Few adventurers can resist the siren call of Aruba’s caves – with the Quadirikiri Cave being the island’s most famous. You can (quite literally) lose yourself in the cave’s large chambers. Somewhere between the stalactites, stalagmites and beams of sunshine peeking through Quadirikiri’s holes, you’re no longer on vacation. You’re in a fairytale, or in a scene of your favorite fantasy novel. If you’re a keen observer, you might spot Amerindian petroglyph on Quadirikiri’s limestone walls. You might even hear the whispers of mythical folk tales set in the cave. Oh, and you’ll surely spot a bat or two. There’s much to discover alongside the tunnels of the Quadirikiri Cave.

You can adventure down the cave’s three big domes, which are connected by tunnels. Besides algae, you’ll find a wondrous selection of prehistoric drawings on the walls of the Quadirikiri Cave. These petroglyphic figures are said to have been drawn by the Amerindians – allegedly influenced by hallucinogenics! Equally mythical is the folk tale of the two lovers, still whispered around the Quadirikiri Cave. As the story goes, a chief’s daughter was imprisoned in the Quadirikiri Cave after catching a bout of forbidden love. Her lover was imprisoned nearby. Armed with their love, the couple managed to meet at the Quadirikiri Cave, where they died. As such, their spirits were released, free to travel to heaven through the holes in Quadirikiri’s ceiling. Whenever you lay eyes on those limestone walls and holes yourself, you can let your imagination run wild.

Dark, damp and incredibly hot, the cave serves as the perfect home for bats and insects – making an exception for the occasional adventurous visitor. Stretching about 490 feet, you can find the Quadiriki Cave in Arikok National Park, Aruba. Filled with lava, quartz and limestone formations (alongside rare cat-eyed snakes and Aruban whiptail lizards), Arikok National Park takes up about 18% of the island. In other words: It’s hard to get around, especially for adventurous or nature-minded guests. Besides the famous Quadirikiri Cave, you’ll also find the Fontein Cave in Arikok National Park, not to mention a diversity of rough rock formations, natural pools and beaches frequented by nesting turtles.