My knees were shaking as I stepped out of the balcony to the jump platform. As I fully planted my feet outside and the door was closed behind me, a strong gust of wind startled me. My legs were starting to turn into Jell-o as I closely joined the other customers near the edge. I slowly started to realize the height of where I was – that in a matter of minutes I would be conquering a feat worth more than I could have ever imagined. 45 minutes later, I looked up at the sky, to the top of the tower, stunned at what I had just done. In that moment, I knew that I had no regrets and believed that I could achieve anything that I wanted to.
The world’s highest commercial jump, AJ Hackett Bungy Jump at Macau Tower, stands at 233m or 764ft high. Credited by the Guinness World Records and highest jumps, AJ Hackett will truly give you an experience you will never forget. Aside from bungy jumping, you can also try other activities like the Tower Climb, Sky Jump, and Sky Walk.
Prior to traveling to Macau, you should make it a point to book your Bungy Jump package through their website. After booking, you will be sent a confirmation along with the time that you have to arrive at the Macau Tower. You are free to ask questions and change schedules according to your preference or availability. The customer inquiry team is very accommodating.
TOP TIPS: Before the jump, prepare yourself physically and mentally. Eat an hour before your scheduled jump to avoid sickness or hunger. Wear thick clothing as it is very cold and windy at the jump platform. Encourage yourself and think of calm thoughts. Do exercises that keep the nerves away. Ponder on a purpose on why you’re doing the jump. Make yourself as proud and as confident as possible.
After arriving at Macau tower, I looked up at the height. My heart was already starting to beat fast. I shrugged it off and just took pictures around and inside the tower. Nearing my confirmed schedule, I went to the AJ Hackett ticket booth. The employee asked for my name and payment. She asked if I was ready and I replied, “I’m really nervous”. She encouraged me, “Good luck. You can do it!” and led me to the elevators to the jump level. Please note that once you pay, there is no refund. There will only be a refund if there are unforeseen circumstances that prevent you from doing your jump like the weather, mechanical problems, etc. In other words: once you pay, there is no turning back.
At the 61st floor (Can you imagine the height? OMG!), I was given a shirt to wear and forms to fill up. After changing my shirt and storing my stuff in a locker, I was introduced to one of the staff members, a Filipino. YAY! After exchanging a few pleasantries and background stories, he took my weight and gave me shoes to wear. He also put on some black belts and bungy jump gear on me. Once done, it was time to step outside.
The nerves were starting to get to me when I stepped outside. The cold wind and the height, weren’t helping. I closed my eyes and breathed hard a few times to calm myself. It was a good thing that almost all of the Bungy Jump staff members were Filipino because it was calming to speak in Tagalog throughout the experience. They were just laughing and teasing me, which eased some of my nerves.
Please note that there is a line of customers waiting to jump when you get outside the platform and it will take around 15-30 minutes for each person to complete his or her Bungy jump experience. So, once you’re outside, you have to wait for around 2-3 people to jump before you get your turn. This is where the anticipation really gets intense. You watch people do what you’re about to do. The waiting, I believe, was one of the most difficult parts of the experience.
Aside from talking and laughing with the Filipino staff, I also had conversations with other customers while waiting. The ones I talked to were from Korea and Japan. We mainly talked about where we were from and what countries we have traveled to.
What surprised me the most, though, was when one Korean opened up on why he was doing the jump. He said that ever since he was a kid, he lacked confidence. He told me that he was always bullied and that he was a very shy person. He wanted to jump because he wanted to become more confident. He wanted to take more risks in life. He wanted to believe in himself more. He said that he was hoping to achieve this through the jump. It’s moments like those that make me realize great things; it also made my experience more worthwhile.
When it was my turn, I joked and told the staff, “Kuya, uwi na ako! Maiwan na ako ng flight ko.” (I have to go home! I have to catch my flight.) He said laughing, “Tara na! Kaya mo yan!” (C’mon! Let’s go! You can do it!)
As he was prepping me, adding more weight and gear, I was starting to get nervous. I was silent and getting numb from the cold and nerves. He noticed this and asked me, “Kamusta ba sa Manila ngayon?” (How is Manila nowadays?) I said, “Traffic! Sobrang traffic” (Traffic! Super traffic!)
He laughed and said, “Wag ka magalala, sa pagtalon mo walang traffic, tuloy tuloy ka lang” (Don’t worry, when you jump, there won’t be any traffic; you’ll just keep falling.)
I laughed and calmed down a bit at his joke. They led me to the small platform and made me take small steps to the edge. HAY. THIS WAS REALLY NERVE WRACKING! I was so overwhelmed with different feelings. Everyone behind me was really supportive; the Filipino staff was encouraging and the other customers were cheering.
When I was at the edge, I started to lose balance. With my nerves and the heavy harness at my feet, I slowly lost control for a second. It’s a good thing the staff was holding the belts at my back. When I regained my composure, the staff told me that they’ll count to 5 and that I have to do all of the instructions said beforehand during the prep.
In my mind, I said to myself, 5 seconds, just count 5 seconds, let the fear in and let go. When they started counting, I raised my arms, ready to fly.
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