Most of the time, a vacation on Bali means lying on the beach, signing up for a day spa, taking an art class in Ubud or spending a weekend on a yoga retreat.

However, Bali, as the ultimate holiday destination, also offers extreme sport activities that can initiate your adrenaline rush. While these activities may not be at the forefront of incoming tourists’ minds, they are worth a try for a once-in-a-lifetime travel story.

Despite being known for its relaxing vibes, tourists don’t have to look far to find extreme adventure on Bali. The island, blessed with beautiful views and magnificent shorelines, offers adrenaline rushes at popular tourist destinations.

When signing up for a banana boat ride with your friends, check to see if the vendor also has kitesurfing, kiteboarding or flyboarding. Kitesurfing and kiteboarding are similar to wakeboarding, with the wind lifting the user into the air through a large but controllable kite. This extreme sport takes it to the next level in terms of speed and lets you cruise through the waves instead of waiting for the perfect swell and paddle. Kitesurfing can easily be found at surfing beaches and Bali has plenty of options for everyone from Sanur, which is recommended for beginners, to Nusa Dua, Seminyak and Canggu. May to September are the best months to have an adventure.

If the itinerary takes you to Tanjung Benoa, flyboarding is the adventure to try. The increasingly popular sport requires the flyboarder to stand on a wakeboard that is pushed up by a strong water force, with the user going up to 14 meters above the ocean surface. While it looks hard when you watch, signing up for flyboarding means having a professional instructor who will help you fly after five minutes. The entire activity takes around 20 to 30 minutes each session.

Flyboarding packages offered by vendors in Tanjung Benoa often include free pick-up and drop-off services at major accommodation areas in Bali, such as Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Kuta and Legian.

Cliff jumping

When talking about an adrenaline rush, nothing beats cliff jumping. The best cliff jumping spots are located in Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. Take a 30-minute boat ride to these quiet neighboring islands and explore the cliffs in peace. It’s best to start with Mahana in Nusa Ceningan, a rocky point over the ocean with 10-m and 5-m diving board options, as well as a ladder for an easy exit out of the water. Watching the sun set and chilling with drinks while facing the ocean are a must after cliff jumping. On the downside, there is a fee for each jump in Mahana, which varies depending on the height.

Just around the corner from Mahana Point is the Blue Lagoon, another renowned cliff jumping site in Nusa Ceningan. The Blue Lagoon is a cove filled with clear turquoise water, offering jumps from 6 m, 8 m and 13.5 m platforms. Perfect for thrill-seekers, jumping at the Blue Lagoon is free but comes with its own risks due to higher platforms, bigger waves and the absence of a ladder to use to climb out of the water.

Another favorite jumping spot in these Nusa islands is Devil’s Tears in Nusa Lembongan. One of the most Instagrammable spots in Bali, Devil’s Tears has top sunsets and tide pools. Jumping here can only be done when the waves aren’t too strong and when jumping from only 3 or 4 m high. Nevertheless, Devil’s Tears remains one of the most frequented cliff jumping points in Bali.

Staying on the main island doesn’t mean missing exhilarating cliff jumping points. Drive to Jimbaran Panorama Point, which is best known for its Honeymoon Beach. Located close to Tegal Wangi Beach, about a 45-minute drive south of Denpasar, this location has up to 5-m jumps into perfect blue water.

Need for speed: A tourist cable skis in a man-made lake in Benoa Port, Denpasar, Bali. (JP/Zul Trio Anggono)

The beach is quiet, mostly due to its secluded location, and frequented by couples enjoying a romantic sunset together. Cliff jumping isn’t the only activity recommended here, as the beach is also renowned for its magnificent underwater life, which can be seen as you dive down below the cliff. Make sure your snorkeling equipment is ready when you visit this beach.

Cliff point jumping is invigorating, especially to the thrill-seekers who want more than just beach hopping. However, it’s also one of the most dangerous extreme activities out there. If you and your friends are jumping from a cliff point with no guide, do explore the landing area first to make sure it’s safe in terms of depth, wave patterns and a return path to shore. Some cliff jumping spots have ladders installed, while others require jumpers to climb up off shore. Bring along your friends — it’s safer and more fun together.

Bali isn’t always about the beach.

See Bali from a different perspective by going up the mountain and feel what it is like to fly by paragliding or paratriking up to 150 m above the picturesque island. Each adventure takes around 15 to 20 minutes. Paragliding and paratriking clubs in Bali offer tandem or tridem flights for families with small children.

Compared to kitesurfing and cliff jumping, paragliding isn’t new to Bali. It was first introduced to the island in the 1990s. Since then, several paragliding and paratriking operators have offered flights above the stunning rice fields to see Bali from a bird’s-eye view.

Bali Paragliding, which has been in operation since 2014, operates two sites: Bali Paragliding Flying Park Sawangan and The Ulu Paragliding Site, each offering unique views of Bali shorelines and nature.

Bali Aerosport School, better known as the Bali Paragliding Club, operates from Nyang Nyang Beach, Uluwatu, and has a paragliding course above a beautiful shoreline with views of majestic temples. Timbis Aero Club flies from Timbis or Payung Mountain on Bukit Peninsula and has a view of Nusa Dua beaches.

Though paragliding is highly dependent on time and weather, paratriking can be done almost anytime. However, the April-October period is the best time to try either of the two extreme sports.

Vacations are the right time to try something new, and conquering a thrilling moment can provide a sense of accomplishment. Bali has all the adventurous activities imaginable — it’s only a matter of finding the right one for you.