Caves have always intrigued and amazed people with their mysterious beauty. From tourist-friendly underground paradises in Italy and Slovenia to remote pilgrimage sites in Laos, caves lie hidden deep all over the world and many of them are as beautiful as other planets. Here are 10 caves voted the most beautiful in the world by famous British travel magazine Time Out .
1.Mammoth Cave, USA
Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is the longest known cave system in the world, a 676 km underground wonder that will amaze anyone. Mammoth Cave National Park is one of 13 natural sites in the United States that have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. Škocjan Cave, Slovenia
Slovenia has plenty of caves, from the spectacular tourist resort of Postojna to Križna Jama, but the Škocjan Caves set the country apart from the competition. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, this vast area is arguably the most important limestone cave in the region. Tours have been made here from many countries since the early 19th century.
3.Waitomo Caves, New Zealand
Waitomo on New Zealand's North Island is famous for the fluorescent fauna that illuminates the walls, earning it the nickname "Glowworm Caves." It's more accessible than most of the caves on this list.
4. Marble Cathedral Cave, Chile
When we think of caves, we often think of the darkness of underground life, but the Marble Cathedral in Patagonia is magical and shimmering. It is difficult to describe the beauty of this place with its sky-blue columns and magnificent vaulted ceiling. Found on the shores of Lake General Carrera in Chile, the Marble Cathedral is a popular pilgrimage site.
5. Blue Grotto, Italy
Sailors avoided the cave for centuries, believing it to be haunted by witches and monsters, but modern tourism has proven the ancients were far from foolish. Sunlight streams into the cave through a tiny opening (visitors must lie flat on their boats to enter), filling the space with a beautiful blue light that gives the cave its nickname. Swimming is prohibited, but visitors to the Blue Grotto often get more than enough enjoyment. The cave is located in Capri, in the Bay of Naples.
6.Son Doong Cave, Vietnam
Located in the mountainous Quang Binh province, this giant abyss has the largest cross-section of any known cave on the planet, an area so vast it is difficult to describe. It is said that a Boeing 747 could fly through it without damaging its wings. The stalagmites here are also quite massive, some reaching up to 70m high.
Son Doong Cave is nearly 9 km long, in some places the ceiling height is up to 200m, 160m wide and is currently recognized as the largest cave in the world, at about 38.5 million m3 .
7. Reed Flute Cave, China
This cave is also known as the “Palace of Natural Art”. Named after the reeds used to make flutes that grow outside, the walls of the cave are covered with inscriptions from centuries ago. The inside of the cave is also lit up with multi-colored lights, giving the space different themes…
8.Thrihnukagigur Cave, Iceland
This is the only volcanic cave on the planet where visitors can actually go inside and explore the magma.
9.Pak Ou Cave, Laos
Many Buddha statues were placed inside the Pak Ou caves many years ago, although the caves are now more of a stop on a Mekong River cruise than a pilgrimage site. The caves are quaintly located overlooking the famous river, with boats stopping nearby and visitors climbing stairs to explore.
10.Fingal Cave, Scotland
A stunning sea cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa, Fingal's Cave is Scotland's most rugged location. Named after the hero of a poem by 18th-century poet James Macpherson, the mysterious cave was discovered in 1772 and has been a fixture of folklore ever since...
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