One of the great natural wonders of the world, the Iguaçu Falls (Portuguese: Cataratas do Iguaçu, Spanish: Cataratas del Iguazú, Tupi: Y Ûasu "big water") are situated near the border of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. The area is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Iguaçu falls from the Argentine side, with Isla San Martin on the left
More in
Iguazu Falls >>
SEE DO EAT
Forecast currently unavailable.
|
|
 |
SEE
The Iguaçu Falls are an awesome sight as tons of water throw themselves over cliffs and the mist rises amongst the jungle. They are taller than Niagara Falls, and twice as wide, for which Eleanor Roosevelt is said to have exclaimed on her first sight of the Falls: "Poor Niagara!"
It is well worth spending a day on each side of the falls.
On the Argentine side (30 AR$ pp, second day for half price if you get your ticket stamped before leaving on the first day, subsequent days are free if you tell them you are staying at the Sheraton) there are a whole series of walkways and trails by the main visitors centre, allowing you to stand right on the edge of the precipice, below some of the waterfalls themselves, see a good overview and take a short boat trip to Isla San Martin below the falls. Wear waterproofs and protect your camera!
There is a free train running up to a 1km-long walkway across the river to stand just back from the main horseshoe of falls - the Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo), where the roar and spray are tremendous.
On the Brazilian side (20 R$ pp, cheaper for Brazilian residents) you get an excellent overview of Devil's Throat and the rest of the falls, from both above and below.
|
 |
|
DO
Spectacular boat trips can be made under the falls, but they are kind of pricey, if you take the Safaris offered on the Brazilian side of the Falls. If you go all the way to the "Las Cateratas" station on the Brazilian side, you will be offered e.g. wildwater rafting & abseiling activities at better rates. When you arrive shortly before the activities close for the day or they're just not busy you can easily bargain about the price and get a really good rate!
From the Argentine side:
- Iguazu Jungle Explorer, info@iguazujunglexplorer.com, [1]: offers excellent trips, including boat rides, around the falls.
|
|
EAT
On the Argentina side, there is a really nice hotel that serves a good buffet. You can see the mist coming out of the falls and also generally see toucans and other birds flying around.
On the Brazil side, there's a buffet that stands right next to the throat. The food is good, the view of the river makes for a surreal sight as you know the falls are really close by but you can't really see them other than the mist and the noise.
- '"Martignoni Pizza Parlor"', Av. Paraná, 3535 (Downtown Center), Telephone: +55 045 522-2706. Tu-Su 7 PM-12AM. Pizza de rodizio: the waiters bring around a selection of meats, pastas, and (the main attraction) pizza. A nice atmosphere with an excellent variety of pizzas, including some with fruit, chocolate, and ice cream. But before dessert, try the catupiry and the tomate seco. R13.50.
- 'La Rueda', Av. Cordoba (Puerto Iguazu)
Excellent food, and probably the nicest restaurant in Puerto Iguazu aesthetically. The Pollo al Diablo (Chicken Devil's Style) is delicious. English is spoken, great for lousy spanish speakers like myself.
|
 |
|
|