Tamana Bat Caves

Mount Tamana in the Central Range holds a cave system with one of the largest bat populations in the Caribbean, estimated at well over a million animals of something like eleven to eighteen species sharing the chambers, from fruit bats to fishing bats and vampire bats. The spectacle most people come for is the evening exodus, when the colony pours out of the entrances in a continuous stream for the best part of an hour as the light goes.

What you actually see

• The evening exodus - over a million bats streaming out of the cave at dusk.
• The species mix - a dozen or more bat species sharing the same chambers.
• The chambers - the cave interior, entered with a guide and lights.
• The Central Range forest - the hill forest surrounding the entrances.

When to go

January to May is the dry season and the only sensible window. The exodus happens at dusk, so the walk back is in the dark. Guides must be arranged in advance.

Honest expectations

The cave floor is deep in guano and the ammonia is strong; masks are advisable and some people cannot tolerate it. The walk in and out is rough and the return is after dark. Histoplasmosis risk from guano dust is real.

Nearby

Talparo is south, and the Northern Range is north.