Iguazu Falls: Which Side is Better? Now I know there are those who'll dismiss this question and say, "well Iguazu Falls is good from both sides, but they're different." And that's very true. We'll break down why this is the case. Perhaps after the break down, you'll draw your own conclusions and decide how to plan and prepare for your trip accordingly...
In addition to getting up close to the immensity of the Iguazu Falls, there are also smaller waterfalls that are part of the greater network that you can get right up to for a much more intimate experience. This is exclusive to the Argentinean side. The photos below show some of the waterfalls you can get closer to...
In terms of wider panoramic views, you'll get pretty satisfying vistas of the side south of San Martin Island, which the following pictures demonstrate...
Finally, the Argentina side does give you a taste of the most powerful component of Iguazu Falls - the Devil's Throat (La Garganta del Diablo). From the Paseo Inferior (Lower Level) catwalks, you'll only be limited to a rather distant view of the Devil's Throat. However, once you get onto the Paseo Garganta del Diablo (The Devil's Throat Walk), you'll get right up to the brink of the mighty torrent of water for a top-down view. The following photos show how the Devil's Throat looks from the Argentina side...
In addition to the panoramas, there are also closeup and direct views of the Devil's Throat thanks to a catwalk that goes right out to it. Below are some photos of what you can expect on the Brazil side of the Devil's Throat...
[Back to top] Other comparisons between the two sides relate to the types of activities available. Depending on what you like you may find you prefer one type of experience over the other. Here's how this breaks down...
The Brazil side tends to be a bit more developed so it's not surprising that they have helicopter rides for an aerial view of the falls. There are also other parks like the Bird Park and even Above-the-Falls rafting trips as well as a chance to cross over to Paraguay on the Friendship Bridge for some shopping as well as some Itaipu Dam visits. Conversely, the Argentina side focuses more on being more environmentally friendly so you won't find a chopper tour and they have more subdued river and rainforest tours to better aprreciate the ecosystem (though the jet boat river trip is an exception as that's more about the thrills). You'll be walking through much more forested scenery than the Brazil side and you can even check out the cute coaties which frequent the catwalks and trails around the falls. So with all the textual and visual information provided here, we hope you can decide for yourself which side is better and plan your trip accordingly. Have you been to Iguazu Falls?
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| I visited Iguazu Falls the first time back in 1978. I stayed in a hostel that was just outside the park where international travelers stayed - no electricity...[more] |
| I visited Iguazu Falls in 2003 and, based upon what I had read and what I had been told, I had high expectations for the falls. That said...[more] |
| I visited Iguazu Falls in February 2010 for two days staying at the Sheraton Hotel in the Park on the Argentina side. Two days was not long enough...[more] |
| The first time I saw Iquacu Falls was from a small jet in 1985. It was my first trip to South America and shamefully I did not know of the Falls...[more] |
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