Nature has created numerous waterfalls around the world. I have selected 12 wonderful ones from these!
Table of Contents
12 wonderful waterfalls in the world
Plitvice Waterfalls
One of Croatia’s most famous and spectacular natural wonders, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979.
The waterfall system consists of 16 lakes and more than 90 waterfalls that formed in the Korana River’s catchment area. The lakes and waterfalls are almost transparently clear, with emerald green and turquoise blue colors. The park has well-built paths and wooden bridges, with several routes to choose from.
At the end of the tour, you can see the largest waterfall, Veliki slap. At 78 meters high, it offers a stunning sight, especially during spring and autumn when the water flow is particularly abundant.
Trip to Europe’s most beautiful waterfall
Iguazu Falls
One of the world’s largest and most spectacular waterfall systems is located on the border of Argentina and Brazil, at the confluence of the Paraná and Iguazu rivers.
It’s not a single waterfall, but consists of more than 275 separate falls and cascades over a 2.7 km stretch, varying in height and width. Its highest and most iconic part is the Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo), which is a U-shaped waterfall 82 meters high and 150 meters wide.
On the Argentine side, paths and bridges in Iguazu National Park lead directly to the top of the falls. On the Brazilian side, in Iguaçu National Park, you can admire the panorama of the waterfall system.
Chamarel
One of Mauritius’s most famous natural attractions is located near the famous Chamarel Earth.
The waterfall is about 83 meters high and cascades down a steep basalt rock wall. It is fed by the St. Denis and Viande Salée rivers, which flow through a lush tropical rainforest. Its surroundings have unique biodiversity, including rare and endemic species such as the pink pigeon.
It can be admired from several locations. The most popular viewpoints offer breathtaking panoramas from the top of the waterfall and from locations near its base.
Niagara Falls
Located on the US–Canada border, this is one of the world’s most famous waterfalls.
It consists of three main parts: the Horseshoe, American, and Bridal Veil Falls. The largest is the Horseshoe Falls, located in Canada. It is approximately 790 meters wide, 57 meters high, and carries 90% of the Niagara River’s water.
The most popular activity is the Maid of the Mist boat trip. This takes you right to the middle of the horseshoe section, where the cascading water mass provides a monumental sight.
Gocta Falls
The uniqueness of this waterfall in Peru is that it remained unknown for centuries and was only discovered recently.
Located in the Andes near the Amazon, it is surrounded by a beautiful tropical rainforest. At 771 meters high, with a free fall of 540 meters, it is the world’s tenth highest waterfall and one of South America’s highest-dropping waterfalls. Gocta falls in two stages, first a smaller drop followed by a larger one.
It remained unknown to the outside world for a long time. Although indigenous people had known about the waterfall for centuries, locals kept it hidden from tourists. In 2005, a German researcher, Stefan Ziemendorff, discovered the waterfall based on local accounts, making it known worldwide.
Goðafoss
Iceland has many waterfalls, but this one stands out even with its name: it means „waterfall of the gods”.
About 12 meters high, while not towering, its semicircular shape and powerful water flow make it extremely spectacular. Located among volcanic landscapes, the rocks rising in the background provide a unique sight.
It’s easily accessible from Route 1, which has made it one of Iceland’s most popular waterfalls.
Most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland
Huangguoshu Waterfall
One of China’s most famous and largest waterfalls, also known as the „Golden Fruit Tree Waterfall”.
At 78 meters high and 101 meters wide, it is one of Asia’s widest waterfalls. Fed by the Baishui River, which carved its bed between volcanic rocks, it offers a stunning sight. One of its greatest attractions is that visitors can walk directly behind the waterfall through a natural cave.
The waterfall is an integral part of China’s cultural and literary heritage. Many poets and painters have immortalized it in their works, making it one of the inspirations for Chinese landscape painting and poetry.
Vøringsfossen
It has become a symbol of the Norwegian fjord region and attracts tens of thousands of tourists annually with its stunning beauty and location.
At 182 meters high, with a free fall of 145 meters, the waterfall plunges between the rocks of Måbødalen Valley, famous for its steep canyons and scenic views.
A steel bridge spans above the waterfall, offering excellent views of the water and landscape. Marked walking paths also lead to various points of the waterfall, allowing closer observation.
Kegon Falls
Located near Nikko city in Japan, it is ranked among the country’s „three most beautiful waterfalls”.
Created by the overflow of Lake Chuzenji, it cascades down a steep basalt wall. The 97-meter-high waterfall offers amazing views, and a special elevator takes visitors to its base for an even more beautiful perspective.
It has been an inspiration for Japanese art and poetry for centuries. Its name, „Kegon” is connected to Buddhist teachings.
Yosemite Falls
It’s not only an iconic attraction of Yosemite National Park but also of the USA.
At 739 meters high, it is divided into three sections. Upper Yosemite Falls is 435 meters high, the largest section. The middle section consists of several smaller falls, totaling 206 meters. Lower Yosemite Falls is 98 meters high and easily accessible to visitors.
Yosemite Falls is fed by snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada mountains. The water flow is seasonal: most intense during spring snowmelt, while by late summer the waterfall might completely dry up.
Ban Gioc-Detian Falls
Located on the Vietnam-China border, this attraction is the world’s fourth-largest border waterfall.
Its total width reaches 200 meters and consists of multiple cascading sections. The waterfall is surrounded by lush green vegetation, rice fields, and fairy-tale limestone mountains. Tourists can approach it by bamboo rafts, which provides a unique experience.
During the rainy season (May to September), the waterfall is most spectacular when the water flow significantly increases.
Victoria Falls
One of the world’s largest waterfalls forms the natural border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Its dimensions are impressive: total height of 108 meters, width of 1,708 meters, making it one of the world’s widest continuous waterfalls. It’s unique in that it forms a complete river cascade that dumps an enormous amount of water into a narrow gorge.
It was discovered for the Western world in 1855 by Scottish explorer David Livingstone, who named it after British Queen Victoria.
