8 Most spectacular waterfalls in the world

Grand Beauty: 8 Most spectacular waterfalls in the world

MF editorial team

12 Aug 2016

Take a little break from work and feast your eyes on these captivating cascades.

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Gullfoss Falls, Iceland
Gullfoss Falls, which translates to “Golden Falls”, is one of Iceland’s most popular attractions. Located in Southwest Iceland, the waterfall spans across the entire width of the stunning Hvítá River, featuring two distinct drops in succession at right angles. You can also expect to see some spectacular rainbows in its wafting mist on a relaxing summer afternoon.
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Detian Falls, China and Vietnam
Straddling the border of China and Vietnam lies Detian Falls, presenting a gorgeous Asian landscape of rocky ridges soaring over lush rice paddies. It produces a dream-like mist over the tiers of the wide cascade on the Quy Xuan River. Detian only drops to a measly 98 feet, but it spills ever so mystically down the rocks, which is why size doesn't always matter.
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Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
Speaking of size, we’ll leave it to Croatia to show us how it’s done. Plitvice Lakes National Park is the residence of some of the most scenic waterfalls on the planet, boasting 16 cascading waterfalls in beautiful shades of emerald and turquoise. The surrounding area is home to an abundance of animal species such as bears, fish, and those pesky elves. Just kidding!
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Angel Falls, Venezuela
Venezuela’s magnificent Angel Falls is the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall, clocking in at 3,212 feet. It plunges from a mountain that lies deep in an equatorial rainforest, often shrouded in clouds. The waterfall got its name from a bush pilot called Jimmie Angel, the first person to fly over it and subsequently crash land at the top. Folks were so fascinated by Jimmie’s story, they decided to name this waterfall after him. We’re not kidding this time!
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Manawaiopuna Falls, Hawaii
Due to its starring role in the film Jurassic Park, Manawaiopuna Falls is also referred to as Jurassic Falls. The breathtakingly isolated waterfall of 360 feet that’s located on the island of Kauai in Hawaii used to be a secret waterfall, but once the world caught a glimpse of it on the big screen, people started arriving in crowds to see it in person.
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Victoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Located on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe in Southern Africa, Victoria Falls is believed to be the largest waterfall in the world. As the water falls into the gorge, it creates a mist that rises up more than 100 feet higher than the top of the falls, giving the illusion of smoke rising out of a deep hole in the earth. This is where it gets its apt indigenous name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, which translates to “the smoke that thunders.”
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Seljalandsfoss Falls, Iceland
Iceland’s most famous waterfall Seljalandsfoss Falls drops 200 feet from rocks above into a peaceful pool below. The most special part of Seljalandsfoss? You can hike through the back of the falls and view it from the inside out, which means you can stand alone in a glowing cavern while the sunset shines through the waterfall stream. Just remember to bring a raincoat along.
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Niagara Falls, New York and Ontario
No list of waterfalls would be complete without Niagara Falls, arguably the most popular waterfall on the continent. It receives between 14 and 20 million visitors annually and it has been the ideal location for many daring feats, such as the one performed by Annie Edson Taylor in 1901, which made her the first person to survive a trip over this waterfall in a barrel.

A formidable waterfall is one of the most amazing creations that nature has to offer. The magnificent power of white water surging over cliffs and plunging into the depths below leaves the most mesmerising effect on anyone who has witnessed its glory. You may be familiar with some of the world’s most famous waterfalls, like Niagara and Victoria, but what about Gullfoss or Manawaiopuna?

These waterfalls will definitely take your breath away with their captivating presence and thunderous voices. So, head on up to our gallery to have a look at 8 of our favourite cascading streams from around the globe.

Jade Yeo

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