• Most Beautiful Waterfalls in the World

•           One of Mother Nature's most soothing yet exhilarating and beautiful creations in the world is the waterfall. There is just something mesmerizing about watching water tumble off a rock face into a pool or raging river beneath. The noise it makes, the sheer volume of water  it's magical. There are thousands and thousands of waterfalls strewn across the world, but not all are created equal.

• 01. Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil

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  Highlight: The world's largest waterfall, stretching for almost three kilometers

  Iguazu Falls is actually a chain of hundreds of individual waterfalls stretched out almost three kilometers to create the world's largest waterfall on the border between Brazil and Argentina on the Iguazu River. The visual and sound effects of all this water tumbling down some 70 meters is truly like nothing else in the world. The surrounding environs of jungly rainforest are equally beautiful, creating a magical memory you won't ever forget. The falls are protected in a national park and can be viewed from either the Argentine or Brazilian side.

  02. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe/Zambia

  

  Highlight: Being a daredevil and taking a swim in Devil's Pool, which is on top of the falls on the Zambian side

  On the Zambezi River between Zimbabwe and Zambia, the UNSECO World Heritage site of Victoria Falls is another of the planet's most beautiful and impressive waterfalls. It's known locally as "The Smoke that Thunders." During the rainy season, you can expect to get soaked walking along the trail on the Zimbabwe side, where the best views of the falls are found. The Zambia side takes you up close and personal with the impressive wall of water that plunges over a 1.7-kilometer-wide precipice that is more than 100 meters deep. You can even swim in Devil's Pool, which is literally at the top of the falls on the Zambian side.

  03. Havasu Falls, Arizona, USA

  

  Highlight: The bright turquoise pool at the bottom of the waterfall plummets over the orange-red cliffs of the Grand Canyon

  Havasu Falls is the most beautiful of the five Havasupai Waterfalls that plummet over orange-red cliffs into bright turquoise-blue pools in a side canyon of the Grand Canyon. The waterfalls are all located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation and can only be accessed via an overnight 10-mile hike that requires advance reservation and payment of fees — no day hiking is allowed, and you must spend at least one night at the campground in the canyon; most people spend three nights. The number of people allowed into the canyon is limited, and there is often a waiting list to experience this bucket-list-worthy waterfall.

  04. Angel Falls, Venezuela

  

  Highlight: It is the highest waterfall in the world at 3,212 feet

  Located in Venezuela, Angels Falls is the world's highest waterfall at a staggering 979 meters or 3,212 feet — this is 15 times higher than Niagara Falls for comparison. The water comes from the Churun River and does a free-fall drop over the edge of a mountain into a set of white water rapids below. There is a second drop of 30 meters just beyond the rapids. To reach the falls, however, is no easy feat. You'll have to first catch a small plane to the town of Canaima, and then it is a one-day boat ride to the falls.

  • 05. Niagara Falls, USA/Canada

  

  
  

  Highlight: Viewing Horseshoe Falls from Cave of the Winds at the waterfall's mid-point

  It isn't the tallest waterfall in the world, but Niagara Falls is certainly impressive in its scope and power. Niagara Falls is comprised of three waterfalls, the largest of which is Horseshoe Falls. Straddling the border between the USA and Canada, the water cascades 614 feet down Niagara Gorge. The falls can be viewed from a number of viewpoints in New York and Ontario. Cave of the Winds is one of the most unique viewpoints. Here, you will descend 175 feet into the Niagara Gorge to experience the power of the falls mid-flow from the Hurricane Deck. You'll be given a rain jacket because you will get wet.

  06. Dudhsagar Falls, India

  

  
  

  Highlight: Drops down more than 1,000 feet in four tiers that are nearly 100 feet wide

  One of India's tallest and most impressive waterfalls, Dudhsagar Falls cascades down more than 1,000 feet in four tiers at nearly 100 feet wide. The speed and force with which the water falls and sprays also gives Dudhsagar Falls its "sea of milk" nickname because this is the illusion it creates dropping into the Mandovi River below. The falls are located in India's Goa province inside the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary, about 60 kilometers from Panjum and 45 kilometers from Mudgaon.

  07. Kaieteur Falls, Guyana

  

  
  

  Highlight: It's the world's highest single-drop waterfall in the world, hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest

  It takes some serious effort to reach Kaieteur Falls, which is hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest in Guyana. But the reward is the world's highest single-drop waterfall at 226 meters or 741 feet. The falls are accessed via regular flights on small planes from the capital city of Georgetown. From the airstrip landing, it's a 15-minute walk to the top of the falls. Some of the best views, however, are seen flying in and out.

  08. Yosemite Falls, California, USA

  

  Highlight: North America's tallest waterfall and the fifth-highest in the world

  Yosemite Falls is the fifth-highest waterfall in the world and the tallest in North America. Located in stunning Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Falls consists of three separate falls with a drop of 2,425 feet that give the illusion of one giant cascade of water. Yosemite Falls is fed by snowmelt, so to see it at its fullest, visit in late spring or early summer when you can hear it thunder from across Yosemite Valley. By late summer, however, Yosemite Falls has dwindled to just a trickle and can go dry by August.

  09. Plitvice Waterfalls, Croatia

  

  
  

  Highlight: The distinct hues of blue and green that can be seen in the waterfalls

  The 16 cascading lakes that make up the Plitvice Waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia are an extraordinary sight. What makes these waterfalls really special though are the distinct shades of blues and greens from aquamarine to emerald and turquoise  that can be seen in the water as it flows over limestone and chalk rocks. All of this is surrounded by a lush green landscape that just makes for a visually stunning tableau. Social media picture-perfect, this park attracts more than one million visitors a year.

  10. Fall Creek Falls, Tennessee, USA

  

  
  

  Highlight: The highest free-fall waterfall east of the Mississippi River in the US

  Dropping for 256 feet, Fall Creek Falls is the highest free-fall waterfall east of the Mississippi River. Located in the eastern portion of the rugged Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, the waterfalls are part of Fall Creek Falls State Park and can be accessed via a three-mile round-trip hike that gains about 715 feet total. Beyond the main falls, the park is home to five other beautiful waterfalls, as well as cascades, gorges, and 34 miles of hiking trails. You can even stay in a cabin or campsite.