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.
