Bayano Caves

A river runs underground through a limestone ridge near Lake Bayano east of the capital, and the visit means wading and sometimes swimming through the passages with head torches, past bat colonies hanging from the roof and rock formations shaped by the water. The trip involves a boat crossing of the reservoir and a walk in. It is a genuine caving trip rather than a lit walkway and clothes get soaked.

What you actually see

• The river passages - underground channels waded through with head torches.
• The bat colonies - the roosts hanging in the roof of the caves.
• The lake crossing - the boat run across the Bayano reservoir to the start.
• The formations - the rock shapes cut by the water through the ridge.

When to go

December to April is the dry season and the only safe window. Rain raises the underground river dangerously. Trips run from the capital as day excursions.

Honest expectations

The caves flood after rain and trips are cancelled without much notice. This is a wet, muddy scramble in the dark, not a walkway visit. Guides are mandatory and going alone would be reckless.

Nearby

Lake Bayano is at the start, and Panama City is west.