The 7 Best Place to Skydive

Skydiving is the ultimate rush, aided by a sensory trick—our brains lose the perception of height, so you can just "enjoy the ride," writes Turner Wright for Vagabondish. But where to jump?

• Taupo, New Zealand. The skydiving capital of the world, where 30,000 people jump every summer. What better setting than the mountains of Lord of the Rings' Middle Earth?
• Guam. There's something special about seeing both coasts of this island nation from extreme altitude.
• The Swiss Alps. You'll need a winter coat, but you'll be rewarded with a bird's-eye view of glaciers and snow-capped mountain peaks.

• Australia. Offers view of the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage Rainforest.
• San Marcos, Texas. The flat topography of Texas means you can see hundreds of miles in every direction.
• South Africa. Just about as far south as you can skydive "without risking an Antarctica jump," Wright writes.
• Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. Where else can you jump over an active—albeit snowed-over—volcano?

(More skydiving stories.)