Waterfalls are among the most stunning natural wonders on the planet, with no two cascades similar and each having its own tale, qualities, and formations, as well as a diverse regional history. For your next trip across the world, these are the ten most breathtaking waterfalls on the planet.

Angel Falls – Venezuela

In Venezuela’s second biggest national park, the world’s longest continuous waterfall may be found at the peak of the table-top mountain Auyán-tepu. James Crawford, commonly known as Jimmie Angel, found it in 1933. The American pilot was flying his Flamingo monoplane over the region looking for mining when he came across the spectacular sight. He returned four years later with his second wife to see the gorgeous falls, but the plane’s wheel became stuck in the mud upon landing on the mountain. The jet remained there until 1970, forcing the passengers to journey through beautiful scenery until they arrived at the Kamarata village. Those who learned of Jimmie’s unfortunate yet amazing story named the waterfall Angel Falls after him.

Since 1962, the majestic 3212-foot (979-meter) cascade has been part of the Orinoco River system in the Canaima National Park and World Heritage Site. The breathtaking waterfall is actually a tributary of the Carrao River, cascading into the sarcastically named Devil’s Canyon. Tourists may reach the park by a long, meandering boat voyage through the jungle-like environs of tropical fauna and rare vegetation, whilst the peak is only accessible by air. The journey to the bottom of the falls is then required for a satisfying bath in the cool, broad and deep pools. The Canaima lagoon is also accessible by plane through the Canaima airport.

Ban Gioc/Detian Falls – China/Vietnam

Ban Gioc Falls, also known as Detian Falls, is Asia’s biggest waterfall, consisting of two independent falls on the Quay Son River. It is located between China and Vietnam, approximately 169 miles (272 km) north of Hanoi and almost completely follows the nations’ boundaries. The falls divide Daxin County in the Chinese province of Guangxi from the karst hills of Trung Khanh in the Vietnamese province of Cao Bang. After crossing the border, it connects with the Banyue Waterfall in Vietnam.

Three gorgeous karst cliffs of rocks and trees divide the two smaller waterfalls in the centre of the broad Ban Gioc-Detian’s vertical access. The two main cascades are considered a connected waterfall by Vietnamese people, with the portions termed thác chnh and thác ph, and individually, Bn Gioc. The falls are beautiful at any time of year because of the changing vegetation and water flow. They are peaceful and clear in the winter, crimson blossoming in the spring, golden-yellow in the autumn, and have furious waters inside lush summer environs. Because of its astonishing breadth and composition, Ban Gioc-Detian is one of the most researched waterfalls by geologists

Iguazu Falls – Brazil/Argentina

Iguazu Falls is an elongated-horseshoe cataract divided into 275 individual cascades by rocky and forested islands at the brink. It stretches over 1.7 miles (2.7 km) across two nations, spanning the breadth of three Niagaras. The stunning Benjamin Constant, Deodoro, and Floriano falls highlight Brazil’s side. The greatest view from the Argentine side is from Isla Grande San Martn, although beautiful panoramas may be seen along the roads and trails of the Dos Hermanas (“Two Sisters”), Bozzetti, San Martin, Escondido (“Hidden”), and Rivadavia falls. Orchids, pines, bamboos, palm trees, mosses, lianas, and brilliant begonias abound in this lushly vegetated region.

The Iguaçu River flows through the Paraná Plateau and into the canyon’s narrow semicircular Garganta do Diabo abyss. The waterfalls range in height from 200 to 269 feet (60 to 82 metres), with water continuing to flow at the lower level. The falls’ name was taken from the Guaran word for “great water,” but it has also been described as “an ocean plunging into an abyss.” There are rocks projecting in the middle that deflect the waves, creating a picturesque 500-foot (150-metre) curtain of rainbow mist. The falls, which average 62,000 cubic feet (1,756 cubic metres) per second, are most powerful during the rainy season, which lasts from November to March.

Jog Falls – India

Jog Falls is India’s highest cascade, cascading down an 829-foot-high, greenery-covered cliff. It is situated in the gorgeous southwest of the nation, 100 km from Shimoga and on the border with North Kamara. The Gerusoppaa falls, a free-falling, un-tiered cascade, is devoid of boulders that might normally divert the flow. The Sharavti River flows over the cliff in four cascades: Raja or Horseshoe, Ranee (“Queen”) or La Dame Blanche, Roarer, and Rocket, and continues through the deep woods of the Western Ghats.

Kaieteur Falls – Guyana

The Kaieteur Falls, located deep within Amazonia, are one of the rainforest’s greatest treasures. South America’s biggest pride is the world’s greatest single drop waterfall in terms of water volume. There is some travelling and searching involved in discovering the falls, but the effort is rewarded with the most breathtaking sights. The waters plummet 741 feet (226 metres) in a spectacular natural spectacle surrounded by tropical flora.

The distant falls found in 1870 make for an exciting excursion for Guyana travelers looking for a must-see vacation experience. The Kaieteur Falls are accessible through regular flights in small planes from the capital city of Georgetown, with the best views upon landing or ascent. It’s a 15-minute walk from the airfield to the top of the falls, which are best seen during the country’s dry season, which runs from March to June.

Niagara Falls – Canada/US

The falls on the border between Ontario in Canada and New York in the United States are among the most well-known and visited in the world, with easy access to the gawk-worthy session. They are divided by Goat Island into a bigger part on the American side and a smaller section on the Canadian side. The lower left-bank Horseshoe Falls are 188 feet (57 metres) tall and 2,200 feet (670 metres) broad, while the American Falls span descends from 190 feet (58 metres) to 1,060 feet (320 metres). The greatest views of the Niagara are from Queen Victoria Park on the Canadian side and Prospect Point near the brink of the American Falls on the US side. Another popular observation point is the Rainbow Bridge, which also serves as a pathway to a “behind-the-curtain” view of the falls at the Cave of the Winds.

The ancient falls have survived due to a unique natural phenomena. The gorge’s Silurian Period rock layers drop vertically just 20 feet per mile, or four metres per kilometre, and run almost parallel to the ground over its entire width. Water invading the cracks dissolves the softer shale behind the hard top layer of dolomite. The resulting stable dolomite resists hydrostatic pressure and prevents the falls from falling. Water tumbles over the ledge in a perpendicular-to-the-ground way due to the continuous arrangement of strata throughout a lengthy period of upstream migration. It is an almost-perfectly vertical cascade that is unlike most other falls in the world, with some dolomite stones breaking off undercut by the declining inner layer.

Seljalandfoss – Iceland

Iceland has at least 1600 waterfalls, the tallest of which is Seljalandfoss, which stands at more than 62 metres. From the Markarfljót river plains, it looks as a simple white strike through the dark grey rock. According to locals, the stunning, mysterious falls are located 121 km from Reykjavik in a very dynamic area. Despite their isolated position, the falls’ notable atmosphere attracts a large number of people each year. The river’s upstream path leads it through Tröllagil (Troll Gorge) and a lush vegetation valley known as Tröllagilsmri (Troll Gorge Marsh). In a series of cascades, the waters flow down the topmost strata of the cliff-top Hamragarahraun lava field. The middle is made up of hardened glacial till, known as “tillite,” which may also be found behind the falls. The bottom glassy volcanic aggregate of hyaloclastite is also the most prevalent rock in the area.

The trek to the falls is a very spectacular excursion via dark green slopes, cliffs, woods, and mountain clusters, with numerous waterfalls to be seen along the route. One may even go behind the Seljalandsfoss and witness the clean and gorgeous waters up close. Many people mistakenly assume that the Seljalandsá is a glacier river that flows from the adjacent Eyjafjallajökull glacier. The spring-fed river begins seven kilometres away, beneath the lava on the moors above Hamragaraheii waterfall. It provides pure waters to the falls, which are only muddy in the spring when Hamragaraheii floods the river from a runoff stream.

Veliki Slap Falls – Croatia

The Veliki (Great) Slap Falls are located in the beautiful Plitvie Lakes National Park in central Croatia’s stunning hinterland. It is the largest of the park’s several, very beautiful waterfalls that connect 16 terraced, turquoise lakes. The Plitvia River rushes over the cliff and plummet down 256 feet (78 metres) to form the falls.

The lakes and waterfalls are nestled among limestone terrain and tree-covered hills, with Veliki Slap winding its way down the cliff into a brilliant blue pool. It is a widely anticipated spectacle and a pilgrimage site, with 1 million annual people making the journey to the beautiful falls. It is better to visit during the summer, from July to September, when the weather is pleasant and bright, or later in the autumn, when the foliage is beautiful and the weather is not too hot.

Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe/Zambia

The falls were named after Queen Elizabeth II by British explorer David Livingstone, who first saw them on November 16, 1855. They are located in the middle of the Zambezi River, ranging from Zambia on the north bank to Zimbabwe on the south. The width of the falls is 5,500 feet (1,700 metres), which is double the width of the Niagara. They are also twice as deep, collecting about 33,000 cubic feet (935 cubic metres) of discharged water each second, which falls into a 355-foot (108-metre) abyss. The marked ledge with various islands, depressions, and promontories halts waves before descending in a thunderous roar with a furious mist veil. The falls are known as Mosi-oa-Tunyaby, or “The Smoke That Thunders” by the Kalolo-Lozi people.

The waterfall’s stony side forms an 80 to 240 foot (25 to 75 metre) broad cleft at the bottom, with a small outflow into a 210 foot (65 metre) by 390 foot (120 metre) canyon with a deep pool known as the Boiling Point. The Victoria Falls (Zambezi) Bridge, which connects Zambia and Zimbabwe by train, automotive, and pedestrian traffic, provides a view of the churning and foaming floodwaters.

Yosemite Falls – United States

The tallest waterfall in North America and the fifth highest in the world is located in the United States’ famed namesake national park. It collects water from various rivers overflowing the Merced River’s tributary valleys and discharges it from a height of 2,425 feet (740 metres) into the Yosemite Valley below. The two horizontal fractures in the normally vertical joints of the underlying granite provide a stunning three-drop illusion at Yosemite Falls. The Upper Yosemite Fall has a plunge of 1,430 feet (436 metres), followed by a succession of cascades, and the Lower Fall has a drop of 320 feet (98 metres). The majority of view spots do not allow you to see the middle five 675-foot-tall cascades. The Ahwahneechee tribe believed that the lake at the base of the falls was inhabited by Poloti witches.

The location is close to Yosemite Village in east-central California’s Yosemite National Park, where the Lower Falls may be seen from the road that circles the valley. The volume of the falls is determined by precipitation, which is typically greatest in May and June. There is a 7.2-mile walk on exposed rocks baked by the sun with a 2700-foot elevation climb to the Upper Falls and back that can feel grueling but is well worth the effort. It may also take many days to reach the midsection for the wonderful view of the massive waterfall that dispels water from above. The short walk from the Yosemite Lodge to the foot of the falls is a terrific opportunity to get some exercise. After you can have a picnic in the cool mist during the midday heat.