The world’s 11 scariest bridges
If you’re not already afraid of crossing bridges, you will be after watching these videos!
1. Trift Suspension Bridge, Switzerland
Where: Trift Glacier, near the town of Gadmen in the Swiss Alps.
Stats: 328 feet high; 558 feet long.
They say: The longest suspension bridge in Switzerland but not as wild as it used to be since they added cables in 2009.
2. Mackinac Bridge, Michigan
Where: Between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas.
Stats: 5 miles long; 199 feet above the water.
They say: The fun only really starts when winds hit 30 mph and above. The Mackinac Bridge Authority will drive your car or motorcycle across for you if you chicken out.
3. Monkey Bridges, Vietnam
Where: Various points across the Mekong Delta at the southern tip of Vietnam.
Stats: These bridges are built by hand by local residents and vary from town to town.
They say: Typically made of a single bamboo log and one handrail, you need the agility of a monkey not to end up in the mud in the Mekong.
4. Hussaini Hanging Bridge, Pakistan
Where: Hunza River near Hussaini, Northern Pakistan, crossing the Hunza River.
Stats: Destroyed by floodwaters in May 2010 but in the process of being ‘rebuilt’.
They say: Arguably the most notorious bridge in the world – rickety planks, fraying cable and the tattered remains of a previous bridge to remind you of your potential fate.
5. Iya Valley Vine Bridges, Japan
Where: Iya-gawa River near Tokushima
Stats: 148 feet long; 46 feet high.
They say: The originals were built with slats of wood placed between 7 and 12 inches apart, secured in place with two single vines. Not for the faint of heart, even with the new hand rails.
6. Kakum National Park Canopy Walk, Ghana
Where: Kakum National Park, Ghana.
Stats: 1,000 feet long; 100 feet high.
They say: Even with handrails and netting, this high-hanging horror often brings people to tears.
7. Musou Tsuribashi, Japan
Where: Akaishi Mountains, Southern Japan.
Stats: Not known.
They say: Bring a balancing pole – the only railings you’ll find on this 50-year-old bridge are two thin ropes.
8. Vitim River Bridge, Russia
Where: Vitim River, eastern Siberia.
Stats: 1,870 feet long and 50 feet above the water.
They say: This old railway bridge is barely wide enough for a car and iced over for much of the year. So notorious it has it’s own Facebook page.
9. Tierradentro to La Plata, Colombia
Where: On the road between Tierradentro to La Plata in southern Colombia.
Stats: Various
They say: This mountain road is littered with simple bamboo bridges that wobble violently as you cross, each one worse than the one before.
10. Quepos Bridge, Costa Rica
Where: On the road from Jaco to Quepos, Costa Rica.
Stats: No official stats.
They say: It’s not called the Oh My God bridge for nothing. The loose slats of the roadway clank loudly while the bridge shakes under the weight of all the vehicles.
11. Langkawi Sky Bridge. Kedah, Malaysia
Where: Kedah, Malaysia
Stats: 700 metres above sea level.
They say: Beautiful but fatally flawed. Closed in January 2014 and may never open again.
And 10 more for the brave…
Or foolhardy.
Main image: Suspension bridge in Pakistan (Shutterstock)
