(c) Neala Schwartzberg
Puerto Rico aptly calls itself La Isla Del Encanto – Island of Enchantment. And it certainly is. Surrounded by blue water, fringed with sandy beaches, and blessed with an interior of lush plants and flowing waterfalls, it is easy to fall in love with Puerto Rico.
Many people head to the sophisticated pleasures of San Juan, and succumb to the lure of the water. When it’s time to leave the beautiful blue ocean and the beaches to explore some of the rest of the Island of Enchantment, Rio Camuy Cave Park is a fascinating excursion for the whole family..
When is a cavern not a cavern? When its ceiling has caved in, creating a truly unique underground visitor attraction. The caverns of Rio Camuy Cave Park formed over the course of millions of years, as the underground Camuy River softly melted the limestone away. Although an extensive system of caves (so far 18 caves have been found), only one is open to the public, Clara Cave. But it is an extraordinary experience.
Puerto Rico Pleasures:
The Camuy River and its system of underground caverns runs 9 miles, making it the third largest underground river in the world. But the real reason to visit are the collapsed caves that visitors experience through the guided tour.
Once the roof of a cavern collapses, it opens the deep caverns to sunlight. With water, light, and the nutrients in the stalactites, plants begin to thrive. Walking through Clara Cave visitors suddenly come upon a scene of blue sky and green plants deep in the bottom of a sink hole. The scene feels vaguely prehistoric with large vines and the air thick with humidity. The effect is eerie.
Further on the air suddenly turns warm, and a not unpleasant smell wafts through the caves. The bats have made one section their home. Although bats are tiny, put enough of them together and they generate quite a bit of body heat, enough to raise the temperature noticeably. And, of course, they produce large amounts of guano which add its own scent to the humid air.
It's a rare and fascinating experience.
A visit to Rio Camuy Cave Park – worth tearing yourself away from the beach.
Learn more about the park at Puerto Rico Tourism: Caving in Puerto Rico
Learn more about visiting Puerto Rico
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(c) Neala Schwartzberg, all rights reserved
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