Falls guy

Simon Bennett watches out for jealous gods by the Brazilian border. [Aug 04]

Taller than Niagara Falls and twice as wide as Victoria Falls, the Iguazoe Falls on the Argentine/Brazilian border aren't just among the world's largest waterfalls - they're also a sure contender for the world's most beautiful. In 1986 they were declared a Natural Heritage of Mankind by Unesco and so, despite being filled with exuberant Argentines, Paraguayans and Brazilians during the 'dry' season, they're managed with a sensitivity and efficiency rarely seen elsewhere in the Latin American tourist industry. This approach has maintained the jaw-dropping view of 275 pure-white curtains of water hanging against a luscious backdrop of practically virgin jungle. A view that must have seemed almost inexplicable to those first visitors, the Guarani Indians, who named the falls after their word for 'Great Water'.

The Guarani reckoned that the falls originated when a forest god - enraged by the sight of a warrior escaping down the river in a canoe in the company of a young girl with whom the god had became infatuated - caused the riverbed to collapse in front of the lovers. This produced a precipitous waterfall over which the girl fell, turning into a rock at the bottom. The warrior survived as a tree, overlooking his fallen lover. The rock is still there. I've seen it myself.

Other, less creative theories suggest there may have been a volcanic eruption that left a large crack in the earth, forming a steep edge to the southern Brazilian plateau. The river was then forced over a semi-circular, two-mile-wide front, cutting a giant staircase down the Triassic basalt flow. Whichever story you prefer, the scenes that you imagine when you're standing by the falls must come close to those conjured up by the early European sailors who imagined sailing off the edge of the flat earth.

The Iguazoe Falls sit at the tripartite Argentine, Brazilian and Paraguayan borders. The border towns of Puerto Iguazoe, Foz do Iguacu and Ciudad del Este (reputedly the world's largest, and possibly most-dangerous duty-free shop) can be moved between easily and without visas. The Argentine side has the best and most varied up-close views of Iguazoe Falls, while the Brazilian side has the spectacular panoramic view. The best advice is to see both. Both sides are controlled by well-run national parks, the larger being on the Argentine side.
The climate is predictably subtropical, with an annual mean temperature of 21[degrees]C (15[degrees]C in winter, 25[degrees]C in summer). I visited the falls during the South American winter, and was bathing in sunshine for both of the days spent in the two national parks. The postcard-picturesque rainbows projected across the spray are guaranteed all year round.

The area is well served by roads, and is close to an airport, making it an ideal break from Buenos Aires, S‹o Paulo or Rio. There's a large hotel within the park, a heliport, a museum, access roads, interpretive trails, sightseeing spots and a visitor centre. Arrive early on the reliable public bus for the best views, before the parks are swarming with walking camcorders. Once inside the parks, you can choose from a range of rainforest safaris, hair-raising boat trips and even hair-soaking boat adventures for the more adventurous. There are 160 hotels in Foz do Iguacu, and plenty to choose from in the quieter Puerto Iguazoe.

Iguazoe Falls have to be seen, and heard, to be believed. Believe me.

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