The Caves at Camuy

If you are in Puerto Rico, you shouldn't miss visiting the Camuy Caverns and enjoy the beauty of the nature and see how the Camuy river formed these amazing caverns.

They are located not far from San Juan, just about 45min driving. You have to pay a fee to enter, but this is not expensive and helps to keep this place well maintained. Once you pay, they will give you a ticket and you'd have to wait until they call your number.

Before starting the journey, you'd watch an informative video and they would give you some security equipment. After that you will board a trolley, which will drive you down to the cave. At this point a guide will join the group, who will be with you the whole time, explaining all about the caverns, flora and fauna. By the way the tour is available in Spanish or English.

After a short drive, surrounded by a nice greenery, you'd arrive to a station. This is next to the entrance to the caverns itself. Not only the stalactites and stalagmites inside the caves are amazing, how they light everything is great. Really did a great job. Also you'd be able to see waterfalls and get closer to the Camuy river. Just be careful what you touch. Touching the stalagmites is forbidden, but there are some places you can touch, but you might find a not so nice surpise (bat's poo).

But not only the caverns are great, the whole vegetation in the area is impressive. Although it doesn't last long, be sure to wear comfy shoes - better snickers since it's slippery.

The park offers you parking places, cafeteria, restrooms and is close to Lares where you can enjoy a delicious Puerto Rican meal.
Just one advise: try to arrive there early, so you won't have to wait long.

These caves are spectacular!! They are located near the town of Arecibo in the northwestern part of Puerto Rico. Visitors first enter a building which contains a nice shop, ticket booth, and a small theater showing a short video on the creation of the cave. The ticket includes the short movie, and a tour through the main parts of the cave. After visitors watch the very interesting video, they board a nice trolley. This vehicle drives through lush vegetation before entering a giant sinkhole (where the entrance to the cave lies). An interesting fact about the sinkhole is that it used to be another part of the cave. As the years progressed, water at the top of the cave kept weakening the structure, until it eventually collapsed, leaving the hole. Now, it is completely filled with nice vegetation.

Once visitors enter the cave, they are greeted by the biggest part. There are beautiful stalagmites and stalactites everywhere, as well as a curious formation that we locals call "Bizcocho", or cake, bearing visual similarities to this type of food, =D. Tainos, or the natives who lived in PR back in the day, used to live in the caves when a hurricane would come in. After the main room, visitors enter another sinkhole, walking through the edge. Later on, there is an area of the cave where you can see part of the underground river that flows beneath it. You can also see the infamous bats!!

This is really an amazing experience!!