Some Spectacular Caves:
Some fascinating caves all over the world has caught my attention while looking up our own caves in my country. Here are just a few of the many with mesmerizing beauty. I picked these because they were unusual.
Cave of Crystals (Chihuahua, Mexico):
This cave in Naica mine has the largest selenite crystals in the world, about 300 meters underground, some reaching 4 meter in diameter and 11 meters long, weighing as much as 55 tons. These crystals are formed by hydro-thermal fluids coming from the magma chambers with extreme temperatures of 58 degrees Celsius and high humidity. This cave was discovered in 2000 and is about 500 000 years old. Unfortunately only scientist are allowed in these caves, wearing special equipment to protect their bodies against the temperature and humidity.
Krubera/Crow/Voronya Cave (Abkhazia, Georgia):
Is the deepest known cave in the world with a depth of more than 2 kilometers (1 299 m). It is hidden in remote mountain region of Abkhazia, Arabika massif. A freezing, subterranean waterfall floods one branch of the cave with a depth of 1500m and the main branch has a depth of 2 140m with a terminal siphon at the end of the cave. Even scientists struggle to access the cave due to the 4 month window period accessibility per year and the political conflicts.
Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave (Austria):
The largest known limestone and ice cave in the world, extending 42km with frozen waterfalls, frosted spires and ice tunnels, located in the Tennengebirge mountain range, inside the Hochkogel mountain, Werfen, Austria. It was discovered by the scientist Anton Posselt in 1879. You can visit the cave from May-October
Fingal's Cave (Staffa, Scotland):
A sea cave on the Island of Staffa, named after the hero of an 18th-centrury poem written by James Macpherson, discovered in 1772. It is a basalt cave consisting of hexagonal columns inside a Palaeocene lava flow. The cave can be reached by foot during calm conditions in April-September.
Waitomo Glowworms Cave (New Zealand):
These millions of mosquito sized glow worms (Arachnocampa luminosa) only thrive in this limestone cave in New Zealand. You enter the cave with a boat into an underground river where these glow worms light the caves ceiling and you can view the fungi on the cave walls. There are about 300 limestone caves in the Waitomo region, North Island. These caves are monitored to keep healthy conditions for these glow worms to thrive in.
Blue Grotto:
This is a famous natural sea cave of 60 m long, 25 m wide, and only meter high in Southern Italy just of the Island of Capri. This cave’s beauty can only be viewed by a small rowboat with a skipper, guiding the boat through the waters by a metal chain attached to the caves walls. Best times to view the spectacular azure blue light is on a clear day between noon and two in the afternoon. The cave is closed during rough seas to the public.
Wow it is a really spectucular post.There are many wonderful views and caves that I have never seen before, after looking your photo, I really hope that I could go to there to have a look and take some beautiful photos. I really hope that you can introduce more beautiful spots to us!
Thank you ercpok. Here is a saying I love when I think about nature and many writers words to describe it so eloquently: "Words are grained into our landscapes and landscapes grained into our words." I will share all with you which I love and discover. I promise you there are many more amazing caves all over the world and it was really hard to pick which ones to place in this post.
Thank you for sharing. I think I have to add some places to my bucket list after reading this.
Even though I was not lucky enough to conquer Hang Son Doong, I want to share some pictures of the world's third largest cave which I visited 2 years ago, also in Vietnam. Its next to Hang Son Doong and if you go to Son Doong, you will stay one night there :)
How many did you visit ?
Awesome!
Cool
Love this gift of your cyberblock. Thank you.
Those are some Awesome caves @crazymumzysa .. I am sad to see you did not include any South African caves such as the Cango Caves:
These were very specific melkay. I have the Stekfontein caves right at my doorstep and went there with my kids a few years back but my photos of the caves died with my laptop unfortunately. I am looking at paying both Sterkfontein and the Congo Caves a visit during the school holidays, that the reason I was looking up caves and stumbled upon these all over the world. You will have a post on South African caves by mid July.
Awesome! I would love to join you. I have not been to Cango in years!
Amazing!
This is amazing! We have such an ice cave in the Apuseni Mountains called Scarisoara!
Amazing pictures, its a shame some of those backdrops not shown on sci-fi shows rather than special effects. I would assume its just too expensive or remote for this to happen.
I love your train of thought gary-wood. That is what I love so much about "The Lord of the Rings" and the "Hobbit", it must be due to the costs and then also each countries laws to protect these natural wonders.
yeah, never thought about natural site protection
Really cool! We have some caves within an hour of my place. Ive been meaning to go visit and take pictures
Jaredcwillis, go make me proud and get a post on here asap. You are not allowed to keep such beauty to yourself.
Yes ma'am! Haha I'll do that
Done! Just posted, hope you enjoy it!
That is really some fascinating place to visit.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks ace108. Pity some are only open to scientists, that the reason I shared them with you. I have discovered so many and am spoiled for choice if I can get the money together to go explore some in other countries.
you are welcome.
it's fortunate for you and us since we also get to see from you here.☺