The name 'Iguazú' comes from words in the Guaraní language that mean 'big water'. When you stand near the falls, you understand why - the noise alone is huge, and a fine mist of spray reaches you long before you can see the water.
The most famous part is called the Devil's Throat - a U-shaped curve where the river suddenly drops 80 metres straight down. That is the height of a 25-storey building. Standing on a walkway above it feels a bit like standing above a giant washing machine.
Iguazú sits inside a national park covering both the Argentine and Brazilian sides. Toucans, butterflies and coatis (little raccoon-like animals) live in the surrounding rainforest. From the Argentine side you can walk right up to the edge of the water on long bridges.
The whole curve is about 2.7 kilometres long - much wider than Niagara Falls. Locals often say there is a friendly competition: from the Brazilian side you see the falls best; from the Argentine side, you feel them best. A lot of visitors do both.