Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Cheonjiyeon Waterfall

Cheonjiyeon Waterfall is a waterfall on Jeju Island, South Korea. Literally, the name Cheonjiyeon means sky (Ch'eon) connected with land. It is one of the main tourist attractions on Jeju-do. It is 22 meters high and 12 meters wide.Though water always falls in one particular area, depending on the amount of recent rain, the water may spread out. At the bottom of the waterfall is an artificial pond that is 20 meters deep. Two small dams help keep the water at a specific level. Large volcanic rocks form landbridges that allow tourists to pose for photographs in front of the falls. These falls are characterized by its trachyte andesite rocks. The source of Cheonjiyeon Waterfall is a spring that comes out of the floor of the Somban Stream.The waterfall is one of the three famous waterfalls of Jeju, the other two being Cheonjeyeon Waterfall and Jeongbang Waterfall.

In order to reach the waterfall, visitors must walk on a landscaped trail. Near the beginning of the path is a traditional Korean raft called t'ae-u ,symbolizing Korean culture. It is the most popular at night, because the falls are illuminated. At night, the "Hidden Face," a formation of rocks, may be visible with the night lights, and the falls are popular for lovers. The Cheonjiyeon Waterfall is also known for its diverse plant and animal life, as the path to the waterfall goes through a garden of subtropical plants. Migratory ducks, Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus (Natural Monument no. 163), Psilotum nudum, and Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii, Xylosma congestum, and Camellia are some examples of the flora and fauna around the falls. Just before reaching the falls on the path, one must cross a bridge from which a wide variety of koi fish can be seen below. Along the way are three piles of stacked or balanced rocks that are a common sight throughout the whole of South Korea. In olden days, a person would place a small stone under a larger stone and pray for the health and prosperity of their family. Its pond is known for being a habitat of the marbled eel (Anguilla marmorata), which is mainly active at night. Known as the Mutae eel, it is classified in Korea as Natural Monument no. 27.

Jeongbang Waterfall

Jeongbang Waterfall is a famous waterfall on Jeju Island. The waterfall is 23 meters high and is very close to the ocean. According to some sources, Jeongbang Waterfall is the only waterfall in Asia that falls directly in the ocean, though this is not true.[2][1] Located near Seogwipo, it is a popular tourist attraction. It is considered Yeongjusipgeong, one of the ten greatest scenic wonders of Jeju. A legend states that Emperor Jin of China sent a servant, Seo Bul, to fetch the magical herbs of eternal youth from Mount Halla. Though he failed to find the herb, he encountered Jeongbang Falls on the way and he left his autograph, Seobul Gwaji, on the cliff wall, where it no longer remains. The waterfall is one of the three famous waterfalls of Jeju, the other two being Cheonjiyeon Waterfall and Cheonjeyeon Waterfall. A smaller waterfall, Sojeongbang Waterfall is 300 m to the east.

Kuang Si Falls


The Kuang Si Falls, sometimes spelled Kuang Xi, is a waterfall about 29 kilometers (18 miles) south of Luang Prabang in Laos. These waterfalls are a favorite side trip for tourists in Luang Prabang. The falls begin in shallow pools atop a steep hillside. These lead to the main fall with a 50 m cascade. The water collects in numerous turquoise blue pools as it flows downstream. The many cascades that result are typical of travertine waterfalls.

The locals charge a nominal admission fee to visit the site, but it is well main maintained with walkways and bridges to guide the visitor. Most of the pools are open to swimming (although at least one is closed as being a sacred site). Hikers are able to climb to the top of the falls.

Khone Phapheng Falls

The Khone Falls and Pha Pheng Falls is a waterfall on the Mekong River in Laos in the Champasak Province near its border with Cambodia. The Khone Falls are the main reason that the Mekong is not navigable into China.

The falls' total height is 21 metres (69 ft) in segmented cascades (or rapids) stretching 9.7 km (6.0 mi) of the river's length. The average discharge of the cataract is nearly 11,000 m3 (388,000 cu ft) per second (3 million U.S. gallons per second), though the highest volume on record was reached at over 49,000 m3 (1,730,419 cu ft) per second (13 million U.S. gallons per second).

The area of the falls is dotted with islands and countless waterways, known as Si Phan Don (meaning 4000 islands).

Ngonye Falls

The Ngonye Falls or Sioma Falls are a waterfall on the Zambezi river in Western Zambia, near the town of Sioma and a few hundred kilometers upstream from the Victoria Falls. Situated in the southern part of Barotseland, the falls are a difficult two or three day journey from the capital, Lusaka. Their inaccessibility makes them much less known than Victoria Falls.

The falls are formed by the same geological process as Victoria Falls, with cracks in the basalt riverbed being eroded away to form the drop. Their height is only 10-25 meters, but the width of the falls is impressive. They form a broad crescent, interrupted by rocky outcrops.

Upstream from the falls, the river is broad and shallow as it flows across Kalahari sands, but below the falls extensive white water rapids exist, as the river is hemmed in by gorges cut into basalt rock.

The surrounding area supports extensive wildlife, especially in the nearby Sioma Ngwezi National Park, and elephants are frequently seen by the river in the vicinity of the falls.

Epupa Falls

The Epupa Falls (also known as Monte Negro Falls in Angola) are created by the Kunene River on the border of Angola and Namibia, in the Kaokoland area of the Kunene Region. The river is 0.5 km wide and drops in a series of waterfalls spread over 1.5 km, with the greatest single drop being 37 m. The name "Epupa" is a Herero word for "foam", in reference to the foam created by the falling water.

Despite being difficult to reach (a 4WD vehicle is needed to reach them from Opuwo), the falls are a major visitor attraction in Namibia, because of the largely unspoiled environment, with fig trees, baobabs, makalani palms, and colored rock walls framing the falls.

The Epupa Constituency is named for the falls.

The Ruacana Falls in northern Namibia are located 135 km upstream.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Barron Falls

Barron Falls is where the Barron River makes its descent from the Atherton Tablelands to the Cairns coastal plain, in Queensland, Australia. Protected within the Barron Gorge National Park, the volume of water seen in the upper photo only occurs after substantial rainfall during the wet season. For much of the rest of the year, little more than a trickle is evident, due in part to the presence of a weir behind the head of the falls that exists to supply the Barron Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station located downstream in the gorge proper.

There are three ways to visit and view Barron Falls: highway, narrow-gauge railway (Kuranda Scenic Railway), and aerial tram (Skyrail). The train stops at Barron Falls overlook, where passengers are allowed to disembark for several minutes. The Skyrail stops at two rainforest mid-stations, Red Peak and Barron Falls. The trail at Barron Falls Skyrail station leads through the rainforest to three separate lookouts providing views of the Gorge and Falls.
 
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