Bat cave in the green grotto caves
The Green Grotto Caves are open daily from 9am to 4pm. Found directly off the coastal A1 highway, the caves are around an hour drive from Montego Bay and about 30 minutes from Ocho Rios. The entrance charge for adults is $20 USD and $10 USD for children.
The Green Grotto caves played a big part in Jamaican history. The privacy and solace used by the caves saw them deeply entrenched in the lives of diverse groups of people. To start with, they are believed to have actually been utilized as houses for Jamaica's extremely first residents - the Arawak Indians referred to as the Tainos who got here in between 600 AD and 900 AD - who used the caves for numerous purposes, as evident in the fragments of pottery and artifacts discovered in the caverns.
When the English got into Jamaica in the 17th century, the caverns were used as a hideout for the Spaniards who were being eliminated of the country. By the mid-20th century, they were utilized by smugglers running arms to Cuba, and during the 2nd World War, the government of Jamaica utilized the entrance of the cavern as a storage room for rum.
The huge specialty came in 1973 when the James Bond film Live and Let Pass away starring Roger Moore used the caverns as the villain's underground base.
Resting on the sensational North Coast of Jamaica, Green Grotto Caves are completely located in between the resort gems of Ocho Rios and Montego Bay and are just a couple of kilometers from the popular Discovery Bay and Runaway Bay.
By over 1,500 meters long and about 12 meters deep, these naturally formed caves go deep under the earth, forming a massive limestone maze of chambers, light holes, unique rock formations, impressive stalactites and stalagmites, ceiling pockets, and a wealth of diverse animals living within the network. Green Grotto is also home to a mesmeric underground lake - the Grotto Lake - that connects to the ocean, with water that's as transparent as glass.
Found midway in between Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, the Green Grotto Caves, a mostly untouched complex of underground caverns surrounded by the rich vegetation of the jungle, are not only naturally enchanting however also deeply intertwined with Jamaica's abundant history.
Inside the caverns can be quite hot and damp so visitors ought to wear comfortable however light clothing and correct footwear (some areas can be slippery). Construction hats plus universally flattering hair nets are supplied at the entrance for all visitors.
Tours last just under an hour and each group has their own guide. Useful, amusing, and highly knowledgeable, the guides truly make the trip through the caves a remarkable experience for any ages.
When checking out the chambers, it's easy to get sidetracked by their appeal and wonder, forgetting that an underbelly of rich history inhabits every nook and cranny of this surreal below ground tourist attraction. In previous times, the caves served a myriad of functions - from concealing pirate treasure and haven for runaway servants, to rum barrel storage, nightclub parties, and arms smugglers. Deep-rooted in centuries passed, they house rich and volatile history that's unquestionably interesting; and the best method to discover the marvels they hold is by taking a directed tour of the place, which is an enriching, unique experience for anybody going to Jamaica.
Jamaica's green cavern of secret is an awesome destination, serving up a piece of Jamaican history and wonderful underground scenes inside a primarily unexplored subterranean maze of caves surrounded by dense tropical vegetation, and supplied by crystal clear water from cavernous depths.
A history enthusiast's dream and a nature enthusiast's fantasy, tales of Jamaica's Green Grotto Caves echo a sense of true experience and awe and overflow with stories of past that link with natural developments - all that is absolutely nothing except incredible in this remarkable paradise Caribbean island.
|