The best roads in the world to drive on
For me, the best romantic outing would be driving a Saab 9-5/ Ford Mustang/ Porsche Carrera with a suitcase at the back with the betterhalf in the passenger seat. What fun would it be driving on an endless road with the car engine's sweet roaring sound silencing everything else around and selected music playing on the sound system? So that got me thinking, where to find such top motorable roads? Here is a list I compiled after some research.
1. Autobahn, Germany- Autobahn is the word used to describe highways in Germany,Austria and Switzerland. Autobahns are the defacto definition for motoring fun in consumer automobiles. Entry to these highways is retricted to 60kmph for Germany and 80kmph for Switzerland. Previously Autobahns in Germany did not have any speed limits but off late German authorities have put up suggested speed limit at 130kmph. Not having crossings on these highways is a plus.
2. Florida Keys, United States- If I were to make a list of places to live, Florida Keys would definitely feature somewhere in the top ten. No wonder the Overseas highway lies here. The overseas highway is a 205km long stretch of highway passing through the Keys. Large parts of it were built on the former right-of-way of the overseas Railroad, the key west Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway. Completed in 1912, the Overseas Railroad was heavily damaged and partially destroyed in the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. The Florida East Coast Railway was financially unable to rebuild the destroyed sections, so the roadbed and remaining bridges were sold to the State of Florida for $640,000.
3. The Great Ocean Road, Australia- One of the better known landmarks in Australia, The Great Ocean Road has loads to offer to those who travel on it. The London arch, Twelve Apostles and other coastal wonders make it worth the while. The 243 kilometer road is also the largest War memorial dedicated to the casualties of world war I.
4. Millau Viaduct, France- How about a nice drive on the tallest bridge in the world? That's the Millau Viaduct for you. The Viaduct is part of the A75-A71 autoroute axis from Paris to Montpellier. Approximately 2.5 kms long, it is the worlds longest cable stayed deck. The construction of this bridge is also a story in itself and various documentaries have been made on it.
5. North Yungas, Bolivia- The North Yungas Road (alternatively known as Grove's Road, Coroico Road, Camino de las Yungas, El Camino de la Muerte, Road of Death or Death Road) is a 61-kilometre (38 mi) or 69-kilometre (43 mi) road leading from La Paz to Coroico. It is legendary for its extreme danger and in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank christened it as the "world's most dangerous road". It is one of the few routes that connects the Amazon Rainforest region of northern Bolivia, or Yungas, to its capital city. Upon leaving La Paz, the road first ascends to around 4,650 metres (15,260 ft) at La Cumbre Pass, before descending to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) at the town of Coroico, transiting quickly from cool Altiplano terrain to rainforest as it winds through very steep hillsides and atop cliffs.
6. Atlantic Road, Norway- Atlanterhavsveien or The Atlantic Road connects the village of Karvag on the island of Averoya to Vevang in Eide on the Romsdal Peninsula on the mainland. It is part of the road which connect the cities of Kristiansund and Molde through the Atlantic Ocean Tunnel.(The inland connection between those two cities is the Krifast bridge/tunnel system.) The 8.3-kilometre (5.2 mi) long road is built on several small islands and Skerries, and is spanned by eight bridges and several landfills/ Viaducts. The spectacular road quickly became a popular tourist attraction to the extent that caution must be shown when driving it, as both the local population and visitors frequently use the road to go fishing for Cod and other saltwater fish directly from the roadside. The Atlantic Ocean Tunnel is 5,727-metre (18,789 ft) long and reaches a depth of 250 metres (820 ft), making it one of the deepest undersea tunnels in the world.
7. Guoliang Tunel Road, China- The Guoliang Tunnel is carved along the side of and through a mountain in China. The tunnel is located in the Taihang Mountains which are situated in the Henan Province of China. For once I got to admit that I liked Something Made in China. Before the tunnel was constructed, access to the nearby Guoliang village was limited to a difficult path carved into the mountainside. The village is nestled in a valley surrounded by towering mountains cut off from civilization. In 1972 a group of villagers led by Shen Mingxin decided to carve a road into the side of the mountain. They raised money to purchase hammers and steel tools. Thirteen villagers began the project.
8. Transfagarasanul Road, Romania - Romania is definitely not on the top of the tourism charts. But if the tourists visit the country, They should definitely pass through this road once. The Transfagarasanul is the most dramatic and second-highest paved road in Romanaia. Built as a strategic military route, the 90 km of twists and turns run north to south across the tallest sections of the Southern Carpathians, between the highest peak in the country, Moldoveanu, and the second highest, Negoiu. The road connects the historic regions of Transylvania and Wallachia, and the cities of Sibiu and Pitesti. The road also provides access to Balea Lake and Bâlea Waterfall.
9. Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road, UAE- Apart from gold, UAE is mostly famous for its modern architectural wonders. The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road extends for 7.3 mi (11.7 km) up the mountain, rising 4,000 ft (1,219 m). With 21 corners and three lanes (two climbing and one descending), the immaculate road has been called the greatest driving road in the world. The road scales the mountain and ends at a parking lot with only a hotel and a palace belonging to the country's rulers.
10. Col De Turini- No wonder Peugeot/ Citroen and Renault cars are the best when it comes to performance at the various races. France has some of the best roads to offer testing conditions. Col de Turini is a high mountain pass in the Alps. It is famous for a stage of the Monte Carlo Rally which is held on the tight road with its many hairpin turns. Until a few years ago, the Turini was also driven at night, with thousands of fans watching the "Night of the Long Knives" as it was called, due to the strong high beam lights cutting through the night.
11. Hana Highway, Hawaii- The Hāna Highway', also known as the Hana Belt Road, Hana Road or Road To Hana, is a 68-mile (109 km) long stretch of Hawaii State Highways. Although Hāna is only about 52 miles (84 km) from Kahului, a typical trip to Hāna takes about three hours, as the road is very winding and narrow and passes over 59 bridges, 46 of which are only one-lane bridges. Many of the concrete and steel bridges date back to 1910 and all but one are still in use. That one bridge, badly damaged by erosion, has been replaced by a parallel structure by a portable steel Bailey Bridge erected by the United States Corps of Engieneers. Signs on the old bridge warn pedestrians to stay off due to imminent collapse. Several Attractions are available on the way including the Seven sacred pools and Wailua waterfalls.
12. Red Rock Road, United States- State Route 159 or popularly known as Red Rock Road is a 31.003-mile (49.894 km) east–west highway in southern Nevada, primarily serving the Las Vegas area. A portion of the west end of the route is designated a Nevada Scenic Byway.
Source of information - http://www.wikipedia.com/
2. Florida Keys, United States- If I were to make a list of places to live, Florida Keys would definitely feature somewhere in the top ten. No wonder the Overseas highway lies here. The overseas highway is a 205km long stretch of highway passing through the Keys. Large parts of it were built on the former right-of-way of the overseas Railroad, the key west Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway. Completed in 1912, the Overseas Railroad was heavily damaged and partially destroyed in the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. The Florida East Coast Railway was financially unable to rebuild the destroyed sections, so the roadbed and remaining bridges were sold to the State of Florida for $640,000.
3. The Great Ocean Road, Australia- One of the better known landmarks in Australia, The Great Ocean Road has loads to offer to those who travel on it. The London arch, Twelve Apostles and other coastal wonders make it worth the while. The 243 kilometer road is also the largest War memorial dedicated to the casualties of world war I.
4. Millau Viaduct, France- How about a nice drive on the tallest bridge in the world? That's the Millau Viaduct for you. The Viaduct is part of the A75-A71 autoroute axis from Paris to Montpellier. Approximately 2.5 kms long, it is the worlds longest cable stayed deck. The construction of this bridge is also a story in itself and various documentaries have been made on it.
5. North Yungas, Bolivia- The North Yungas Road (alternatively known as Grove's Road, Coroico Road, Camino de las Yungas, El Camino de la Muerte, Road of Death or Death Road) is a 61-kilometre (38 mi) or 69-kilometre (43 mi) road leading from La Paz to Coroico. It is legendary for its extreme danger and in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank christened it as the "world's most dangerous road". It is one of the few routes that connects the Amazon Rainforest region of northern Bolivia, or Yungas, to its capital city. Upon leaving La Paz, the road first ascends to around 4,650 metres (15,260 ft) at La Cumbre Pass, before descending to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) at the town of Coroico, transiting quickly from cool Altiplano terrain to rainforest as it winds through very steep hillsides and atop cliffs.
6. Atlantic Road, Norway- Atlanterhavsveien or The Atlantic Road connects the village of Karvag on the island of Averoya to Vevang in Eide on the Romsdal Peninsula on the mainland. It is part of the road which connect the cities of Kristiansund and Molde through the Atlantic Ocean Tunnel.(The inland connection between those two cities is the Krifast bridge/tunnel system.) The 8.3-kilometre (5.2 mi) long road is built on several small islands and Skerries, and is spanned by eight bridges and several landfills/ Viaducts. The spectacular road quickly became a popular tourist attraction to the extent that caution must be shown when driving it, as both the local population and visitors frequently use the road to go fishing for Cod and other saltwater fish directly from the roadside. The Atlantic Ocean Tunnel is 5,727-metre (18,789 ft) long and reaches a depth of 250 metres (820 ft), making it one of the deepest undersea tunnels in the world.
7. Guoliang Tunel Road, China- The Guoliang Tunnel is carved along the side of and through a mountain in China. The tunnel is located in the Taihang Mountains which are situated in the Henan Province of China. For once I got to admit that I liked Something Made in China. Before the tunnel was constructed, access to the nearby Guoliang village was limited to a difficult path carved into the mountainside. The village is nestled in a valley surrounded by towering mountains cut off from civilization. In 1972 a group of villagers led by Shen Mingxin decided to carve a road into the side of the mountain. They raised money to purchase hammers and steel tools. Thirteen villagers began the project.
8. Transfagarasanul Road, Romania - Romania is definitely not on the top of the tourism charts. But if the tourists visit the country, They should definitely pass through this road once. The Transfagarasanul is the most dramatic and second-highest paved road in Romanaia. Built as a strategic military route, the 90 km of twists and turns run north to south across the tallest sections of the Southern Carpathians, between the highest peak in the country, Moldoveanu, and the second highest, Negoiu. The road connects the historic regions of Transylvania and Wallachia, and the cities of Sibiu and Pitesti. The road also provides access to Balea Lake and Bâlea Waterfall.
9. Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road, UAE- Apart from gold, UAE is mostly famous for its modern architectural wonders. The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road extends for 7.3 mi (11.7 km) up the mountain, rising 4,000 ft (1,219 m). With 21 corners and three lanes (two climbing and one descending), the immaculate road has been called the greatest driving road in the world. The road scales the mountain and ends at a parking lot with only a hotel and a palace belonging to the country's rulers.
10. Col De Turini- No wonder Peugeot/ Citroen and Renault cars are the best when it comes to performance at the various races. France has some of the best roads to offer testing conditions. Col de Turini is a high mountain pass in the Alps. It is famous for a stage of the Monte Carlo Rally which is held on the tight road with its many hairpin turns. Until a few years ago, the Turini was also driven at night, with thousands of fans watching the "Night of the Long Knives" as it was called, due to the strong high beam lights cutting through the night.
11. Hana Highway, Hawaii- The Hāna Highway', also known as the Hana Belt Road, Hana Road or Road To Hana, is a 68-mile (109 km) long stretch of Hawaii State Highways. Although Hāna is only about 52 miles (84 km) from Kahului, a typical trip to Hāna takes about three hours, as the road is very winding and narrow and passes over 59 bridges, 46 of which are only one-lane bridges. Many of the concrete and steel bridges date back to 1910 and all but one are still in use. That one bridge, badly damaged by erosion, has been replaced by a parallel structure by a portable steel Bailey Bridge erected by the United States Corps of Engieneers. Signs on the old bridge warn pedestrians to stay off due to imminent collapse. Several Attractions are available on the way including the Seven sacred pools and Wailua waterfalls.
12. Red Rock Road, United States- State Route 159 or popularly known as Red Rock Road is a 31.003-mile (49.894 km) east–west highway in southern Nevada, primarily serving the Las Vegas area. A portion of the west end of the route is designated a Nevada Scenic Byway.
Source of information - http://www.wikipedia.com/
wow... I didnt realize how extreme these roads were.. wish i could have a 3D tour
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