Angel Falls cascade down the face of a half-mile-high rock shelf in a horsetail plume that falls so far, the water turns to mist before it can reach the ground. There, the river reforms to continue its path. Yosemite Falls in California is 200 feet shorter but nearly as spectacular.

The Dhuandhar Falls in Madhya Pradesh, India, is famously known as the "Fall of Mist." Located in Bhedaghat on the Narmada River, its name literally translates to "Smoke Flow" (Dhuan meaning smoke and Dhar meaning flow). The waterfall is unique because the massive volume of water plunges over a 30-meter (98-foot) cliff with such ferocity that it creates a dense, smoky white mist that blankets the entire area, giving the illusion of smoke rising from the riverbed. This phenomenon is amplified by the surrounding white marble rocks, which reflect the light and create a mystical atmosphere, especially during moonlight boat rides. Another notable mention is Victoria Falls in Africa, which the local Tonga people call Mosi-oa-Tunya ("The Smoke That Thunders") because its spray can be seen from miles away, often appearing as a permanent cloud of mist rising from the gorge.

Several waterfalls around the world are famous for turning into mist due to their immense height and power. The most iconic example is:

Victoria Falls (Zambia/Zimbabwe)

• Local Name: Mosi-oa-Tunya (“The Smoke That Thunders”)
• Why it turns to mist: The Zambezi River, over a mile wide, plunges 108 meters (354 feet) into a narrow chasm. The colossal force of the water hitting the bottom creates a massive, continuous spray that rises hundreds of meters into the air, visible from miles away. This spray drenches the surrounding rainforest and creates permanent rainbows.

Other notable waterfalls known for their powerful mist include:

• Niagara Falls (USA/Canada): The Horseshoe Falls, in particular, generates a tremendous mist plume that is integral to the experience.
• Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil): The sheer number of cascades (275+) across a wide cliff creates a vast cloud of spray and a deafening roar.
• Yosemite Falls (USA, California): During its peak flow in spring, the upper fall’s 1,430-foot drop often gets blown into mist before it even reaches the lower cascades.
• Sutherland Falls (New Zealand): One of the world’s tallest waterfalls, its 580-meter (1,904 ft) drop in three stages is often obscured by mist.

In short, any very tall and/or high-volume waterfall has the potential to turn into mist, as the water is shattered into droplets upon impact with the pool or rocks below. The phenomenon is most dramatic where the volume of water is greatest relative to the plunge pool’s size.