Revealed: 24 tallest tourist attractions not for the faint-hearted

The only way is up

There's a lot to be said for height. Majestic panoramas, high-end luxuries and knee-trembling shots of adrenaline are on offer at the world's tallest structures, venues, rides and natural wonders. These attractions all hold height-related world records – be they bridges, hotels, cliffs, roads or water slides.

Read on for the world's tallest attractions that will leave you feeling on top of the world...

Gibbon Experience, Laos

Where better to get up close to the forest-dwelling creatures of Laos's Nam Kan National Park than a treehouse? With five soaring structures reaching up to 130 feet (40m), the Gibbon Experience, a tourism-based conservation project, is said to have the tallest treehouses in the world. After you wake up among the trees, it’s highly likely the first face you’ll see is that of a black-crested gibbon – they live in the forests of northwestern Laos. And if that isn’t thrilling enough, the only way to reach them and bed down for the night is via a network of ziplines.

Kilimanjaro water slide, Brazil

This knee-trembling structure in the Aldeia das Aguas Park Resort, in Barra do Pirai, holds the title for the tallest drop on a free-fall body water slide. The aptly-named Kilimanjaro opened in 2002 and rises to 164 feet (49.9m). Thrill-seekers reach speeds of around 56-60 miles per hour (82-91km/h) as they plummet down its slippery 60-degree incline.

CopenHill, Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen’s innovative recreational site CopenHill, which was built on the roof of a clean power plant, has become quite the playground for urban adventurers, with people skiing and sledding on its artificial slopes or hiking and running along tree-lined trails. The urban mountain sports centre also has the tallest climbing wall in the world. At 279 feet (85m) high, it's designed to resemble a mountain, complete with overhangs and numerous challenging routes to the top.

Zumanjaro, New Jersey, USA

Six Flags Great Adventure is home to a record-breaking drop tower, which is attached to the soaring Kingda Ka coaster. The Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom features a trio of free-fall drop attractions and is tipped as both the tallest and fastest drop ride in the world. Riders shoot up to heights of 415 feet (126m) before rushing back down again at 90 miles per hour (145km/h) in less than 10 seconds. Fast and thoroughly furious.

Kingda Ka, New Jersey, USA

Serious squeals are guaranteed for anyone brave enough to take on the world’s tallest roller coaster. Six Flags Great Adventure lays claim to this record with its coaster Kingda Ka, which reaches heights of up to 456 feet (139m). On launch, riders go from zero to 128 miles per hour (206km/h) in just 3.5 seconds. After reaching the top, they're launched back down in a terrifying 270-degree spiral followed by a 129-foot (39m) camel hump for good measure. When it opens, the Falcon's Flight coaster in Six Flags Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia will claim this record.

SkyFlyer, Dubai, UAE

If you grew up loving swings in adventure parks, this one will blow you away (almost literally). The SkyFlyer in Dubai’s Bollywood Park defies gravity, reaching a terrifying height of 460 feet (140m). Those brave enough to ride it will have exceptional views of the Dubai skyline, but will also have to endure rotation at varying speeds. Made with 450 tonnes of steel and higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza, SkyFlyer is the world’s tallest free-standing swing ride. Board it at your own peril.

Ulm Minster, Germany

Rising 530 feet (162m) above Ulm, a historic city in Baden-Wurttemberg, Ulm Minster has the highest church spire in the world. The church’s first foundation stone was laid in 1377, but it wasn’t completed until 1890 when the main steeple was finally finished. Clamber up the huge Gothic structure’s 768 steps to reach its observation platform and absorb the dizzying views.

Ain Dubai, Dubai, UAE

The highest and biggest observation wheel in the world is found in Dubai’s record-breaking skyline. Sat on Bluewaters Island, an artificial island near the Dubai Marina, the Ain Dubai wheel opened in 2021 and climbs to an astonishing 820 feet (250m) – beating the previous record holder in Las Vegas by 270 feet (82m). It boasts 48 capsules, each of which can accommodate up to 40 people. However, the wheel unexpectedly closed without explanation in 2022, and has sat shuttered ever since. The Ain Dubai website promises that the wheel will reopen.

Address Beach Resort infinity pool, Dubai, UAE

Located on the 77th floor of Address Beach Resort, this glamorous rooftop infinity pool is officially the world’s highest at 964 feet (294m). The huge pool is 311 feet (95m) long too, so there’s plenty of room for laps as swimmers drink in views of Ain Dubai and the glittering Gulf. It’s only open to hotel guests, but non-residents can sneak a peek by dining in rooftop restaurant Zeta Seventy Seven.

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Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, China

China has many vertigo-inducing bridges – perhaps none more so than the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge in Sanguansixiang, Hunan. The highest footbridge in the world, its highest point rises 980 feet (299m) above the canyon, connecting two soaring cliffs within the stunning Wulingyuan wilderness. Two bungee platforms opened beneath the pedestrian bridge in 2020, and the east platform now lays claim to being the world’s highest bungee jump. Daredevils can leap from a height of 853 feet (260m).

City Climb, New York City, New York, USA

Towering over Manhattan, Hudson Yards has the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere on its 100th floor – the Edge. If peering down at the Big Apple through a glass-bottomed deck from 1,131 feet (345m) wasn't hardcore enough, there’s a new thrill in town. City Climb will suit anyone with Spiderman fantasies, as participants scale the outside of the super-tall skyscraper before leaning right out and looking down from the edge. It's the highest open-air building ascent in the world.

Ozone, Hong Kong

Hong Kong has plenty of heady and hedonistic spots for sipping high-end cocktails accompanied by soaring skyline views, but Ozone is its highest rooftop bar. At 1,575 feet (480m) above ground level, it's also the highest rooftop bar in the world, located within the towering International Commerce Centre in West Kowloon. From their perch on the 118th floor of the Ritz-Carlton hotel, bar-goers have dizzying views over the city and Victoria Harbour.

Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China

Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world, after Dubai’s Burj Khalifa and Kuala Lumpur's Merdeka 118. But it pips both those skyscrapers to the post with its observation deck (known as 'the Top of Shanghai'), which is on the 121st floor at a height of 1,841 feet (561m). The views from this architectural marvel, which also has the world’s fastest lifts, really are mind-blowing.

J Hotel, Shanghai, China

Opened in June 2021 inside the Shanghai Tower, J Hotel is the world's highest hotel. Located across floors 84 to 105 and the 120th floor, its luxurious 165 rooms offer a stunning vantage point over the high-rise city, including the Yangtze River and Shanghai's financial hub, Lujiazui. The views on cloudy days are no less breathtaking as guests awake surrounded by billowing clouds. The world's tallest hotel – a record applied to buildings used wholly as hotels – is the Gevora Hotel in Dubai.

Heavenly Jin, Shanghai, China

Officially the world's highest restaurant in a building – as certified by Guinness World Records in 2022 – Heavenly Jin is yet another feather in the cap of the Shanghai Tower. The ultra-high-end eatery is part of J Hotel and is found on the 120th floor, notching a height of 1,824 feet (556m). That's 350 feet (107m) more than previous record holder At.mosphere, which sits on the 122nd floor of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.

Beipanjiang Bridge, China

Constructed between Xuanwei in Yunnan province and Liupanshui in Guizhou province in 2016, this mighty mountain overpass soars over the Beipan river in a remote and rugged part of southwestern China. Sitting at 1,854 feet (565m) above ground, and also known as the Duge Bridge, the impressive cableway structure is the world's highest bridge. It is also pretty long at 2,363 feet (720m).

Angel Falls, Venezuela

Plummeting 3,212 feet (979m) over the edge of the Auyan-tepui mountain and into the Churun River, the awe-inspiring Angel Falls is the world’s tallest waterfall. Equally dramatic is its remote location in southeastern Venezuela's Canaima National Park, with its striking flat-topped mountains and mist-shrouded forests. There are only two ways to see the falls – from above on a scenic flight in a light aircraft or on an arduous journey by boat and on foot through the dense jungle.

Molokai sea cliffs, Hawaii, USA

Edge of the world feelings are guaranteed on the northern cliffs of Molokai, Hawaii. The island has the tallest sea cliffs in the world, reaching heights of between 3,600 and 3,900 feet (1,097-1,188m) with an average inclination of 55 degrees. They're located on the remote north side of Molokai, and you can get a bird’s-eye view of their majesty on a helicopter tour from Maui, or along the narrow 2.9-mile (4.7km) trail to the Kalaupapa Peninsula.

Mount Kenya, Kenya

The second-highest peak in Africa, Mount Kenya boasts another, slightly more obscure distinction. The extinct volcano is home to the world's highest 'via ferrata' – a climbing route that employs steel cables, ladders and rails to make mountaineering much more accessible. It peaks at 16,355 feet (4,985m), only a little way beneath the summit. Mount Kenya is set in its own national park, and buffalo, elephants, mongooses, monkeys, hyraxes, leopards and giant forest hogs are all visible from its slopes.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, China

Stunning mountainous scenery and deep snow are on offer at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang within China's Yunnan province. Set at an elevation of 14,763-15,420 feet (4,500-4,700m) above sea level, it's the highest ski resort in the world. The dramatic mountain range, which consists of 13 peaks, is the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere.

Qinghai-Tibet railway, China

The highest passenger railway journey in the world, the Qinghai-Tibet line began in 2006, connecting Xining, capital of Qinghai province, with Lhasa, capital of Tibet. At its highest point, the Tanggula Pass, the track reaches a staggering 18,707 feet (5,702m). As the trains roll across frozen landscape and up into the Tibetan plateau, passengers are protected from the effects of altitude by oxygen that's pumped into the carriages, regulated temperatures and UV-coated windows.

Umling La Pass, India

Connecting remote mountain villages in the Indian province of Ladakh, the Umling La Pass was certified by Guinness World Records as the world's highest drivable road in 2021. Topping out at 19,300 feet (5,883m) above sea level, the Himalayan road is higher than both Everest base camps, and low oxygen levels, heavy snowfall and blisteringly low temperatures make the pass brutally inhospitable in winter.

Makkah Clock Royal Tower, Mecca, Saudi Arabia

The tallest clock tower in the world – certified by Guinness World Records on completion in 2012 – this marvel of modern architecture reaches a sky-piercing 1,972 feet (601m), and is reportedly the second most expensive building ever constructed. Near the sacred Great Mosque of Mecca, it's surrounded by six subsidiary towers, which together make up the Abraj Al Bait complex. The complex hosts, among other things, several luxury hotels and a five-storey shopping mall.

Statue of Unity, India

Standing watch over the Narmada River in Gujarat, the colossal Statue of Unity looks more like something out of The Lord of the Rings than anything made by human hands. Completed in 2018, this copper-and-cement depiction of Indian statesman Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is the tallest statue in the world, towering 597 feet (182m) above its surroundings. One of the nation's founding fathers, the so-called 'Iron Man of India' played a key role in integrating the country's diverse provinces and states.

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