The Crystal Caves

The Crystal Caves of Bermuda, in Hamilton Parish, are the island's most spectacular natural attraction, a beautiful subterranean world discovered in 1907 by two boys searching for a lost cricket ball. Descending into the caves on a guided tour, visitors find a magical realm of dramatic, delicate stalactites and stalagmites hanging from and rising within the cavern, mirrored in an astonishingly clear, deep underground lake of turquoise, tidal seawater. A floating pontoon walkway crosses the crystal-clear water, allowing visitors to gaze down through it to the cave floor far below, in a scene of remarkable, luminous beauty. The nearby Fantasy Cave adds further glittering formations.

What you actually see

• The crystal formations - the delicate stalactites and stalagmites.
• The underground lake - the astonishingly clear turquoise water.
• The floating walkway - the pontoon path across the crystal water.
• Fantasy Cave - the nearby cave of further glittering formations.

When to go

Year-round; the caves are cool and comfortable whatever the weather outside, making them a fine option in any season and on a hot or rainy day, and are explored on guided tours. Booking is wise in the busy summer and on cruise days, and comfortable footwear helps on the steps down into the caves.

Honest expectations

The caves are explored only on a guided tour along a set walkway rather than freely, and it is a relatively short, developed attraction rather than an extensive caving experience, involving steps down into the cave. As a genuinely spectacular and beautiful natural wonder, though, with its delicate crystal formations mirrored in an astonishingly clear underground lake crossed by a floating walkway, the Crystal Caves are a magical and unmissable highlight of Bermuda, and a cool contrast to the beaches.

Nearby

The beaches, the town of St George and the aquarium are within reach.