Every trip needs a central destination or attraction. One of the best choices for a destination is a natural wonder—something massive, majestic, and inspiring. A waterfall fits the bill for all three! Waterfalls provide glorious views, great photo opportunities, and a moment to reflect on the beauty and grandeur of nature. Here are four of the best waterfalls to visit in the whole wide world. Mark them down for your next itinerary.
Niagara Falls
These falls aren’t just for honeymoons and going over in a barrel. Niagara Falls may not have the height of some of the other waterfalls on this list, but they do convey a feeling of power. Comprised of three different waterfalls in all, Niagara sits between the United States and Canada. Horseshoe Falls is the largest of the three, with water tumbling down 614 feet into the gorgeous Niagara Gorge. The two other falls, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, are on the American side and provide their own scaled-down but breathtaking beauty. You can view all three from the New York and Canadian sides—with some locations providing a wet-and-wild view that requires a raincoat.
Rainbow Falls
Surrounded by lush vegetation, Hawaii’s Rainbow Falls—also known by its original local name, Waiānuenue—provide an exquisite view. Deriving its name from the way the waterfall’s mist prisms into a beautiful collection of colors, these waterfalls pour into a gorge gorgeously framed by the surrounding tropical forest and a lava cave, which, as legend tells it, is the home of a powerful Hawaiian goddess named Hina. As one of the wettest places in the world, Hawaii offers other waterfalls as well, including ‘Akaka Falls and Pe’epe’e Falls. Right after diving in the ocean, it’s the next best way to enjoy the waters of Hawai’i!
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe is the largest waterfall in the entire world. Also known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “Thundering Smoke,” and Shungu Namutitima, or “Boiling Water,” in the local languages, these falls are at least a mile across and 350 feet high. Some people even refer to them as the Place of Rainbows, not only because of the sunlight during the day but also because of the moonlight at night. Another special once-in-a-lifetime place to experience is the Devil’s Pool, a pool of water at the top of the falls with a natural barrier that prevents you from going over the falls.
Gullfloss
The last of the four best waterfalls to visit in the whole wide world is Gullfloss (or “Golden Falls”), a series of glorious cascading waterfalls that pour the contents of Iceland’s Hvítá River into a vast canyon. The amount of water is so large that the area resounds with the sound and the earth shakes. Truly a one-of-a-kind site in a one-of-a-kind place, Gullfloss and the surrounding area are sure to startle and astonish you.
