Many caves are like gateways to the past, and thus attract a lot of attention. While some are inaccessible to tourists, others are becoming quite popular destinations. Here are the world’s largest caves, ranked from 14 to 1.
Clearwater, Malaysia, is a system of interconnected limestone caves, over 30 miles long, with underground rivers. Discovered in the late 1970s, this cave system in Gunung Mulu National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Amazingly, no one knows the true size of Clearwater and is still being explored to this day.
Tourists can go deep inside Hölloch, Switzerland, a giant underground wonder, about 200 km long and about 900m deep.
Lechuguilla Cave is located in Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico, USA. A 130-mile-long limestone cave, Lechguilla is filled with interesting mineral layers that have attracted the attention of geologists from around the world. Although discovered in the 1950s, it was closed for about three decades before visitors were allowed to explore the cave.
Wind Cave National Park is one of the oldest parks of its kind in the US, home to 150 miles of Wind Cave filled with picturesque scenery.
Shuanghedong is one of the longest cave systems in China, located in Guizhou. Running for over 242 km, it was discovered in 1987 and is a prime example of an underground ecosystem. There are at least three rivers in the lower levels of the cave, as well as several waterfalls. These waters are home to creatures such as fish and salamanders. Since its discovery in the late 1980s, numerous expeditions have been made in an attempt to map the passages and uncover the secrets of the cave to this day.
Optymistychna Cave stretches over 260 km and is divided into 10 different sections. Optymistychna in Korolivka, Ukraine, is widely known as an extremely complex, difficult-to-explore labyrinth cave.
Ox Bel Ha, located within a 48 km radius of Mexico's largest cave system called Sistema Dos Ojos, was discovered in 1996 and extends over 260 km.
The Mulu Cave system on the island of Borneo includes Deer Cave, one of the largest underground tunnels on Earth, while the Sarawak Cave covers an area of about 9.5 million cubic metres. Tourists can take guided tours to explore the labyrinthine passages inside the cave.
For aesthetically pleasing caves, you can’t go wrong with Jewel Cave in South Dakota , USA, which is over 200 miles long. Nestled in the Black Hills National Forest, this gem boasts stunning views below ground as well as above. The name Jewel Cave comes from the colorful crystals that decorate the interior corners of the cave.
Located in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico, Sistema Dos Ojos was discovered in 1987 and has captivated explorers ever since. Stretching over 200 miles, this limestone cave is connected to the underwater cave Sistema Sac Atun. After the canal connecting Sistema Dos Ojos to Sistema Sac Atun was discovered, the cave system became known as the largest underwater cave in existence.
Sac Actun, Mexico is one of the largest underwater cave systems in the world, stretching over 370 km. Sac Actun will not disappoint explorers with all the beauty and majesty of a cave of such size.
No one knows how far Mammoth Cave, USA, actually extends, but so far, it is believed that the underground system extends for at least 410 miles. New caves in the network are constantly being discovered, so it is impossible to know how long the system actually extends. People have been exploring Mammoth Cave for over 4,000 years, and today it remains a major tourist attraction in Kentucky...
Miao, China, is undoubtedly one of the largest caves in the world. It has a volume of 10.7 million cubic meters, accessible only through its underground flow. These measurements were confirmed during a laser mapping trip conducted by the National Geographic Society.
With caverns large enough to house a 40-story skyscraper, Vietnam's Son Doong Cave is the world's largest. It was discovered in 1991 by a man named Ho Khanh, who lived in the nearby jungle. Overall, this "monster" dwarfs many of the world's other largest caves, making it a must-see for any cave enthusiast. Son Doong Cave is nearly 9km long, with ceilings reaching 200m in some places, 160m wide, and is currently recognized as the world's largest cave in terms of cubic metres, at around 38.5 million m3.
Source link
Comment (0)