Iguazu Falls – Brazil vs. Argentina – Which Side Is Better?

Iguazu Falls are to waterfall enthusiasts what Versailles is to palace enthusiasts. It’s the mecca of all waterfalls, covering 1.7 miles across three countries: Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. Even if waterfalls aren’t your thing, visiting is a bucket-list experience for anyone.

There is something heavenly about walking under or over such a breathtaking wonder of the world – one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. A site so divine, it is also designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you are wondering how Iguazu Falls stack up in terms of size, how do they compare? Well, that depends on how you define size – tallest, widest, deepest? You can Google this one because the size of waterfalls depends on what you are measuring.  But they are twice as tall and three times as wide as Niagara Falls.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure and privacy policy for more information.

Getting to Iguazu Falls

There are two airports. One in Brazil, one in Argentina. Make sure you understand which side you are flying into:

• Aeropuerto Internacional Cataratas Del Iguazú – Argentina
• Foz do Iguaçu International Airport – Brazil

While Iguazu Falls span Paraguay, you cannot view them from the Paraguayan side.

Our trip to Iguazu Falls was a part of our combined trip to Brazil and Argentina. Here is the route we took. All prices are for both of us and include taxes and baggage fees, if applicable. We made this trip over the Christmas Holidays and New Year, and we had specific dates. I also booked this trip a year out because of the particular dates. To make a long story short, you can get to Brazil any given Sunday for about $800 round trip if you are not married to specific dates:

• Orlando – Rio de Janeiro- $2,078 – Azul Airlines *Roundtrip
• Rio de Janeiro- Foz do Iguaçu -$203 – GOL Airlines
• Foz do Iguaçu – Buenos Aires – $276 – Aerolineas Argentina’s Airlines
• Buenos Aires – Río de Janeiro- $1,260 – GOL Airlines
• Rio de Janeiro– Orlando – Azul Airlines – *Included above

Getting to Your Hotel

We took a cab from our hotel in Brazil to Rio Airport and flew to Foz do Iguaçu, on the Brazilian side of the falls. The airport is remote but well-equipped. It was so easy to get to the hotel. It’s as easy as getting in a cab, and off you go. It’s also cheap; it costs us approximately $20.

Where to Stay at Iguazu Falls

We stayed at the Viale Tower Hotel on the Brazilian side. It cost us $102 for two nights. Viale Tower Hotel is in the city center of Foz Do Iguaçu.

There are two hotels inside the Iguazu Falls National Park. Naturally, one on each side.  Gran Meliá Iguazú on the Argentine side and Belmond Hotel das Cataratas on the Brazilian side. Both are $350 plus per night. Having seen them, I am glad we did not stay inside the park. It’s remote, and there isn’t much to see or do. This is one time I am so happy we did not spend the money for a front-seat view!

Foz Do Iguaçu, Brazil

Foz Do Iguaçu boasts many superb restaurants and bars. You can walk the main street to various options. It’s safe here; you have nothing to worry about. Almost everyone here is a tourist here to see the falls. The food in Foz Do Iguaçu is the best I’ve had in the world, and that’s a big statement coming from me! Brazilian cuisine is not my favorite; it’s Indian. But picanha, cooked fresh on a sizzling plate of greens served with plantains, can’t be matched. One place I recommend is ParkFoz Steakhouse.

Visiting Iguazu Falls

It’s beyond easy to navigate to both sides of the falls. You do not need to book a tour or a tour guide. You can take a cab to both sides. It does not cost much. We paid about $50 round trip from our hotel in Brazil to the Argentinian side, and about $25 round trip on the Brazilian side. You can also take a bus for pennies if you want to use public transportation. Naturally, you will cross the border to see both sides. And I strongly recommend you do both sides.

The Debate: Which Side Is Better – Argentina or Brazil?

This is an easy one for me to set straight. There is no better side. Both are stunning and uniquely different. The difference is simple.

On the Brazilian side, you view the falls from across the Iguazu River, and you can walk into the Devil‘s Throat, the largest of the falls.

On the Argentinian side, you walk over the falls and can walk to the actual drop of the Devil’s Throat.

Most people seem to favor the Argentinian side because there are more trails to cover. Some also say it’s more scenic. I would say it’s more unusual in that, as you walk over the falls, you feel transcended into an outer-world place. It’s hard to describe it, but it feels a bit like floating. Then, when you get to the Devil’s Throat, it’s as if you have arrived at the end of the world.

Is the Argentinian side more beautiful? No, but beauty is all in the eye of the beholder. See both sides, and you will not regret it.

What You Need to Know

• U.S. citizens need a tourist visa to Brazil. Even if you want to visit Argentina’s Brazilian side, you will cross the border and require a visa.
• Crossing the border is a breeze. Nothing nearly as exciting as crossing from Dubai to the U.S.! Oman!
• While the US Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs does not recommend getting vaccinations, I do. So does the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Foz Do Iguaçu is clean; at least it appears so on the surface. Rio de Janeiro is filthy. And, water sources in Brazil are often polluted. We both got Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccinations.
• You must get travel insurance if you are traveling to Brazil or Argentina. You must, and if you don’t, you need your head testing. Our bags were lost en route to Brazil, and it was only thanks to our travel insurance that we would have been s**t out of luck.

Closing Thoughts

There aren’t many places in the world where you can get there. It supersedes any expectations you had. Iguazu Falls exceeded my expectations in every way. No matter how many of us try to describe this place and paint the visual picture for you, it must be seen in person to appreciate the majestic roar of these falls.

Looking for more posts in South America? Start here:

• Colonia Uruguay from Argentina
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Travel to Argentina – What You Need to Know

We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to pay us fees for linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.