Whitewater rafting is a scream. The exhilarating semi-sport with a party tilt freshens you up and kills calories as you fight to stay afloat while rocketing over bounding rapids and hurtling waterfalls.
Every obstacle presents a mini-drama. If you take a tumble, so long as you keep your legs tucked in, you should avoid sustaining bruises or worse.
Despite whitewater rafting’s 'extreme' status, the exertion and risk are low compared with other extreme sports such as mountain biking or, say, BASE jumping. Here, come with us on an entirely safe virtual whirlwind tour of some Asian whitewater hotspots.
Thrills and chills: Asia’s top whitewater
1. Mae Tang, Thailand
One of Thailand’s top whitewater streaks lies near northern Thailand’s leading town, Chiang Mai. A typical Mae Tang ride takes two hours as you slice through the spectacular valley scenery. En route, you have to tango with more than 20 tricky rapids including Dragon, Swimmer's Chute and Near the Wall. Around you stand mountains and jungle.
2. Padas, Borneo
Forget technical niceties like upstream and downstream. At Borneo’s Padas – a remote area that takes 90 minutes to reach by bus from the city of Kota Kinabalu – conventional physics takes a holiday. The river squirms, shudders, indeed does pretty much everything except fold over backward. The rapids that punctuate the Padas River have snappy names like Lambada and Cobra, which reflect the river’s writhing fury.
3. Sunkoshi, Nepal
Sunkoshi means Golden River. The gleaming sleeve of water flows between the lesser and main Himalayas, forming much of Eastern Nepal’s watershed. Start at Dolalghat – a two-hour drive from Kathmandu. Then roll on for as long as you like. You can continue for longer than a week if you’re in the mood and tough enough. The Sunkoshi breaks you in gently with minor movement, but then the fireworks start.
4. Yangtze, China
At Stone Drum (Shigu) – a village in Lijiang in northwest Yunnan Province – China’s mighty Yangtze River takes a u-turn for the better. At the bend, the river’s first, the current kicks up a gear. Boosting the wow factor, the Yangtze’s width on this stretch is more than 100 meters, making it feel like the ocean. Strong swimmers only. If you chicken out, the stunning scenery might keep you interested.
5. Zanskar, India
If you think the Yangtze is grand, try riding on the waters that wind through India’s Zanskar Canyon across the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region. Also called the Grand Canyon of Asia and the rafting magnet is graded 4, which is tricky. Think medium waves, the odd rock, maybe a sharp drop demanding deft manoeuvring. Beware icy temperatures. Wet suits mandatory.
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