Endless Spelunking: Amazing Caribbean Caves

Exciting tales of spelunking in the Caribbean often include pirates stashing treasures in secret caves or young adventurers daring to find long lost loot they only heard about in stories. Even if you do not believe in swashbuckling stories of piracy and adventure, you must admit that the caves in the Caribbean are breathtaking spectacles that showcase the handiwork of Mother Nature.

The database of Caribbean caves reveals several incredible caverns with unique characteristics such as secret entrances, natural limestone formations and underground waterfalls and rivers.

How to Stay Safe When Visiting Caves in the Caribbean

When visiting any of the cave systems in the Caribbean, safety should be your priority. Here are a few safety precautions to remember when visiting caves in the Caribbean.

1. Do not touch: Do not touch cave formations because residue on your hands can damage them permanently.
2. Never explore alone: For unguided expeditions, never go caving alone and ensure that group members have reliable flashlights.
3. Follow instructions: For guided tours, follow the instructions and rules of the guides
4. Walk with essentials: Each cave in the Caribbean may be different, so you should research each one to find out what is required for the tour
5. Be vigilant: The dynamics within caves can change quickly. Proceed with caution, watch where you are stepping and be aware of the environment.

Amazing Caribbean Caves to Visit

Are you ready to go cave diving? Here is an adventurer’s peek into some of most amazing caves in the Caribbean:

1. The Must-See Caves of the Caribbean (Royal Caribbean)

In this exciting list of caverns in the Caribbean, Royal Caribbean shares six of the must-see caves in the Caribbean. This list includes caves in Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Belize, Curacao, and Jamaica. Tours to these caves may be available in Royal Caribbean’s shore excursions and cruise guided tours.

2. 10 Top Caribbean Caves to Spelunk (All At Sea)

Cave exploration in the Caribbean is a rare opportunity to learn about a rare environment. All At Sea shares ten of the top Caribbean caves for spelunking. The most spectacular caves on this list are the Norman Island Caves in the British Virgin Islands. The sea-level caves are believed to be the inspiration for the popular treasure Island book.

3. Top 5 Cool and Family-Friendly Caribbean Caves (TravelAge West)

Exploring caves is a perfect opportunity to spend time with family. TravelAge West recommends five caves in the Caribbean for families travelling with children. One of the suggestions on the list is the Camuy River Cave Park in Puerto Rico. The attraction is close to San Juan, offers tram tours and has at least 220 caves.

4. 10 Caribbean Caves Worth Exploring (Tropix Traveler)

Depending on who you ask, they may tell you that all of the caves in the Caribbean are worth exploring. However, if you are overwhelmed with the list, Tropix Traveler shares ten of their favourites. The caves on this list stretch Turks and Caicos in the north, through the Caribbean chain, down to Aruba in the south.

5. Conch Bar Caves: The Largest Non-Submerged Cave System of the Caribbean (Repeating Islands)

According to Repeating Islands, the Conch Bar Caves in the Turks and Caicos Islands make up the largest non-submerged cave system in the Caribbean. Formed out of limestone, the caves are approximately 1.2 miles long. The Turks and Caicos National Trust conducts guided tours of the Conch Bar Caves from Monday to Saturday.

6. Explore Ancient Caves In Aruba’s Arikok National Park & More (The Travel)

Aruba’s Arikok National Park takes up almost 20% of the island. Within the park, there are a series of ancient caves which were once inhabited by the native Caquetio indians. Thanks to this article by The Travel, guests now know that the Fontein Cave, the Quadirikiri Cave, and the Huliba Cave offer unique experiences that share a bit of Aruba’s past.

7. 4 of the Best Caves in Jamaica (Skylark Negril)

Jamaica is the reggae capital of the world, and it is also known for its flavourful and tasty food. However, savvy Caribbean explorers will tell you that Jamaica is also a place for adventure. Skylark Negril speaks directly to cave divers with its recommendations to visit the natural wonders especially four caves in the island.

8. 10 Must-Visit Caribbean Caves (The Travel Channel)

It is possible to visit all the caves in the Caribbean, if you make a plan. The Travel Channel makes it easy with ten Caribbean caves to put at the top of your cave explorer bucket list. In addition to sharing a list of must-visit caverns, there is a nice recommendation to try cave tubing in Belize’s Cayo District.

9. Harrison’s Cave Barbados: A Magical Underground Adventure

Harrison’s Cave is one of the most popular caves in the Caribbean. The Sandals Blog does an excellent job of sharing knowledge about the cave and why you should visit. An interesting fact shared in the article is that Harrison Cave is alive. The cave has water in its system and has a geological system that grows each year.

10. Exploring Anguilla Caves (Carimar Beach Club)

Anguilla may be one of the smallest islands in the Caribbean, but it is also one of the most interesting. Carimar Beach Club goes in-depth with its research on the caves in Anguilla. The article examines the history of the caves, explains their geologic formations, and identifies the animals and rodents that live in the caves.

11. The Curacao Hato Cave (Curacao Hato Caves)

The formation of the Curacao Hato Cave is an interesting story. According to the official cave website, the island of Curacao was formed in terraces. Most caves on the island are found on the second terrace, but the Hato Cave is on the third terrace. So, instead of descending into the cave, you must ascend 49 steps to get to the entrance.

12. Exploring Caves in Puerto Rico (Discover Puerto Rico)

Caves in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean are not only for walking around and admiring stalactites and stalagmites. For adventurous cave divers, Discover Puerto Rico suggests activities such as rappelling, rafting, spelunking, rock climbing, and diving. Visit Discover Puerto to see a list of caves to explore in Puerto Rico.

13. Cayman Down Under: Visit Grand Cayman’s Secret Caves (Beach)

The Cayman Islands are the islands where stories of pirates and treasure still abound. Beach explains that hundreds of years ago, the islands, specifically the Crystal Caves were used as hideouts during hurricanes. Visitors should use tour guides because the caves have an extensive underground network, which makes it is very easy to get lost.

14. Take an Adventure Into the Sacred World of Mayan Culture in Belize’s Caves (Travel Pulse)

One of the most famous attractions in Belize is the Great Blue Hole, which is a scuba diving bucket list item. However, Belize has many other natural wonders and caves are some of them. For persons interested in visiting the country’s caves, Travel Pulse recommends Tiger Cave, Long Cave, Barton Creek Cave, Nohoch Che’en Cave and Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave

15. Crystal & Fantasy Caves, Bermuda (Bermuda Attractions)

Two of the most popular caves in Bermuda are the Crystal Cave and the Fantasy Cave. Bermuda Attractions explains that the Crystal Cave was discovered by two boys in 1907 who went after their lost ball. Conversely, the Fantasy Cave was opened in 1914 as a show cave. Even though the caves are part of the same system, they are completely different experiences.

Image: Bermuda Tourism Authority

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