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- Greece wants tourists to spy on tax cheats
- Coming soon: Live satellite tracking of all commercial jets
- Tourists arrested for defacing Rome's Colosseum
- Warm winter forces Alaska dog sled race to move north
- How to find the biggest thrills in Singapore
- Unicorns, camels and hangovers: Wackiest hotel guest requests
| Greece wants tourists to spy on tax cheats Posted: 09 Mar 2015 08:04 AM PDT |
| Coming soon: Live satellite tracking of all commercial jets Posted: 09 Mar 2015 03:40 AM PDT |
| Tourists arrested for defacing Rome's Colosseum Posted: 08 Mar 2015 11:21 PM PDT Two American women may face a fine for carving their initials on a wall at the historic Roman amphitheater  |
| Warm winter forces Alaska dog sled race to move north Posted: 08 Mar 2015 07:09 PM PDT Mushers will cross the starting line in Fairbanks due to lack of snow in Willow, the traditional starting point  |
| How to find the biggest thrills in Singapore Posted: 08 Mar 2015 05:16 PM PDT Zip-lining, indoor skydiving, jetpacking. Sentosa Island is the place to conquer your inner wimp  CNN Travel's series often carries sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile. However, CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports. Read the policy. Despite being more than four decades old, Singapore's Sentosa Island is a tourist attraction that knows the importance of reinvention. In recent years, it's become the top destination in the city for those in need of a fast adrenaline fix, thanks to a huge cluster of adventure activities, from surfing to indoor skydiving. It also presents a great opportunity for someone like me -- fainthearted, petrified of heights -- to conquer their fears. I recently spent a weekend on Sentosa doing just that -- or trying to -- on the scariest thrill rides and adventures I could find. To gauge my terror during each exercise, I slapped on a Polar FT7 heart rate monitor watch during the trip. I also devised an ad hoc "nausea level" rating. These are my normal heart rate readings. Average resting heart rate: 77 bpm (beats per minute) Maximum resting heart rate: 87 bpm Average nausea level: 0/5 (though certain movies and TV shows can push that to 2/5) More on CNN: Best new restaurants in Singapore MegaZip
Average heart rate: 141 bpm Maximum heart rate: 150 bpm Nausea level: 2/5
But once I finally worked up the courage to let go, MegaZip was pure fun. Singapore's first three-wire zip allows multiple people to zip-line at the same time, from a hilltop across a patch of jungle, over the beach and onto a small platform over the water. The views along the 450-meter-long journey are exhilarating. Conclusion: This one's addictive. I now plan to zip-line every chance I get. MegaZip Adventure Park, Imbiah Hill Road, Sentosa Island 098829 Singapore; open daily 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; S$39 for a zip ($28) Jetpack
Maximum heart rate: 134 bpm Nausea level: 3/5
"It can take you up to 10 meters high," says Tran. "I think it's the safest way to fly, as you have the power to control your flight." When I slapped the jetpack on my back and headed out to sea, I could feel the jealousy emanating from all eyes on the beach -- until those curious spectators saw me struggling for the good part of an hour. This one isn't easy. "The first step is always the most difficult," said Alred Low, SeaBreeze business partner/instructor. "You cannot fight the machine, and you have to find your center of balance." "Once you can balance then you can fly just by pressing a button -- like in a cartoon," said Low. Conclusion: You'll have to conquer your fear of drowning before you tackle your height issues. SeaBreeze Water-Sports, 36 Siloso Beach, Sentosa Island Singapore; open daily from 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; an hour of jetpack training costs S$288 ($210) More on CNN: Island hopping around Singapore Flying Trapeze
Maximum heart rate: 174 bpm Nausea level: 2/5
After basic instruction, visitors climb right up to the highest platform. "When I say 'ready,' you hop," said the instructor. After you master the basic swing, you need to lift your legs up and hook them onto the bar, so you can let your hands go and swing upside down. I sought advice from fellow acrobats after my first failure. "The most difficult part is to lift your legs up," said Nuala Goggins from Ireland. "Timing is really important, so you have to listen to the instructions." Her compatriot Vicky Reynolds added, "It's a kick, then squeeze your stomach to lift your legs up." Conclusion: Listen to their advice -- I managed to do it the second time. Flying Trapeze, Siloso Beach 51 Imbiah Walk, Sentosa Island 099538 Singapore; open Monday to Friday 2:30-6:30 p.m., weekend 2:30-7 p.m. (closed in bad weather); S$10 ($7) per swing or S$20 ($14) for three swings More on CNN: Singapore's best cocktail bars iFly Singapore
Maximum heart rate: 116 bpm Nausea level: 1/5
iFly Singapore launched in May 2011. With a height of about 17 meters and a width of five meters, it's the world's largest indoor skydiving simulator. The wind tunnel can accommodate 20 professional flyers at one time. There are four fans in the tunnel generating airspeeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour. But, according to iFly Singapore, usual body-flight speeds range from 160 to 190 kilometers per hour. It looks easy, but striking the right balance is challenging. "It's actually more difficult than skydiving outdoors, because you're confined in the tunnel," said Tay. "The first time I skydived for real [after training with iFly Singapore], I was flying better than many seasoned flyers." The first two flights are mostly about learning to balance. Once you've mastered that, an instructor will help you catch enough wind to soar up to nine meters, offering a great way to experience the weightlessness of free falling. Conclusion: This is the best way to train before jumping out of a plane. iFly Singapore, 43 Siloso Beach Walk #01-01, Sentosa Island Singapore; open Thursday to Tuesday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m More on CNN: Fly in the world's largest wind tunnel, then get tipsy ClimbMax
Maximum heart rate: 177 bpm Nausea level: 4/5
On the top of Sentosa's largest hill, the rope course consists of three levels, with heights up to 12 meters. Knowing I was safely secured and seeing 12-year-olds enjoying the course a level below me didn't do much to calm me, particularly when I reached a section that involved jumping across a gap between platforms. At that moment, my heart raced to 177 bpm. In the end, I couldn't finish -- I didn't have the strength, nor courage, to continue to the highest level. Conclusion: This is an intense exercise to combat fear of heights. And embarrassing if you're concerned with what those on the ground below are thinking as they watch you struggle. MegaZip Adventure Park, Imbiah Hill Road, Sentosa Island 098829 Singapore; open daily 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; S$39 ($28) More on CNN: Keong Saik Road: The coolest new block in Singapore ParaJumpAverage heart rate: N/A Maximum heart rate: N/A Nausea level: N/A No, my heart didn't stop in terror. I wimped out. I couldn't do it. In my defense, this one involves strapping into a harness and trusting the safety wire to keep you from splattering to the ground at the end of a 50-foot freefall parachute jump. "A woman from the UK was trying ParaJump," says Hafiz Hanafiah, an instructor in the MegaZip Adventure Park. "She stood on the platform for 45 minutes before finally daring to jump. After she made that jump, she hugged me and thanked me for being there for her the whole time. It was very memorable for me." Hanafiah says that before he joined the company, he was afraid of heights as well. "Since then, I took a leap every day from ParaJump until I overcame the fear." Conclusion: I'll consider taking that leap next time. Baby steps. MegaZip Adventure Park, Imbiah Hill Road, Sentosa Island 098829 Singapore; open daily 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; S$19 ($14) More on CNN: Sentosa Island: No longer a tourist attraction just for tourists |
| Unicorns, camels and hangovers: Wackiest hotel guest requests Posted: 06 Mar 2015 03:40 PM PST Concierge requests are typically predictable. But some guests ask for burials at sea, mariachi proposals and camels  |
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