5 of the World’s Most Spectacular Waterfalls

Iguaçu Falls. Located between Brazil and Argentina, Iguaçu’s spectacular 275 falls average 210 feet in height, and you can see them all by walking along a wooden boardwalk. The most spectacular, Devil’s Throat Falls, is 269 feet high, 492 feet wide and 2,300 feet long—big enough to soak through your plastic poncho as well as put the fear of the devil in you.

Victoria Falls. Wedged between Zimbabwe and Zambia, Victoria Falls is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. They’re often called the biggest because their combined height and width creates the world’s largest sheet of flowing water. Every minute, 546 million cubic meters of water plummet over the edge.

Niagara Falls. This is actually three falls—American, Bridal Veil and Horseshoe—and the best place to view them is from the Canadian side. Climb down through the tunnels to experience Horseshoe Falls pounding next to you through either the open window or the slippery viewing platform.

Sutherland Falls. Hikers on the famous Milford Sound Trek in New Zealand can take a 90-minute out-and-back detour to this Lord-of-the-Rings-worthy waterfall. Located in some of the planet’s most pristine rainforest, the 1,904-foot-high Sutherland tumbles down in three cascades of 818 feet, 751 feet and 338 feet.

Angel Falls. Named after Jimmie Angel, the first to fly over these falls in an airplane, Angel Falls is in a remote jungle area of Venezuela and remains reachable only by air. It’s worth the effort, as this is the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall—3,212 feet. The water plunges over the edge of a mountain in Canaima National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.