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The best caves in Puerto Rico

Ordered by every profile at once · 7 places

Northern Puerto Rico is karst country: limestone hills, sinkholes and one of the largest cave systems in the world, carved by underground rivers such as the Camuy. Along the coast, the sea has opened caves of its own, some with Taíno petroglyphs.

This ranking weighs every nature profile at once. Some caves can only be visited on a guided tour and others close after rain or for conservation, so check before you go, take a torch and do not touch the formations or disturb the bats.

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  1. 1

    Cueva Ventana

    59/100
    Cave · Arecibo · North coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.

    A cave in the karst hills of Arecibo whose mouth opens like a window over the green valley of the Río Grande de Arecibo. Visited on guided tours.

    • Scenery
    • Wildlife
    • Tranquility
  2. 2

    Sumidero Tres Pueblos

    59/100
    Cave · Lares · North coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.

    A huge sinkhole where the borders of Camuy, Hatillo and Lares meet, with a viewing platform over the Río Camuy flowing more than 100 m below.

    • Scenery
    • Wildlife
    • Tranquility
  3. 3

    Cueva Clara

    58/100
    Cave · Hatillo · North coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.

    A huge cave of the Río Camuy system, with chambers tens of meters high, visited on guided tours of the cave park.

    • Scenery
    • Wildlife
    • Tranquility
  4. 4

    Cueva del Viento

    58/100
    Cave · Isabela · West coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.

    A cave with stalactites and stalagmites at the end of a marked forest trail in Guajataca, entered down a set of steps.

    • Scenery
    • Wildlife
    • Tranquility
  5. 5

    Cueva del Pirata Cofresí

    57/100
    Cave · Cabo Rojo · West coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.

    A sea cave on the Punta Guaniquilla coast where, legend says, the pirate Roberto Cofresí hid his loot.

    • Scenery
    • Wildlife
    • Tranquility
  6. 6

    Cueva del Indio

    53/100
    Cave · Arecibo · North coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.

    Sea caves and natural arches on the coast of Arecibo, with Taíno petroglyphs on the cave walls and waves crashing below.

    • Scenery
    • Wildlife
    • Tranquility
  7. 7

    Cueva de las Golondrinas

    47/100
    Cave · Manatí · North coastNot verified: Scores estimated from public sources, pending an on-site check: they may change.

    A sea cave on the rocky coast of Manatí, near Mar Chiquita, open to the waves and named after the swallows that nest in it.

    • Scenery
    • Wildlife
    • Tranquility

How this ranking is made

Every place has a score from 1 to 5 for each criterion, following a public rubric, and the score out of 100 combines them with the weights of the profile. Most scores are estimates from public sources; places marked “Verified” have been checked in person.

Read the methodology