The most amazing caves in the world. The most beautiful caves in the world
Our planet is a place of amazing wonders and unusual mysteries. It would seem that man has mastered even the most remote corners of the Earth, but has not yet discovered all its secrets. In addition to those known to everyone, there are a huge number of man-made and natural objects that capture the imagination and minds of all mankind. Among them is the largest in a unique formation with its own ecosystem. Let's talk about where it is located, when it was discovered and what distinctive features it has.
Shondong: size statistics
Shondong is the largest cave in the world. Such a statement by local residents was supported by facts obtained by a research expedition from England in 2009. According to dry statistical figures, the formation has a volume of about 38.5 million cubic meters, a height of about 200 meters, and a width of about 150 meters. Once in such an underground kingdom, willy-nilly, any person can be confused by the grandeur, size and scope.
History of discovery
The unofficial history of the cave begins in 1991; it was from this period of time that the local population mentioned its presence; before this date, no information was provided. At the same time, we should not forget that the underground grotto of colossal size was formed by the water element for at least two million years in a row. Evidence of the cave's considerable age are huge stalagmites, as well as other bizarre stone formations.
How to get to the cave?
Where is the largest cave in the world? Vietnam, Quang Binh Province - this is the address you will have to follow to visit it. Not far from the border with Laos, in these places there is a national natural park called Phong Nha - Ke Bang, and it is here that a unique natural formation is located. Finding the entrance to the cave is quite difficult, this is due to the fact that it is located in a rather wild area, in the kingdom of mountains and jungle. Perhaps this fact explains the fact that for a long time the underground formation was not discovered and was not explored even after its discovery at the end of the 20th century. Descent underground is carried out using ropes, which is also a rather serious obstacle and test.
Beauty and features of Shondong
What is the largest cave in the world famous for? Photos of the formation amaze with their amazing beauty and scale. First of all, most travelers are amazed by the water that flows in the bowels of the earth and in solid rocks for several kilometers. The most desperate daredevils even pitch tents on its banks, but you won’t be able to enjoy the silence away from civilization here either. The splash of water and the howl of the wind in the depths of the cave create a frightening atmosphere worthy of any horror film.
In addition to the river, Shondong also has its own green spaces and jungle, in which indigenous inhabitants may also be present. So, various insects and snakes are found here, a little less often birds and even monkeys. A unique feature of the local ecosystem is the unique underground climate. Fogs and clouds that are familiar to us are found even underground, which in itself is very unusual and intriguing. In fact, this is explained quite simply: a significant temperature difference between the surface and the underground leads to the formation of clouds and other similar phenomena.
You can visit Son Doong at any time, except during the rainy season. During this period, the caves are filled with water to a dangerous level, which means that visiting them can be extremely dangerous for the lives of researchers.
Other contenders for the main title
At different times, the title of the largest cave in the world was claimed by:
Unique dungeons of the world
Now that you know the name of the largest cave in the world, you can talk about other unique underground kingdoms that are popular among lovers of extreme recreation and unity with nature. So, the list of the most interesting formations can include:
Kingdom of Ice
The world's largest ice cave is located in New Zealand and has the complex name Isrisennvelt; its area is approximately 300 square kilometers, which allows it to be the absolute record holder in its category in terms of size. Beautiful and cold ice formations are found in Iceland (Vatnajekull is prohibited from visiting in the warm season due to the high risks of melting and collapse), in Russia (a grotto in Austria.
Movie about a cave
Delight and inspiration - this is what the largest cave in the world evokes in people. Sanctum, a 2011 science fiction film about a cave, tells the story of a group of explorers descending into the depths of uncharted dungeons. A brutal struggle with a dangerous and unknown element leads to very disastrous consequences, reminding viewers not only of the beauty of the caves, but also of the threat to life hidden in their unknown nature.
The largest cave in the world is currently located in Vietnam, but research in order to understand our world is carried out regularly and systematically, which means that unique finds will not be long in coming. It is likely that very soon we will become acquainted with new natural phenomena, no less fantastic and beautiful than those already known to mankind.
Caves are this mysterious and magical world of the dark kingdom, silence and silence. And the caves can rightly be called the cradle of humanity. Indeed, in prehistoric times, primitive people used caves as a refuge from the wind and cold. They were the "discoverers" of natural dungeons. The tools and wall paintings of Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons found in caves confirm this. In ancient times, some caves were considered the dwellings of the gods, others were used to shelter herds and, especially often, for burial. And in the recent past, there were cases when people who were at odds with society tried to hide in caves.
But even though the cave “cradle” was abandoned by man long ago, interest in the dungeons remained for many centuries. In the 18th century, the first expeditions began to study hard-to-reach caves.
Some historical facts:
In May 1748, the mathematician I. Nagel led an unprecedented descent into the Macocha chasm (Moravia) that was unprecedented at that time. He overcame the steep part of the entrance shaft (50 m) and reached a depth of 138 m. The theoretical ideas of this time are summarized in Citeaux de la Fond’s book “Wonders of Nature” (1788). He believed that underground voids arose “mostly through fire-breathing mountains,” and the deposits in caves represent “a kind of underground garden.” The views of Russian scientists, which unfortunately remained unknown in Western Europe, were much closer to the truth. Back in 1720, V.N. Tatishchev visited the outskirts of the city of Kungur and pointed out that the caves were the result of “dilution” (dissolution) and collapse of rocks. In 1732, I. G. Gmelin visited the Kungur cave and drew up its plan. He also made the first measurements of air temperature underground.
M.V. Lomonosov made a great contribution to the formation of knowledge about the underground world. He proved that caves have a physicochemical nature, explained the formation of “scale” on the walls of caves by the deposition of calcite from an aqueous solution, proposed Russian equivalents of the Latin terms “stalactite” and “stalagmite” (“upper drip” and “lower drip”), substantiated causes of air movement underground and the formation of cave ice.
No cave in the world is like another. Huge halls with grottoes, wells, lakes, waterfalls and glaciers.
For thousands of years, water diligently eroded the stone and created underground labyrinths of a silent world of beauty and mysteries. Seeping into the cracks of limestone, rainwater destroys the stone from year to year, enlarging the cracks. For centuries, water saturated with minerals, dripping from the ceiling of caves, forms stalactites and stalagmites, sometimes of such bizarre shapes that they are given their own names.
Calcite in caves comes in the most unusual forms: in the form of flowers, pearls, twigs, sometimes so fragile and thin that they crumble when touched.
To this day, the deep labyrinths of caves attract people to plunge into their darkness and uncover underground secrets.
Let us, at least for a little while, also plunge into this mysterious world of the underground kingdom and get acquainted with its amazing beauties.
Han Son Doong Cave. Vietnam.
Hang Son Dung Cave (Mountain River Cave) is located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and was discovered in April 2009 by British speleologists. The cave system turned out to be huge. British researchers suggest that this cave is the largest in volume in the world!
In the underground hall of the Hang Son Dung cave there is enough space even for a 40-story skyscraper. The largest hall of the cave has a total length of more than 5000 meters. The total length of the cave is 9000 meters. The width of the halls and corridors is 100 meters, and the height reaches 200 meters. At the same time, the Deer Cave, located in Malaysia and one of the largest caves in the world, has a height of halls not exceeding 100 meters and a width of 90.
Hang Son Dong Cave - a jungle cave! In the vaults of the cave there are gaps through which light penetrates, and as a result of this, plants grow in the cave - the limestone ledges are covered with a carpet of delicate greenery. Following the plants, not only insects and snakes, but even monkeys and birds descend into the cave. The Rao Tuong River has created tunnels in solid rock over many centuries. During the dry months the river becomes a small stream, but during the rainy season the underground river becomes full again, so that in some places it comes to the surface of the earth.
The largest cave in the world. National Geographic film.
Cave of Swallows (Sotano de las Golondrinas). Mexico.
Sotano de las Golondrinas or Cave of Swallows is located in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. The entrance to the cave is a huge hole in the mountain with a diameter of 55 meters. When descending into the neck of the cave, after a few meters there is an expansion to 160 meters, which creates difficulties during the descent and ascent. This is what attracts fans of extreme sports here. The cave is one of the deepest caves in Mexico, its depth reaches 376 meters, which is comparable to the height of a 120-story building. The floor of the Swallow Cave is sloped and has many narrow tunnels and passages that lead to deeper levels. To date, they have not been particularly well studied.
The cave got its name due to the huge colony of swallows that live here. And in order not to disturb the quiet life of birds, descents into the cave are allowed only at certain times: from 12 to 16 hours, when the birds leave it. In addition, this saves not only the lives of swallows, but also those who enjoy extreme skydiving. After all, a collision with a flock of birds during a free flight is very dangerous.
Recently, the Swallow Cave has become a real Mecca for speleologists and base jumpers.
Cave of Giant Crystals (Cueva de los Cristales). Mexico.
The Cave of Crystals (Cueva de los Cristales) is located in the Naica mine complex, in the Mexican desert of the state of Chihuahua at a depth of 300 meters. The cave is unique in that it contains giant crystals of selenite (a mineral, a type of gypsum). These are the largest natural crystals ever found on the planet - the transparent gypsum rays reach sizes of 11 meters in length and weigh about 55 tons.
The cave was discovered in 2000 while digging a tunnel in the mine complex. The climate in the cave is unusual - it is very hot in the cave! Temperatures reach 50-60°C with a humidity of more than 90%; a person can remain in such conditions without a special suit for no more than ten minutes. Access to the cave is open only to scientists exploring it in special equipment.
In the cave of crystals. National Geographic film.
Fingal's Singing Cave. Scotland.
Fingal's Cave is located on the southwestern coast of Staffa Island (one of the Hybrid Islands). The island is only 1 kilometer long and half a kilometer wide. Over many millennia, the sea surf and rains have carved out a whole system of caves, the largest of which is the singing cave of Fingal, which received its name in honor of the hero of the Irish and Gaelic epic, the giant Fingal.
The walls of Fingal's Cave are made up of vertical hexagonal basalt columns. The length of the cave is 75 meters, height 20 meters and width 14 meters. In Gaelic the cave is called Uamh-Binn, which can be translated as "cave of melody". Indeed, thanks to the dome-like arch, this place has unique acoustics. In calm weather, the waves of the sea produce peculiar melodic sounds in the cave, in a storm and during sea tides - a loud noise that can be heard for several miles.
The cave has a large arched entrance; you can get into it along a narrow path lined with fragments of basalt columns.
The Gouffre Berger cave is located on the Sornen plateau in the French Alps. The name of the cave comes from the Latin word "gufr", which means "abyss", and the name of the scientist Joseph Berger, who discovered it in 1953. This is the first cave to be explored to a depth of more than one kilometer and until 1963 was considered the deepest cave in the world. Its depth is 1271 meters, which is comparable to the height of two Ostankino towers placed on top of each other, and the length of the passages is over 30 kilometers. Today the cave ranks 23rd in depth in the world and 4th in France. However, to this day it is a popular place for speleologists who want to test their skills at a depth of several hundred meters. This cave is technically very difficult. For example, it can take from 15 to 30 hours to rise from the very bottom to the surface. In addition, floods often occur here. Over the past few years, 6 people have died in Berge, five of whom drowned.
Three Bridge Chasm is a limestone cave of the Jurassic period. The Baatara waterfall will fall into its abyss, from a height of 255 meters. This unusual place is located in Lebanon. It was discovered by French bio-spelunker Henri Coiffait in 1952. The cave owes its name to the fact that as it falls into the valley, the stream passes through three natural bridges, each of which hangs over the other. The age of the cave reaches 160 million years! For thousands of years, water from the stream slowly washed the limestone and gradually destroyed the cave arches. After the appearance of the upper bridge, it was destroyed for a long time by vertical and circular erosion, which, in combination with a series of collapses, created the middle and lower bridges.
Even today, the formation of the cave is not complete - and it will not be completed as long as the water flows.
Volcanic cave Cueva de los Verdes. Canary Islands (Spain).
The Cueva de los Verdes cave was formed about five thousand years ago as a result of the eruption of the Corona volcano. When the lava rushed to the ocean, forming the so-called “lava tube” - a tunnel more than 6 kilometers long, one of the longest on the planet.
The lava flow outside was cooled by air and solidified, creating the walls and roof of the tunnel, while molten magma continued to flow inside. This is how it turned out to be volcanic Cueva de los Verdes cave. The hot gases released from the lava, mixing with air, ignited; under the influence of high temperatures that melted the vault, grooves and swells similar to stalactites appeared on the ceiling of the cave. The remains of the lava, as it solidified, formed many folds and wrinkles, decorating the floor of the cave with intricate patterns.
The cave stretches in the form of a tunnel for 6.1 kilometers from the crater of the volcano to the seashore; the difference is 230 meters. The width of the cave reaches 24 meters, height - up to 15 meters. The air temperature in the cave remains constant throughout the year: 19°C.
The cave has two tiers - the upper, more spacious one, on which there is a concert hall with excellent natural acoustics, which is periodically used for its intended purpose.
At the bottom of the cave, called Jameos del Agua, there is an underground lake.
Ice cave Skaftafell. Iceland.
Ice caves are temporary structures that appear at the edge of glaciers. Such caves have a relatively short lifespan and can be destroyed at any moment. Ice caves are only tens of years old. But they look amazingly beautiful from the inside. One of these caves is located in the Skaftafell Nature Park in Iceland.
Skaftafell Cave was formed in a glacier as a result of melting ice. Melt water together with rain, having collected on the surface of the glacier, rushed into the cracks in streams, penetrating inside and forming peculiar tunnels. Sunlight, penetrating through the ice, gives the cave an unusual blue color.
A seven-meter ice tunnel leads into the Skaftafell cave, which gradually narrows to 1 meter.
Ice caves are in a constant state of transformation and can be destroyed at any time. It is safe to visit them only in winter, when severe sub-zero temperatures harden the ice. And even in this case, while inside the cave, you can hear a very frequent crackling sound. This sound does not arise from the fact that the cave is ready to collapse, but because the cave moves along with the glacier itself at a certain speed, sometimes reaching 1 meter per day. Every time the glacier moves and comes into contact with solid rock, you can hear this loud, scary grinding sound.
Marble caves. Chile.
Marble Caves are one of the most beautiful places in Patagonia. They are bright blue grottoes filled with water from Lake Carrera. The lake is located
Partially submerged by the lake's turquoise water, the caves can be explored by small boat or kayak. There are three main grottoes in the caves: the Chapel (La capillaries), the Cathedral (El Catedral) and the Cave (Cueva).
Today, this rare and amazing natural wonder is under threat due to plans to build five large dams in the region.
Video. Marble Caves, Patagonia, Chile.
Vardzia is a cave monastery complex of the 12th-13th centuries, located in the south of Georgia, on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Vardzia is a real underground city with many tunnels, stairs and alleys. Located in the valley of the Kura (Mtkvari) river in the steep tuff wall of Mount Erusheti (Bear). Inside the rock there was a place not only for a monastery, but also for several libraries, baths and many residential buildings. A total of 13 levels were built, with natural caves expanded to accommodate 6,000 monks and refugees. There are over 600 different rooms that stretch along the mountain for a distance of more than a kilometer, and the entire underground complex goes 50 meters deep into the rock. Secret passages connecting the premises, the remains of the water supply and irrigation system have been preserved.
A little history:
The ensemble of the Vardzia Monastery was created mainly in 1156-1205, during the reign of George III and his daughter Queen Tamara. Located on the southwestern border of Georgia, the monastery-fortress blocked the Kura River gorge to the invasion of Iranians and Turks from the south. At that time, all the premises of the monastery were hidden by a rock; they were connected to the surface only by three underground passages, through which large detachments of soldiers could appear completely unexpectedly for the enemy. In 1193-1195, during the war with the Seljuk Turks, Queen Tamara was with her court in Vardzia.
The cave city did not last long - a year after construction, the earthquake of 1283 almost completely destroyed it. It was so powerful that it damaged the cave system, causing them to collapse and cascade down Mount Erushelhi. Two-thirds of the hidden city was destroyed, revealing a secret world within the mountain. However, the monastery did not give up. It functioned until 1551, but then it was attacked by the Persian khan Sash Tahmasp, who killed all the monks. It was then that Vardzia became empty.
For a long time, the cave city was abandoned, but at the end of the last century, Vardzia was restored again, and monastic life resumed there. At the moment, about 10-15 monks live in the monastery of the ancient city.
When compiling the review, photographs were used from the Internet, descriptions were translated from local sites where the photographs were found.
The underground world has long attracted the attention of people. In ancient times it was inhabited by gods. Nowadays, we have begun to explore the deep bowels of the planet, which are unique labyrinths of underground galleries, halls and mines.
Today the caves are of interest to both speleologists and ordinary tourists. Scientists use them to study the history of the development of the Earth, explore various mineral formations, and discover new biological species. Tourists flock to caves for adventure. The underground galleries decorated with stalactites and stalagmites captivate the imagination, excite the imagination and fill even the most callous hearts with horror and romance.
On any continent, in any country, you can find underground passages, most often formed by water, which, century after century, erodes the soil and rocks. Most modern caves are classified as “dry”, but there are some among them where underground rivers still flow.
Almost all caves are actively being studied, but the longer the underground formation, the more difficult and longer this process takes.
Each of the caves has its own unique structure and system of natural entrances: somewhere there may be several of them, somewhere only one, and somewhere more than a hundred. Artificial passages are made to caves with limited access.
Many famous caves have underground camps for scientists and specially designed tourist areas for general visitors. National parks are often formed around caves, allowing the unique natural heritage to be preserved intact.
Planet Earth caves - VIDEO
Caves of the world - PHOTO
1. Mammoth Cave
The longest cave in the world was discovered in 1797 in the Appalachian Mountains, located in the US state of Kentucky. Its underground passages and halls go six hundred and fifty-one kilometers deep into the earth. The cave was formed about ten million years ago as a result of the dissolution of rocks by water. It got its name due to its size: translated from English “mammoth” - “huge”. The cave has a special microclimate. It contains amazing eyeless creatures that look like fish.
2. Sak-Actun
The Mexican cave of Sac Actun is the longest in the country and the second longest in the world. It was opened in 1987 in the north of Yucatan, near the city of Tulum. Of the three hundred and seventeen kilometers of underground passages, only six are not flooded. The “White Cave” (this is how its name is translated from the Mayan language) is of meteorite origin: scientists believe that it was formed about sixty-five million years ago as a result of the fall of a celestial body. The river of the same name flowing through the cave has perfectly clean and transparent water.
The American Jewel Cave, located in South Dakota, near the town of Custer, boasts a length of two hundred and fifty-seven kilometers. The height difference between its underground galleries is one hundred thirty-five meters, that is, four floors. The cave was discovered in 1900. Jewel has one natural (in the northwest) and one artificial (in the center) entrance. All of its galleries, except the top one, are covered with a thick layer of calcite - a transparent or white calcareous mineral. An interesting feature of the cave is the presence of strong winds, up to fifteen meters per second.
4. Ox-Bel-Ha
“Three Ways of Water” is only a kilometer shorter than Jewel. The cave located not far from Sak-Actun has not yet been fully explored, but more than one hundred and forty natural entrances have already been discovered in it. Aux-Bel-Ha was formed eighteen thousand years ago by the waters of the world's oceans, which exceeded their level due to climate change and eroded nearby limestone rocks. The Mexican cave reaches a depth of thirty-seven meters and has about eighty branches, flooded by the waters of the Caribbean Sea.
5. Optimistic
Located in the Ternopil region, near the village of Korolevka, the Ukrainian Optimistic Cave reaches a length of two hundred thirty-six kilometers, but has a shallow depth - no more than fifteen to twenty meters. The fifth longest among all the caves in the world, it is the first among gypsum formations. Optimistic Cave was opened in 1966. Currently, the underground passages of the village of Korolevka are being actively studied: fifteen underground camps have been set up in the cave for scientists from different countries of the world.
American Wind Cave is Jewel's neighbor. It is smaller in size by forty-five kilometers and is just as deep. Wind has been known to people since 1881. Since 1903, it, together with the adjacent territory, received the status of a National Park. The cave was formed by thermal waters. Now a large number of minerals are found on its walls. From a geographical point of view, Wind is a labyrinth filled with a dense, branched network of underground galleries. The cave is equipped for excursions. About five hundred thousand tourists visit it annually.
7. Lechugia
The American Lechuguia Cave stretches underground for two hundred and twenty kilometers and goes approximately five hundred meters deep. It was opened in 1914, but until 1986 no one was interested in it, since everyone saw it as a “Dreary Hole” (the first name of Lechuguia) and nothing more. Today, the unique rock formation is part of Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Speleologists consider Lechuguia the most beautiful cave in the world, thanks to the finest lace of gypsum crystals covering its walls.
The longest European cave is located in the Swiss Alps. It was opened in 1875. With a length of two hundred kilometers, its depth reaches a thousand meters with an vibration amplitude of more than eight hundred meters. There are two entrances to Hölloch: the first is located in the valley of the Muota River, the second is at an altitude of more than a thousand meters. The cave consists of a complex, multi-story system of halls and galleries, decorated with numerous stalactites and stalagmites. In summer, floods are observed on its watercourses. The lower part of Hölloch is open to tourists.
9. Gua-Air-Jernich
The longest Asian cave is located in the north of the Malaysian island of Kalimantan. Opened relatively recently, in 1978, it has a length of one hundred and ninety-seven kilometers. The amplitude of Gua-Eir-Jernich is three hundred and fifty-five meters. The cave has five levels of galleries and many entrances. The main entrance is in the river. You can get to it by boat. The lower level of Gua Eir Jernich is filled with water. The cave is part of Gunung Mulu National Park, which includes other karst formations and rainforests.
10. Fisher Ridge
Located in the western Appalachians, the Fisher Ridge karst cave reaches a length of one hundred and ninety-four kilometers. Underground labyrinths, going one hundred meters deep into the earth, were discovered in Kentucky in 1914, although they have been known to the indigenous people of the United States for the past thousand years. Fisher Ridge is located in close proximity to Mammoth Cave. It has three entrances leading to a multi-level complex of galleries and shafts. The Green River flows through the cave. The walls of Fisher Ridge contain rock art.
These unique caves are not movie sets or Photoshop. They actually exist and are found in Asia, North America and Europe. Some caves are formed due to the fact that water seeps through cracks in the limestone rock and - not in a year, not in two - over millions of years, drops of water erode their “path”, at the same time forming these majestic caves. Other caves are formed due to the inexorable influence of lake or sea water. Some grottoes can be freely visited by any tourist, however, most of them are still accessible only to extreme adventurers who will not be too lazy to get a pass to visit this wonderful natural formation in advance. So, here are the 13 most beautiful caves in the world.
Son Doong Cave, Vietnam
Shondong is the largest currently known cave in the world. It is filled with countless wonders, isolated ecosystems and amazing geological formations. Local residents of Quang Binh province discovered this cave in the early 90s of the last century, and only 20 years later a group of British speleologists went there, who told the whole world about the extraordinary grotto.
Ice cave of Mutnovskaya Sopka, Russia
The active Mutnovsky volcano in Kamchatka is one of the largest geothermal deposits in the world. The hill is hugged by ice caves that were formed by the release of warm volcanic gases called fumaroles.
Nike Mine, Mexico
This cave contains some of the largest crystal formations in the world - up to 15 meters long and up to 1.2 meters wide. The Cave of Crystals is not accessible to visitors due to its deep location and other factors that complicate the descent. However, there are many photographs that prove the incredible gifts of nature.
Vatnajokull Glacier Cave, Iceland
This natural wonder is located in the Vatnajokull glacier, the largest in all of Europe. The caves were formed due to the melting of glaciers, and, by the way, visiting the grotto is unsafe, since the glaciers are constantly collapsing and changing their shape.
Batu Caves, Malaysia
These caves were once inhabited by English and Chinese settlers, as well as the indigenous inhabitants of this region of Malaysia, the Temuans. In the caves, the inhabitants mined guano, i.e. humus with particles of bird and bat droppings, which was actively used for agricultural purposes. And today the cave impresses with its temple complex and, of course, unique gloomy landscapes.
Mendenhall Cave, USA
This glacier cave is part of the Mendenhall Glacier, which is located near Juneau, Alaska. The beautiful cave was formed by the melting of a glacier, and it is not entirely clear how long this cave will exist on the face of the earth due to the fact that the ice masses continue to gradually melt.
Algarve Cave, Portugal
The Algarve is the southernmost province of Portugal, and is also home to the most diverse and amazing coastal formations, including this cave. The amazing grotto near Lagos can only be reached by water.
Waitomo Cave, New Zealand
One of the country's main attractions is located 12 km north-west of the tiny town of Te Kiti. The name Waitomo in the Maori language means “wai” - water and “tomo” - funnel, failure. That is, “water passing through a funnel.” But these caves are much more popular for their small inhabitants - fireflies, which is why the cave is sometimes called “Glowworms Cave”. The shiny silk threads of these insects hang from the ceiling of the grotto and glow, attracting the attention of the victims of fireflies - other insects, but for everyone else - it’s just a gorgeous “light show”.
Tam Lod Cave, Thailand
The beautiful Nam Lang River flows through the cave, and hundreds of thousands of Pacific swifts make their nests in the amazing stalactites and stalagmites. This grotto is located in the national park of the same name, located 77 kilometers from the city of Mae Hong Son.
Kyat Se Cave, Myanmar
Little is known about this cave in Myanmar, except that there is a beautiful Buddhist temple inside. But the views are definitely impressive!
Marble Caves, Patagonia
The caves in Patagonia, part of South America, are a real natural kaleidoscope: amazing turquoise waters that cast pearlescent reflections on the white marble ceiling of the cave, play of colors and smooth curves of shapes. This cave is so good that it is even called Marble Cathedral, that is, Marble Cathedral.
Antelope Canyon, USA
The canyon in Arizona has been created by persistent winds and flash floods for thousands of years, and the result of Mother Nature’s labors today is more than impressive: smooth walls, rich red-red colors reminiscent of antelope skin, graceful lines. This canyon is not as widely known as the Grand Canyon or Bryce Canyon, however, it is certainly a unique sight.
Ellison Cave, USA
The most interesting part of this mountain complex is the Fantastic Mine, popular among speleologists, that is, geologists who specialize in the study of caves. Its depth is 178 meters, and you can go down using a rope. 
