have in you and don’t wish to feel betrayed. You may wonder what the consequences would be if you recorded someone. Because of what we understand about the confidentiality of the information, it can feel illegal to record someone.

However, you may not worry anymore once you learn that many states recognize one-party consent, which legally allows you to record a conversation. The majority of the United States of America has one-party consent.

However, some states do not allow one-party consent:

• Florida
• California
• Delaware
• Montana
• Illinois
• New Hampshire
• Pennsylvania
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Washington

Recording a conversation can reduce theft and other criminal actions. It can serve as the main piece of evidence for a crime. Even though others have different views, recording a conversation has seen many people gather valid evidence used in court. If you feel you are recording a heated conversation that could threaten the lives of others, don’t hesitate to record it clearly and forward it to the authorities. It would help if you did it without any worries.

3 Buying Condoms Feels Illegal

People tend to be shy about purchasing condoms, as it feels like a perverted or criminal act. When one acts that way at the counter, the business owner or employee may find it suspicious and assume they’re criminals finding a way to steal. But the worst feeling is when you feel that publicly asking for condoms is illegal.

No law in the United States criminalizes the use of condoms. This is part of contraception recommended by experts for disease prevention and protection from unwanted pregnancies.

2 Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation

People living with a disability deserve compassion. You may feel like it’s a crime to ask your landlord or apartment manager to help you as a disabled person, but there are laws in place that obligate them to give you at least a reasonable amount of help or modifications.

It’s common for disabled people to feel guilty for reaching out and asking for help. These requests can be expensive and single you out in your community. But guilt does not mean it’s a crime—there is also no law suggesting it’s illegal to ask for help.

In the United States, you should be able to have equal use and enjoyment of your home. It’s your legal right! So if your landlord refuses to provide a reasonable modification or treats you like a criminal for asking, you might want to call a fair housing attorney.

1 Marrying Your Cousin Is Not a Crime

We’ve all likely heard of the phrase “kissing cousins.” Traditionally, it was not uncommon for cousins to marry (heck, royal families have been doing it for millennia). But you may be surprised to learn of some other noteworthy and non-royal people who have married their cousins. Charles Darwin married his first cousin, Emma Wedgewood, as did Albert Einstein when he married his second wife, Elsa Löwenthal née Einstein. Others include writers H.G. Wells and Edgar Allan Poe and actress Greta Scacchi.

Although some view it with a negative stigma, the fact is you can marry your cousin in every state in the United States. The only issue is which cousin. Many ban first- and second-cousin marriage outright. But at least 25 states go so far as to allow you to marry your first cousin, which is your aunt or uncle’s child. That being said, some states permit marriage between first cousins only under certain circumstances (as in Arizona, where the couple must be over 65 years of age) or in West Virginia, where only adopted first cousins are allowed to wed). So if this is your cup of tea, then you shouldn’t feel guilty that you are breaking the law by marrying your cousin—even if many consider the practice taboo.

Most people enjoy vacations at the beach, where they can laze in the sun with a cocktail or two. Maybe, they choose to take a cruise or explore some of the trails in a national park. But for adrenaline junkies, a simple Airbnb vacation probably won’t be enough to fill the need for adventure. Adrenaline junkies often find themselves in extraordinary places doing the craziest things and making incredible memories. They crave activities that make them feel afraid, excited, and emotionally charged.

So, what can you do to feel like an adrenaline junkie? If you love creativity, are impulsive and curious, have the urge to pursue challenges, are flexible to change, and love spontaneity, these activities might be for you! Here are ten experiences to make you feel like an adrenaline junkie that aren’t too over the top.

10 Scuba Diving

The environment underwater is rich in animals, plants, and minerals. Scuba diving allows you to dive underwater using gear to breathe. But, first, you have to choose the destination you prefer for scuba diving, ranging from tropical seas to caves to cold water locations across the globe.

Scuba divers get to explore a world where very few get the opportunity. Adrenaline junkies enjoy entering this realm full of mystery and discovery. While it may take time to train and certify in scuba diving, the benefits outweigh the price and length of training.

Top Spots for Scuba Diving

• Galapagos Islands, Ecuador: These scuba diving sites are rich in marine life, consist of large types of species, and volcanic areas. During the cold season, there are spectacular sites of penguins diving in the water. Here, you can also see the out-kicker rock, angelfish, iguanas, and sea lions.
• Raja Ampat, Indonesia: The site is full of mind-blowing diversity. You can see manta rays and dive between islands in The Passage.
• Dumaguete, Philippines: Home to huge schools of fish, manta rays, whale sharks, pristine coral reefs, and lush coral gardens.
• The Red Sea, Indian Ocean: The best time to enjoy scuba diving is springtime when the waters are warm. During autumn, you can view the manta rays in Sudan and sharks swimming in the Egyptian and Sudanese waters. Locations to scuba dive are Sharm El Sheik and Ras Mohammed National Park.

9 Zorbing

A zorb is a large, inflatable ball. This may not be popular with most people, but for this activity, you will climb inside the zorb and then roll down a slope or a body of water. After releasing the zorb on a slope or hill, you will find yourself screaming, shrieking, and yelling at the top of your lungs. Rides typically last about a minute.

• Harness zorbing: You are strapped to a harness inside the zorb.
• Aqua or hydro zorbing: There is water inside the zorb so that you can slide around on the inside.
• Zorb football: Only your head and torso fit inside the zorb, so you can move your legs and run around.

Top Spots for Zorbing

• Ikawa X-park in Miyoshi, Japan
• Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Canada
• Outdoor Gravity Park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
• Rotorua, New Zealand
• Zorbinganlange, Germany

8 Surfing

Surfing is a must for adrenaline junkies—there’s nothing quite like feeling the wind on your face as you ride a wave. Surfing requires you to ride on top of the wave while lying or standing on a board. The best times to surf are in the early mornings and early evenings. Several surfing activities include windsurfing, kite surfing, skim boarding, wakeboarding, and wave surfing.

Wave surfing activity involves a lot of swimming and paddling while you drag your board in and out of the water. It might take years of practice to surf like a pro, while beginners require patience and a good teacher. Wave surfing involves a lot of upper body work, as you must lift yourself to a standing position on the board when a wave arrives.

Kite surfing/windsurfing will require you to use wind power with a large kite to ride across the water or sky.

Wakeboarding is an exciting activity requiring you to ride on a short board as you hold onto a rope attached to a boat.

Top Spots for Surfing

• The coast of Oaxaca in Mexico
• Tamarindo Beach in Costa Rica
• Weligama, Sri Lanka
• Imsouane, Morocco
• Supertubos Beach in Peniche, Portugal
• Raglan, New Zealand
• Bregenz Hechtweg, Austria
• Pantai Batu Mejan (Echo Beach) in Bali
• North Shore in Oahu, Hawaii

7 Coasteering

Coasteering will require you to explore stretches of rocky coastlines to feel like you are part of the coastline. You can go coasteering all year round, though if you go in the winter, you’ll need a wetsuit.

Coasteering activities include walking, climbing on the rocks, jumping off rocks into the sea, and swimming through gullies. Helmets and life jackets need to be used to ensure your safety.

Top Spots for Coasteering

• Crest, Greece
• Gower, Wales
• The Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
• Isla Plana, Spain
• Canary Islands, Spain

6 Sandboarding

Sandboarding is a sport you practice on the sand dunes. You can sandboard in the desert or at the beach, depending on your experience and ability. Sandboarding in the desert is more demanding due to the high and steep desert dunes, while beach sandboarding is less demanding and requires a board similar to a snowboard but with a thicker base.

You’ll also want to ensure you bring shoes, a helmet, a mouth scarf, and goggles for protection.

Top Spots for Sandboarding

• Huacachina Desert in Peru
• The Sahara Desert in Egypt
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Oregon’s Pacific Coast, USA
• New South Wales, Australia
• Te Paki Sand Dunes in New Zealand

5 Skiing and Snowboarding

These sports are exhilarating! Like surfing, they combine speed with balance, using snow rather than water. The feeling of weightlessness and flying through the air can be addicting. While it can take a little work to master, these sports are worth the effort to learn.

There are different styles to switch things up and make skiing and snowboarding more fun and exhilarating! Skiing styles include military, freestyle, alpine, and nordic. Snowboarding styles include free carve, freeriding, dry slope, jibbing, rail riding, and freestyle. Shake things up if you’ve already conquered the bunny slopes by trying an off-trail or backcountry adventure. Or what about nighttime skiing? That’s sure to get the heart pumping.

Top Spots for Snowboarding and Skiing

• Lake Louise Ski Resort in Canada
• Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado
• Sun Valley, Idaho
• Verbier, Switzerland
• Breckenridge, Colorado

4 Shark Cage Diving

Cue the Jaws music! Shark cage diving is when you go underwater in a special floating cage built with strong metals that will allow you to encounter the ocean’s fearsome and finest sharks up close.

To add to the thrill of being in shark-infested waters, cages are placed in waters that have been chummed to attract sharks.

If you find the cage diving a bit too much, you can instead choose to swim with a more gentle species—the whale shark. As these creatures can grow to nearly 40 feet (12 meters), it can still be a one-of-a-kind experience. For this one, you can travel to Isla Mujeres in Mexico.

Top Spots for Shark Cage Diving

• Tiger Beach in the Bahamas
• Port Lincoln, Australia
• Mossel Bay and Gansbaai in South Africa
• Bluff, New Zealand
• Isla Guadalupe, Mexico

3 White Water Rafting

White water rafting is a popular and exciting water sport you must try! You move down a river with strong currents using an inflatable raft and oars for navigating the waters. This activity is great for team building and family bonding in the outdoors.

Gear required for this activity includes a life vest, the raft, emergency supplies, a hat, a safety whistle, gloves, a swimsuit, and extra clothes. Many choose to travel with a guide to ensure their safety.

Top Spots for White Water Rafting

• Upper Seti River in Nepal
• Jacques-Cartier River in Canada
• Tena, Maca and Puyo in Ecuador
• The Rio Futaleufu in Chile
• Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

2 Bungee Jumping

Bungee jumping is when you jump headfirst from a tall structure with the support of an elastic cord attached to your feet. The tall structure can be a helicopter, bridge, crane, or building. Bungee jumping is for all ages.

When bungee jumping, you use a harness and bungee cord to ensure you’re safe. All you have to do is enjoy. However, it can be dangerous for overweight people, pregnant women, and people with blood pressure issues. The most appropriate time of the year to enjoy bungee jumping is during the summer season.

Top Spots for Bungee Jumping

• Europa Bridge in Austria
• Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa
• Macau Tower in China
• Victoria Falls Bridge in Zimbabwe
• Verzasca Dam in Switzerland

1 Tandem Skydiving

If you are adventurous and want to experience jumping from a moving plane, this is the sport for you. Tandem skydiving does not require training, and first-timers will need a professional skydiving instructor. Tandem skydiving has no age limit except in the United States, where the age limit is 18 years. However, it would be best if you were flexible and in good health. You must wear light clothes such as tennis shoes, a t-shirt, and shorts. Make sure your hair is tied back and out of the way!

In tandem skydiving, you jump from approximately 13,100 feet (4,000 meters) in altitude from an aircraft, helicopter, or airplane with a parachute on your back. You last 40 seconds to a minute in the open air before reaching the ground, but you live to enjoy the moment.

Top Spots for Tandem Skydiving

• Oahu, Hawaii
• Grand Rush Adventures in Swakopmund, Namibia
• Swiss Alps in Switzerland
• Santa Barbara, California
• Taupo, New Zealand