What are the origins of this fun-filled festive custom?
This rope bridge, located in Northern Ireland, is tiny but dangerous! Although it only spans 66 ft (20 m), it hangs 98 ft (30 m) over a cliff of rocks that are almost vertical. The bridge can only hold about eight people at a time; any more and the bridge will collapse.
Also known as the Long River Bridge, this impressive structure is a suspension bridge located in China. It is one of the longest ever built, with a main span of 3,924 ft (1,196 m). It is also one of the highest in the world and sits 920 ft (280 m) above Long River.
Located in Ghana’s Kakum National Park is a canopy walkway that spans 1,150 ft (350 m). It is one of only three locations on the entire African continent that has such a walkway, and it sits at a dangerous height of 160 ft (50 m).
The Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed bridge that you can find in France. It is the tallest bridge in the world with a structural height of 1,104 ft (336 m) and a total length of 8,070 ft (2,460 m). Although there are dozens of safety measures in place to prevent vehicles from falling into the valley, it is still an impressively dangerous feat of engineering.
This bridge is located in Japan and is an organic bridge made from kiwi vines. Although it only has a height of 46 ft (14 m), it has a length of 148 ft (45 m) and is accessible only by foot. Be sure not to slip, or else you might fall into the river below...
In the United States, you can find the Sunshine Skyway, which is 4.14 mi (6.7 km) long. The bridge stretches over Tampa Bay in Florida and has been the site of two major maritime disasters.
This bridge can be found over the Mekong River in Laos and is arguably one of the most dangerous bridges listed here. The crossing consists of nothing more than two wires fastened to each other and the opposite banks.
This bridge, located on Taungthaman Lake in Myanmar, is a foot bridge that spans 0.75 miles (1.2 km). Since the structure is made entirely of wood, many parts of the bridge are becoming dangerously decayed due to flooding.
Contrary to what the name might suggest, this bridge is not located anywhere near the country of Montenegro. It is actually located in Costa Rica’s Cloud Forest, and can be a perilous trek above the forest’s canopy.
This rigid-frame bridge can be found in Japan and is the third-largest of its kind in the world. The bridge crosses over Lake Nakaumi and has a total length of 1.1 mi (1.7 km).
This footpath in China is made almost entirely from glass, except for the bridge’s suspension cables and frame. The bridge spans a canyon at a height of 980 ft (300 m), and it will certainly make your legs shake when you cross!
This is the second-highest bridge in the world. Sidu River Bridge is located in China and stretches over a valley that is 1,600 ft (500 m) deep. Although the location is beautiful, crossing the bridge can put anyone on edge.
This bridge, known by locals as Puente de Ojuela, is a suspension bridge that can be found in Mexico. The bridge is only used for pedestrians, and was initially built for easy access to the nearby goldmine.
Crossing over Russia’s Vitim River is the Kuandinsky Bridge. The bridge, made from rotting wood and rusted metal, is notoriously the most dangerous in the country and has been largely left to fall apart without proper maintenance. Despite this, many locals are forced to use it, as it is the only road that leads to the village of Kuanda.
Rising above the canopy of the world’s oldest tropical rainforest in Malaysia is the Taman Negara Canopy Walkway. The forest floor sits 130 ft (40 m) below the bridge and, as you can see, it is a very narrow walk!
Along the cliff of Mount Titlis in the Swiss Alps is a pedestrian bridge that sits 9,800 ft (3,000 m) above sea level. Anyone who crosses the bridge may be subject to icy conditions and snowstorms that will leave you unable to see more than a few feet.
If you wander near Capilano River in Canada, you will most assuredly stumble upon this bridge that crosses 230 ft (70 m) above the water. Two tourists have already lost their lives after falling over the railing, so we recommend that you hold on tight if you go here.
The rural inhabitants of Vietnam have been known to build handmade walkways that span rivers. They can be made of as little as one bamboo log, and while locals tend to walk across easily, outsiders have found the crossing to be quite difficult.
Out of the many bridges in Pakistan, this can be considered one of the more dangerous. The bridge is made from uneven wooden planks and rope, all of which stretch across northern Pakistan’s Borith Lake.
Another dangerous bridge in the Swiss Alps is the Trift Bridge, a pedestrian footpath that crosses the Triftsee lake at a height of 330 ft (100 m). The bridge can only be reached by cable car, followed by a gondola and a treacherous 1.5 hour uphill hike.
The living root bridges located in the Meghalaya state of India are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But while these bridges seem as though they’ve been fully ripped from a fairy tale, they can be dangerous if visitors don’t watch where they’re going.
Although this is by far the smallest bridge on this list (with a length of no more than a few feet), it is still considered precarious to cross it. The bridge is found in China between two sheer mountain faces at an altitude of 4,330 ft (1,320 m) above sea level.
This structure is located in the French Alps and is the connecting point for two mountains. If you cross this bridge, which is located 12,392 ft (3,777 m) above sea level, you would be able to see the interior of France, Switzerland, and Italy!
This structure, located in Peru, is the last remaining rope bridge from the Inca Empire. It is made from grass ropes spanning the Apurimac River, which are renewed annually during the second week of June.
If you journey to the western coast of Norway, you can find Storseisundet Bridge, which looks very much like a rollercoaster as it twists over the water. Although it is not the most dangerous of the bridges listed here, it does present its own peril.
These are actually two bridges that cross a strait in the north of the United States known as Deception Pass. The total length of the bridges is 1,487 ft (453 m), while the water of the strait rests 180 ft (55 m) below.
This bridge, located in Nepal, is used by both animals and humans alike! It stretches over the Kali Gandaki Valley at a height of 443 ft (135 m).
Arguably one of the most beautiful bridges in the world, Langkawi Sky Bridge is a curved pedestrian footpath located in Malaysia. The scenery is something to behold, but the structure’s location above the forest canopy makes it a bit nerve-racking to walk across.
Sources: (Times of India) (summarize.tech) (Physitravels) (Travel2Next)
See also: Great attention spans—the world's most beautiful bridges
For thousands of years, bridges have been used as a way to safely cross dangerous waterways, mountainous gaps, and perilous valleys. In fact, one of the oldest bridges in the world–Arkadiko Bridge–was built more than 4,000 years ago. And since then, humanity has seen bridge disasters that have been the subjects of many news agencies.
And despite how modern technology has made it much safer to use bridges, there are still some where the journey across can be treacherous if you aren’t careful. Intrigued? Click through this gallery to see where you can find these hazardous structures.
A look at some of the most dangerous bridges in the world
Are you willing to cross any of these bridges?
LIFESTYLE Structures
For thousands of years, bridges have been used as a way to safely cross dangerous waterways, mountainous gaps, and perilous valleys. In fact, one of the oldest bridges in the world–Arkadiko Bridge–was built more than 4,000 years ago. And since then, humanity has seen bridge disasters that have been the subjects of many news agencies.
And despite how modern technology has made it much safer to use bridges, there are still some where the journey across can be treacherous if you aren’t careful. Intrigued? Click through this gallery to see where you can find these hazardous structures.