AJ Hackett, the man who created a storm by bungy jumping off the Eiffel Tower, founder of the self-named bungy jumping company, opened a new AJ Hackett in Singapore on 1 November at Sentosa and I was among the first to try out all their activities offered.
Established in 1988 and now in countries like New Zealand, Australia, China, France, Russia and Singapore, they have a record of 0 fatalities. Why risk your life doing extreme sports in other countries when you can do in here in Singapore?
There are 4 activities offered here: the Bungy Jump, Giant Swing, Vertical Skywalk and the Skybridge.
The Giant Swing is like a free falling Viking ride. It is self-releasing, so you are the one who decides when to drop. The self-release not only starts the swing, but also drops you a few metres for that adrenaline rush.
There are 2 swings that carry up to 3 people each, so 6 people can swing at once. It feels safe and secure when you are locking arms with your friends, but you can also choose to ride into the skyline alone. The maximum weight is 300kg per swing.
I found that this caused my guts to fly more than the Bungy Jump!
Despite this seeming scary, you forget about everything once you feel the cool breeze and the amazing view of Sentosa. At night, you can also see the fireworks from here.
Check out this video where I tried out all the activities offered at AJ Hackett Sentosa:
The 44m high Vertical Skywalk may seem scary but you are not supporting your own weight. There is a belayer waiting below and one or two controllers above. Professional instructors will guide you, with the help of your harness, ropes and gloves.
A tip is to not be afraid to stand totally perpendicular to the building. The ropes are secure and it will help you balance better. When you feed the ropes slowly behind you, keep it at your waist level to prevent any armpit friction burns. Bend your knees slightly, keep your weight on your upper body and walk on.
Last but not least, of course, is the Bungy Jump.
It is 17 storeys high and there are 2 platforms, one at 47m and one at 50m. There is a 3.5m pool below for touch dives, which is not offered at all bungy jump stations. You can choose to take a dip, or choose to stay dry. Anyone between 40kg to 150kg can try it.
If you are not one for extreme sports, you can try the Skybridge, which is the same height as the Bungy Jump. The 47m high, 40m long, 2m wide bridge can hold up to 10,000kg at once. Visitors can stay up for as long as they want.
There are transparent glass panels for you to look down and a glass box which is a popular photo opportunity. Funnily enough, I could not bring myself to stand there without holding on even though I could do all the extreme sports, so the Skybridge still brings people enough excitement.
There is a beach bar/restaurant that is open to the public. Diners can watch the Giant Swing go right over them while enjoying the strong winds. There is also a private deck on the 2nd floor and an open area on the 17th floor, both available for private or corporate events.
The opening hours are as follows:
You should set aside at least an hour for the activities as there might be waiting times for this new attraction.
AJ Hackett is located at Siloso Beach, where you have to walk about 700m to reach. You can check their website for more details.
All photos and video by Carissa Wong.
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