The Cuevas de Bellamar (Bellamar Caves), located 5 km from Matanzas, are a group of caves more than 23 km long and 300,000 years old, making them the oldest tourist centre in Cuba and a National Monument.
This cave was discovered by chance in 1861 when a slave lost a crowbar opening a hole at the land's surface where he worked, thus discovering the entrance to the cave. Soon, the owner of that land, aware of the discovery, started to develop the site for tourism. Since then, this magical place is a must for tourists who pass through the area and wish to see one of the most beautiful wonders natural creations on the island.
In the Cuevas de Bellamar, you can appreciate formations of diverse nature: stalactites, stalagmites and other curious rock formations that have a tendency to join together and create beautiful figures.
Although it is a single cave, it is often referred to in the plural because of the variety of caverns found there. In the main cavern, you can see the Manto de Colón (Columbus' mantle), a 12-meter rock formation in the shape of a waterfall, perhaps the most impressive of all.
These caves are one of a kind due to the clear layer that covers many of the formations, giving them an especially beautiful appearance and offering the visitor a new and surprising experience.
More Information:
Location:
Carretera Cuevas de Bellamar (Bellamar Caves Highway).
Opening hours:
From 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Ticket price:
10 CUC; 5 CUC more with a camera.
Telephone:
(+53) 45 26 1683 / (+53) 45 25 3538.
Interactive map:
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