I got this idea about the awesome bathing destinations around the world from the commercials of the Godrej Cinthol’s Alive is Awesome campaign. and it seemed an interesting idea to explore the world’s awesome bathing destinations to get the incredible bathing experiences. In this way, I also wish to participate in a contest announced by the same company regarding awesome bathing experiences.
The first idea of this blog series, which I say Alive is Awesome series of blog posts, is about the waterfall bath. Imagine exploring different exotic waterfall destinations to feel this experience. Our hearts always become crazy in the dream of a waterfall. We usually trek hard to reach a waterfall and then first glimpse of that always drive us crazy.and, After that, If we get a chance to bath under the fall, then nothing could be more exciting and fruitful like that.Constant water drops of the stream falling over the body trigger every organ in a harmony. You constantly hear the crashing waves, the constant hiss from the tumble of the waterfall, water breezes, and the occasional birdsong from the birds checking out the scene. It seems like a poet has realized his all dreams. This is why so many poets wrote the poems on the waterfalls, painters brushed the paintings and photographers clicked the pictures. Numerous love stories took their birth from these waterfalls.
But the main problem related to a waterfall bath is the problem of accessibility. Every waterfall is not accessible easily and you can not bath in each and every waterfall. I worked on the list of the world’s 11 most beautiful and easily accessible waterfall, where you can actually take a bath and swim out. Join me in the world of waterfalls, which will gives you an unforgettable bathing experience for the rest of the life. Here is the list of some best exotic waterfall destinations in the world, where you can get amazing bathing experiences to say that Alive is Awesome. All images are taken from the Google Images, so exact credits are unknown to me.
1. Skogafoss Waterfall, Iceland: Skogafoss is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. The drop is in excess of 200 feet. The beauty around this fall in the form of lush-green fields, a beautiful high-cliff, constant drop of water and one or two rainbows near the waterfall makes it one of the most exotic destination for awesome bathing experience. Rainbows are very normal sight here. Due to the amount of spray the waterfall consistently produces, a single or double rainbow is normally visible on sunny days. Nothing can be more awesome than bathing in a waterfall surrounded by rainbows. There is a beautiful camping ground near to the fall.
How to Reach? Skogafoss Waterfall is about an hour and a half drive from Reykjavik, a major city of Iceland. The fall is easily accessible and no trekking required. The waterfall is set in a grassy hillside, there is ample parking just a few meters away and very clean restrooms.
2. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Iceland: Iceland is unusually suited for waterfalls. The country has a north Arctic climate which is the reason why it rains so frequently and why there’s so much snow to feed the rivers. This small island country houses some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world .Seljalandsfoss waterfall is one of them and it looks so stunning that any list of amazing waterfalls can not be completed without mentioning it. There is a clear trail leading behind the fall and from there you can feel the mesmerizing view of this waterfall. Surprisingly, I did not find any infomration regarding the swimming or bathing activities under this fall.But, there is also a trail leading into the pool under the fall, and if you get a chance to bath in that pool, then it will be simply awesome and a breathtaking experience.
How to Reach? This waterfall is about 125 kms from Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland. This 130 ft high waterfall is easily accessible from the famous ring road of South Iceland. It is situated about 28km west of Skogafoss or 76km east of the town of Selfoss along the Ring Road. Access to the falls is free and open year round.
3.Havasu Falls, Grand Canyon, USA: In the whole list here, this is the only waterfall which requires a lot of hard work to reach. Situated in the hot rocky stones of Grand Canyon, it needs you to pass through a tough road that is winding, rising and falling through desert, then into forest and then back into desert again. Thereafter, you need a 8 mile hike down to a town and then another 2 miles walk to Havasu Falls, famed for its blue-green water (the word havasu actually means blue green water) and impressively tall cascades and if you reach there after so much of pain, then nothing could be more awesome and relaxing than a bathing experience under the Huvasu Falls.
How to Reach? From Los Vegas or Phoenix, stats early in the morning to avoid the mid-day heat of the Grand Canyon. The best way to reach Huvasupai is from Highway 66, six miles east of Peach Springs, onto Indian Route 18, a 64 mile drive. From the Huvasupai, you have to reach to the Hualapai Hilltop, which is known as the trailhead of the Huvasupai trail to Supai village. The trail can be traveled by foot, by horseback, or on a mule service. From the Hilltop parking lot this is an eight mile trail to Supai Village. From there you have to walk another two miles to Havasu Falls.
4. Ouzoud Waterfall, Morrocco : The falling water of this 110 meters high fall has created lots of pools at the bottom that are deep enough to swim in. You can swim out to it and walk under the waterfall to a shelf behind the wall of water. It should definitely the most awesome bathing experience of your life.
How to Reach? The Ouzoud Waterfalls are located in the Grand Atlas village of Tanaghmeilt, in the province of Azilal, 150 km north-east of Marrakech, in Morocco. The falls are easily reached by car, you arrive here by passing through the tiny village of Ouzoud.
5. Skradinski Buk Waterfall, Krka National Park, Croatia : Skradinski Buk is a series of beautiful waterfalls over calcium travertine in Coratia. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful calcium carbonate waterfalls in Europe.The falls are surrounded by green trees in a national park and looks amazing. Swimming and bathing is very easy and you can reach to the base of the waterfalls to feel the awesome bathing experience.
How to Reach? Buy an entrance ticket for Krka National Park from the town of Skradin in Croatia. This ticket is only good for the day you buy it.The ticket includes the boat ride right up to the Skradinski Buk. The boat ride is quite slow moving (leaves roughly once every 30 mins) and consumes roughly 30 minutes.
6. Pt. Reyes or Alamere Waerfall, San Francisco, USA: This is a beautiful one day escape from the hustle and bustle of San Francisco. The waterfall is a rare “tidefall”, a waterfall that flows directly into the ocean. Here you get the experience of swimming in the ocean as well as bathing under a waterfall. No package can beat this double fun combined with a waterfall and an ocean. If you reach here, then it will be definitely an awesome bathing experience for you.The fall is insanely pretty to feel and experience it.
How to Reach? From San Francisco, drive north to Point Reyes, near Bolinas, Marin County. From there a 7.5 mile hike (out and back) to reach Alamere Falls. Last one mile of this trail is very difficult as it requires a steep descent to the base of the fall.
7. The Hot Springs Waterfalls of Finca Paraiso, Guatemala: This is the most unique and a special waterfall in this list. It is different from the other falls because of the hot water it carries. It plunges in a river of cold water from a cliff. Imagine the beauty of this place! A cool river with a beautiful hot waterfall cascading down the rocks. The confluence of hot thermal springs and the cold river creates a true paradise, just like a spa resort, where you have the cool water to bath and a hot stream for the sauna effect. Mudbath there will be the icing on the cake. Isn’t it seem like an awesome bathing experience?
How to Reach? Rio Dulce or Sweet River is 23 km upstream from Livingston at the entrance to Lago de Izabal, is easily accessible from Puerto Barrios, the major city of Guatemala by road, and is the last major stop before the Peten. There are buses from Rio Dulce to El Estor leaving every 90 minutes or so from the north end of the bridge. The dirt road continues west from here to Panzos, Tucuru, and Tactic, just south of Coban, though it is not recommended because it’s notorious for highway holdups.
This waterfall lies along the Rio Dulce–El Estor bus route, about an hour from Rio Dulce and 40 minutes from El Estor. Buses and pickups go by about every hour in both directions, with the last of these around 4:30 p.m. Two kilometers west from the falls is a comfortable lodge and restaurant.
8. Taranaki Falls, Tongariro National Park, New Zeland: One of the most impressive and beautiful waterfall ofe New Zealand, Taranaki Falls is located in Tongariro National Park. A dark pool with water foaming into it and, with the three snow and cloud bound mountains surrounding this will give an awesome bathing experience at the Taranaki Falls.
How to Reach? Drive south through the Tongariro National Park.Take the Highway 47 to Taupo and Whakpapa Village. Drive on for 8.8km to the turn off to Whakpapa Village. Turn right on to Highway 48, Drive 6.1 km to reach the Village. Taranaki Fall is a 1.5 hours trek (6 kms to and fro) from Whakpapa village and it is a quiet easy trek.
Now, I am supposed to give an idea of the waterfalls in India, that can be an awesome bathing destinations for you. These three waterfalls are chosen from the three corners North, South and North-East of the India. On a given day, take your chance to visit these waterfalls and I guarantee that it will be an awesome bathing experience for you.
9. Kempty Fall, Uttarakhand, India : Situated at the distance of 17 kms away from the beautiful town of Mussoorries in Uttarakhand, in the middle of the Shivalik Hills, this is one of the most beautiful waterfall visited by me. The fall is big enough in size and and when you will bath under this giant natural shower, you will feel an adrenaline rush in your nerves. The water is real cold, but its real fun to be there. The fall has a lot of pressure and no artificial thing can replace that original feeling of it.
How to Reach? Shared jeeps and buses are easily available from the Gandhi Chowk (Library Chowk) of Mussorrie. Mussoorrie is considered as a Queen of the Hills. It is 32 kms away and well connected by a road to Dehradun, the capital city of Uttarakhand. Try to reach the Kempty Falls as soon as possible in the morning to avoid the tourists rush later in the day during the peak season.
10. Vantawng Waterfall, Mizoram, India : This is the most popular, longest and largest waterfall in Mizoram and attracts tourists from far and wide. It is situated at a height of 750 feet, surrounded by thick forest with bamboo groves. The aesthetic beauty of the cliff with the plunging waterfall lures tourists always and gives you an awesome bathing experience under the fall.
How to reach? It is close to Thenzawl hill station and 137 kms from Aizawl, the capital city of Mizoram. Vantawng Falls requires a 5 kms easy trek from the south of Thenzawl. You can also drive till the viewing gallery near the waterfall. Camping is permitted there.
11. Dudhsagar Waterfall, Karnataka-Goa Border, India : The Dudhsagar falls are a 4 tiered waterfall system with a total height of 1017 feets on the Mandovi river. The water falls literally like a Sea of Milk (hence the name Dudhsagar, Hindi word for Sea of Milk). The waterfall has created a couple of pools nearby that lure the tourists for a bath and frolicking in the waters. Bathing under one of the most popular waterfall of India will give you a unique experience and you will always remember that awesome feeling for the rest of your life.
How to Reach? Dudhsagar lies between Castle Rock and Kullem at the border of Karnataka and Goa . The Dudhsagar falls is easily accessible by a train journey from Vasco or Margao. It is 10 kilometers from Kulem Railway Station and 14 kms from Castle Rock Railway Station. This waterfall lies on the Kullem-Castle Rock railway route. If you are starting form Goa side Kullem will come first and then Dudhsagar and then Castle Rock. The passenger train between these stations generally stop at a small station, Dudhsagar, near the waterfall, but do not expect it from every train. You can trek to the fall from Kullem on a serpentine mountain trails or on the rail track.
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Note: This blog post is written for the Alive is Awesome Blogging Campaign and contest run by Godrej Group.
Avanish,
Incidentally, I too am blogging about the same concept and have a look at them when you have time 🙂
That is a great list.