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9 of the World's Most Unusual Cave Destinations

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The exploration of caves—spelunking—can be the center of an ecotourism adventure for people with experience. However, some of the world’s most interesting cave destinations are also some of the most accessible. While hardcore adventurers might find some of these underground environments too effortless, visitors without any know-how can still appreciate some of the world’s most impressive caves. 

Caves around the world have a variety of levels of accessibility, so people can choose their destination based on their tolerance for adventure and their willingness to crawl through tight spaces.

Here are nine of the world's most beautiful and unusual cave destinations.

Puerto-Princesa Underground River (Philippines)

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Most people unfamiliar with caves and spelunking might imagine that underground landscapes are dominated by rock, not water. However, one of the most interesting cave destinations, the Puerto-Princesa Underground River in Palawan, Philippines, is, as its name suggests, a subterranean waterway .

Tour boats bring sightseers into this craggy, stalactite-filled world. The amazing rock and mineral formations of the Underground River, which is actually a section of the much longer Cabayugan River, have earned it a UNESCO World Heritage Site label. The cave is surrounded by the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a wildlife-filled area that is an interesting eco-attraction in its own right.

Waitomo Glowworm Cave (New Zealand)

Matteo Colombo / Getty Images

Mountainous New Zealand has more than its share of underground attractions. One that truly stands out, because of its unique inhabitants, is the Waitomo Glowworm Cave. In this subterranean space, tiny organisms ( Arachnocampa luminosa ), native to New Zealand, create light patterns with their luminescent bodies.

Cave guides lead guests through Waitomo's cathedral-like chambers, where the worms hang from the walls. A boat trip through the “grotto” chamber provides an up-close look at this unique and natural light show. This is not a typical cave for spelunking enthusiasts or people who want to crawl their way into little-visited chambers, but it is certainly high on the list for anyone interested in unique underground sights.

Barton Creek Cave (Belize)

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Another underground waterway that makes it on to many tourists' itineraries is the Barton Creek Cave in the Central American nation of Belize. This cave, once inhabited by ancient Mayan civilizations and used as a burial place, is also an important archeological site.

It is this unique history and Barton's amazing rock formations that make it one of the more interesting of all of Central America’s underground attractions. Barton is located in the Cayo District, a region of Belize known for its ecotourism. Tour companies offer guided canoe cruises through the cave. Truly adventurous travelers can swim in the cave's waters. The unusual nature of these underground waterways makes Barton an attractive caving option, but it is the cave's spectacular domed chambers that earn it a place alongside the world's best cave destinations.

Harrison's Cave (Barbados)

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A major attraction on this Caribbean island, Harrison's Cave is popular with tourists. The cave has an impressive set of attributes. Harrison's chambers, reachable by a tramway, were hewn out of the limestone rock by water erosion over hundreds of thousands of years. This natural process has created many large tunnels and chambers filled with smooth, colorful rocks. Stalactites and stalagmites in whimsical shapes add to the ambiance, as does the water that runs through the cave, creating glasslike underground pools.

The easy accessibility of this cave makes it a great stop for caving novices or anyone who doesn't want to strap on a hard hat and headlamp before descending underground.

Phong Nha Cave (Vietnam)

Matthew Micah Wright / Getty Images

Located in the northern part of central Vietnam, Phong Nha Cave is the second largest cave in the country and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Phong Nha is surrounded by Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. The park has nearly 300 caves, though only a fraction have been surveyed in any detail. Despite the existence of such a vast underground network, tourists are permitted only in the first mile or so of Phong Nha's tunnels.

The limestone rocks are interspersed with other types of rock, making this an interesting place for anyone with a knowledge of geology. However, specialized expertise is not required to enjoy the domed grottos and rock formations that make the accessible section of the cave such a stunning place to explore.

Mammoth Cave (Kentucky)

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Found in the state of Kentucky, Mammoth Cave is one of the most impressive and accessible underground destinations in the U.S. It is the longest cave in the world, stretching for almost 350 miles. More than 130 species live within the extensive cave system. Mammoth Cave National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.

Creatures like translucent blind cave fish and endless miles of tunnels and chambers make this one of the best overall choices for novice cavers, casual tourists, and curiosity seekers. Tours for beginner explorers provide visitors with a safe, relatively undemanding introduction to cave exploration and spelunking. For others, regular ranger-guided tours provide access to various sections of the cave.

Carlsbad Caverns (New Mexico)

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Carlsbad Caverns, located in the Guadalupe Mountains in southern New Mexico, is another popular U.S. cave system. Hundreds of thousands of years of erosion have created stunning, almost cartoon-like rock formations throughout the caverns. The estimated 120 limestone caves and surrounding 720 acres were designated Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 1930, and in 1995, the property was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The aptly dubbed Big Room is one of the world’s biggest underground chambers. It is nearly 4,000 feet from end to end, and the ceiling reaches over 250 feet at its highest point. The Carlsbad complex has other named "rooms," each with distinctive rock formations. In addition to guide-led tours, Carlsbad offers visitors a chance to take a self-guided hike through sections of the cave.

Gunung Mulu National Park (Malaysia)

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Deep in Borneo's jungle sits Gunung Mulu National Park. Best reached by air from other cities in Borneo, this park in the Malaysian state of Sarawak has four “show caves” that people can visit as part of a regular guided tour. More adventurous caving expeditions for experienced spelunkers include a trek to Sarawak Chamber, discovered in 1980, and thought to be the largest cave chamber in the world.

In keeping with Malaysia's strict ecotourism and conservation guidelines, guides and permits are required for anyone who plans to explore the cave in depth. The trek to the Sarawak Chamber itself, which is part of Gua Nasib Bagus (Good Luck Cave), is among the most strenuous and demanding of all Gunung Mulu's underground tours.

Cango Caves (South Africa)

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Cango Caves, located near the town of Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape region of South Africa, is one of the more accessible and impressive underground attractions on the continent. This subterranean destination features towering stalactites and stalagmites that sit in large chambers. The pathways of this cave complex are illuminated for a safer, easier trip through the caverns.

For those who want to see more of the caves and are willing to do some climbing and crawling, visitors to Cango can opt for more strenuous “adventure tours.”

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• 10 Most Famous Caves In The World That’ll Leave You In Awe With Their Natural Beauty

11 Jun 2023

Hidden mysteries, unmatched adventure and nature’s best kept secrets, these are the first thoughts that come to mind when we think of ‘caves’. Nature never fails to leave us awestruck with its splendour and myriad wonders, and caves are undoubtedly one of its most magnificent creations. When you enter one of the most famous caves in the world, you’ll surely be mesmerised by the spectacular geological formations, stalactites, lakes, caverns, and other amazing sights that await you inside.

Let us travel across the seven continents (virtually as of now) to uncover the mysteries of the most beautiful caves in the world that are worth adding to your travel bucket list.

10 Best Famous Caves Around The World

Here’s a list of the ten most famous caves in the world that are so beautifully formed that just a glance at them will leave you awestruck and your mind boggled. Take a look!

1. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, USA

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This fantastic national park is home to the longest cave system in the world with numerous interesting sections and subterranean passageways. You can tour through the spectacular Frozen Niagra, Grand Avenue and Fat Man’s Misery features using one of the many guided tours. The Historic tour and the Domes & Dripstones tours are highly recommended as they allow you to explore some amazing formations. Amongst the most famous caves in USA, Mammoth Caves is a wonderful place to visit with the family.

Tour fee: The basic Mammoth Passage Tour starts from $7/adult

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2. Blue Grotto, Italy

A brilliant blue like you’ve never seen before awaits you inside this popular cave on the coast of gorgeous Capri Island in southern Italy. An inter-play of sunlight, sea water and two holes in the cave create a magical blue hue that will leave you spellbound as you enter in a tiny rowing boat. It is a good idea to visit a little early to avoid long queues at the entrance, though 12-2 PM is considered the best time. The ticket can be bought at the pier and tipping the boatman ensures you can spend some extra moments inside the beautiful Blue Grotto, soaking in the incredible sight.

Ticket price: 14 Euros/person

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3. Fingal’s Cave, Scotland

This breathtaking natural marvel on the uninhabited Staffa Island off Scotland is one of the most famous caves in the world, well-known for its amazing hexagonal basalt columns of volcanic origin. The shape & size of the cave along with its naturally arched roof give it the semblance of a beautiful natural cathedral. You need to climb up a few steep steps supported by a railing to reach this amazing cave, where you can also witness spectacular views all around. The adorable puffins are another highlight of the island and can be spotted opposite Fingal’s Cave.

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4. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, USA

Home to more than 100 caves, the national park makes for an amazing & unforgettable experience with the min-boggling range of natural formations. You can either take a ranger-guided tour or follow the two trails: the magnificent Big Room Trail or the steep Natural Entrance Trail with formations like The Devil’s Spring and Iceberg Rock. The famous Lechuguilla cave known for its unique formations & geology is also part of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Ticket price: $ 12/adult. Ranger-guided tours at an extra cost.

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5. Waitomo Glowworm caves, New Zealand

Image Credit: 2il org by flickr

One of the most famous caves in the world, Waitomo presents the surreal experience of watching a glittering starry night inside the depths of the cave while you gaze in wonder from your boat. You can walk through part of the limestone cave-system along guided trails before embarking on your magical boat ride on the underground river. The ceiling is lit by thousands of spectacular glowworms, making it an unforgettable experience which the kids also wouldn’t want to miss!

Ticket price: 5 AUD/adult

6. Skocjan Caves, Slovenia

The jaw-dropping natural beauty of these spectacular caves makes you want to capture those moments forever. Located in the Karst heartland of Slovenia, the awe-inspiring stalactites and stalagmites formations have earned Skocjan caves a UNESCO world heritage status. The well-organised guided tour takes you through amazing natural formations and magnificent caves with a river and waterfalls. As you traverse through the heart of the earth, the entire experience is surreal and unforgettable. You can either take the funicular or the beautiful walking trail on your way back after the tour.

Ticket price: 24 Euro/adult in peak season (April-October)

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7. Reed Flute Cave, China

Located close to downtown Guilin, this popular attraction is amongst the top famous caves in the world owing to its intricate limestone formations. The beautiful stalactite and stalagmite patterns are accentuated by the colourful lighting, making it a pleasure to walk through the well-maintained cave. Also known as ‘The Palace of Natural Arts’, the cave walls display inscriptions dating back to 8th century BCE. One of the grottos called The Crystal Palace of The Dragon King can hold 1000 people at at time.

Ticket price: 120 Yuan/person

8. Cave of the Crystals, Mexico

Also called the Giant Crystal Cave, this surreal cavern features amongst the famous caves of the world for its giant selenite crystal formations. However, this out-of-the-world sight can be witnessed only with the assistance of specialists, as climbing the huge crystals is not an easy task. Special equipment is also needed to bear with the unnatural temperature conditions inside this unusual chamber housing some of the largest crystals in the world.

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9. Eisriesenwelt Cave, Austria

Located just 40 Kms away from Salzburg is one of the most famous caves in the world visited by more than 2 lakh tourists every year. Eisriesenwelt has the distinction of being the largest ice cave in the world, extending up to 42 Kms into the earth. When in Salzburg you shouldn’t miss out on this unique natural spectacle of rock and ice, formed by the Salzach river. Two small trails and a scenic cable ride take you to this amazing cave in Austria. Remember to wear warm clothes as it gets quite cold inside.

Ticket price (cave entry & cable car): 24 Euro/adult

10. Hang Son Doong Cave, Vietnam

Image Credit: vtoanstar by Flickr

This spectacular cave is at number one on the list of top 10 biggest caves in the world, with its two daylight windows spilling light inside and creating an otherworldly experience. Tall trees, taller stalagmites, huge rim pools and some of the best speleothems can be spotted inside this magical cave. There are giant cave pearls, unusual fauna and 300 million year old fossils adding to the allure of this natural wonder. You must embark on this adventurous exploration to be rewarded with one of the best experiences and sights in the heart of this magnificent cave.

Ticket price: 3000 $/person

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Along with a taste of adventure, if you’re also looking for some of the most impressive and famous cave paintings in the world, then there is no place like Lascaux Cave in France. So, don’t think much and plan your Europe trip with Travel Triangle right away to uncover the mysteries of these places with your own eyes!

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20 Best Caving Destinations in the World

Published: October 27, 2020

Modified: December 27, 2023

by Hillary Anne

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Ever since the pandemic started, most of our days are spent sitting at our home or office desks, and the closest to nature that we do is watering our house plants — if we have one, that is. For now, all we can do is dream up our next perfect vacation, one that will allow us to experience nature at its best. Some of us would prefer a thrilling mountain biking trip , sunbathing in an all-inclusive beach resort in South America , or meditating at  the world’s best yoga retreats ; while others would prefer testing their fears and stamina through caving.

Although caving sparks so much of our imagination, exploring narrow and dark spaces, what makes caving attractive to most people is the natural sculpting of the bizarre formations that you will find inside the caves. Moreover, you are also entertained with compelling stories that envelop these mystical caves, making you forget how much calories you’ve been burning because you’re enjoying your time.

Caving vs. Spelunking

Caving and spelunking are loosely defined terms that are associated with discovering and exploring caves. Their difference only lies in the level of mastery.

In the 1960s, spelunking was used to describe the activity that amateur cave goers do. Spelunkers explore caves as a means of recreation. Perhaps, they are those who are just trying to dip their fingers in the water to find out if caving is for them. Most of the time, spelunkers are those on a vacation who want to get a glimpse of another tourist spot near them. Often, they would sign up for a tour to explore a cave with a more seasoned caver.

On the other hand, cavers are more professional caving enthusiasts who are more technically capable of exploring the caves on their own. They learn techniques, map out routes, as well as discover new caves. To sum it up, both terms refer to the same thing, but it can have a negative connotation since the difference lies in the mastery of the craft. So, for safety, you can just refer to them as cavers or the sport as caving.

What You Need to Bring when Caving?

Choosing what to bring to your first caving experience is highly dependent on different factors, namely, the type of cave, duration of your trip, weather, and your physical condition.

But to give you a general overview, here are the things that you have to bring to your next adventure:

Helmet with Headlamp

Although a cycling or construction helmet is allowed, it’s still better to use a climbing or caving helmet for durability and weight. The climbing and caving helmet is specially made to protect you from sudden whacking your head against rocks or any falling debris. You can check Amazon for a durable caving helmet and headlamp .

This is one of the most important things that you have to bring to your adventure. A flashlight will be your eyes in a pitch-black cave, so make sure to bring an adjustable LED flashlight with extra batteries. Check out  Amazon’s best selling flashlights  to give you an idea.

Knee and Elbow Pads

In any caving adventure, it is expected that you might crawl or kneel to get through the rocky and narrow spaces in the cave. So to avoid any scratches and wounds, you can also wear knee pads and elbow pads . Besides, wearing knee pads will help protect your knees against strain and tension.

Similar to knee pads and elbow pads, gloves are also for your protection against scratches and wounds especially when you’re clinging or finding balance in the rocks. Also, it can be an additional source of warmth. A synthetic glove with a rubber-like coating or a goat skin climbing glove  recommended. 

Boots or Sandals

Just like in any other sports, proper shoes are important in caving. If you’re caving in generally tropical countries, you may opt for a sandal because it’s lightweight, durable, and it has non-slip soles. Whereas, if you’re in a more arctic country, you may opt for boots with lug soles. You may also add a traction device for more security. You may check out these  caving boots and  caving sandals on Amazon to get you started.

Since GPS barely works underground, you may opt to have a map that will give you peace of mind, knowing that you will surely know the way out to safety.

Hand-line and Carabiner

These are helpful in safely moving vertically or sideways when caving. A good hand-line can be the one that is made of one-half inch tubular webbing or accessory cord. Meanwhile, a single locked carabineer is also suggested. You can check out the best selling carabiners from Amazon .

First Aid Kit

Caving is an accident-prone activity, so make sure that you have at least a first aid kit to treat wounds and cuts. This will help you avoid any more serious casualty.

You will burn a lot of energy during your adventure. Make sure to replenish your energy by drinking water. You can go for hours without food, but water is a must. In caving, you will need around 16 ounces of water every four hours. But this varies because some people need more while some less. But you can get a 2.5-gallon water jug to be sure you’ll never run out of water.

Pocket knife

You need a pocket knife in case you have to cut or repair something during your caving. A multipurpose folding knife is a perfect tool for any outdoor activities. 

1. Goa Gong — Indonesia

Photo by Indonesia Pix from Adobe Stock

Admission Fee: IDR12,000 or US$0.82 per adult Best Time to Visit: October to December

In Pacitan or City of 1,001 caves , you will find a rich cave system made of massive limestones filled with enormous stalagmites and stalactites. But there is one cave that the Pacitan takes so much pride in, the Goa Gong. The extraordinary Gua Gong was named after the traditional Javanese instrument, Gong. However, this is not because they found ancient Gongs in the cave. It’s because when the stalagmites and stalactites are hit, they produce a resounding sound similar to of a gong.

2. Niah National Park — Malaysia

Photo by Starlightchild from Wikimedia Commons

Admission Fee: RM20 or US$5 per adult Best Time to Visit : November to February

Believed to be the birthplace of the oldest modern Southeast Asians, Niah National Park is one of Sarawak’s pride. It is popular due to the abundant limestones where archaeologists uncovered paleolithic and neolithic burial sites, earthenware, ornaments, bone tools, food remains, and ancient paintings in the cave. But what is more spectacular is the epic size of the cave’s mouth that spans to 60 meters high and 250 wide, making it one of the world’s largest cave openings.

Today, tourists can visit the cave without a guide, and they can also witness countless swiftlets flying towards their nests and bats flying out at night.

3. Škocjan Caves — Slovenia

Photo by Samo Trebizan from Adobe Stock

Admission Fee: EUR6 or US$7 per adult in an Education Trail Best Time to Visit: September to November Tour Available: Various guided tours from Park Škocjan Caves Slovenia

At the Kras Plateau of South-West Slovenia, the enormous limestone cave system of Škocjan is found. Here, you will see a gushing waterfall, gigantic Martel Chamber , collapsed doline, sinkholes as well as a river canyon that seemed to be swallowed by the cave. Aside from these, you can also see an abundant collection of many endangered and endemic species like the Cave Salamander. Also, there are archeological pieces of evidence that the cave was previously inhabited by prehistoric people during the Mesolithic period.

Today, visitors can take a thrilling exploration in this fascinating natural wonder through the Underground canyon, Reka river underground, or the Škocjan Education Trail. Make sure to take the scheduled guided tour to learn more about the cave as well as be safe.

4. Mammoth Cave — Kentucky, U.S.A.

Photo by vladimircaribb from Adobe Stock

Admission Fee: US$8 per adult for a Mammoth Passage Tour Best Time to Visit: November to December and March to April Tour Available: Various self-guided tours from National Park Service

With more than 400 miles of the Mammoth Cave explored, it is known as the world’s longest known cave system. Although an additional cave system is still being discovered, it already has a five-level limestone labyrinth mapped out, which spans to more than 365 miles. Also, tourists can skip the laborious hike because they have bridges that make it accessible for tourists regardless of age. Moreover, this cave plays a significant role in archeological research about Native Americans, since they found mummified remains in the cave.

There are many self-guided tours that tourists can join. The Mammoth Passage tour runs for one hour and 25 minutes and will take you to about 0.75 miles of walk. This is recommended for beginners, handicapped, and family with children.

5. Cango Caves — Africa

Photo by Dariusz Jemielniak (Pundit) from Wikimedia Commons

Admission Fee: ZAR150 or US$9 per adult for a Heritage Tour Best Time to Visit: October to December Tour Available: Various guided tours from Cango Caves

Cango Caves is an underground cave network in the Cango Valley that has been sculptured by nature since the Precambrian era. It is particularly famous for its marvelous showcase of dripstone caverns that will lead you to vast halls of breathtaking stalagmites and stalactites. One of the main attractions in the cave is a 9m high stalagmite called Cleopatra’s Needle .

Make sure to join the guided tours such as Heritage Tour or Adventure Tour to get the most out of your escapade. The Heritage Tour is for beginners and it runs for an hour. It explores the first six halls leading to the African Drum Room . While the Adventure Tour is more for experts because it runs for an hour and a half and it includes crawling into narrow tunnels.

6. Marble Cave — Chile

Photo by R.M. Nunes from Adobe Stock

Admission Fee: CLP10,000 or US$13 per adult for a Marble Cave Boat Tour Best Time to Visit: December to February Tour Available: Guided Tours available at the lakefront of Puerto Rio Tranquilo

If you’re looking for a unique cave to explore, come to Marble Cave. It doesn’t have innumerable stalactites and stalagmites that you usually see in limestone caves. In fact, it is quite similar to Italy’s Grotta Azzurra. The cave is located at General Carrera Lake and is made up of three formations such as the Cathedral, Chapel, and the Cave . It was formed through the mixing of melted glaciers and solid rocks. Slowly, after thousands of years, nature carved these caves with a spectrum of blue and yellow marbling in its formation.

In this Marble Cave Boat Tour, you will be taken to the core of the cave to appreciate its vibrant hues, an incredible tunnel system, and pristine waters. Another way to explore the cave is through a kayak tour (around US$51 per person), which allows you to paddle through the caves for three hours together with your group.

7. Feengrotten — Germany

Photo by Ansgar Koreng from Wikimedia Commons

Admission Fee: EUR12.50 or US$15 per adult for an all-season entry to Feengrotten and Grottoneum Best Time to Visit: May to October Tour available: Audio Guide from Feengrotten

During the 16th century, Feengrotten, also called the Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes , used to be a mine filled with black Alum Shale. But it was abandoned during the 19th century. However, when it was rediscovered after a century, surprisingly the dilapidated cave turned into a colorful grotto occupied by multi-colored mineral deposits. With this, Adolf Mützelburg turned the grotto into a tourist attraction and they added more lights to further emphasize the mineral deposits. Moreover, in 1937, scientists also found out the scientifically-proven health benefits of visiting the cave. So they created the Emanatorium, making Feengrotten one of the first healing caves in Germany. 

Over the years, tourists visit the grotto not only because it is one of the world’s most colorful grotto, but also because of its scientifically-proven health benefits.

8. Eisriesenwelt — Austria

Photo from the Eisriesenwelt website

Admission Fee: EUR14 or US$17 per adult for a Cave Tour without Cable Car Best Time to Visit: July to August Tour Available: Guided tours from Eisriesenwelt

Dubbed as the world’s largest ice cave, Eisriesenwelt  has a total length of 25 miles. This marvelous site will definitely give you another perspective of natural wonder. From frosted stalactites to icebound masses, you will see enormous landscapes that seemed to have been magically frozen.

Today, you can visit the ice cave by either taking the cable car or trekking for an hour and a half in alpine terrain. It will be strenuous, but once you join the guided tour that runs up to a little more than an hour, you will tell yourself that it was all worth it.

9. Grotta Azzurra — Italy

Photo by Judit Herbert from Pixabay

Admission Fee: EUR15 or US$18 per person Best Time to Visit: June to September  Tour Available: Various guided tours with roundtrip transfers from Marina Grande to Blue Grotto from Capri

One of the highlights in the Capri Islands in Southern Italy is the Grotta Azzurra. The grotto was once a Roman marine temple during the reign of Tiberius, and most of the Roman statues found are now exhibited at Casa Rossa . Today, although the statues are no longer found in the grotto, there are still a lot of tourists wanting to see the cavern because of the natural azure blue light water. The azure blue light illuminates the water through the sunlight that enters the cave through the underground opening under the cave’s mouth. So, make sure to visit them on sunny days, especially around 12 to 2 PM to get the most fascinating view of the water.

The grotto is only 60m long and it will only take you around five minutes to pass through it. However, it will take a while to get in as the boats need ample distance from each other because the strong waves might cause collisions.

10. Zhijin Cave — China

Photo by JiangQi from Pixabay

Admission Fee: CNY120 or US$18 per adult Best Time to Visit: April to October

One of China’s largest caves, Zhijin Cave occupies an expansive size of 2.7 square miles. It features a spectacular landscape of massive and bizarre karst formations. Inside, you will also marvel at the extraordinary works of nature. Some of them are the arhat-shaped stalactites and a flower-like transparent crystal. Don’t forget to join guided tours to know more about this impressive natural wonder.

11. Tham Lod Cave — Thailand

Photo by nirutft from Adobe Stock

Admission Fee: THB550 or US$18 per adult for a Guided tour with a Round Trip Rafting Best Time to Visit: November to May Tour Available: Guided Tours available from My Chiang Mai Tour

Tham Lod Cave is one of the accessible limestone caves in Thailand. With an expansive size of a mile, you will be rewarded with its stunning stalactites and its spitting image in the vast clear freshwater. You can also see towering columns and impressive rock formations naturally sculpted by nature. You may also occasionally see bats and swifts who are living in the cave.

In this tour, after taking the bamboo raft, you will later climb towards the inner cave on foot. Inside, you will see more impressive works of nature as well as learn about the Hoabinhian hunting tribe who used to reside in the cave during the 9,000 BC to 5,500 BC. After, you may also visit the surrounding village and temple.

12. Vatnajökull Glacier Cave — Iceland

Photo by Aayush Gupta from Unsplash

Admission Fee: ISK16,900 or US$22 per adult for an Ice Cave Adventure Tour Best Time to Visit: January to February Tour Available: Various guided tours from Visit Vatnajokull

Vatnajökull Glacier Cave, also called the Anaconda Ice Cave and Crystal Ice Cave , amazes its visitors with its spectacular design. Upon entrance, you will see an arc that seemed like frozen waves waiting to crash against the current. But this wave-like arc is a crystal that glistens with the little sunlight it receives. Also, due to the density of the ice, they seem bluer and larger.

In the Ice Cave Adventure Tour, you will be guided by a local that will tell you about the history of Iceland’s largest ice cave, as well as learn about the science behind the ethereal beauty of Vatnajökull Glacier. Apart from this, you will also take a super jeep ride in the vast glacier. It will take you around three to four hours including the transfers, but the tour inside the cave only lasts 30 minutes.

13. Carlsbad Cavern — New Mexico, U.S.A.

Photo by Coveredinsevindust from Wikimedia Commons

Admission Fee: US$23 per adult for a King’s Palace Tour with Entrance Fee Best Time to Visit: October to June Tour Available: Various guided tours from Recreation

Carlsbad Cavern is one of the limestone caves in the Guadalupe Mountains. It has a long history of Native Americans settlement to Spanish colonization, American expansion, and the cultural conflicts in between, and to finally becoming a World Heritage Site. The captivating limestone cave in the Chihuahuan Desert tells an enthralling story within its uniquely formed fossil reefs, impressive soda straws, jaw-dropping draperies, mighty flowstone, and natural lily pads. Also, you will see an array of diverse animals and an array of lush vegetations within the national park.

Tourists can visit the Carlsbad National Park and explore the Carlsbad Cavern through the guided tours from Recreation. The trouble-free tour is the King’s Palace tour that runs for an hour and a half. In this tour, the rangers will take you to the deepest portion of the cave allowed for tourists without arduously descending and ascending the steep cave formations.

14. Harrison’s Cave — Barbados

Photo by Berit from Wikimedia Commons

Admission Fee: BBD60 or US$30 per adult for a Tram Tour Best Time to Visit: January to April Tour Available: Various guided tours from Harrison’s Cave Barbados

Initially, Harrison’s Cave was inaccessible due to the challenging natural entryway. However, in the 1970s, through the efforts of the Danish engineer Ole Sorensen and the Barbadians Tony Mason and Allison Thornhill, the cave was mapped out and became more accessible to the public. Since it was opened to the public, it never ceased to amaze its visitors with its countless stalagmites that are still growing up to this day.

Today, tourists can choose from different tours to explore Harrison’s Cave. One easy way to explore the cave is through the Tram Tour that runs up to one hour. However, if you want a more real adventure, you can reserve for an Eco-Adventure Tour or a Walk-in Cave Tour.

15. Luray Caverns — Virginia, U.S.A.

Photo by Robert Thiemann from Unsplash

Admission Fee: US$30 per adult Best Time to Visit: September to December Tour Available: Self-guided tours from Luray Caverns

You can find a lot of underground labyrinths in Virginia. One of its pride is the Luray Cavern which is the third most visited caves in the U.S.A., following Mammoth Cave and Carlsbad Cave which are also on this list. Inside, you will find different halls such as the Giant’s Hall that houses towering columns, the Dream Lake  — a wide and shallow lake that mirrors the stalactites, the Titania’s Veil that showcases the stupendous calcite formation that looked like a cascade of flowing rock, and, of course, the Saracen’s Tent,  which is a collection of thin folded red rocks that seemed to produce light from its sides.

Today, visitors can do a self-guided tour in this well-manicured cave. Unlike other caves that will require you to crawl into small cave openings, you can explore Luray Cavern like you’re exploring a park or a museum. Make sure to also visit the Cathedral, where you can see the electric church organ that is wired to bang against the stalagmites and stalactites. So when you press a key, you will hear literal rock music.

16. Fingal’s Cave — Scotland

Photo by andreaobzerova from Adobe Stock

Admission Fee: GBP25 or US$33 per adult for a three-hour Staffa Boat Tour Best Time to Visit: April to June Tour Available: Various guided tours from Staffa Tours

Fingal’s cave is famous for its hexagonal basalt columns that were formed after enormous lava stretched to the Atlantic Ocean and met with the battering waves against the cave. In 2001, this extraordinary work of nature was enlisted as a National Nature Reserve. Moreover, it was already visited by many prominent figures like Queen Victoria.

Today, tourists can marvel at nature’s extraordinary masterpiece by joining tours to visit the inside of the cave or the surrounding islands.

17. Waitomo Glowworm Caves — New Zealand

Photo by Манько Марко from Wikimedia Commons

Admission Fee: NZD55 or US$36 per adult for a one-hour Waitomo Glowworm Cave Tour Best Time to Visit: November to April Tour Available: Various guided tours from Waitomo Caves

Home to innumerable Arachnocampa Luminosa or glowworms, Waitomo Glowworm Caves is a surreal subterranean realm. As you take a silent boat ride to the cave, you will find yourself not only amazed by the innumerable turquoise-colored lights on the ceiling but also with its history and legends. Moreover, since most of the guides are descendants of the Maori chief who originally explored the cave, you will get a perspective that also touches preservation, sustainability, and environmentalism.

Aside from taking the boat to enter the cave, you can also see the glowworms much closer through the Ruakuri Cave Tour (NZD79 or US$52). Or, if you’re looking for more thrill then you may join caving tours or rafting tours . The normal tours take around an hour or two, but for caving tours and rafting tours, they usually take three to seven hours depending on the tour you choose.

18. Puerto Princesa Underground River — Philippines

Photo by Jessartcam from Wikimedia Commons

Admission Fee: PHP2,090 or US$43 per adult for a Day Tour Best Time to Visit: March to May Tour Available: Guided tour from Guide to the Philippines

One of the New 7 Wonders of Nature and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999,  Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park,  or more commonly called Puerto Princesa Underground River, should be on your bucket list. It stretches more than 8km long, but only more than 4km is allowed to be visited by tourists. But don’t worry, because in that four kilometers slow boat ride, you will be able to appreciate the pristine waters and the breathtaking limestone formation inhabited by bats and swallows.

Tourists don’t only find this day tour educational with the well-informed tour guides but also convenient because the day tour already includes pick-up and drop-off from the hotel as well as lunch.

19. Barton Creek — Belize

Photo by Thomas Shahan from Wikimedia Commons

Admission Fee: US$85 per adult for a Barton Creek Canoe Halfday with optional Zipline and Waterfall or Botanical Garden with Butterfly Farm Best Time to Visit: March to June Tour Available: Guided tours from Mayawalk Tours

A remote cave in Belize, Barton Creek is where Mayans settled during the Classic period. It is believed to be used as a burial site since they found around 28 people interred. Aside from this, they also found thousands of pottery and artifacts on ten ledges. Today, you can take a calm canoe ride to see the spooky Mayan remains as well as the profuse number of cave stalagmites and stalactites. Also, you can explore the outside of the cave by riding a zipline or freshening up at the waterfalls.

Tourists can visit Barton Creek from different tour operators. But for Mayawalk Tours, aside from the tour inside the cave, it also includes an optional Zipline and Waterfall trek or a visit to Botanical Garden with Butterfly Farm.

20. Sơn Đoòng — Vietnam

Photo by Dave Bunnell from Wikimedia Commons

Admission Fee: VND69,800,000 or US$3,007 per adult for a four-day expedition Best Time to Visit: February to April Tour Available: Guided tour from Oxalis Adventure

The world’s largest cave by cross-section, Sơn Đoòng Cave is a massive cave system discovered by a local man named Ho Khanh in the 1990s. It spans an expansive size that could fit a 40-story New York City building, and it’s also home to bizarre formations such as tremendous cave pearls, colossal stalagmites, and epic phytokarst. You will also find two cave ceiling collapses that allow sunlight to shine on the verdant greenery.

Today, tourists can only visit the Sơn Đoòng Cave through a four-day expedition by Oxalis Adventure. In this tour, you will paddle across broad underground rivers, trek through the underground rainforests, traverse to the two monumental cave ceiling collapses, and experience being officially a caveman in the world’s largest cave’s campsite. This is the only tour that is recommended for intermediate to expert cavers. However, Oxalis Adventure also offers tours for beginners to the surrounding caves and a national park.

Final Notes

Although there are caves that have similar formations, each cave is still unique in their own ways. Each natural wonder has its own compelling history, culture, and science that make each one unique, exciting, and mystical. By being up-to-date with information on the weather, clothes to wear, equipment to bring, difficulty level, as well as the risks that you will take in the adventure, you will be equipped in the caving escapade you are planning for. 

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10 of the best caves in the world

These subterranean worlds combine eerie mystery with mind-blowing beauty

Caves have intrigued and amazed humans since they were capable of being intrigued and amazed, but they are the dictionary definition of mysterious beauty, so it’s no wonder why. From the tourist-friendly subterranean paradises of Italy and Slovenia to the remarkable pilgrimage locations in Laos , caves are tucked away all over the world, and so many are just gob-smackingly beautiful. So, whether you’re a curious amateur or a professional cave explorer, here are our favourite caves from across the globe.

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Best caves in the world

1.  Mammoth Cave, USA

If you have certain expectations from somewhere called ‘Mammoth Cave’, that is entirely understandable. Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is the world’s longest known cave system, an incredible 420 miles of subterranean wonder. That’s twice as long as the next longest, by the way, although it isn’t unusual for the US to go all out on such things. Madly, the cave is home to some vast theatres and avenues, and tours have been known to last more than six hours.

2.  Škocjan, Slovenia

Slovenia has a lot of caves, ranging from the mainstream tourist extravaganza of Postojna to the fragile Križna Jama, but the cavernous theatres of Škocjan give it a leg-up on the competition. A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1986, this gargantuan expanse is arguably the most significant limestone cave in the region, with biological importance allied to careful tourism and local respect. People have been coming to gawp since the beginning of the nineteenth century, and tours are conducted in a wide variety of languages. 

3.  Waitomo Caves, New Zealand

Glowworms, glowworms, as far as the eye can see. Okay, not literally, but the Waitomo Cave system on New Zealand ’s North Island is famous for the fluorescent fauna that light up the walls, giving it the not-particularly-creative but completely acceptable ‘Glowworm Caves’ nickname. They are more accessible than most caves on this list, with rafting and adventure tours available to those looking for something a little more adrenaline-heavy.

4.  Marble Cathedral, Chile

What an incredible, incredible sight. The dark and dingy nature of underground life conjures something in our imaginations, but the Marble Cathedral in Patagonia shimmers without such requirements. The most beautiful cave on the planet? Beauty is subjective, but it is difficult to look past the case made by the cerulean pillars and vaulted ceilings of this stunner. Found on the shore of the General Carrera Lake in Chile, the Marble Cathedral is a pilgrimage well worth making.

5.  Blue Grotto, Italy

Sailors avoided this place for centuries because they believed it was haunted by witches and monsters, but modern tourism has since proven them very silly indeed. Sunlight filters into the cave through a teeny-tiny entrance (visitors have to lie flat in a boat to get in), filling the space with a stunning blue light that gives the cave its moniker. Swimming is forbidden and rightly so, but visitors to the Blue Grotto usually get more than enough enjoyment from, you know, just looking at it. The cave is found on Capri in the Bay of Naples .

6.  Sơn Đoòng, Vietnam

Natural caves don’t come much larger than Sơn Đoòng, close to the border between Laos and Vietnam . This mammoth abyss has the largest cross-section of any known cave on the planet, a vast area that is difficult to describe. Supposedly, a Boeing 747 could fly through without damaging its wings, but that doesn’t really do justice to the vastness of Sơn Đoòng. The stalagmites here are pretty massive too, with some reaching up to a whopping 70 metres.

7.  Reed Flute Cave, China

China ’s Reed Flute Cave is also known as the ‘Palace of the Natural Arts’, and that should tell you plenty about what to expect. Named after the reeds that grow outside (which are used to make flutes, obviously), the Reed Flute Cave’s walls are peppered with inscriptions from centuries gone by – proof if proof were needed that people have been paying attention to this place for a long old time. The interior of the cave is also lit up by multicoloured lights, giving it a real otherworldly theme that adds weight to the nickname.  

8.  Thrihnukagigur, Iceland

It is pronounced Thrihnukagigur, if you were wondering. No matter how difficult it is to say, this dormant volcano in Iceland is even more difficult to get one’s head around. This is the only volcano on the planet where you can actually go inside and explore the magma chamber. If that doesn’t whet your appetite, maybe this travelling lark isn’t for you. Half volcano, half cave, all awesome. 

9.  Pak Ou Caves, Laos

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving, that is indeed a mass of Buddha statues hanging out inside the Pak Ou Caves. The statues have been left over the years by believers hoping for better times, although the caves are now more of a stop-off on a tourist jaunt down the Mekong river than a pilgrimage site. The caves have a curious position overlooking that famous river, meaning boats stop nearby and visitors actually have to climb a staircase to get in. Makes a difference from taking a brave leap into the abyss, that’s for sure.

10.  Fingal’s Cave, Scotland

A stunning sea cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa, Fingal’s Cave is Scotland at its rugged best. Named after the hero of a poem by eighteenth-century poet James Macpherson, this mysterious cavern was discovered in 1772 (well, brought to the attention of the masses) and has become an integral part of folklore ever since, not to mention arts and culture. It isn’t hard to see why, as the thrilling entry to the cave ticks all the boxes when it comes to the supernatural subterranean world. The natural acoustics of the cave are famously fantastic.  

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23 Most Famous Caves (and some you don’t know) in the World

Want to get to know some of the most famous caves in the world? In this article, I’ll walk you through 23 of the most famous caves. And also some that are not as widely known.

Every cave has its mystery because they are all formed differently. Each cave stands to fascinate you in its way. Some of the incredible caves in the world might seem bizarre at first glance, while others are just stunning. One thing for sure is that every cave will leave you craving to experience the next one.

So here are the 23 most famous caves in the world:

In this article:

Marble caves, chile, waitomo glowworm caves, new zealand, vatnajokull glacier cave, iceland, cave of the crystals, mexico, son doong cave, vietnam, krubera cave, georgia, deer cave, malaysia, fingal’s cave, scotland, blue cave, greece, predjama castle, slovenia, antelope canyon, arizona, tham lod cave, thailand, ellison’s cave, georgia, batu caves, malaysia, reed flute cave, china, blue grotto, italy, eisriensenwelt ice cave, austria, mammoth cave, kentucky u.s.a, škocjan cave, slovenia, harrison cave, barbados, orda cave, russia, dongzhong cave, china, datdawtaung cave, myanmar.

Mother Nature never ceases to mesmerize us. Visiting the Marble caves in Chile should be enough proof. We are talking about several well-coiffed breathtaking Marble caves. These caves are said to have been formed 6000 years ago, and they are still a spectacular sight. You’d need a boat ride to reach these caves as they sit on the water.

Glowworms are amazing insects that like to light up wherever they inhabit an area for various reasons such as scavenging for food. The Waitomo Glowworm caves in New Zealand are a chosen inhabitant for the Arachnocampa Luminosa, which are rare Glowworms only found in New Zealand.

The combination of a dark cave and these glowworms is astounding. You can experience all this while enjoying a boat ride.

In all probability, it is hard to imagine a cave inside a glacier. This is a reality in Iceland, the home of the Vatnajokull glacier cave. What’s more riveting is that this cave resulted from the heat emanating from volcanic activities. As much as it is a great site to visit, it helps to be aware of the dangerous zones within the site.

Popularly known as the Giant crystal cave, the Cave of the Crystals is one of a kind. The natural giant crystal structures are quite unusual. It is odd enough that they are in a cave. Although you’d love to go there and explore it by yourself, that is highly unlikely. You’ll need special guides as it is a risky excursion. Further to that, the conditions there are not quite friendly.

• When visiting a cave, you need to dress accordingly.  Learn what is best to wear to different kinds of caves. Read my article  What to Wear on a Cave Tour .

Ever heard of a 5 km long cave? This cave’s ceilings are over 200 meters high at some points. If you’d want to have the rare experience of walking in such a cave, then you should head out to Vietnam. The Son Doong cave is the largest cave in the world. What makes it even more enchanting is the fact that it has its climate, a jungle, and a river.

To get an idea of the sheer size of this place, check out this great video:

While some caves are known for their sheer size, the Krubera cave, which is found in Georgia, is famous for its depth. It has a frightening depth that goes beyond 2000 meters.

The sight of this cave is bewildering. You’ll probably want to pay attention as you try to find out what 2000 meters deep looks like. Read my previous article on  the 5 Deepest Caves in the World  (new tab).

Before Son Doong was found, the Deer Cave was ranked as the largest cave in the world. Though it no longer holds that spot, it is still one of the most famous caves in the world. It has a distinct stromatolite formation, which looks like a statue of Abraham Lincoln when seen from certain angles.

Located in the remote Staffa area in Scotland, the Fingal’s Cave was formed by hexagonal jointed basalt columns. While walking in this idiosyncratic cave, you can’t help but notice how colorful it is. Occasionally, you will hear some interesting sounds that rouse your curiosity throughout the expedition.

For many people, blue is a cool color. But wait until you see it dominate a superb cave, you will appreciate its beauty and tranquility. If you think that’s impossible, the Blue cave in Greece can certainly prove you wrong. Thanks to the illumination of the blue color caused when the sun shines on the water, it is distinguished by balmy waters and can only be accessed by a boat.

You’ve undoubtedly heard of castles and caves separately, but the Predjama castle in Slovenia combines them both. As you can imagine, the site of this rare union is awe-inspiring. As history would explain it, the gothic castle was built close to the caves to make it a fortress. When you get there, you can’t help but notice the white walls of the ancient castle sitting on the black rocks that form the cave.

The Antelope Canyon is a cave in Arizona , which attracts thousands of tourists each year. The scenery is magnificent, and the cave itself is divided into an upper and a lower canyon. The cave itself was entirely formed by water.

These caves illuminate a spectrum of beautiful colors whenever the sun shines on. The feeling in these caves is that of serenity, as the cave is far away from the chaos of the city life.

Located in Mae Hongson province in Thailand, Tham Lod cave was discovered along with some ancient tools, pots, and carvings believed to be from the Iawa people. It stands out as it is surrounded by a forest with just narrow paths leading to the entrance.

Every year, Ellison’s cave, which is situated in the state of Georgia , draws out throngs of cavers. These cavers only come to witness one thing; the Fantastic Pit, which is popular for being the deepest unobstructed underground cave in the entire USA. This makes it extremely thrilling and dangerous. Therefore, all cavers looking for a trip to this cave have to practice immense caution.

As you approach the north Kuala Lumpur, you are greeted by a tracery of caves with temples sitting beside them. What you might not know is that these caves are said to be over 400 million years old. They are inhabited by a humungous number of bats. It is said that locals excavate the bats waste and use it as manure to grow vegetables.

Want to see some ancient Chinese inscriptions that are centuries old? You can find them on the Reed flute cave that is located in China. The cave is naturally carved out from limestone. Its name was crafted from its most unique characteristic; the reeds that sprout from its entrance. These reeds can be used to make flutes by musicians.

The Blue Grotto is the pride of the city of Capri in Italy, as far as tourism is concerned. What makes it popular is the naturally occurring blue glow within the cave. The glow is as a result of a small opening at its entrance coupled with a larger hole below it. From under the water, this appears to be a blue glow while from the inside of the cave, it is a radiating white light above the water.

Given that it is the largest occurring lime ice cave, the Eisriensenwelt is a prominent cave in Werfen Austria. Though it stretches to about 42 km, it is only the first 1 km that is covered by ice. Beyond that, it is predominantly limestone. The ice is not seasonal as it remains intact even during the summer. This is what sets it apart from many other caves. Only the first kilometer remains open for the public.

The Mammoth cave can be described best as cave systems. Its surface is estimated to be about 80 square miles, making it the largest cave system in the world. Apart from the already mapped caves, new caves continue to be found within this system. As it was described by a young slave by the name Stephen Bishop long ago, it is grand, gloomy and peculiar. 

Found in Slovenia, Škocjan is yet another interesting cave system. This cave system is found in the town of Divaa. It is characterized by stalagmites, stalactites among other incredible rock formations. It is best known for having an underground river, the Reka River. It also bears the largest underground cavern in Europe.

Though the Harrison cave was named after Thomas Harrison who owned the area in 1700, it was forgotten until Ole Sorensen rediscovered it. He was a Danish engineer with interests in caving.

Its formation revolved around activities of soil erosion, which occurred through limestone rocks.

A gypsum cave is unheard of for most parts of the world except for the Orda cave in Russia. It is even more interesting that the Orda cave is underwater. The minerals in this cave filter the water , making it crystal clear.

The thought of spending hours in a cave every day is scary to many. However, the DongZhong cave in China is famed for having housed a school. The Maio village people loved sending their children to that school until the government ordered it to be shut down. The cave remains to be a renowned tourist destination for cavers around the world.

The story behind the Datdwtaung cave in Myanmar is a total mystery. It is said that the locals used it as a hiding place from the Ghengis Kahn, who was the head of the feared Mongol empire. It is now a majestic cave inhabited by monks. A Buddhist temple lies at its entrance, making it a great meditation getaway.

In Conclusion

Whether you are an experienced caver, or just starting on this beautiful journey, caves are (and will continue to be) tremendously exciting. Before booking an exploration trip to one of these caves, please make sure to check with your tour company what the required caving skill is for each one of them

When you’re ready to get started caving, be sure to  read my Beginners Guide .

I’m Rob, the owner of StartCaving. I enjoy exploring and writing about caves. I live in Ohio and like going out to Ash Cave at Hocking Hills with my family. I plan to hit up more caves across the states in the coming years but until then I will continue to write about them.

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Photos inside cave dwellings and villages from around the world

• For millennia, people have lived in cave dwellings around the world.
• Though few are still inhabited, most are open to tourists.
• Other areas have been preserved as heritage sites for visitors as well.

Many historical cave villages dug into sandstone or volcanic rock have survived around the world, with families still living in some, and others now open for tourists to visit.

At the Kome Caves in Lesotho, a small community of residents do regular upkeep on their cave dwellings by reapplying mud and manure each year; elsewhere, in Kinver, England, as many as 50 people may have lived in a single cave village at one time.

One cave hotel in Tunisia, Hotel Sidi Driss , was even a filming location for "Star Wars."

Take a look at cave homes around the world.

These cottages built into sandstone cliffs at Kinver Edge are the last of their kind in England.

In the United Kingdom, a set of cave houses at Kinver were inhabited up until the 1960s, according to Claire Hale, Visitor Operations and Experience Manager at the National Trust.

The homes lie on the border between Worcestershire and Staffordshire and are guessed to have been lived in since 1777.

Hale told Insider that the most well-known dwellings are at Holy Austin Rock. She said that it's believed the name comes from these dwellings' previous use as a hermitage, a religious site.

Inside, several Kinver Edge cave homes have been restored and filled with classic furniture and decorations.

These homes are set over three levels dug deep into the soft red sandstone, with the Kinver Committee stepping in to restore this site in the 1990s.

Now owned by the National Trust and open to the public, the homes are filled with furniture, decorations, and stoves. One home has been restored to a traditional Victorian style.

Records show that at its peak, 11 families may have lived at Holy Austin at one time — easily upwards of 50 people, according to Hale. This may have included farm workers, postmen, washerwomen, housekeepers, gardeners, cooks, forge workers, and more.

"People think living in a cave must have been a terrible life," Hale told Insider. 

"But they had fresh air, greenery all around them, lots of space," she went on. "They would grow their own fruit and vegetables, they could have livestock. There was no pollution, there was very little disease. So actually they had a really healthy lifestyle."

Cappadocia in Turkey is famous for its cave homes, and some are still lived in today.

In Ürgüp, Cappadocia, people created homes and warehouses from the natural sandstone surroundings.

The area has a lengthy history, with scholars dating the dwellings back to at least the Byzantine Period, according to its UNESCO World Heritage submission . It also has a bloody history as Ürgüp's Greek population was targeted during the Pontic Greek genocide , which saw the Ottoman Empire target and kill Greek inhabitants in the region from 1914 to 1923. 

The town is a short distance from both the famous Fairy Chimneys, and a collection of churches cut into volcanic rock at the Göreme Open Air Museum .

Some Cappadocia cave homes have now been turned into boutique hotels.

According to Turkey Travel Planner , until recently tourists could only visit these cave homes if they knew the owner. Tours now run only a few times a year, with funds from the tours going towards historical restoration. 

Some of the stone-cut houses are now luxury boutique hotels, according to Lonely Planet , bringing tourists and residents back to the town.

Local families of Lesotho, Southern Africa, still live in traditional mud dwellings known as the Kome Caves.

The Kome Caves in Berea, Lesotho, are still home to several families, the Guardian reported.

Now classified as a National Heritage site, these caves originally were used as hideouts for Basia and Bataung clan members during the 19th century, according to the Guardian .

Residents of the Kome Caves do regular upkeep on their homes by reapplying mud and manure to the walls.

The walls and floors of these cave homes are made from both mud and manure, according to Roof of Africa Tours , which is reapplied every year and provides insulation to each room.

The Guardian reported that many residential families are crop and livestock farmers, although some have opened their homes to tourists to make money.

Cave homes in Gharyan, Libya, are dug vertically into the ground with a center courtyard.

In the mountains of Libya, communal cave homes were dug into the ground with a central square courtyard and shared smaller caves for living and cooking.

This residence in the western town of Gharyan, south of Tripoli, was previously home to eight families, according to Reuters .

"The women would go to the mountains to get wood and water before we the children would wake up. Then they would make tea together while the men looked after the animals," a former resident named Belhaj, who spent the first 10 years of his life in this dwelling, told Reuters.

Some families still visit their Gharyan cave homes in the summer, and the homes are open to the public.

Reuters reported that with traditional Berber decorations like colorful rugs and pottery, each family's cave featured three areas — a living space, a bedroom for children, and a separate bedroom for parents.

During fighting in Libya, many fled to these caves to escape shelling. Today, the families have largely moved out, but one member interviewed by Reuters says they still visit in the summer and open the homes to show tourists their heritage.

A man in Herzliya, Israel, is fighting authorities to remain in his self-created beachside cave home.

Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, a man named Nissim Kahlon has turned a small cave into a tunnel-like home where he has now lived for 50 years, AP News reported .

Accessed via a ladder leading from the beach, Kahlon's home is decorated outside with shells and pebbles. It even has a plumbing system and electricity.

The inside of the Herzliya coastal cave home has many rooms decorated with handcrafted mosaics.

Inside, chiseled tunnels are decorated with bright-colored paint and detailed mosaics created from discarded tiles.

However, this year Kahlon is now facing eviction from Israel's Environmental Protection Agency, who claim the home's structure threatens the cliffside and the safety of public visitors to the beach.

Insider previously reported that he has no plans to leave the residence despite local authorities' insistence.

A village of hobbit-style cave homes was carved in Langenstein, Austria.

The Harz village in Saxony-Anhalt features a set of carved cave homes dug out by migrant farmworkers who arrived during a housing crisis in 1855, according to Atlas Obscura .

Earlier cave dwellings had existed in the sandstone, with the local council deciding to hold a lottery to decide which working families would be granted space there, Atlas Obscura reported. 

Those chosen faced the tough challenge of digging their own home and also had to pay a month's salary for the right to live there for the rest of their lives.

Only five of the Langenstein homes are open to the public, with the last resident dying just over 100 years ago.

On average, each family took a year and a half to complete their home, Atlas Obscura reported, with the last resident dying in 1910.

German tourism site Entdecke Deutschland reported that the cave homes were used for storage or as animal stables for the last 100 years until they became a tourist attraction.

Ten of the homes have been preserved, though only five are open to visitors for weekly guided tours, its tourist information site states .

In Matmata, Tunisia, a traditional Berber village is open to tourists to promote local culture.

Between the Tunisian towns of Matmata and Tamezret, traditional Berber cave homes are open to tourists. 

The underground rooms and subterranean courtyards of Matmata have seen many visitors following Tunisia's 2011 revolution, the Independent reported , with locals welcoming the interest in their Berber culture and heritage.

One Matmata cave hotel was used as a location in "Star Wars."

Around 1,200 "troglodyte" homes have been preserved in the area, with some still inhabited by locals, according to the publication The Arab Local .

In the center of Matmata, tourists can choose to stay in troglodyte cave rooms at the Hotel Sidi Driss , which proudly notes that the film "Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope" was shot here in 1976 and used as Luke Skywalker's childhood home.

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The 7 Most Beautiful Caves Around the World

By Noelann Bourgade

The most beautiful caves around the world prove that, in some ways, the Earth itself is an incredibly gifted architect. After all, these stunning natural spaces are commanding, enduring, purposeful, and emotionally resonant. And isn’t that what any great architect would want from their buildings? Below, we visit seven incredible caves around the world, from a marble-filled cavern to an underground river lit up by thousands of worms. Scroll through and you'll be sure to add any of these beautiful caves to your travel bucket list.

The Marble Cathedral in Chile’s Patagonia region.

As the name implies, at the Marble Cathedral in Chile’s Lake General Carrera, erosion has left behind gleaming walls of white marble. Only explorable on water, the crown jewel of the Chilean Patagonia can be visited by chartering a boat with a captain or renting a kayak. The lake where the cathedral is located straddles the border of Chile and Argentina, and its waters, rich with calcium carbonate and other minerals, have sculpted the base of the islet into sinuous shapes that create a beautifully luminous spectacle.

New Zealand’s Waitomo Glowworm Caves.

Deep underground, the Waitomo Glowworm Caves are made up of some 300 different limestone caves and caverns linked by underground passages. The most spectacular feature of the system, however, are the glowworms that illuminate it. These insects, specifically Arachnocampa luminosa which are unique to New Zealand, line the walls and ceilings of the caves. The effect is like a starry sky, albeit one located more than 30 feet below the surface of the earth. The caves are one of the most popular tourist sites on New Zealand’s North Island, located just over two hours by car from Auckland.

The Phraya Nakhon Cave in Thailand.

In Thailand’s Phraya Nakhon Cave, located 110 miles southwest of Bangkok, the golden Kuha Karuhas pavilion is bathed in natural light. Built in 1890 for the visit of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), it’s an enchanting spectacle in a lush natural setting. Accessible on foot from Laem Sala beach, this underground world feels like the setting of a fairytale.

Fingal’s Cave on Staffa, one of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides.

By Katie Schultz

By Gabriela Ulloa

Located on a small volcanic island, Fingal’s Cave, also known as the Musical Cave, produces astonishing sounds when the sea rushes through its basalt opening. The frozen, hexagonal columns of lava, which can reach a height of up to 230 feet, were formed some 59 million years ago and helped earn the site its status as a national nature reserve. A place of legend, its columns and pillars have been compared to those of the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, and have inspired writers such as Jules Verne, the painter William Turner, and even the group Pink Floyd, more recently.

The Grotte Saint-Marcel in Ardèche, in southern France.

Listed as a National Natural Heritage Site in 1934, the Grotte Saint-Marcel in the Ardèche department in southeastern France is one of the most spectacular natural caves in the world. With over 40 miles of galleries and caverns and home to rock paintings that date back 20,000 years, the Grotte Saint-Marcel appears to have been used by Neanderthals as early as 40,000 years ago. The cave also has many basins and pools—including a series of roughly 100 calcite basins that form a cascading waterfall— adding to its unique atmosphere.

The Skaftafell Ice Cave near Iceland’s southeastern coast.

The Skaftafell Ice Cave is located in Vatnajökull National Park, one of the most beautiful nature reserves in southeastern Iceland. As if it were made of crystal, the cave’s many openings create bewitching shafts of light, plunging into the giant, icy bowels of this tunnel in blue and white. Constantly changing, the cave expands, erodes, and forms new caverns with the passage of time.

The Padirac Chasm in France.

An underground river runs through the chasm.

This extraordinary site in France’s Dordogne Valley is the country’s most famous natural underground heritage site. A vertical entry plunges into the earth, passing through a verdant cavern that has been carved out through erosion caused by water pouring down the rocky opening. The immensity of the chasm—it is 340 feet deep—can feel a bit like entering the center of the Earth. Upon reaching the bottom, visitors will find a turquoise underground river.

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• Friday, April 12, 2024

The mystery and beauty of cave tourism

• 19 November, 2019
• In Depth , Uncategorized

This isn’t a new opportunist fad with “tourism” stuck on the end. In fact, cave tourism is older and more traditional than popular contemporary varieties such as wine tourism, active tourism and cycling tourism. In cave tourism, visitors select a destination based on their love of caves: whether they’re looking to stay in a cave house or fancy trying their hand at caving.

Feel like a neanderthal by sleeping inside a cave or unleash your adventurous side by caving in beautiful underground cave networks. whether used for sporting or accommodation purposes, caves have a strong influence on tourists when choosing their destination and searching for new experiences..

From an experience tourism perspective, many people are looking to stay in cave houses where they can enjoy the unique accommodation and its beautiful surroundings. This is a fantastic opportunity to emulate your forefathers while enjoying all of the mod cons of the 21st century.

Andalusia is one of Spain’s autonomous communities with the highest concentration of touristic cave houses. The province of Granada has several excellent cave houses, such as those in the Cuevas Tiana complex in Baza or the Cuevas Al Qulayat in Castilléjar .

Northern Spain is also home to various intriguing destinations. One such example are the cave houses in the Cuevas Rurales Bardeneras complex in the municipality of Valtierra (Navarre).

If you’re looking to combine cave tourism with the benefits of an island holiday, you should consider visiting the village of Artenara in Gran Canaria. The main advantage of these cave houses is their ability to maintain a constant temperature. These cave houses remain at a delightful 18ºC all year round.

The world’s best natural caves

According to a survey carried out by the flight and hotel search engine Jetcost.es for its new Explore section, four Spanish caves feature in a list of more than 20 of the world’s best caves.

Spain is represented in the rankings by La Cueva de Valporquero in León, El Soplao in Cantabria, Las Cuevas del Drach in Mallorca and Las Cuevas de Nerja in Málaga . The list also includes fantastic caves from other European countries such as Portugal, Italy and Austria, as well as non-European countries such as Mexico, China, the USA and South Africa.

According to the survey results, a high number of tourists (38%) select their holiday destination based on the caves that are found nearby, along with other natural features that can be visited. Survey participants were asked to choose their favourite regions based on their surrounding natural features—particularly their nearby caves—taking into account their beauty, rarity, facilities, lighting, accessibility and other somewhat surprising aspects. With over 10,000 caves, Spain has an impressive network of underground caves of incalculable value. Cantabria was one of Spain’s highest-rated autonomous communities, with the world’s greatest concentration of cave art (with over 60 caves bearing paintings on their walls).

La Cueva de Altamira and the region’s nine other caves to have received UNESCO World Heritage Site status are the universal symbol of this valuable Palaeolithic heritage, which coexists with another equally impressive underground legacy: the network of 9000-plus caves of impressive geological shapes and spectacular landscapes, such as El Soplao .

Discovered in the early 20th century during the excavation of the La Florida mines, El Soplao is considered internationally to be a true geological wonder.

Its most impressive features are its ‘eccentric’ rock formations found along its floors, ceilings, walls and other parts of the route, which make El Soplao special. These unusual formations, combined with the capricious shapes of its stalactites, stalagmites, columns, flows, etc., make for a fascinating immersion into the underground world. Las Cuevas de Valporquero are found relatively nearby, in León. These are some of Spain’s most beautiful caves. Seven huge galleries, offering a variety of unique structures, can be visited, which are sure to leave an immediate impression on you. Furthermore, the caves have a watercourse that can be navigated by experts.

In any cave or cavern, lighting is essential. In Las Cuevas de Valporquero, this is simply exquisite. Their lighting creates a magical and surreal atmosphere, in which visitors can gain an understanding of how stalactites are formed, drop-by-drop, over thousands of years. Survey participants also chose Las Cuevas del Drach , the largest cave network in Mallorca, found in Porto Cristo, as one of the world’s best caves. These caves stretch almost 2400 metres long, with a maximum depth of 25 metres below ground level. Really, these are four interconnected caves: La Cueva de los Franceses, La Cueva de Luis Salvador, La Cueva Blanca and La Cueva Negra.

These caves are shaped by the entrance of seawater and are believed to date back to the Miocene period. Inside, you’ll find one of the world’s largest underground lakes—Lago Martel—measuring 117 metres long by 30 metres wide. This charming and mysterious setting hosts classical music concerts daily. After the performance, attendees are welcome to take a boat trip around the lake.

Finally, Málaga’s La Cueva de Nerja has also been included in Jetcost’s list of the world’s best caves. This cave is highly regarded as it contains almost every type of natural rock formation known to man. The spaciousness and height of its chambers make this a relatively easy-to-access cave.

The Sala del Cataclismo is particularly impressive, where you can see proof of a seismic movement that occurred 800,000 years ago in the area. The Sala de la Torca also bears various anthropomorphic cave paintings. Sala de los Fantasmas, meanwhile, offers symbolic representations and animal paintings.

We recommend heading to the viewpoint in the Sala del Colmillo del Elefante for the best views of the cave’s stalactites and stalagmites. The world is home to many wonderful caves. Below is a short list of some of the top-ranked caves in the survey: Vatnajökull Glacier Ice Cave (Iceland) Er Wang Dong Cave (China) Mira de Aire caves (Portugal) Marble Caves (Chile) The Blue Grotto (Italy) Kyaut Sae Cave (Myanmar) Mendenhall Glacier Ice Caves (Alaska, USA) Castellana Caves (Italy) Waitomo Glowworm Caves (New Zealand) Algar do Carvão (Portugal) Giant Crystal Cave (Mexico) Batu Caves (Malaysia) Benagil Caves (Portugal) Tham Lod Caves (Thailand) Sơn Đoòng Cave (Vietnam) Muntovsky Volcano Cave (Russia) Ellison’s Cave (USA)

Knowledge is power: How can we make cave tourism more environmentally friendly?

A new study in Nature Conservation presents a literature-based dataset on the ecological status of 265 show caves in 39 countries across the world.

Throughout history, people have used caves for a number of reasons: as shelters, places for rituals, food storage, and, in more recent times, as touristic attractions.  In these so-called show caves, visitors can experience the natural beauty of caves, usually by following a guide on constructed, artificially lit trails.

But caves are also very fragile ecosystems, bursting with underground life. They are home to numerous invertebrate and bat species, including ones that are threatened or endemic. The human disturbances caused by the changes in the infrastructure and environment, coupled with the influx of tourists, often affect the ecological processes and, consequently, these organisms. But how much do we know about the influence of tourists on cave ecosystems?

According to a new study in the open-access journal Nature Conservation , not enough .

Apart from affecting subterranean invertebrates, the artificial lighting and noise related to tourist visits may also affect the life of bats, making it harder for them to reproduce or overwinter in caves.

Going through more than 1,000 scientific papers, an Italian team of scientists, led by Marco Isaia and Elena Piano from the University of Torino, prepared a literature-based dataset relative to the knowledge on the ecological status of 265 show caves in 39 countries across the world. Their database includes a georeferenced set of show caves, where researchers have evaluated a number of environmental indicators that help monitor the impact of tourism and its related activities on subterranean ecosystems. They also list cave characteristics for each cave, including its natural heritage that attracts tourists.

There are many ways in which tourism can disturb life in a cave. For example, the presence of visitors may help increase cave temperature, which, combined with the increase of CO 2 air concentration caused by tourists’ breath, may enhance carbonate dissolution, damaging geological formations. Moreover, tourists can carry pollutants and propagules of microorganisms into the cave through their clothes and hands, which then land on geological formations, in the water, in the air, and on the ground. Apart from affecting subterranean invertebrates, the artificial lighting and noise related to tourist visits may also affect the life of bats, making it harder for them to reproduce or overwinter in caves.

The dataset published in Nature Conservation set a baseline towards the integrated and multidisciplinary study of the impacts caused by tourism on these fragile ecosystems, but the research team points out that much remains to be done. For example, they found out that there wasn’t enough research on show caves outside of Europe, or on the possible impacts of tourism on the subterranean fauna in the context of climate change.

Ultimately, the data in this study can help managing authorities come up with guidelines that will allow a sustainable touristic development of show caves, not only from an environmental perspective, but also from an economic and social point of view.

“Overall, this data paper could fill the lack of awareness towards the fragility of the natural heritage of show caves to favour a sustainable touristic use that would guarantee their preservation for future generations as well as the economic development of local communities”, the authors conclude.

Research article:

Piano E, Nicolosi G, Mammola S, Balestra V, Baroni B, Bellopede R, Cumino E, Muzzulini N, Piquet A, Isaia M (2022) A literature-based database of the natural heritage, the ecological status and tourism-related impacts in show caves worldwide. Nature Conservation 50: 159-174. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.50.80505

All images are from Bossea show cave in Italy, by Simone Marzocchi.

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10 Must-Visit Caves in the Philippines: Biggest, Deepest, Longest, Underwater

• 10. Biak na Bato (Bulacan)
• 9. Jackpot Cave (Cagayan)

8. Aglipay Caves (Quirino)

7. odloman cave (negros oriental), 6. callao cave (cagayan), 5. hinagdanan cave (bohol), 4. tabon caves (palawan).

• 3. Sumaging-Latipan-Lomyang Crystal Cave (Sagada)

2. Calbiga Cave or Langun-Gobingob Caves (Eastern Samar)

• 1. Puerto Princesa Underground River (Palawan)

Around the world, caving or spelunking is a well-liked outdoor adventure activity. The Philippines' caves are well known for their distinctive characteristics, which include enormous stalactites and stalagmites, the presence of bats, and other species that are best explored in Philippines cave tours and  Philippine hiking tours . This list summarizes some of the must-visit caves in the Philippines that can be explored by beginners and experienced cave enthusiasts after fulfilling the needed Philippine travel requirements . 

See our popular Cave Tours

Bohol countryside tour with loboc river cruise lunch & panglao island tour, siargao land tour to magpupungko rock pools, cloud 9, coconut mountain view & more with transfers, palawan el nido shared island hopping tour b with lunch & transfers | snake island, cudognon cave, 10. biak na bato (bulacan) .

Biak-na-Bato National Park, located in San Miguel, is one of the most popular tourist spots in Bulacan , a province located north of Metro Manila . The 2,117-hectare park is famous for its historical significance since it used to be a mountain refuge for Filipino rebels who fought the Spanish army. The forest of Biak-na-Bato is home to endangered wildlife, particularly the migration of fruit bats and a diverse set of birds in the area.

Today, the park is a haven for travelers who wish to reconnect with nature by going on hiking trips and exploring rock formations, caverns, and rivers. It has a cave network of roughly 116 caverns, however, only around 12 of these are open to the public. 

The first Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo's headquarters is the most well-known of these caverns. Other identified caves in Biak-na-Bato National Park includes Bahay Paniki, Sinuluan, Suklib Kabayo, Kwebang Mata, and Punta Soro-Soro.

See our popular Bulacan Tours and Activities

Mt. manalmon & mt. gola with twin hike in bulacan with transfers from manila, mt. secret & mt. malangaan cave and spring minor day hike in bulacan with transfers from manila, mt. manalmon & matinik twin hike for beginners in bulacan with transfers from manila, 9. jackpot cave (cagayan) .

Jackpot Cave is located in Peñablanca, Cagayan, a haven for spelunkers due to the number of known caves and ancient rock art in the province. With a studied depth of roughly 115 meters and a surveyed length of 355 meters, the Jackpot Cave is now the country's second deepest cave. 

The passageway in the cave is large enough for strolling through, and there are several dips and shafts of different depths. Inside the cave, there are several flowing streams and four pools of various sizes. 

Expect to get wet and muddy, so wear comfortable clothing. In some parts of the cave, hiking barefoot is required to have a better grip on the rocks. The cave is perfect for experts wanting to try more complex cave activities and may be accessed with the help of the Sierra Madre Outdoor Club (SMOC).

The Aglipay Caves is located in Baranggay Villa Ventura near the little town of Aglipay, a municipality in the landlocked province of Qurino. The caves cover 101 hectares of pristine forest and are notable for their well-preserved rock formations. The cave's stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones are built by minerals induced by dripping water. The Aglipay Caves were found in 1983. It was named after Gregorio Aglipay, the founder of the Philippine Independent Church.

The Aglipay Caves are made up of roughly 37 interconnecting chambers, of which only 8 have been explored and are accessible to the public. The most feasible entry to the Aglipay Caves would begin with chamber 1, followed by a short hike to chamber 8, followed by a climbing adventure to chamber 3. You will emerge in a roomy chamber after you have finally reached the 8th cave.

You can engage in more fascinating activities outside the caves. If you want to unwind and have brought some food, there is a picnic area with shelters. There is also a butterfly sanctuary in the area. You can also go camping or bird watching.

See our popular Quirino Tours and Activities

2-day adventure tour to quirino province watersports complex, landingan viewpoint, falls & caves, aglipay caves, governor's rapids & landingan peak quirino tour with lunch & transfers.

Odloman Cave is one of the beautiful caves in the town of Mabinay, Negros Oriental, also known as the cave capital of the Philippines and home to Dumaguete and Apo Island. The numerous caverns in Mabinay are the result of the town's geologic profile, which includes extensive karst and limestone rocks. With over 400 caves in the town of Mabinay alone, Odloman Cave stands out as it is the second largest cave in the Philippines, measuring 8,870 meters. 

See our popular Dumaguete Tours and Activities

Private siquijor island tour to cambugahay falls & top attractions from dumaguete city, apo island day tour with transfers from dumaguete, manjuyod dolphin watching & sandbar tour with lunch & transfers from dumaguete.

In order to get to the entrance of the cave, you have to swim across an underground river or enter through a hole in the roof. It will be worth the experience as the cave features enormous galleries that are linked by short and narrow passages.

Sturdy footwear is recommended for beginners. Take note that slippers and sandals are not suggested due to the nature of the caverns. Also, some paths to this Philippine cave is best explored by experts in spelunking. 

The Callao Cave is a well-known tourist attraction in Cagayan and the local government has classified it as an Eco-Tourism Zone. The cave's passageways make the journey serene, or callado, as the Spaniards termed it, thus the name of this attraction. The cave is known to house the oldest known remains of an early human species in the Philippines.

Callao Cave features nine chambers and formations, two of which were closed due to an earthquake in the 1980s. Travelers will need to conquer a 184-step climb up a staircase to reach the entrance of the first chamber. The Chapel, which is the name of the first chamber, is a well-lit cave lighted by a gap above the cavern floor. The locals converted it into a chapel due to its cathedral-like form. It is the only Roman Catholic chapel inside a cave, and the altar is a rock structure.

Hinagdanan is a karst cave, which means it is made of limestone. It has multiple parallel stalactite and stalagmite formations as well as a freshwater lagoon perfect for taking a dip. The cave is naturally lighted by sunshine filtering through the ceiling openings, which also serve as a nesting spot for the local swallows. 

The enormous underground cavern also features a pond that appears ominous but enticing. The cave's entrance is a small, slender opening. It won't take long, though, until the tunnel reveals a huge cavern. You can enjoy the freshwater lagoon from here.

See our popular Bohol Vacation Packages

Relaxing 4-day beachfront mithi resort bohol package from manila, fuss-free 3-day bohol package at mithi resort with airfare from manila & transfers, 4-day premier bohol beach club resort package with breakfast & airport transfers.

Presidential Proclamation 996, issued in 1972, designated the cave complex and all of Lipuun Point as a site museum reservation in order to conserve and preserve the caverns and their immediate surroundings from future damage. Apart from being one of the top Palawan tourist spots to visit, the Tabon Cave Complex was also put on the Philippines' tentative list for future UNESCO World Heritage Site candidacy in 2006.

Tabon Caves is one of the few places in Southeast Asia where Homo Sapiens fossils have been discovered. Between 1962 and 1966, anthropologist Dr. Robert Fox and a team from the National Museum of the Philippines unearthed the Tabon Man, one of the Philippines' earliest known human skeleton remains, dating back to 14,000 B.C. The Tabon Caves also housed a plethora of valuable archaeological items like the Manunggul, a secondary burial jar that has been declared a National Cultural Treasure.

See our popular Palawan Vacation Packages

Budget-friendly 4-day coron palawan package at skylodge resort with flights from manila & tour, 5-day nature & islands adventure package to puerto princesa and el nido palawan, stress-free 5-day coron palawan package at bacau bay resort with flights from manila, 3. sumaging-latipan-lomyang crystal cave (sagada) .

Today, the cave is one of the top Sagada tourist spots . Through its six gates, you will have access to some of the most fascinating natural formations it displays. You may be able to see remarkable rock formations like "The Curtain," "King and Queen," "The Serpent," and other unique sightings. As you delve further into the cave, the Crystal Cave shows off even more splendor in the shape of beautiful columns that reach the cave's roof.

Wear comfortable active wear because you'll be getting wet and dirty. You will need to hike barefoot in some areas in order to have a stronger hold on the rocks. The cave connection tour will take around a few hours, during which you will be swimming through underwater lakes, rappelling down underground rock sides, and crawling through tiny passageways.

See our popular Baguio Vacation Packages

Ultimate 1-month philippine adventure tour package to boracay, palawan, siargao, bohol, cebu, baguio, amazing 2-week heritage & scenic tour to llocos, mt. pinatubo, baguio, sagada & bohol package, epic 15-day nature adventure & cultural tour to north luzon, cebu, bohol & palawan package.

The main chamber of Calbiga Caves is Langun, followed by Upper Gobingob which has also been fully explored. That is why another name for this cave system is Langun-Gobingob Caves. This cave system is home to several bat species, cave crickets, cave spiders, centipedes, snakes, and red and white crabs. 

Inside, you will be taken to an otherworldly landscape with enormous chambers that resemble coliseums and are built on top of subterranean lakes, rivers, and natural springs. It is highly recommended to wear gum boots to have some sort of protection against the ankle-deep bat guano crawling with beetles and muddy areas of the cave.

See our popular Eco Tours

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The Puerto Princesa Underground River is the longest cave in the Philippines, with a total of 8.2 kilometers in length. However, just a part of the river, around 4.3 kilometers, is open to a Puerto Princesa Underground River tour .

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The Puerto Princesa Underground River was designated as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Philippines back in 1999 and as a Ramsar Wetland Site in 2012. In the same year, it was named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, a 2007 project to produce a list of seven natural wonders selected through a global survey. Because of all the accolades, the Puerto Princesa Underground River is one of the top Philippine tourist spots and has become one of the best places to visit in the Philippines .

The underground river is also known for its amazing limestone karst mountain landscape and cave system, making it the most famous cave in the Philippines and a popular eco-adventure destination . It is home to more than 800 plant species and a variety of bird species, most of which are native to the area. There are also a variety of animal species such as bats, reptiles, frogs, and sea cows that have been documented in the region.

Explore the Best Caves in the Philippines

There are a lot of cave tours in the Philippines , so for those who get excited by the idea of going into a dark cavern on land or underwater, check out our Philippines cave tours and Philippine tour packages . Embark on a Philippine adventure tour by checking out every best cave on this list for a fun-filled vacation in the Philippines .

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Geotourism in the Middle East pp 235–248 Cite as

Assessing Caves for Geotourism Development—An Example from Türkiye Using a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Based Multi-Criteria Approach

• Deniz Arca 6 &
• Hulya Keskin Citiroglu 7  
• First Online: 25 May 2023

199 Accesses

Part of the book series: Geoheritage, Geoparks and Geotourism ((GGAG))

The provincial land of Zonguldak in Türkiye contains many caves due to its tectonic and climatic features, especially its lithological features. This chapter reports on a study aimed at analysing the caves in the Zonguldak province through Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to determine their geotourism potential by creating suitability zones with the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) method. Factors used in multi-criteria decision analysis method include the distance to roads, settlements and port locations, elevation, slope and aspect. On the basis of the results obtained, it is argued that 42.11% of all caves in the study area are located in highly sensitive areas in regard to geotourism potential.

Türkiye has been designated the new name of Turkey by the United Nations as of June 2022. https://turkiye.un.org/en/184798-turkeys-name-changed-turkiye .

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Arca, D., Keskin Citiroglu, H. (2023). Assessing Caves for Geotourism Development—An Example from Türkiye Using a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Based Multi-Criteria Approach. In: Allan, M., Dowling, R. (eds) Geotourism in the Middle East. Geoheritage, Geoparks and Geotourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24170-3_14

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