Top 5 adventure sports destinations in the world

One man's sport is another man's madness. While prudent folk shake their heads at what they consider the sheer idiocy of putting your life on the line for a short-lived thrill, adrenaline junkies continue to chase that elusive rush over high water, to great heights, over sheer rock faces, and to the deepest depths. All for that transient moment in which they feel truly and completely alive. Maybe it's got to do with confronting and surmounting fears. Or maybe it's just a dopamine addiction. Either way, 'sports' is a tame and slightly misplaced suffix when it comes to adventure sports. What drives people to jump off high bridges, buildings and dams with nothing but rubber bands tied to their feet, freefall at terminal velocity from 14,000 feet, navigate treacherous rapids girdled in a kayak, climb overhang rock faces with finger grips, or plumb the depths of the ocean, is certainly not just love for a sport. If you're already an adventure geek, then you're probably chuckling to yourself, smug in the knowledge that you know the feeling; that you've been there. For those on the other side of the fence, here's a snapshot of the most spine-tingling, heart-in-your-mouth destinations for extreme sports in the world. And if these are too distant to plan a trip to at short notice, then there's also a host of places you can head to in India and Asia. This summer, think twice before booking your luxury spa or beach holiday—it's time to shelve your apprehensions, stop holding on to the railing, and push the frontiers like you've never done before.