5 wonders of Trinidad’s Gasparee Caves

Just a short 20-minute boat ride off of Chaguaramas, Trinidad, lies a little known treasure of the Caribbean and an experience worth adding to any traveller’s bucket list.

The Gasparee Caves boast immense character, a spacious wonder built from a millennia’s worth of water-eroded limestone. Located on a surfaced coral reef that formed Gasparee Grande Island, its multi-coloured limestone rock formations and sapphire blue pool is just a first taste of the marvel in this half-day tour.

1. The Trail of Tangerine Terrain

The 10-20 minute hike from the dock to the cave is a beautiful one, complete with giant cactus and towers of Naked Indian trees shedding their bright orange bark along the limestone landscape.

2. A Decent into Great Depths

At a steep 98-foot drop and some 200 steps below, the descent into the cave adds an air of mystery and excitement to the treasures that await.

3. Spot the face?

The cave’s stalactites, stalagmites, and earth pillars play host to a peculiar game of 'I spy'. Guides encourage their guests to spot such uncanny natural formations as the phantom’s bedroom, the kissing couple, the arrowhead, the starfish and the face.

4. Musical Stalactites

Our tunefully gifted guide demonstrated the cave wall’s “organ” by playing a gentle melody off of dripping stagnates like a steel pan drum. Dolphin-like squeaks echoing from the timid fruit bats above add a curious chorus to this unique performance.

5. A Dip In The Sublime 

Though not every guide will take on the risk, plunging into the sapphire pool is a surreal experience as any. Lit from a brilliant skylight in the sinkhole above, submerging in the cave’s waters sends waves of rippling light reflections dancing off the limestone walls.

And at just the perfect temperature, it’s a pool fit for a dream. Lying back floating in its pristine waters and gazing at the light from above is a feeling of unforgettable wonder.