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5 Caving Destinations Everyone Should Visit
For adventure-seekers with a desire to go spelunking we are going to reveal some of the world’s most amazing caving destinations, which have become tourist hot spots. Those who find excitement at the prospect of entering a dark hole in the ground or under water will find a wonderful source of fun in all of these places.
So check out this list and start planning your next adventure!
1. Son Doong Cave (Hang Son Doong) | Vietnam
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Let’s start our discovery of spelunking destinations with the world’s largest cave located in the heart of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh province, Vietnam. The length of its biggest chamber is 5 km and the height is 200m. Though being discovered only in 1991, this spectacular cave was created 3-5 million years ago by the river water eroding the limestone below the mountain. In the weak spots of the limestone, the ceiling fell down letting sunlight come through and help greenery grow.
Son Doong Cave is considered one of the safest spelunking destinations. Nevertheless, it’s highly advisable for cavers having some experience, as its entrance is difficult to cross. Adventures offered in guided tours in Son Doong Cave include jungle hiking, trekking, rafting, camping and even sleeping under the stars. The lush vegetation, majestic stalactites and towering stalagmites here will be a delight for your eyes.
Being a well-known caving destination, unfortunately it’s not affordable for all adventurous spelunkers. The price of a 4 day guided tour is as much as 2500$. Getting to this fascinating caving destination isn’t as hard as it seems: just take a flight through Vietnam Airlines to reach Dong Hoi, and then take a train or a bus.
Wondering which is the best time for visiting? We recommend visiting from February to August. Nevertheless, in summer it might also be fun there.
For your information only Oxalis Adventure is permitted to organize expeditions in the cave in order to ensure safety and preservation.
2. Mozrov Cave | Armenia
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The next noteworthy caving destination is in Armenia – a small mountainous country lying at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The Mozrov Cave is located in the Vayots Dzor region which is famous for its astounding and unique landscapes.
Although Mozrov Cave was opened by some hikers only 3 decades ago, it has already appealed to lots of adventure seekers from all sides of the world. Its extensive diversity of inside formations, such as colourful stalactites, stalagmites, columns, draperies, flow-stone, rimstone dams, and other natural geological formations, make it unmatched throughout Europe.
To reach Mozrov Cave you can take a flight to the capital Yerevan, and then ask local tour guides to organize your visit there. Sky Club regularly organizes tours to Mozrov cave at a really affordable price. They provide what you need: hard-hats, gloves, flashlights, transportation from Yerevan and back, and of course a professional instructor who will guide you and make this adventure completely enjoyable for you.
3. Waitomo Glowworm Caves | New Zealand
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Waitomo is one of New Zealand’s most famous tourist attractions, discovered in the late 19th century. This incredibly beautiful and glorious caving destination is home to many glow-worm caves.
On your caving adventure you can explore underground caverns without any artificial lightning and watch glowworms beaming from the inside of the cave like a starry sky. This starry wonderland of glittering tiny creatures with its limestone formations and subterranean rivers is a magnet for not only local but also overseas tourists.
Visiting the Waitomo Caves is possible by guided tours only. These tours usually consist of walking through the caves, cave tubing, black water rafting, and boat riding under the shine of glowworms. So a visit to this magnificent caving site will provide a huge amount of adventure for you.
The cost of guided tours typically starts from 30$. And to get to this wonderful caving destination you can take a flight to Auckland. Regarding the best time for visit, the cave is open throughout the year, but the most popular time is summer.
4. Gunung Mulu National Park | Malaysia
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Now let’s explore the largest cave chamber yet discovered in the world, which is located in Gua Mulu National Park, Malaysia. This gigantic chamber, called Sarawak, was formed as a result of its sandstone basement erosion.
It is not for the timid, as to get to the chamber one has to swim in the river and walk along a ledge afterward. So it can be a really challenging trek even for experienced and fit spelunkers. It’s easy to feel scared by its sheer size – 600m length, 450m width, 115m height, hence guided tours are highly recommendable.
Here you can pass the Deer Cave, one of the world’s largest underground passages, which is a home of millions of bats. Then you can continue your way by boat exploring the well-known Simon’s cave and the Good Luck Cave, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Wondering which is the best time for visiting? We recommend visiting from October to May when the weather is drier. Regarding the accommodations, it should be booked beforehand, as the amount of guest houses is small.
To get to this majestic caving destination you can take a flight from Kota Kinabalu International Airport, and then head to Gunung Mulu National Park by the airport shuttle.
5. Fingal's Cave | Scotland
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The 5th amazing caving destination is a sea cave. Fingal’s Cave, which is considered a National Natural Reserve, is situated on the Staffa island in Scotland. The cave owes its notability to its unique structure. It’s the only sea cave totally formed from hexagonally jointed basalt columns within a Paleocene lava flow.
What makes Fingal’s cave extraordinarily appealing is the incredible natural acoustics. For an eternity Fingal’s Cave has been an astonishing muse for artists, musicians, writers, such as William Wordsworth (poet), Jules Verne, and music composer Felix Mendelssohn. This awesome cave even attracted Queen Victoria to visit there.
To reach this caving site you can take a cruise and cross a sea-filled passage formed by fractured columns by boat. But it’s better to visit when the tide is low and explore this must-see natural wonder by walking on that crude walkaway.
