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Land diving - Land diving is a ritual performed by the men on Pentecost Island, one of the 83 islands that make up the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Rite of passage - The precursor to bungee jumping, the men jump off wooden towers around 20-30 m (68-98 ft) high, with two tree vines wrapped around their ankles. The platforms are set at several different heights, with the most experienced diver jumping from the top. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Tourist attraction - Carried out without any safety equipment, the land diving tradition has developed into a Vanuatu tourist attraction. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Thrill-seekers - Land jumping, or "vine jumping," sparked the imagination of thrill-seekers in the West, who were intrigued by this ancient rite of passage.

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World's first bungee jump - Students from the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club carried out the world's first bungee jump off the Clifton Suspension Bridge (pictured) in Bristol, England, on April 1, 1979.

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New Zealand: bungee birthplace - However, bungee jumping properly began in New Zealand, off Auckland’s original Greenhithe Bridge in 1986.

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Where it all started - Commercial bungee jumping was born on the Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown in 1988. It's here that New Zealand entrepreneur A.J. Hackett established the world’s first permanent commercial bungee site. Every year tens of thousands make the 43-m (141-ft) jump.

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The meaning of "bungee" - Bungee jumping is so named after the strong elasticated cords. The word "bungee" originates from a dialect in West Country (southwestern England), meaning "anything thick and squat."

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A.J. Hackett - In 1987, A.J. Hackett achieved global fame after he successfully jumped from the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The daredevil is pictured here leaping off Auckland's Sky Tower, falling approximately 190 m (623 ft) to break the world record for bungee jumping off the top of a building.

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Auckland Sky Tower - The Auckland Sky Tower today is a popular jumping venue with enthusiasts.

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Extreme sport -

In fact, A.J. Hackett is credited with popularizing the extreme sport of bungee jumping.

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Bungee jumping arrives in Africa - The Bloukans River Bridge was the first bridge to be bungee jumped off in Africa.

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Oldest bungee jumper - Set right in the heart of South Africa, the 216-m (708-ft) Bloukrans Bridge in the Western Cape was where 96-year-old Mohr Keet jumped. The oldest person to perform a bungee jump, he set a Guinness World Record.

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Zambezi Gorge - Bungee jumping from the bridge at Victoria Falls, between Zambia and Zimbabwe, into the Zambezi Gorge. This is one of the most rewarding places to bungee jump off, with the platform often shrouded in mist from the thundering nearby falls.

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Japan - Bungee jumping in Sudogawa Valley, Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

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Rubber man - Jumper Carl Dionisio used hundreds of condoms for his bungee cord when he made a 30-m (100-ft) jump in South Africa.

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High jump - According to Guinness World Records, the highest commercial bungee jump facility in the world is 370.25 m (1,214 ft), and is located on the Balinghe Bridge in Huangguoshe, China.

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Danube Tower - Jochen Schweizer of Germany jumps off the Danube Tower in Vienna to open a new bungee center in May, 2001.

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The bungee cord - Bungee operators use different cords. The elastic rope first used in bungee jumping was factory-produced braided shock cord, consisting of many latex strands enclosed in a tough outer cover.

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Longer bounce - Most southern hemisphere bungee jumping operators use an unbraided cord with exposed latex strands that gives an extended, longer bounce.

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England - A bungee jumper plummets towards the ground during a jump at Chelsea Bridge in London, England.

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Transporter Bridge - A man bungee jumps from the 51-m (170-ft) Transporter Bridge, which is not only the highest bridge in the United Kingdom, but also the only regular bridge jump in the British Isles.

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Jumping in the UK - The United Kingdom’s other occasional premiere bungee jump site is off a 48 m (160 ft) platform in Datchet, Berkshire.

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Lebanon - An enthusiast makes a bungee jump on Beirut's Corniche in 2016.

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Sky high - While bungee jumping traditionally takes place off a static platform, it’s also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air balloon or helicopter.

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Risks - Despite the inherent risk in jumping from a great height, several million successful jumps have taken place since 1980.

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Risks - In fact, there have only been a handful of deaths reported. Injuries including dislocations, rope burn, back injuries, and eye trauma, are the mishaps that are more likely to ruin your day.

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Stress level - But bungee jumping has been proven to increase stress levels and affect the immune system.

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"Bungee bet" -

Ever heard of a "bungee bet?" Financial traders refer to bungee bets when an investment that by all accounts appears sunk suddenly bounces back into profit. Pictured: A "businessman" dives off the Victoria Falls bridge wearing a shirt, tie, and clutching a briefcase in one hand.

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Show of fitness - Some jumpers choose to launch themselves off a platform by running horizontally with a cord attached in a show of strength, fitness, and agility.

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Russia - A man dressed as Father Frost, the Russian equivalent to Santa Claus, makes a bungee jump from a bridge across the Yenisei River in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.

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USA - Many regard the High Steel Bridge in Washington as one of the most beautiful bungee jumping spots in the USA.(Photo: Wikimedia/CC0 1.0)

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Bali bungee -

Jumping as the sun sets over Seminyak beach, on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

See also: The breathtaking world of Red Bull cliff divers. 

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