Cliff Diving
Cliff diving's 11 most incredible locations
Leap into the world's most incredible diving spots as we celebrate a decade and a half of the Red Cliff Diving World Series.
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Stunning, majestic, awe-inspiring: these are just some of the words used when describing the action-packed and aesthetic dives executed by the brave and super-skilled athletes of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.
But those acrobatic and elegant mid-air manoeuvres are not the only thing responsible for jaw-dropping, eye-widening and hair standing on the back. Providing the backdrop to every competition are locations that are every bit as stunning and majestic as the dives.
Since 2009, the world's best cliff divers have traveled the globe many times over, showcasing their skills at a wide array of locations. From pure cliffs, exotic lagoons, and idyllic waterfalls to world-famous landmarks and historic sites, nowhere has been off limits, and our photographers have been there every step of the way to capture the beautiful combination of scenery and graceful dives.
Let's take a look back at just some of the 12 most Instagrammable locations in the sport's history.
01
Maunsell Forts, England
Maunsell Forts in Kent was built in the Thames Estuary to defend the UK during World War II. Brits Blake Aldridge and Gary Hunt were, of course, the natural choice to show off their talents during a teaser dive in the run-up to the first World Series event in British waters in 2012.
Giants at Sea – Gary Hunt and Blake Aldridge soar from Maunsell Forts
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
02
Wadi Shab, Oman
Wadi Shab, a canyon-like valley with emerald water, was the location for the 2012 final. The title battle between Gary Hunt and Orlando Duque went right down to the wire. It was also the hottest location ever, with temperatures nudging 45 degrees Celsius.
For fans of pure, natural cliff diving, get ready to celebrate the return of Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series to Athens for the 2024 season opener on May 26, and witness popular off-the-cliff-rounds in Antalya, Turkey, on September 29.
Michal Navratil and cliffs as far as one can see
© Balazs Gardi/Red Bull Content Pool
03
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
The Arch of Cabo San Lucas, or El Arco, is a natural rock formation with a limestone arch emerging from the white sandy beach. Jonathan Paredes and David Colturi used the location as a cliff diving playground for a day in the lead-up to the 2017 season.
Jonathan Paredes launches from the arch of Cabo San Lucas in Mexico
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
04
Polignano a Mare, Italy
The place where houses rise from the rocks and divers enter the platform through a private terrace was on the calendar when it all began in 2009. 2023 was the sixth time in 10 years the competition has been hosted here, and the epic location will welcome the divers back in 2024. Find out more about the 2024 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Polignano a Mare stop right here.
Polignano a Mare – where houses rise from the rocks
© Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool
05
Mount Fuji, Japan
Thirteen-time world champion Orlando Duque travelled to Kumomi at the base of the 3,776m high Mount Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to dive from Ushitsuki Iwa, the Bull's Rock, before the first-ever stop in Japan at Shirahama in 2016.
Picture perfect with Orlando Duque
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
06
Yucatan, Mexico
Rachelle Simpson was crowned as the first-ever female champion at Ik Kil, the Blue Cenote, in 2014. Root-covered walls, crystal-clear waters and lush green vegetation made for a truly photogenic location.
Adriana Jimenez dives in Yucatan
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
07
Dubai, UAE
The 2016 final in Dubai was the first-ever night-time event, where the divers needed to call on all their aerial awareness skills as they leapt from Pier 7 – a circular-designed building with stunning views of the city skyline and the Arabian Gulf. Gary Hunt and Rhiannan Iffland were crowned champions at midnight.
Dive into the night
© Balazs Gardi/Red Bull Content Pool
08
Inis Mor, Ireland
Rough and rugged Inis Mor on the Atlantic coast of Ireland provided a stiff test for the cliff diving elite as they dived into an almost perfectly rectangular sea pool carved out by Mother Nature. The mysterious blowhole of Serpent's Lair allows the ocean water to flow in and out through a network of underwater tunnels and caverns, providing a moving target for the divers. For 2024, the divers will scope out a brand new spot on the equally rugged Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland as the World Series prepares for diving in the wild once more. Find out more about the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Causeway Coast stop here.
Rugged beauty at Inis Mor
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
09
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain
The imposing and iconic Guggenheim Museum Bilbao provided the backdrop for the 50th World Series stop in 2015. A huge crowd lined the Nervión river for the season finale, where Steven LoBue won and Gary Hunt was crowned overall champion.
If breathtaking cityscapes are your thing, then you're in for a treat. For 2024, the World Series is swapping out the stunning architecture of Bilbao, mixing architecture and adrenaline at the Norwegian Red Bull Cliff Diving stop in Oslo, the first ever Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Montreal, Canada, and the cliff diving finale in Sydney too.
Dropping into the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
10
New York, USA
Diving locations don't come much more special than this one – a 'leap of freedom'. On August 19, 2013, just as dawn was breaking in the city that never sleeps, Orlando Duque leapt into the New York Harbour in front of the Statue of Liberty. This season, there will be plenty of stateside diving action once again, when the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series returns to Boston on June 8.
Flying back to NY with Orlando Duque
© Brian Nevins/Red Bull Content Pool
11
Vila Franca do Campo, Azores, Portugal
Arguably the purest cliff diving spot of them all. Once again, in 2018, the World Series returned to the volcanic archipelago in the mid-Atlantic, where divers leapt directly off the rocks at different take-off points.
Spot the diver – the towering Islet Franco do Campo
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
Hong Island, Krabi, Thailand
Number 1 in the countdown, and it's not hard to see why. Hong Island was part of an 'island-hopping' stop for the 2013 final, as divers leapt directly off the rocks into the beautiful Andaman Sea. The rock summits off the coast of Krabi are a geological wonder with limestone cliffs that formed 300 million years ago, preceding human habitation that dates back around 40,000 years, and many have not yet been touched by human feet.
And the winner is... Hong Island, Krabi, Thailand! An island paradise
© Dean Treml/Red Bull Content Pool
More cliff diving to enjoy
The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series returns with eight incredible locations for 2024, kicking off in Athens, Greece, on May 26.
Be sure to download the free Red Bull TV app and catch unmissable action on all your devices! Get the app here.
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