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9 Adventurous Destinations for Spelunking & Caving in 2024

Last updated on June 6, 2024

Do you have an adventurous itch? Are you caving—excuse us—craving otherworldly exploration? We know you have a long adventure travel bucket list, so we wanted to help you cross this one off: spelunking. Vacations are all about the experience these days, and caving is freakin’ cool—literally. Since you’ll be negotiating underground caverns, temperatures stay mild year round.

where to go spelunking

If you want to go off the beaten path, there’s no place better than a cave!

Caves are mysterious, magical places; a whole universe right under our feet. Waterfalls cascade from slick, rocky walls, labyrinthian passages wind deep into the earth’s belly, and tight crawl spaces just beg to be shimmied through.

But…where to go spelunking? There are thousands of vast caverns scattered across the globe, so we’ve put on a headlamp and wiggled our way into some of the most essential places to go spelunking.

What is spelunking vs. caving?

Before we dive too far into the details, let’s talk about what a caving adventure entails. It can be extremely dangerous, or easy-breezy fun. The kinds of spelunking tours you choose totally depends on your skills and experience.

Some caving is literally a walk in the (underground) park, with paved paths and dim lights. More intense adventures require scooting along on your belly for hours, lowering yourself down vast caverns on ropes, and teetering on the edges of cliffs.

But wait, to spelunk or to cave? That is the question! What’s the difference? Apparently, “spelunking” isn’t a term used quite as often to describe the recreational exploration of caves as, well, “caving” is. (It’s still super fun to say though, so we’ll keep it in rotation.)

Essentially, caving and spelunking mean the same thing. The difference lies in the history of the word. The term spelunking showed up in the 1940s, and is derived from the Latin spelunca, meaning “cave” or “cavern.” Which word you use also denotes how you explore; caving is seen more professional, while amateurs call it spelunking.

Caving, spelunking, it’s all underground to us. What really matters is where to go spelunking—and we have just the list for you!

Where to find unique spelunking vacations

1. Costa Rica

person on a canopy walk in costa rica cloud forest

People are usually looking at the tree tops in Costa Rica—but there’s a world underground too!

Costa Rica has a ton of affordable adventure packages, so it’s no surprise that it also has some fantastic caving opportunities. On the surface, Costa Rica is known for lush rainforests, tropical beaches, enchanting mountains, and an abundance of exotic wildlife (which you’ll definitely have to check out while you’re there), but the country managed to bury quite an epic secret: caves on caves on CAVES!

There are deep limestone caverns, stalactites dripping down from low-ceilings, and mini-ecosystems of cave-dwelling creatures. If you’re not sure where to go spelunking but you know you want to immerse yourself in adventure travel, you need to visit Costa Rica.

2. Greece

Greece is known for its looks. The stunning topography lures you in with marvelous mountains, sheer-cliffed islands, and pristine beaches. And then there’s the architecture…don’t even get us started. This Greco-Roman elegance will even meet you underground in Greece. The caves here are brimming with ethereal Midsummer Night’s Dream vibes: pure fantasy.

The Melissani Lake cave in Kefalonia is based on legend, so you might not believe your eyes. To reach the lake, you need to journey down an underground passage and take a boat, after which you’ll end up in a sun-flooded cave of brilliant blue water and cavern walls.

3. Thailand

a boat floating on the water in khao sok national park thailand

The unique rock formations in Thailand are prime real estate for hidden caves.

Spelunking vacations should be memorable. If you’re drawn to adventure, Thailand has probably been on your mind for a while. Caving in Thailand is the perfect topper to an adventure-filled location because it’s the perfect blend of all things Thai: pristine peacefulness and risky adventure.

After you’re done playing with elephants and snorkeling with the fishies, grab a helmet and a flashlight, because you’re gonna wanna see these caves. A stunning cave that should make your list is Tham Khao Luang; a cave AND a Buddhist temple. Ornate wats and a giant gold Buddha sit tranquilly at the bottom of this cavern, and visitors can stroll leisurely through the temples.

4. Fiji

We’re insatiable with these islands, but we can’t help it. The island nation of Fiji embodies tropical adventure! Fiji’s idyllic crystal waters are brimming with manta rays, reef sharks, and vibrant coral…and then there are the caves.

Snake God Cave is one of the longest caves in the island, the name referring to the six stunning stalactites in the shape of snakes’ heads. During times of war, villagers would seek shelter in the dark maze of caves. Some parts of the cave were even used for human sacrifice.

5. Iceland

where to go spelunking

Be sure to bundle up for caving adventures in Iceland!

Iceland, the Land of Ice and Fire—constant contrast and stark, sublime beauty. It’s one of the most remarkable landscapes in the world, with miles of lava fields, dewy lagoons, and volcanoes galore.

Naturally, you would have to go on lava cave spelunking tours here! Plunge into the scuba-caving (PADI certification needed), and experience a thrilling-yet-tranquil spelunk. When you come up for air, you can pop on a mask and go snorkeling, visit geothermal spas, hike to glittering waterfalls, and maybe even see a whale.

6. Australia

Are you ready to get really down undah? Check out caving adventures in Australia. There are plenty of natural Down-Under-wonders on the island, packed with geological intrigue and historical tales. Caves in the Blue Mountains (west of Sydney) were allegedly used as a hideout for escaped convicts.

Other caves boast stunning, naturally-occuring sculptures of dripping stalactites, jutting stalagmites, and narrow caverns. Miles of crystal caves, glassy underground lakes, and massive columns of calcite hover above the water in the aptly-named Lake Cave. Fossils line the floors of the Naracoorte caves, ripe for some Indiana Jones-style spelunking endeavors.

7. The Philippines

people in hard hats in a boat in puerto princesa philippines

Beeline for Puerto Princesa for a truly remarkable experience.

If you’re taking a gap year in the Philippines, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the 7500 islands, miles of beaches, and spectacular caves, right? With the fifth-longest coastline in the world, you’ll need to mix it up a bit, and descend into the nuanced caves of the tropical nation.

Escape into the untouched forests and explore Puerto Princesa, an underground river cave you can enter via boat. Underground lagoons placidly reflect the ghostly green limestone, creating an unearthly, yet alluring, effect.

You can also hike through untouched rainforest to the remote and vast Langun-Gobingob Caves, which are the second largest in the entire Asian continent. Once you come out from below, you can take a river cruise, go dolphin-watching, go snorkeling, or visit an animal sanctuary.

And if you are dying for more geological wonders, hike into the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, known for their intriguing mounds of limestone formations.

8. France

Make the most out of a French study abroad trip by adding caving to your extracurriculars! Spelunking tours in France are the best way to dive into the history of humanity, so if you’re a history or art major, this is the adventure for you.

Above ground, you’ve got the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles, where you can absorb humanity’s most inspired pieces. But you need to go below ground to fully round-out your education.

Faint lines of prehistoric paintings whisper tales of our past on the walls of Les Eyzies and Lascaux (a UNESCO World Heritage site). To top it off, the caves themselves are a sight to see, insane creations by the ultimate artist: Mother Earth.

9. United States

person standing in sunny cave in the mojave desert

Things will get a little sandy in Mojave Desert caves.

Even though it’s not abroad for most of our readers, we would be remiss not to mention the U.S. You may not need to journey far to find spelunking vacations after all! That’s right, the US of A has miles of underground caverns winding throughout the entire country.

The National Parks are a great place to start looking for adventure, and have a variety of caves for novice spelunkers (like Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky) to challenging catacombs for seasoned cavers (like Lava Brook in National Monument California).

The hidden universe of extreme landscapes beckons, and it might be closer than you think.

Save & compare spelunking programs side-by-side for FREE with MyGoAbroad

Take the plunge with spelunking tours

Adventure travel isn’t for everyone, but if you’re the thrill-seeking type, spelunking tours are the way to go. You’ll experience pitch blackness and silence so intense you can almost hear yourself think. Your senses will be heightened, and the cool cave air will be a great adrenaline tamer.

You’ll walk lightly across limestone floors, see glowing green lagoons, and brush up against narrow rock walls. You might even journey underwater for a thrilling scuba-caving journey, or be lowered into grim grottos just to test yourself.

Caves offer a slew of unique experiences you literally can’t find anywhere else. You’ll see ghostly troglobites, almost-transparent animals that can’t survive outside of caves, crawling around Mother Nature’s best sculpture work.

If this description is somehow equally exciting and terrifying, caving is just the adventure for you. Now that you know where to go spelunking, will you send us selfies of you in your hardhat?

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Originally published on January 17, 2022

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