If your idea of thrilling travel has more to do with pumping adrenaline than restaurants and shopping, here are some of the best places on the planet to get your fill of excitement.

1. Interlaken, Switzerland
Interlaken is famous for its adventure sports and ability to set the pulse racing, and it’s not hard to see why. However you want to set your pulse racing, this town delivers. Interlaken offers white river rafting or canyoning, mountain biking or lake swimming, skydiving, Nordic walking, or paragliding! River rafting, horse riding and climbing are also on offer – and if you prefer something a little more sedate, there’s always mini-golf.

2. New Zealand
Well-known globally as a superb place for those who love nothing more than an adrenaline rush, New Zealand is the go-to country for skydiving, white-water rafting, mountain biking and a lot more. This nation also boasts the site of the world’s first bungee jumping location, Kawaru Bridge. Or try the Nevis swing, the world’s highest. And if you thought New Zealand had to mean backpacking and hostels, think again. There are plenty of comfortable but cheap hotels in Wellington, for example.

3. Toronto, Canada
Thrill seeking in this Canadian city? Do the EdgeWalk on Toronto’s CN Tower, the highest hands-free, full circle walk on the planet. Hundreds of feet above the city’s streets, your life is totally dependent on a safety harness. For something a little less intense, eat dinner in the dark or try the thrills of the roller coasters at Canada’s Wonderland. Who said Canada was boring? And you can enjoy it all affordably if you stay in one of the many cost-conscious Toronto hotels that this outstanding city has to offer.

4. San Francisco, California
If you’re staying in one of the many San Francisco hotels that dot the city, you can get your adrenaline buzz here too. Zoom way out over the city on a 10-metre rope swing at Billy Goat Hill, which hangs from a single eucalyptus tree in Glen Park, and get a stunning panoramic view as the land falls away. Meanwhile, Fort Funston is a top hang-gliding destination, and the San Francisco Bay is always full of kite surfers. There’s more to San Francisco than Fisherman’s Wharf!

5. Dubai, UAE
While you may have associated the Emirates with beaches and high-rise hotels in Dubai, this destination actually has a lot more to offer. Go bungee jumping, drive a racing car, drop into a shark tank, or try your hand at fly boarding or kite surfing. Even the water slides in Dubai, like the one at Wild Wadi Water Park, are more thrilling than average!