Leap of faith: The Kawarau Bridge in New Zealand is where it all began. (Pawel Kopczynski, Reuters)
'I still recall my first jump," reminisces New Zealander AJ Hackett, the man who launched commercial bungee jumping 25 years ago on November 12. "I had the most amazing sensation."
At the time Hackett was running a struggling ski shop but inspired by British daredevils the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club, Hackett had begun experimenting with the adrenaline-inducing activity.
Together with his friend Chris Sigglekow, he had started doing tests with latex rubber, climbing equipment and parachute harnesses.
There was no back-up, just two guys pushing their luck.
"I used to do a lot of climbing so knew about ropes," says Hackett, "but we wanted to figure out if it could be predictable, so that we could go to greater heights.
"To see who would jump first we drew straws," he explains. "Chris lost," Hackett adds with a grin. "But we weren't nervous – the first jump was only 19m – it was more about hoping it would work."
It did work and, within a year, Hackett was on a French ski tour with teammate Henry van Asch, jumping bridges up to 150m high in his spare time.
In 1987, Hackett made headlines around the world, getting arrested for jumping off the Eiffel Tower.
Hackett and Van Asch quickly realised there was money to be made and, as skiers, New Zealand snow hub Queenstown seemed an obvious starting point. On November 12 1988, the Kawarau Bridge "bungy" site (Hackett prefers bungy to bungee) opened for business. On that day, 28 people took the plunge.
Since then, more than three million have followed suit at 15 Hackett sites around the world. Every one of them has lived to tell the tale.
Millions more have jumped at over 50 other bungee sites across almost as many countries. Accidents have happened, but they've been rare.
The thrills, meanwhile, just get bigger and more extreme, the craziest of which has to be Chile's £7?800 Pucon jump, a six-day trip that involves leaping from a helicopter towards the bubbling lava of a live volcano, before flying the 56km back to town, still bouncing around on the bungee.
If that's a little beyond your budget, then here, in no particular order, are the 10 best jumps currently on offer.
Kawarau Bridge, Queenstown, New Zealand
While its 43m drop might now be considered light on scares by serial thrill-seekers, the Kawarau's status as the place where it all began is undisputed. More than 650?000 people have taken the plunge from this historic suspension bridge, with many dipping their heads in the stunning turquoise waters below. It's also the only Queenstown bungee that can be done as a tandem. bungy.co.nz, single jump about R1 500, including a T-shirt.
The Nevis, Queenstown, New Zealand
A title contender for the world's most terrifying bungee jump. The secret for this one is in the build-up: you start in a four-wheel-drive and head up, up and up the bumpy mountain road until you arrive at the stark and stony Nevis Gorge, in the middle of which, 134m up, hangs a cabin, blowing in the wind, which you reach courtesy of an open-air cable car. You then have eight seconds of free fall ahead of you. bungy.co.nz, single jump about R2 200, including a T-shirt
Victoria Falls Bridge, border of Zimbabwe and Zambia
You would be hard-pushed to find a more spectacular setting in which to take the leap of faith. You stand, in no-man's-land between two countries, atop the old railway bridge that Cecil Rhodes ordered to be built. Behind you crash the mighty falls, known to locals as "the smoke that thunders", while 111m beneath you, crocodiles circle in the Zambezi River.victoriafallsbungee.com, single jump about R1 320
Verzasca Dam, Ticino, Switzerland
If you've ever dreamt of being a real-life James Bond, this is the jump for you. Made famous by the dramatic opening to 1995's GoldenEye, Pierce Brosnan's first outing as 007, this bungee involves plunging down the 220m-high concrete wall of the dam. The landmark, built in the 1960s and officially known as the Contra Dam, doubled as a Soviet weapons facility in the film, but in reality houses a hydroelectric power station. trekking.ch, single jump costs about R2 150 for under-20s, and about R2 800 if you are 20 or older
Bloukrans Bridge, Tsitsikamma, South Africa
Set amid the nature reserves and ecological riches of South Africa's Garden Route, the 216m-tall Bloukrans Bridge is the highest bridge bungee in the world. Those harbouring second thoughts, while looking out at the surrounding mountains and distant sea views, can steel themselves with the knowledge that the likes of Prince Harry and Jack Osborne have done the jump and survived. faceadrenalin.com, single jump from R790 a person
Macau Tower, Macau, China
At 233m and in the heart of the Far East's gambling capital, this is the world's highest bungee jump from a building. You leap from the outer rim of the giant tower, with mainland China just visible if you squint. Hackett and his team had to develop a "second-generation bungee cord" for the site, because of the height and the need for it to fall straight, rather than swing. ajhackett.com, single jump about R3 400 including T-shirt
The Last Resort, Tatopani, Nepal
Located on a ridge overlooking the rapids of the Bhote Kosi River, about 97km east of Kathmandu and just 11km from the Tibetan border, this adventure-mad resort is home to whitewater rafting, canyoning and the country's only bungee jump. It is surrounded by jungle and you plummet 160m from the bridge towards the raging Bhote Kosi below. thelastresort.com.np, single jump about R1 000, including lunch and transport from Kathmandu
Niouc Bridge, Val d'Anniviers, Switzerland
Nicknamed "Spider Bridge" for its cobweb of cable wires, the 190m-high Niouc is the world's highest suspension footbridge. Before diving from the shaky structure, you can take in the typically vivid blue skies as well as the sublime views of the Navizence River and surrounding alpine peaks. bungyniouc.com, single jump about R2 300
Extremo Park, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Latin America's highest bungee jump is also one of the newest. Adrenaline junkies leap from a tram suspended by a series of cables, which stand 143m above the Central American cloud forest, totally exposed to the area's often wet and windy conditions. It's set in a park that also lets you explore the jungle canopy with an extensive circuit of zip lines and a Tarzan swing. monteverdeextremo.com, single jump about R620
Europabrucke, Innsbruck, Austria
This huge structure, the name of which translates simply as "Europe's Bridge", stretches 657m across the Wipp Valley, rising 192m above the Sill River, just south of Innsbruck. Carrying the autobahn that stretches through the Alps between Austria and Italy, the bridge was, from 1959 to 1963, the highest on the continent. Standing on its edge will perhaps be the smallest you'll ever feel. rupert-hirner.at, single jump costs about R2 030
– © Guardian News & Media 2013