Green Grotto Caves

Green Grotto runs for about a kilometre and a half under the north coast, a system of chambers, passages and stalactites with a clear green underground lake at its lowest point, some twelve metres below the surface, connected to the sea. The caves have been used for a long time and by a series of people: Taíno remains have been found here, Spanish forces are said to have hidden in them during the English invasion of 1655, escaped enslaved people used them, and in the twentieth century they served smugglers running arms. Tours are guided, lit and relatively easy, with helmets and a walkway, which makes this the most accessible cave visit on the island.

History

Named for the green algae on its walls, the cave is a flank margin cave, formed where fresh water met sea water, with two levels that seem to mark two periods of different sea level and a clear underground lake in its innermost cavern. It has had many names, among them the Runaway Bay, Hopewell, Discovery Bay, Dry Harbour and Rum Caves (Wikipedia, Green Grotto Caves).

What you'll find

• The underground lake - clear green water twelve metres below the surface.
• The formations - stalactites and columns through the chambers.
• The history - Taíno, Spanish, Maroon and smuggling uses of the same caves.
• The bat colonies - resident through the system.

When to go

Year-round; the caves hold a steady temperature and are a good wet-weather or midday option. Tours run through the day and take about forty-five minutes. Cruise excursion groups arrive in bursts, so mornings on non-ship days are quietest.

Practical notes

It is a developed show cave with a fixed guided route and no exploration, which disappoints people expecting adventure caving. Guides work quickly and expect tips. The lighting is functional rather than atmospheric. Photography rules vary. It is a forty-five-minute visit sold at a full attraction price.

Nearby

Discovery Bay is five minutes; Ocho Rios is 40 minutes east.

Key facts