Two Sisters Cave

Two Sisters is a pair of connected sinkholes in the dry limestone of the Hellshire Hills, reached by a boardwalk and steps down through the rock to a still pool of clear water some way below ground level, fed from the sea and rising and falling with the tide. On the wall beside the water is a carved Taíno face, one of the more accessible pieces of rock art on the island, and the cave was clearly used by them. The hills around are one of the last stretches of intact dry limestone forest in Jamaica and the habitat of the Jamaican iguana, though the reptile itself is confined to a protected core well away from the cave.

What you actually see

• The underground pool - clear tidal water below the sinkhole.
• The Taíno petroglyph - a carved face on the rock beside the water.
• The boardwalk descent - steps down through the limestone.
• The Hellshire dry forest - rare intact limestone forest around it.

When to go

December to April is drier. Mornings are cooler and the light better in the sinkhole. The site keeps limited hours and has closed for periods, so check before driving out.

Honest expectations

It has suffered from underfunding and periods of closure, and the facilities are poor. The site is small and takes under an hour. Swimming in the pool is not permitted. The Hellshire road passes through areas where local advice is to keep moving; go in daylight and preferably with a driver.

Nearby

Hellshire fish shacks are ten minutes; Kingston is 40 minutes northeast.