rufmita: "Big water"

I've been doing a little research on Iguazu Falls and I think the reason that it is so awesome is a couple of things... First of all the park is clean, well managed, organized and self explanatory, which if you've done any traveling in South America you know is a rarity. The second reason is that on the Brazilian side you see the panoramic view of the falls (they boast that at one point you can be surrounded by 260 degrees of waterfalls.) There is a system of 275 falls and each time you turn a corner of the trail in Brazil, you see section after section, hence my 200 photos. The third reason is that in 30 minutes you can drive across the border into Argentina and be within the falls, up close and personal, and wet. Iguazu is accessible.

Now, it is a pain in the ass to get to initially, especially if you are carrying a US Passport. The location is a bit in the middle of nowhere and bordering not only Brazil and Argentina, but very close to Paraguay. I chose to skip Paraguay to avoid additional visa costs, as the Brazil visa alone was $140. Having said that, seeing Iguazu Falls was totally worth every penny, especially experiencing both sides. I met people that were skipping the Brazil side because of the visa, don't do that. There is a small airport on each side and I found it was cheaper to fly into the Brazil side, although it took 4 different planes to get there from Bolivia.

Statistically Iguazu is taller than Niagara Falls and twice as wide, however Niagara has a greater flow rate than Iguazu. The earth in this area opened up as a result of a volcanic eruption and the water started working its magic of erosion. Iguazu is in my top 5 favorite places that I've visited so far. In fact, I think I enjoyed Iguazu better than Machu Picchu. Get out that piggy bank and start saving for the trip of a lifetime!