One year ago, the 12 members of the junior soccer team and their coach were dramatically rescued from the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. The rescue threw a spotlight on the caving and the adventures to be had underground. Caves have an almost primal charm – they hold the secrets of our past and are mysterious in themselves. They are home to mini-ecosystems that are otherwise impossible above ground and are the last remnants of exploration.
The world’s longest cave system lies beneath the Green River Valley in Kentucky, and although over 400 miles of passageways have been mapped, it is not yet fully discovered. The complex limestone labyrinth was discovered by humans 4,000 years ago and is home to a rich habitat for cave dwellers, including eyeless fish, cave salamanders and cave albino shrimp.
Once used as the personal swimming pool of the Roman Emperor Tiberius, this shimmering sea cave is nearly 200 feet long and 82 feet wide. Its unique glow is created by the light that enters through the small opening to the outside and refracts through the clear water of the 490 foot deep sandy bottom.
Avshalom Cave Nature Reserve
Beit Shemesh, Israel
Avshalom, also known as the Soreq Cave Nature Reserve, is considered the Rosetta Stone of climate history in the Eastern Mediterranean due to the densely packed stalactites found in the cave, some of which are over 13 feet long and up to 300,000 years old.
Crystal and fantasy caves
Hamilton Parrish, Bermuda
A truly magical experience underground. These caves originated in the Pleistocene, but were only found by humans over 100 years ago. Groups of crystals and stalactites float above a crystal clear pool, which is a mixture of fresh and salt water and is almost 60 feet deep.
Cave of crystals
This unique cave system in Mexico looks like Superman’s Fortress of Solitude and contains some of the largest natural crystals ever found – the longest of which is 39 feet long and 13 feet thick. However, due to logistical difficulties, it is rarely explored: it is extremely hot due to its location above a volcanic vent, and the huge crystals also block the passage.
This sea cave, located on an uninhabited island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, consisted entirely of hexagonal interconnected basalt columns formed by a Paleocene lava flow. It was named after an 18th century poem and has been mentioned in literature and song over the centuries.
Waitomo Firefly Caves
Waitomo Village, New Zealand
The Waitomo Cave System, created 30 million years ago, has several unique aspects – including a huge underground chamber area called the Cathedral – but the main attraction is the Firefly Cave, where visitors can glide along an underground river over which millions of fireflies sparkle like stars.
Hang Sơn Đoòng Cave
Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam
At over three miles long and 650 feet high, this cave is the largest in the world and contains stalagmites 229 feet high. Originally founded by a local in 1991, it only became internationally known in 2009.
The Škocjan Cave, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which has one of the largest underground canyons in the world, has been inhabited by people since prehistoric times. It is considered one of the most beautiful caves in the world and is home to cities of stalagmites and stalactites straight out of a SciFi novel. The Reka River disappears over 20 miles below the Reka and reappears near Monfalcone.
Chile Chico, Chile
These isolated, sculpted caves, accessible only by boat, are located on General Carrera Lake in the heart of the Patagonia region. They consist of swirling black and white columns that reflect the azure and turquoise waters of the lake. The colors change with the seasons.
Reed Flute Cave
Guilin, Guangxi, China
This limestone cave, also known as the “Palace of Natural Arts”, is located north of Guilin City and is not only beautiful, but also of historical importance as it is full of inscriptions that can be dated back to the Tang Dynasty.
Skaftafell Ice Cave
Vatnajokull National Park, Iceland
Ice caves are a natural phenomenon in the interior of Iceland’s largest ice cap, transforming into spaces reminiscent of Disney’s Frozen. No two caves are alike and they are constantly changing; every summer