Camuy Caves in Puerto Rico
*Currently closed for Hurricane Maria restoration efforts. Call (787) 898-3136 before visiting.
Photographer or not, bring your camera and plenty of film to Rio Camuy Cave Park. Well worth the hour and twenty minute drive from San Juan. You’ll experience the third largest cave system and underground river in the world. Three crater-like sinkholes and two spectacular caves are open for public viewing. Walking tours through winding footpaths are chosen by most (and are available in Spanish and English), but for those seeking an adrenaline rush, rappelling 250 feet into one of the caves is a must!
Entering Camuy Caves is an adventure in itself. An open-aired trolley descends into a vegetation-dense sinkhole while a guide explains how the Camuy River was responsible for the formation of the caves. You then walk on a series of ramps and bridges to view the 170-foot high Cueva Clara, illuminated to showcase limestone formations and lush tropical plants. Another tram transports you to platforms above 400-foot deep Tres Pueblos Sinkhole, which measures 650 feet in diameter. From observation platforms, the Camuy River can be seen 400 feet below. Visitors also see petroglyphs, carved by the aboriginal Taino Indians, as well as stalactites, stalagmites, unique limestone formations, and thousands of bats!