Legend has it that back in the day there was a beautiful woman called Naipi. She was so beautiful that a god was going to marry her. Naipi loved another, however, and the two sailed off together in a canoe. This royally pissed off the god who was after Naipi. In a truly Trumpian way to react to rejection, and one that is very fitting in this horrible modern age we find ourselves living in, the god sliced the river they sailing on in two. The cut created the Iguazú Falls and the god condemned the two lovers to fall over them forever.

Of course, this is no more than a legend. In truth, an ancient volcanic eruption created the massive crack that the mighty Parana river now flows over in such a beautiful and majestic manner.

For scale, the Iguazu Falls contain up to 300 waterfalls, depending on water flow, stretch over two and a half kilometres in length, and are taller than and twice as wide as the Niagara Falls. Poor Niagara, as one famous first lady once commented when she first laid eyes on the incredible series of waterfalls that straddle the borders of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Of all the waterfalls in the world, the Iguazú Falls have the highest average flow. More water crashes over the Iguazu Falls each year than crashes over any other waterfalls on the planet. In short, the Iguazu Falls are an absolute beast, and they need to be seen by everyone. They definitely need to be seen by us again. It’d be too sad to think we’ll never see them again. They’re amazing. Is right Iguazú Falls.

There are so many beautiful waterfalls to discover in the Argentinian national park of Iguazú

How to get to the Iguazú Falls from Puerto Iguazú in Argentina

To see the falls, we stayed in Puerto Iguazú in Argentina. Other options include Foz do Iguazú in Brazil and Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. Both are industrial cities that have grown to service the Itaipu Dam, a binational endeavour between Brazil and Paraguay that is the second largest hydro-electric plant in the world and produces an immense amount of electricity every day. The dam itself is worth visiting.

We picked Puerto Iguazú as it is a much smaller town than Ciudad del Este and Foz do Iguazú. It offers a much more chilled vibe compared to the big city you’ll find in the Brazil and the wild west aura you’ll get at the border in Ciudad del Este. It is easy to get everywhere from Puerto Iguazu too.

The power of the water crashing into the Devil’s throat creates a mist that can climb hundreds of feet into the air

The falls can be seen from all three countries, but most people head to the national parks in Argentina and Brazil. Two-thirds of the Iguazu Falls lie in Argentina. You can spend a full day exploring the Argentinian park discovering dozens of smaller waterfalls and incredibly beautiful flora and fauna as you trek through the jungle. You can also get up close and personal with the bigger falls and stand right on top of the famed Garganta del Diablo, the ‘Devil’s Throat’ waterfall, which is a U-shaped chasm swallowing huge amounts of water every second from 14: separate wsterfalls. If the Argentinian side of the falls gives you the chance to feel like you’re inside the falls, the Brazilian side allows you to see all of them at once from the other side of the river. You can get the bus to both sides easily and cheaply from Puerto

You get the bus to both sides from the bus station in the centre of Puerto Iguazu. It costs 95 Argentinian Pesos each way to get to the falls on both sides of the border. When you arrive, it’ll cost you 600 Pesos to get into Argentinian national park and 67 Brazilian Reals to see the falls from the Brazilian side. To get to the Argentinian side you want the bus that says Cataratas. If you’re going to the Brazilian side of the park you’ll need the bus that says Cataratas Brazil.

Honestly, seeing the Iguazu Falls is something everybody should do before they die. The experience is something that will never fail to impress. The power of the water flying over la Garganta del Diablo is truly awe inspiring and we even had people seemingly praying to the forces of nature as they were unleashed before them.

Personally, I preferred the experience offered on the Argentinian side of the border more than I did the Brazilian experience. I do not have the skills required to get across the emotions I felt when I first saw the falls. The best I can hope for is to show a few photos from our time there and hope they can move you enough to go and check out the falls for yourself.