Situated on the tri-border between Argentina, Brasil and Paraguay lies the Cataratas del Iguazú or Cataratas do Iguaçu, depending on which side of the (language) border you’re on. Opinion is divided on which side of Iguazu Falls is better, but there is no doubt that they are one of the best waterfalls in the world along with Niagara Falls in North America and Victoria Falls in Africa.

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I took the overnight bus from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazu, the Argentine town built on the back of tourism to the Falls, and used it as my base to experience the Falls, because as an Australian you need a visa for Brasil, but not for Argentina. I was fortunate enough to actually have a Brasilian visa because of the World Cup so I visited both sides of the Falls, but I’ve heard stories of people getting into Brasil for the day to visit the Falls without having one.

I was advised to visit the Brasilian side of the Falls first because they only take half a day to visit and give you a great overall view of the sheer size and magnitude of the Falls. Fortunately, I took an extra pair of clothes because I got absolutely soaked! Ponchos and raincoats are redundant with the Falls’ powerful sprays.

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Day two was visiting the Falls from the Argentine side, and after a short taxi ride to the national park I jumped onto a speed boat to get up-close and personal with the beautiful Falls. The captain steered us into what seemingly felt like the ‘drop zone’ of the Falls, and with the power of the water, it was almost impossible to open your eyes! I should have packed goggles. The rest of the day was spent walking around the national park viewing the Falls from various angles and vantage points.

I’ve been to Niagara Falls, but the number of falls and size of Iguazu is something to behold. Its beauty, although muddy water due to rainfall in the preceding days, is truly remarkable and something that I can definitely recommend. Now for the rest of the photos…

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