The World's Most Breathtaking Waterfalls

Waterfalls aren't just cascading tons of water over the edge of a cliff, they are an example of the power of nature, an earthly wonder and a reminder that something as dainty as water has the power to erode something as tough as rock.
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Waterfalls aren't just cascading tons of water over the edge of a cliff, they are an example of the power of nature, an earthly wonder and a reminder that something as dainty as water has the power to erode something as tough as rock.

The falls are majestic beauties, sure, but they're more than that. Many cultures have legends that surround major waterfalls, ranging from supernatural tales of witches haunting the pool beneath Yosemite Falls to a deity forming Iguazu Falls to stop his former love from getting away with her new lover in a canoe. Other waterfalls are sites of recorded historical happenings, like the wartime crossings over Ban Gioc-Detian Falls or when Jimmie Angel was the first to fly his plane over his namesake falls.

Bøssdalsfossur Falls—the Faroe Islands

The World's Most Breathtaking Waterfalls

These spots are more than simple water features and each of them has its own backstory to accompany the beautiful sights. Even when it comes to the remote falls of Venezuela or the Faroe Islands, these magnificent waterfalls are worth the trip.

-Diana Gerstacker, The Active Times

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