Top 10 Most Stunning Ocean Bridges Around the World

The Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge, also known as the Penang Second Bridge, is a cable-stayed bridge connecting Batu Kawan on the mainland to Batu Maung on Penang Island. Spanning a total of 24 kilometers, with 17 kilometers crossing the strait, the bridge cost 4.5 billion RM (approximately 1.5 billion USD) and is the longest bridge in Southeast Asia. Designed with environmental considerations, it can withstand seismic shocks up to 8.2 on the Richter scale, with an epicenter 300 kilometers away. Featuring two lanes for cars and one lane for motorcycles, the bridge sees 100,000 vehicles per day and alleviates 25% of the traffic on the old Penang Bridge. The Penang Second Bridge is the second bridge to connect the island with the mainland, after the first Penang Bridge, which was opened on September 14, 1985. With a total length of 24 kilometers (15 miles), including 16.9 kilometers (10.5 miles) over water, it is the longest cable-stayed bridge in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. The Penang Second Bridge is a pride for the people of Penang, and visitors can view the bridge as they approach Penang’s coastline. Now a heavily trafficked bridge, it stretches 8,320 meters and is considered the third largest suspension bridge in the world, with numerous giant wheels under its arch, and smaller tourist boats ferrying passengers between the island and Penang daily.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is considered one of the world’s seven greatest engineering marvels and serves as the only direct connection between the Eastern Shore and Virginia, south of Hampton Roads. Opened on April 15, 1964, the bridge stretches a total of 32 kilometers and includes four traffic lanes. It seamlessly combines a 19-kilometer bridge with two 1.6-kilometer tunnels, four artificial islands, 3.2 kilometers of elevated roadway, and 8.8 kilometers of access roads. Since its opening, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel has drawn countless visitors. It also stands as one of the longest bridges in the United States. In addition to its engineering wonders, the bridge includes four artificial islands and offers spectacular views, attracting tourists from all over.

The Donghai Bridge is a major bridge located in the East China Sea and is the first ocean-spanning bridge in China, linking the mainland city of Shanghai to the Yangshan Port. The bridge opened on December 10, 2005, and stretches a total of 32.5 kilometers, featuring several cable-stayed sections allowing large vessels to pass through, with the longest span reaching 420 meters. The bridge is designed in an 'S' shape, with three distinct sections: a 3.7-kilometer land-based portion, a 25.3-kilometer stretch from Luchaogang to Dawugui Island, and a -kilometer section connecting Dawugui Island to Xiaoyangshan Island. The Donghai Bridge greatly improved traffic flow in Shanghai.

At the time of its completion, the Donghai Bridge was the world’s longest ocean bridge until the Hangzhou Bay Bridge opened on May 1, 2008. The bridge is mainly built at a low elevation, with several cable-stayed spans allowing large ships to pass under, the longest of which is 420 meters. Prior to the opening of the Hangzhou Bay Bridge, the Donghai Bridge held the record for the world’s longest ocean bridge. Strict regulations prohibit vehicles exceeding certain weight limits from crossing. A visit to Asia wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the grandeur of this impressive bridge.

Rio-Niterói Bridge is a box girder bridge spanning Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the longest prestressed concrete bridge in the Southern Hemisphere and the sixth longest in the world, connecting the city of Rio de Janeiro with Niterói. The bridge opened on March 4, 1974, and was officially named 'President Costa e Silva Bridge' in honor of the Brazilian president who initiated the project. The bridge spans 13 kilometers, with 8.8 kilometers over water. Its main span rises 72 meters above the water, allowing hundreds of ships to pass through each month. It handles around 140,000 vehicles daily.

Officially known as the President Costa e Silva Bridge, but commonly referred to as the Rio-Niterói Bridge, it was once the second longest bridge in the world until 1985, surpassed only by the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. The bridge project was symbolically launched on August 23, 1968, with the presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during their first visit to Brazil. Actual construction began in January 1969.

Confederation Bridge is one of the longest ice bridges in the world, connecting Prince Edward Island to the mainland of New Brunswick in eastern Canada. It stands as one of the greatest engineering feats of Canada in the 20th century.

Opened on May 31, 1997, the bridge was built at a cost of $1.3 billion and spans 12.9 kilometers (8 miles). It is the longest ice bridge in the world. The Canadian seas around the bridge are frozen for most of the year, with only a brief summer and autumn. Once the ice thaws, visitors can enjoy a stunning view of the blue sea and golden sunlight from the bridge.

Constructed over four years from 1993 to 1997 at a cost of $1.3 billion, the bridge is named the Confederation Bridge in honor of the historic 1864 conference held on Prince Edward Island, where the provinces of Canada met to form a unified country. The island is known as the 'Birthplace of Confederation.' The bridge has greatly facilitated travel, reducing travel time between the island and mainland. Since its opening, it has won numerous prestigious awards. Traveling across Canada’s eastern and western coasts allows you to experience this magnificent bridge firsthand.

King Fahd Causeway is a bridge that connects Saudi Arabia with the island nation of Bahrain. Officially opened on November 26, 1986, the bridge stretches 28 kilometers and features four lanes, with a total cost of $1.2 billion, fully funded by Saudi Arabia. The construction of the bridge was initiated by the Saudi King to strengthen the bond between the two kingdoms and to provide the most efficient route for economic development and connectivity for the people of both nations.

The bridge is designed in an S-shape and consists of three sections. The first section, which is 3.7 kilometers long, runs along the land. The second section stretches about 25.3 kilometers from Luchaogang Dam to Dawugui Island. The final section spans kilometers from Dawugui Island to Xiaoyangshan Island.

Akashi Kaikyō Bridge, also known as the Pearl Bridge, opened on April 5, 1998. Spanning a total length of 3,911 meters, with a main span of 1,991 meters and two side spans of 960 meters each, this bridge features two rigid deck systems with joints, allowing it to withstand wind speeds up to 286 km/h (178 mph) and earthquakes up to magnitude 8.5 on the Richter scale. The construction cost was estimated at around 500 billion yen (approximately 5 billion USD), which will be recovered through toll fees.

The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge is a suspension bridge in Japan that crosses the vast Akashi Strait, linking Maiko in Kobe with Iwaya on Awaji Island. It is part of the Honshu–Shikoku Highway. The bridge crosses the Naruto Strait, famous for its violent tidal whirlpools that disrupted life, trade, and communication in the area. Before the bridge, ferries were the only way to cross the strait, but the area was notorious for its storms. In 1955, two ferries sank during a storm, killing 168 people and leading to a national tragedy. This incident prompted the Japanese government to initiate the bridge's construction, and after years of planning and research, thousands of engineers worked tirelessly to make it a reality.

The project, which took over three decades of planning, design, and funding, was completed after 10 years of construction, beginning in 1988. The bridge, with six lanes, now connects Akashi with Awaji Island, and significantly shortens the travel time between Honshu and Shikoku. Traveling from Kobe to Awaji Island is now cut in half, and the journey from Osaka to Tokushima now takes just 1 hour and 40 minutes, compared to the previous 3-hour ferry ride.

In 2011, China inaugurated the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, a T-shaped structure connecting the port city of Qingdao to the Huangdao Island airport. With a total length of 41.58 km and six lanes, the bridge is supported by over 5,000 pylons. It has shortened the distance between the two locations by 30 kilometers, reducing travel time from 40 minutes to around 20 minutes.

The Jiaozhou Bay Bridge holds the Guinness World Record for the longest bridge over water, spanning a total of 36.48 km with eight lanes of traffic. Impressively, China completed the bridge in just four years, at a cost of $1.8 billion USD. Approximately 30,000 vehicles pass over the bridge daily, significantly contributing to the city’s traffic flow and tourism, particularly for Asian tour groups.

After the completion of the world’s longest sea bridge, the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, China also marked the inauguration of this coastal crossing, linking Qingdao with Huangdao Island in Shandong Province. Visitors can experience the world's longest over-water bridge firsthand through China’s tourism programs.

The Oresund Bridge is a remarkable feat of engineering, combining an 8 km cable-stayed bridge and a 4 km underwater tunnel, linking Copenhagen in Denmark with Malmö in Sweden. Designed by Danish architect George K.S. Rotne, this bridge opened on July 1, 2000, and features both a 4-lane highway and a dedicated rail track, making cross-border travel and commuting between the two nations seamless.

Built on massive pillars, the bridge includes a 490-meter central span held by cable-stayed towers rising 20 meters above sea level, with 80 cables spaced 12 meters apart. This suspension span is the longest of its kind in the world, sitting 57 meters above average sea level to allow ships to pass beneath. However, most vessels navigate through the western channel, where there are no bridges, but four tunnels instead.

Stretching from Lemarken in southern Malmö to the artificial island of Peberholm, the bridge spans 7.85 km, with 5.35 km in Sweden and 2.5 km in Denmark. The upper deck is a European highway (E20) with four lanes for cars, while the lower deck accommodates two rail tracks. Construction began in 1995, and the final section was completed on August 14, 1999, with a grand opening ceremony on July 1, 2000, attended by the royal families of Denmark and Sweden. A visit to this stunning and unique structure offers not just a scenic experience but a glimpse into the economic boom it has brought to the surrounding regions of both countries.

The Seven Mile Bridge is one of the longest and most iconic bridges in the world, located in the Florida Keys. Spanning across vast waters, it connects Knight’s Key in the Middle Keys with Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. When it was completed in 1982, it was the longest concrete bridge globally, and it remains one of the longest in the United States. The bridge consists of two separate bridges in the same location. The original bridge, known as the Knights Key - Pigeon Key - Moser Channel - Pacet Channel Bridge, was built between 1909 and 1912 as part of a railroad route across the sea. After severe damage from the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, the bridge was repurposed for automobile traffic, with sections being dismantled, painted white, and reused as guardrails. It also featured a drawbridge to allow for boat passage. After further damage from Hurricane Donna in 1960, the decision was made to build a larger and more robust bridge beside it, which was completed between 1978 and 1982. Once finished, the original bridge was removed from Florida's transportation system. Most of the original bridge still exists and is now used as a fishing pier and access to Pigeon Key.

The new bridge stretches 6.79 miles (10.93 km), shorter than the original. Every month, the bridge closes for approximately 2.5 hours on Saturdays for the “Seven Mile Bridge Run,” an event that commemorates the bridge’s reconstruction, attracting around 1,500 runners. This event began in 1982 and has been supported by oil magnate Henry Flagler since the 1990s through his Overseas Railroad fund. While the old bridge remains a popular spot for locals and tourists, it is slowly deteriorating due to saltwater and storms. Most of the old bridge is now closed, but a 2.2-mile stretch remains open for pedestrians and cyclists.