WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN…AND UP…AND DOWN

The Summit: Bloukrans River Bridge Jump

Location: Eastern Cape, South Africa

High Notes: If a vacation just isn't a vacation without a few minutes of heart-stopping terror, then consider a visit to South Africa. Not for the wildlife: When it comes to inducing fear, no marauding lion or stomping hippo can measure up to a bungee jump from the Bloukrans Bridge, 15 miles from Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Africa's tallest span is home to the highest commercially operating bungee jump in the world, and adrenaline junkies flock here to plummet 210 feet before being snapped by the rope back into the sky—hopefully along with their lunch. Stats fans note that while the jump isn't technically a free fall, the actual drop lasts seven to eight petrifying seconds. Just the walk along the see-through grid to the launch point under the bridge's span should be enough to separate blowhards from the genuinely foolhardy thrill-seekers. The less adventurous can sit on the observation deck, nurse a cold one, and enjoy the screams of the jumpers as they fall into the void.

Where to Catch Your Breath: Steadier ground can be found at the Plettenberg, a five-star Relais & Châteaux Hotel which is 40 minutes from the bridge. The 38-room hotel has fantastic views of Formosa Bay and is a perfect spot for whale watching.

Bloukrans Bridge Bungy Jumping
Tel: 27 42 281 1458
$78 per person

Plettenberg
Tel: 27 44 533 2030
Doubles from $400