Some sights aren’t for the faint of heart. Bridges in both Vietnam and Myanmar have made Travel and Leisure’s list of world’s scariest bridges…
Monkey Bridges, Vietnam
It may seem that only monkeys could make it across traditional monkey bridges—after all, they’re typically made of a single bamboo log and one handrail. However, the name comes from the stooped monkey-like posture you have to maintain when crossing, so as not to plunge into the river below.
Where: Various points across the Mekong Delta at the southern tip of Vietnam.
Stats: These bridges are built by hand by local residents and vary from town to town. Newer ones are made of concrete.
U Pain Bridge, Myanmar
With no handrails, you’ll want to be extra careful crossing this bridge, especially in the dry season—there’s no lake below to soften the fall. And it’s not exactly brand-new; this 3/4-mile-long teak bridge was built more than 200 years ago. More than 1,000 wooden posts (read: logs)—with roughly four or five feet between each—hold it up.
Where: In Mandalay, connecting opposite banks of Taungthaman Lake
Stats: 3/4 miles long; 15 feet high.
See the full list here: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/worlds-scariest-bridges
If you go to such places, it is because you want adventure. What more adventure can you have than trying to cross such bridges which the natives do all the time?
Besides, most have water below and so less chance of getting hurt except for maybe the occasional croc or leeches. :-)) Another reason to go in rainy season so you have water under the brides?
I think I’ll go with the monkey bridges since born in monkey year. We’ll see how well that applies when I try crossing such bridges!
Also, I heard that on such tours the JW guides always go ahead on the bridges and bounce up and down to verify their safety before letting tourists cross? :-))