I've seen dozens of waterfalls and as I mentioned once before "you rarely get a sh*t waterfall" (there was one on the Great Ocean Road in Australia actually, as it was literally just a drip of water falling...). But I've narrowed it down to a top three here as these three stand alone as easily the best hat trick of constant dropping water I have seen (I missed Angel Falls/Salto Angel in Venezuela and I haven't yet been to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe/Zambia). In no particular order of wetness...
1. Gullfoss in ICELAND:
Gullfoss could be a surprise inclusion, it could also be unknown. But believe me - if you ever visit Gullfoss you won't forget it. Iceland has a cold, windy, stormy climate and my visit to Gullfoss was a mixture of them all. It was just amazing. An unbelievable flow of endless constant water just runs and runs and you wonder to yourself - where on earth is all that water coming from! At the first sighting of Gullfoss you will be suitably inspired. An amazing place. To get to it, the best idea is to do the Golden Circle Tour when you're in Iceland and your driver will more than likely take you there. Don't miss it - there's also a souvenir shop nearby plus a coffee shop and restaurant.
2. Niagara Falls and Horsehoe Falls (on the border between CANADA and USA):
There is a trend of waterfalls owned by two countries and this one is more commonly known as the Niagara Falls, yet the Horseshoe Falls is also here and they make up the border between the USA and Canada. View it for free from the various viewing platforms in both countries or get on a boat and do the Maid of the Mist tour which is less than $20 Canadian Dollars. I loved it. And I got wet and kept my trademark blue and white poncho!
3. Iguazu Falls (BRAZIL and ARGENTINA):
There seems to be a debate or poll amongst travellers as to which is the best country to view the Iguazu Falls from, Argentina or Brazil. So when I was there I decided I had to see it from both sides of the border. I don't believe that there should be a "better side" to view it from, and having seen it from both I just have to say WOW! These waterfalls are amazing whether viewed from Argentina or Brazil. The Brazil one is slightly dearer to get in. A brief description of each here:
Viewed from Argentina:
To get to the Argentina side catch a bus along Ruta 12 away from Puerto Iguazu town. You can get the bus from the town centre or from a bus stop opposite the Hostel Inn Iguazu. Get an entrance day ticket on arrival. In 2010 this cost me 85Pesos. There are three main things to do once inside: 1. Catch a train to Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) - there's a few kilometres walk to see the falls from there. 2. Do the Upper Walk at the Station Cataratas 3. Do the lower walk at the Station Cataratas. You can also get a boat trip, view animals and there are souvenir shops and restaurants.
From The Brazil Side:
You get up close and personal to the falls on the Brazil side and get a decent viewpoint of the entire falls looking into Argentina. The transport method inside the National Park is all by bus. They drop you off ridiculously close to the falls viewpoints so not much walking is required, however it's worth doing one of the walks. You have to love Iguazu!
One thing to note is that both waterfall viewings whether from Brazil or Argentina will be busy such is the marvel of these natural flows of water.
So those are the top 3 waterfalls I've actually seen. I hope to do more sometime soon as I just love waterfalls!
1. Gullfoss in ICELAND:
Gullfoss could be a surprise inclusion, it could also be unknown. But believe me - if you ever visit Gullfoss you won't forget it. Iceland has a cold, windy, stormy climate and my visit to Gullfoss was a mixture of them all. It was just amazing. An unbelievable flow of endless constant water just runs and runs and you wonder to yourself - where on earth is all that water coming from! At the first sighting of Gullfoss you will be suitably inspired. An amazing place. To get to it, the best idea is to do the Golden Circle Tour when you're in Iceland and your driver will more than likely take you there. Don't miss it - there's also a souvenir shop nearby plus a coffee shop and restaurant.
2. Niagara Falls and Horsehoe Falls (on the border between CANADA and USA):
There is a trend of waterfalls owned by two countries and this one is more commonly known as the Niagara Falls, yet the Horseshoe Falls is also here and they make up the border between the USA and Canada. View it for free from the various viewing platforms in both countries or get on a boat and do the Maid of the Mist tour which is less than $20 Canadian Dollars. I loved it. And I got wet and kept my trademark blue and white poncho!
3. Iguazu Falls (BRAZIL and ARGENTINA):
There seems to be a debate or poll amongst travellers as to which is the best country to view the Iguazu Falls from, Argentina or Brazil. So when I was there I decided I had to see it from both sides of the border. I don't believe that there should be a "better side" to view it from, and having seen it from both I just have to say WOW! These waterfalls are amazing whether viewed from Argentina or Brazil. The Brazil one is slightly dearer to get in. A brief description of each here:
Viewed from Argentina:
To get to the Argentina side catch a bus along Ruta 12 away from Puerto Iguazu town. You can get the bus from the town centre or from a bus stop opposite the Hostel Inn Iguazu. Get an entrance day ticket on arrival. In 2010 this cost me 85Pesos. There are three main things to do once inside: 1. Catch a train to Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) - there's a few kilometres walk to see the falls from there. 2. Do the Upper Walk at the Station Cataratas 3. Do the lower walk at the Station Cataratas. You can also get a boat trip, view animals and there are souvenir shops and restaurants.
From The Brazil Side:
You get up close and personal to the falls on the Brazil side and get a decent viewpoint of the entire falls looking into Argentina. The transport method inside the National Park is all by bus. They drop you off ridiculously close to the falls viewpoints so not much walking is required, however it's worth doing one of the walks. You have to love Iguazu!
One thing to note is that both waterfall viewings whether from Brazil or Argentina will be busy such is the marvel of these natural flows of water.
So those are the top 3 waterfalls I've actually seen. I hope to do more sometime soon as I just love waterfalls!
About the Author:
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