Personally, I am not really "into" caves. Coming from the north-east of the US, I have seen my share of cold, dark caves. But there is something about the Rio Camuy Caves that is different (I guess because they are not dark and cold!), and I actually enjoyed this trip.

On a recent trip to the Rio Camuy Caves Park (or, in Spanish, Parque de las Cavernas del Rio Camuy), we arrived early (about 9:30am) and had no trouble getting in. They give you numbered tickets as you enter the parking area. They then call out these numbers to get you onto your tour in a first-come, first-served basis. After you park, head into the visitors’ center to purchase your actual tour tickets. After you buy your tickets, sit tight or visit the gift shop while you wait for your number to be called. Once you’re called, you will be shown a short movie explaining the caves and park, and the rules of the cave system (don’t touch anything!).

After watching the movie, you board a trolley and they whisk you away through this pretty park to the cave entrance. The park is nice and lush, and many of the trees are marked with their names. When you get to the caves, your guide takes you into the cave system. Basically, the roof of a cave fell in, exposing this cave. There is a huge opening on both sides, so you shouldn’t get claustrophobic.

Our guide, Marcano, was very interesting and he had some jokes that were pretty amusing, so we were all entertained as we learned about the caves. Clara Cave is the name of the cave you walk into first and it is huge and beautiful. After about a 15 minute walk through this cave, it opens into another area where you can see the Camuy River running below you and there is a huge overhang above you. They also have the "fountain of youth" – a natural spring you can drink from (we had to try that!). The tour guide answered everyone’s questions very well – he really seemed to know what he was talking about – he had been doing it for many years and still seemed to enjoy it.

We then turned around and went through the cave again, but on the other side, so it looked totally different. Our guide, after telling us the how and why the formations develop, also gave us the less educational version – pointing out more of the amusing looking formations- "the gorilla sitting at a table", a "Christmas tree" etc. It was fun.

We also passed the section where you can hear the river racing below you, and where you can hear (and smell) the bats. They say there is a colony of half a million bats that live in the cave. Luckily, they sleep during the day, so you won’t run into any of them!

As you walk along the concrete path, watch out for all the stalactites hanging down (someone in our group hit their head!). The walkway is wet, and in some parts slippery, so wear sneakers or shoes with good traction, and use the handrails as suggested.

Once out of the caves, you get back onto the tram again and they take you to a huge sink hole where you can see the river again. Then they take you back to the main entrance and your tour is done.

The only bathrooms are located at the main entrance (behind the ticket booth). The tour takes about 1.5 hours, so plan accordingly. The caves are cool, you may want to bring a jacket. You can take all the pictures you want, and the guides point out the best ways and places to get good shots.

The caves are located in a 268 acre park. This is a very popular site with tourists and locals alike. The park only allows a certain number of visitors in a day. So it is best to get there before 10:30am. They don’t take reservations. Also, they close the caves if it is raining, because the river can cause flash floods.

The park has a wooded area with picnic pavilions, a play area for the kids, walking trails, a little restaurant, and a souvenir shop. The movie we saw was in Spanish, with English subtitles. The tours are separated – being offered in either English or Spanish.

In the movie, they say if you have asthma, other medical conditions or are pregnant, don’t go into the cave, or see their health department before going in. I assume it is mainly for insurance purposes as the walking part is easy, just slippery. But the air in the cave is thick with moisture, and a guy with asthma in our group had to use his inhaler.

After being closed for over a year, the Department of Natural Resources re-opened Clara Cave (Cueva Clara) over the weekend of January 23, 2009. Though we have not been back ourselves, we have heard that they now make all visitors wear hardhats while in the cave system.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $7 for children ages 2 to 12, and $5 for seniors. Seniors over 75 are free. Parking is $3 to $4 depending on your vehicle.

Open only Wednesday through Sunday from 8:30am until about 5:00pm, or when they reach park capacity. The last tour is at 3:30pm. The park is closed most major holidays (including New Years Day, Three Kings Day, Good Friday, Thanksgiving, Christmas).

Allow 1.5 hours for the movie and the tour. If the park is crowded, you’ll spend more time because they put you on tours in the order you arrived at the park.

Call 787-898-3100 for more information.

Camping is allowed in the summer for $5 per person. Call ahead for info.

From the San Juan area, take Route 22 west to Arecibo – exit 77b. Then Route 129 south to Km 20. There are signs to guide you once you get off of Route 22.

You can locate the Camuy Caves Park on our Interactive Island Map