Skydiving is one of those extreme sports that gives a whole new meaning to the word “extreme.” But somehow, we’ve made jumping from tens of thousands of feet above ground a “common sport.”
I’ve been skydiving for over six years now, and I think the sport is a bit misunderstood. Skydiving isn’t about jumping off a plane anywhere in the sky.
Skydiving is all about the “feel.” It’s about the few dozen seconds of freefall when there’s no gravity, and you feel like a bird. And those gorgeous views from up high. You can’t get that just “anywhere in the sky.”
So I’ve gone ahead and put together an (unranked) list of the 9 most mindblowing skydiving spots in the world that you’d never wanna come back from. There’s also a tenth bonus spot at the end, so strap up and let’s dive in.
1. Hawaii, United States
| Skydiving Locations | Farrington Hwy, Waialua, Honolulu, Maui |
| Height | 8,000ft – 12,000ft |
| Freefall | 60+ seconds |
| Best Time of the Year | May – October |
| Other Activities | Cliff diving, Rock Climbing, Waterboarding, Deep Water Soloing, Kayaking, Paragliding |
It’s official. You can’t make a list of the best locations for extreme sports without mentioning the Island of Hawai. Skydiving in Hawaii has everything you need and more.
You’ll see beautiful islands and rainforests as you descend. Plus, the associations use energy-efficient planes, so your skydiving carbon footprint in Hawaii would be 40% less than anywhere else.
To be fair, it’s not the best skydiving location in the United States. Of course, there’s the world-famous skydiving over the canyon at Moab (Utah) and America’s highest tandem skydiving overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Santa Barbara (California), and many more. But Hawaii is still, of course, an awesomel location.
The Island of Hawaii is considered the best location (worldwide) for not just skydiving but for Deep Water Soloing, White Water Rafting, Kitesurfing, and Rock Climbing.
Cost Breakdown:
| Hotel Cost | $62 – $1,056 |
| Cost per Person | $250 |
2. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| Skydiving Locations | Al Sufouh, Palm Jumeirah |
| Height | 13,000ft |
| Freefall | 60 seconds |
| Best Time of the Year | October to March |
| Other Activities | Dune bashing, Sandboarding, Skiing, Bungee jumping, Shark diving, Flyboarding |
In Dubai, you’re not skydiving over some forests or mountains but the city itself. Or, more precisely, over Palm Jumeirah – the majestic man-made palm archipelago. Another great skydiving spot in Dubai is the Al Sufouh.
You can also check out the world’s two biggest skydiving competitions in Dubai – The Emirates Aerosport Federation (EAF) and Skydive Dubai.
Cost Breakdown:
| Flight from the US | $557 – $858 |
| Hotel Cost | $40 – $1209 |
| Cost per Person | $550 |
3. Sydney, Australia
| Skydiving Locations | North Wollongong Beach, Australia Park |
| Height | 14,000ft to 15,000ft |
| Freefall | 60 seconds |
| Best Time of the Year | December to February |
| Other Activities | Indoor skydiving, Bungee jumping, Scuba diving, Paragliding, Surfing, Go-Karting |
Australia – the 3-in-1 combo of continent, country, and island – is one of the best places for skydiving and kitesurfing in the world.
You can do both tandem and solo shoreline skydiving in the land down under. Just go straight to Sydney and visit either Australia Park or North Wollongong Beach.
I personally prefer Wollongong Beach because of the shoreline. You get to swim with the dolphins right after diving from about 15,000ft above ground.
Cost Breakdown:
| Flight from the US | $1,494 – $1,959 |
| Hotel Cost | $20 – $480 |
| Cost per Person | $250 |
4. Mount Everest, Nepal
| Skydiving Locations | Sagamartha National Park, Pokhara Region |
| Height | 23,000ft |
| Freefall | 40 seconds |
| Best Time of the Year | May to August, October |
| Other Activities | Bungee jumping, Ziplining, Canoeing, Paragliding, Rafting, Canyon Swing |
Who wouldn’t wanna jump from 20,000ft+ above ground overlooking Mount Everest – the highest mountain in the world?
For this reason alone, Nepal is one of my favorite skydiving spots. After you land in the snow, you can either return to base or go camping with your team.
The full-Everest experience doesn’t come cheap though. There are only four organized skydiving trips for the 29,500ft high mountain that cost about $25,000 each with an infamous six-month wait time. Alternatively, you can skydive from the Pokhara region for only $300 per dive.
Cost Breakdown:
| Flight from the US | $862 |
| Hotel Cost | $7 – $166 |
| Cost per Person | $300 – $25,000 |
5. Interlaken, Switzerland
| Skydiving Locations | Mittelweg, Wilderswil |
| Height | 13,000ft – 15,000ft |
| Freefall | 45 seconds |
| Best Time of the Year | June to September |
| Other Activities | Boating, Mountain Roller-coaster, Cliff walking, Paragliding, Hiking, Seel Cable Ride |
One of the best holiday/vacation destinations in Europe, Switzerland is the “hub of extreme sports.” This is the holy grail if you can’t afford the 25K skydive at Mt. Everest.
Here you skydive over the snow-covered Swiss Alps almost at terminal velocity. The freefall is over 45 seconds, which is incredible for only being 14,000ft above ground.
The best place to start is Interlaken because it offers skydiving, hand-gliding, and you can also go to Jungfraujoch, the highest point in the Alps, from there.
Cost Breakdown:
| Flight from the US | $336 – $494 |
| Hotel Cost | $137 – $706 |
| Cost per Person | $420 |
6. Fiji, Oceania
| Skydiving Locations | Nadi, Denarau Island |
| Height | 14,000ft |
| Freefall | 45 seconds |
| Best Time of the Year | November to April |
| Other Activities | Jet boats, White water rafting, Shark diving, River tubing |
Take a slight detour to the Island of Fiji in Oceania if you plan to visit Australia. Shoreline skydiving at Nadi, a spot at the Denarau Island of Fiji, is even better than Australia’s Wollongong Beach.
The water is so clear here you can see the coral reefs and the fish shoaling and schooling, which makes touchdown swimming that much better.
Cost Breakdown:
| Flight from the US | $1733 |
| Hotel Cost | $38 – $932 |
| Cost per Person | $250 |
7. Fox Glacier, New Zealand
| Skydiving Locations | Cook Flat Rd, Abel Tasman, Franz Josef, Lake Wanaka |
| Height | 9,000 ft – 18,500ft |
| Freefall | 75 seconds |
| Best Time of the Year | December to February |
| Other Activities | Heli-skiing, Bungee jumping, Black Water Rafting, Scubadiving, Mountain biking |
Skydiving at the fabled Fox Glacier is one of the reasons why New Zealand is known as the world’s adventure capital.
Located at Westland Tai Poutini National Park on New Zealand’s West Coast, the Fox Glacier is about 8-miles long. The icy glacier is famous for its panoramic views and multi-drop zone facilities for pennies on the dollar.
With its multi-drop zone model, you can choose a jump altitude from 9,000ft to as high as 18,500ft.
Cost Breakdown:
| Flight from the US | $1,376 – $2,106 |
| Hotel Cost | $21 – $692 |
| Cost per Person | $200 |
8. Victoria Falls, South Africa
| Skydiving Locations | Livingstone, Cape Town |
| Height | 35,000ft |
| Freefall | 50 seconds |
| Best Time of the Year | November to March |
| Other Activities | Bungee jumping, Shark cage diving, Sandboarding, Windsurfing, Kiteboarding |
I call South Africa the daredevil’s choice when it comes to skydiving.
Victoria Falls in Africa is the largest waterfall and (officially) the second highest skydiving location in the world. Jumping from 35,000ft above ground, you’ll break the terminal velocity barrier and experience freefall for about 50 to 60 seconds.
Bottom line, Victoria Falls is not for the faint-hearted.
Cost Breakdown:
| Flight from the US | $735 – $6,372 |
| Hotel Cost | $26 – $313 |
| Cost per Person | $300 |
9. Pattaya, Thailand
| Skydiving Locations | Sriracha, Pattaya, Chon Buri |
| Height | 13,000ft |
| Freefall | 60 seconds |
| Best Time of the Year | November to February |
| Other Activities | White Water Rafting, Scuba diving, Kiteboarding, Rock Climbing, Surfing |
If you thought Thailand was only for massages, monks, and relaxation, you’re in for a big surprise. Skydiving at the Nong Kho Reservoir in Pattaya, Thailand is one of the best in the world.
You get to cheat gravity and freefall for a full minute by jumping off from only 13,000ft! The best part is that Thailand’s Nong Kho Reservoir is reportedly Southeast Asia’s only full-time skydiving drop zone with trained professionals. So you get to dive whenever you want.
Cost Breakdown:
| Flights from the US | $650 – $914 |
| Hotel Cost | $20 – $312 |
| Cost per Person | $300 |
Best Skydiving Locations in the World:
- Hawaii, United States
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Sydney, Australia
- Mount Everest, Nepal
- Interlaken, Switzerland
- Fijii, Oceania
- Fox Glacier, New Zealand
- Victoria Falls, South Africa
- Pattaya, Thailand
Bonus: Roof of the Sky
“Roof of the sky” or “Edge of Space” is the highest skydiving spot ever recorded. Australian skydiver Felix Baumgartner took a hot-air balloon, then dove from 128,000 ft above sea level just above Southeastern New Mexico. He went supersonic and experienced 4mins 20secs in freefall.
Although, it’s pretty unprecedented and dangerous for even experts. So I suggest you go for the second-highest skydiving spot – Victoria Falls at 35,000ft.So, these were the best skydiving locations in the world that’ll definitely take your breath away. If you’re still pondering where to go for your next trip, check out some of the Best Places To Go for your favorite extreme sports.
