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Top Ten Strangest Places To Drive in the World (3)
Part 3
9. The North Yungas Road, Bolivia
Fasten your seatbelts for a bumpy ride on what is widely regarded as the world’s scariest road…
The Science: The North Yungas Road is a chilling 70km stretch of road linking La Paz to Coroico. On exiting La Paz, the road elevates up to 5km, before descending sharply to 330m. The road itself has a turbulent history. Paraguayan prisoners built the road in the 1930s while the Chaco War was raging. The lack of guardrails and single lane width makes the road extremely dangerous. The road is subject to frequent landslides due to rainy weather. In 1995, the inter-American Development Bank labelled the North Yungas Road as “the world’s most dangerous road.” This notoriety has led to it becoming a macabre tourist destination for thrill seekers and mountain bike enthusiasts looking for intense downhill challenges.
Directions: Extreme caution is advised when negotiating the North Yungas Road. Local road rules state that downhill drivers never have the right of way and must move to the road’s outer edge. This forces drivers to stop so that over-taking can be safely completed.
10. Monumental Axis, Brasilia, Brazil
Experience rush hour like you’ve never seen it on the world’s widest road.
The Science: The Monumental Axis, Eixo Monumental describes the two parallel expressways which cut through the Plan Pilot of Brasilia from East to West. The name was chosen due to the close proximity of many of Brazil’s monuments to the Axis. The double six lane high-way has given rise to many myths, the most popular of which makes claim that up to 160 cars can drive side by side on the Monumental Axis!
Directions: The road starts in Three Powers Square and then goes westwards in the direction of the interstate bus station. The Monumental Axis crosses with the Eixão at the centre of town.
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