From a distance, the waterfalls of Hierve el Agua look so refreshing that you just want to dive right in-- except that they're not waterfalls at all. They've been frozen in stone! Well, sort of. Water from the nearby natural springs is so saturated with minerals that when it flows down the "falls", the minerals like calcium carbonate are deposited and build up, much the way a cave's stalactite is formed.
There are two "petrified waterfalls" at Hierve el Agua- the smaller, standing at around 12 meters, is known as "cascada chica" and the larger, "cascada grande" is an impressive 30 meters tall. They're located in a remote valley in Oaxaca, and the natural springs that feed the frozen falls are one of the few sources of water in the dry region.
If you find yourself tired from all that climbing and exploring, you can always take a load off and go for a dip in one of the two man-made pools filled with the mineral-rich spring water, both located by cascada chica. It's supposed to be incredibly rejuvenating and restorative... plus, as if the petrified waterfalls couldn't get any cooler, one of them is basically a ciffside infinity pool. Soak in the views and the minerals-- it doesn't get much better than that!
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