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Five of the world’s most frightening travel journeys

International Traveller

Get a kick out of thrills, spills and life-threatening journeys? We have just the ticket – the world’s most frightening journeys to test the gamest of adrenalin junkies.

Cycling North Yungas Road, Bolivia

Location

Between La Paz and the town of Coroico.

Fear factor

Also known as Death Road, Road of Fate and widely regarded as the World’s Most Dangerous Road, there are few roads that can make daredevils quiver like North Yungas Road.

Connecting the Amazon rainforest to Bolivia’s capital city La Paz, this single-lane road winds some 60-plus kilometres around dubious mountainsides, ascending to 4650 metres above sea level in places, then descending to 1200 metres.

And if a 600-metre drop into rainforest below and zero guardrails doesn’t make you break a sweat, there’s also the possibility of thick fog, muddy conditions and rock falls, resulting in a shocking number of fatalities every year.

Just pray you don’t meet much oncoming traffic.

Flying into Courchevel Airport, France

Location

In the French Alps near the Italian border.

Fear factor

This ski resort altiport has made many a ‘world’s most dangerous airports’ list, positioned in the high heavens, amid a maze of snow-capped peaks.

If the threat of crashing into a nearby peak wasn’t enough, there are also ski runs adjacent to the tarmac, making the runway is so short it had to be constructed with an incline to help slow incoming planes.

As a result, only a handful of specially-trained pilots are qualified to fly into Courchevel Airport.

Oh, and did we mention there’s no approach procedure or lighting aids here? Meaning landing in fog and low clouds is almost impossible.

Hiking Mount Hua Shan, China

Location

Near the city of Huayin in the Shaanxi province, about 120 kilometres east of Xi’an.

Fear factor

For centuries pilgrims have taken on Mount Hua Shan, climbing its five dangerously steep peaks to mountaintop temples. However it’s the South Mountain route that has trekkers shivering in their hiking boots.

Soaring 2160 meters above sea level, South Mountain is both the highest peak of Mount Hua Shan, and the highest among the Five Sacred Mountains of China.

The most nerve-wracking section of the trek is Plank Road, where you have to wobble your way up precarious 30-centimetre-wide wooden planks that have been bolted into the vertical mountainside.

Our advice? Don’t look down! It’s a bottomless gulf below.

Riding the Tren a las Nubes train line, Argentina

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Location

Departing Salta, it connects the Argentine Northwest with the Chilean border in the Andes mountains.

Fear factor

Initially built for economic reasons in the 1930s, Tren a la Nubes (also known as Train to the Clouds) now operates purely for tourists and those looking to conquer a fear of heights.

As one of the world’s highest railways, this 16-hour, 430-kilometre-round trip chugs through farmland, squeezes through tunnels and climbs more than 4200 metres at La Polvorilla.

Driving Skippers Canyon Road, New Zealand

Location

About a half hour drive north of Queenstown

Fear factor

Carved out of a sheer cliff face by hand by miners over 140 years ago, the waterfront views don’t make this bumpy drive any less daunting.

If the narrow road, dubious bends and rocky drop below aren’t cause for concern, the local rock that this road cuts through is so soft that in dry weather it quickly becomes dusty and in wet conditions the road becomes covered in greasy mud.

Needless to say, this is certainly not a drive for sight-seeing.

 

 

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5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
    Continue
    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

    Five most frightening travel journeys - International Traveller