From the hot tropics of Hawaii to the lush forests of Thailand, we've rounded up the most beautiful and breathtaking photos of waterfalls from all over the world. This photo shows the low waterfall of Rio Tinto in Berrocal, a small city located in the province of Huelva, Spain.
Sparking multiple-tier waterfalls have made Erawan National Park one of the most popular natural attractions in Thailand. Beneath the waterfalls are deep pools that are ideal for swimming. The park rests on the Thai-Burmese border and is named after Erawan Falls, an impressive seven-tier waterfall that drops for about 4,921 feet (1,500 meters).
Resting on the border of the Brazilian state of Parana and the Argentine province of Misiones, the Iguazu waterfalls are located where the Iguazu River flows over the edge of the Parana Plateau. Local legend has it that the falls were created when a god that had planned to wed a beautiful woman named Naipi found out that she had refused his proposal and fled with her mortal lover in a canoe. The angry god then sliced the river, carving out the waterfalls and damning the lovers to an everlasting fall.
The highest measured waterfall in North America, Yosemite Falls tumbles for a total of 2,425 feet (739 meters) from the top of the upper falls to the base of the lower falls. Located in Yosemite National Park of California's Sierra Nevada, it is the seventh highest waterfall in the world. The Ahwahneechee Native American people who traditionally lived in the Yosemite Valley believed that the pool at the waterfall's base was inhabited by the spirits of several witches.
One certain bright, moonlit nights, a rare phenomenon known as a "moonbow" occurs at the Yosemite Falls. A moonbow is basically a rainbow created by the light of the moon as it sets. It only happens a few times each year and conditions have to be just right: There must be clear skies, enough water in the falls to create an adequate mist, and bright moonlight that is not blocked by the surrounding mountains.
A district of the city of Honolulu, Waikiki is located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The Waikiki waterfall's name means "spouting waters" in Hawaiian. The serene and visually stunning waterfall rests among the island's wetlands and is just a short distance from Waikiki Beach.
Located near the town of Te Mata in New Zealand's Waikato district, Bridal Veil Falls gets its name from its shape. The water flows over the falls in a way that resembles a bride's white, gossamer veil. The water falls for 180 feet (55 meters) and is a great place to witness rainbows.
The list just wouldn't be complete without Niagara Falls. The most powerful waterfalls in North America, Niagara Falls are located on the Niagara River, which forms a natural, international border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the state of New York. The average height of the voluminous waterfalls is about 167 feet (50.9 meters). The volume of water going over the American Falls is 150,000 gallons (567,810 liters) per second. At dusk, the falls are illuminated with colorful lights.
Known as the "Chocolate Falls", these waterfalls form in the spring, when the Little Colorado River brings a sediment-rich fury of water to Arizona's Grand Falls. After cascading over a wide spillway of basalt, the water plunges over the volcanic wall, creating a vertical drop that is 185 feet (56 meters) — greater than the drop of Niagara Falls.
At a breathtaking 3,212 feet (979 meters), Angel Falls is the world's tallest waterfall. Its water drops over the edge of the Auyantepui Mountain in the Canaima National Park, which is located in south-eastern Venezuela. The massive waterfall is named after Jimmie Angel, a U.S. aviator who was the first person to fly over the falls in a plane.
Victoria Falls is located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone named the waterfall after Queen Victoria in 1855.
This amazing aerial view of Victoria Falls, taken from a helicopter, shows the waterfall's gigantic size and unique formation. Its indigenous name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, transaltes to "smoke that thunders" because of the mist that the roaring waterfall produces.
Alto Paraíso de Goiás, a small town located in the northeastern state of Goiás in Brazil, is famous for its scenic mountains, canyons, crystal mines and waterfalls, such the the one above. Because latitude 14, which crosses Peru's legendary city of Machu Picchu, also crosses Alto Paraíso, the area attracts many followers of mysticism, new age theories and spiritualism. This reputation has earned the town the moniker of "The Brazilan Capital of the Third Millennium." Some locals even believe that its location has caused sightings of UFOs and extraterrestrials.
This small waterfall within a lake is located in Plitvice National Park, the oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia. The national park is world-famous for its 16 lakes, which are arranged in cascades and are all interconnected. Water coming down from the park's mountains causes the lakes to turn beautiful azure, green and aquamarine shades as a result of the mineral runoff.
