It seemed a shame to get so close to Iguaçu without actually going there, so we went. It’s fabulous, better than any photo or video. However, there are a few things we could have done to improve the experience. If I were to return, this is what I would do.

1. I would book a room at the hotel inside the park, next to the falls. If you do that you can spend your free time enjoying the falls rather than hitting the bar a little early or, well, doing a blog post.
2. Skip the cheesy dinner show. It’s a hoot, fine for what it is, but it’s pretty far from the good hotel.
3. Bring comfortable walking shoes that can get soaked. The government is working to make Iguaçu about more than the falls, so they have incorporated fairly long walks into the visits. If you can handle them, they are terrific. If you can’t, you can still take a jeep right to the falls. Anyway, the walks. My flip flops were okay but some sort of real shoe that plays well with water would have been better. The photo above shows the end point of a walk that takes you along the falls. It is even wetter than it looks, but so worth it.
4. Prepare for the raft that takes you to the bottom of the falls. This is not your stately cruise and there is no way to stay dry. Wear clothes that can get soaked; those little rain coats are almost useless. Bring a complete change of clothes and stash it in a rental locker. Strap a waterproof GoPro to some appendage and sit in the front of the raft. The crew photographer takes a picture of you, not the falls, but the ride down the river is beautiful and the falls are thrilling. You cannot control a camera that you hold, so an attached GoPro is your only real option.
5. Try to do the raft twice. Or three times. Or more. I loved the raft.