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Guide to Bermuda Caves: Swimming, Spelunking, and Sightseeing
Updated: September 2026
Bermuda sits on a massive cap of Pleistocene era karst limestone. Over thousands of years, slightly acidic rainwater ate through this porous rock, leaving behind one of the highest concentrations of limestone caves in the world.
When you walk around certain parts of Hamilton Parish, you are literally walking on a Swiss cheese network of hollow underground chambers.
I have spent plenty of time climbing down into these humid, dripping caverns. Whether you want a paved, guided walking tour or a raw spelunking adventure in the jungle, you have options. Here is exactly how to tackle the caves.
At a Glance
| Feature |
Details |
| Best Time to Go |
Mid-day (to escape the heat) or during rainstorms. |
| Cost Estimate |
Free for wild caves; Typically $24 to $40 for commercial show caves. |
| Ideal Duration |
1 to 3 hours, depending on how many caves you visit. |
| Primary Transport |
Public Bus (Routes 1, 3, 10, 11) or rented Twizy/micro-car. |
| Key Location |
Most caves are clustered in Hamilton Parish. |
Cave Location Map
Who This Is For / Who Should Skip
Who it is for: Families with kids, geology buffs, and anyone looking for a solid rainy-day itinerary. If you need a break from the intense midday sun, the caves offer a cool, shaded retreat.
Who should skip: Travelers with severe claustrophobia. You should also skip the commercial caves if you have mobility issues. Even with handrails, you must navigate dozens of steep, often wet steps to reach the bottom.
What Surprised Me the Most
The first time I walked into a Bermuda cave, the humidity hit me like a physical wall. You can immediately smell the damp, mineral-heavy earth.
The most shocking part is the water clarity. When you look down into the subterranean pools, the water is so perfectly clear that the bottom looks like it is only a few inches away. In reality, you are looking through 50 feet of crystal-clear ocean water that rises and falls with the tides.
The "Show Caves": Crystal and Fantasy Caves
If you only have time for one underground stop, this is the main event.
Crystal Cave and Fantasy Cave are two separate, commercially operated caverns located on the same property. You walk on floating pontoon bridges over deep, illuminated pools of water.
Crystal Cave is famous for its dramatic, pure white stalactites that look like frozen waterfalls. Fantasy Cave has darker, more unusual formations that resemble copper-colored soda straws.
Micro-friction warning: In the peak summer months, tour groups here get large. You might wait up to 45 minutes for the next available guide. Buy the combo ticket (typically $35 - $40) if you want to see both, or stick to Crystal Cave (typically $24 - $30) if you are short on time.
Footbridge at Crystal Cave
Photo: Scott Heaney
The Resort Caves: Grotto Bay Beach Resort
If you are searching for the famous "Grotto Bay caves", you are looking for
Cathedral Cave and Prospero's Cave. These sit directly on the property of the Grotto Bay Beach Resort.
Cathedral Cave is one of the only places in Bermuda where you can actually swim in an underground lake. The water is cold, deep, and incredibly refreshing.
Prospero's Cave is dry and houses the resort's Natura Spa. You can literally get a massage on a floating cabana surrounded by ancient stalagmites.
You do not need to be a hotel guest to book a spa treatment, but swimming in Cathedral Cave is strictly reserved for guests.
The Wild Caves: Admiral's Cave and Tom Moore's Jungle
If you hate guided tours and paved paths, Bermuda has plenty of "wild" caves. These are completely unmanaged, free to enter, and require you to watch your own step.
The crown jewel of wild spelunking is
Admiral's Cave in Hamilton Parish. It is a massive, multi-level cavern hidden in the woods off a main road. There are no handrails and no lights, just raw exploration.
You can also find smaller wild caves like Causeway Cave, Subway Cave, and the historic
Walsingham Cave along with the popular Blue Hole swimming grotto, inside the
Blue Hole Park (locally known as Tom Moore's Jungle).
Pro-Tip: A smartphone flashlight is completely useless in a wild cave. The darkness swallows the light. Bring a dedicated, high-lumen headlamp if you plan to go deep.
Walsingham Cave in Blue Hole Park, Bermuda
Photo: Malcom Manners, flickr, cc by 2.0
Historical Caves: Jeffrey's Cave
Not all caves are just geological wonders. Jeffrey's Cave, located inside the
Spittal Pond Nature Reserve, holds heavy historical weight.
In the 19th century, an enslaved man named Jeffrey escaped his captors and hid inside this exact cave for weeks. Today, the cave is a marked stop on the
African Diaspora Heritage Trail. It is a sobering, quiet spot right on the rugged southern coastline.
For Cave Divers: Bermuda's Underwater Cave Systems
Bermuda has a massive network of submerged caves that attract technical divers from around the world. Green Bay Cave is the longest fully submerged cave system on the island, stretching over two kilometers underwater.
There are also complex underwater networks like
Palm Cave and the various sinkholes out in
Castle Harbor.
Do not attempt to dive these unless you hold specialized cave diving certifications. The silt on the bottom kicks up easily, reducing visibility to zero in seconds. Local dive shops can arrange guided technical dives if you have the right credentials.
Closed to the Public: The Status of Leamington Cave
If you are reading an older guidebook, you might see recommendations for
Leamington Cave and the adjacent Plantation Restaurant. Do not try to go there today.
The restaurant closed decades ago. Currently, the Leamington Cave property is a highly exclusive, private vacation rental estate. The cave is entirely closed to the general public. Save yourself a wasted taxi ride and head to Crystal Caves instead.
Common Mistakes Visitors Make
Wearing flip-flops: Cave steps are carved out of limestone. When humidity mixes with limestone dust, the stairs turn into an ice rink. Wear shoes with actual rubber grip.
Touching the formations: The oils on human skin stop stalactites from growing. It takes a century for these formations to grow a single inch. Keep your hands in your pockets.
Waiting for a sunny day: The commercial caves are the ultimate rainy-day backup plan. If the forecast calls for a washout, head underground where the weather does not matter.
Practical Details (Costs, Access and Best Time)
Getting to the main cave cluster in Hamilton Parish is easy. From the main bus terminal in Hamilton, take Route 1, 3, 10, or 11.
Look for the blue bus poles (which indicate buses heading away from Hamilton) and tell the driver you want the caves. (Note: Pink poles indicate buses heading back toward Hamilton).
If you rented a micro-car, the Crystal Caves parking lot has dedicated charging bays.
The best time to visit the wild caves is early morning before the humidity peaks. For the show caves, go right when they open at 9:00 am to beat the cruise ship excursion buses.
Alternatives: If Underground Caves Aren't For You
If you decided to skip the deep caves due to claustrophobia, you can still get a taste of Bermuda's carved limestone.
Head to
Admiralty House Park on the north shore. You can walk through wide, open-air tunnels carved into the cliffs by the British military. A well-known man-made cave here is also known as
Admiral's Cave.
Alternatively, walk the beach at
Warwick Long Bay to see massive limestone arches rising right out of the sand. Both options keep you above ground and in the fresh air.
About the Author
By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj has been writing about Bermuda since 2008, when he launched bermuda-attractions.com, one of the longest-standing independent guides to the island. A Certified Bermuda Specialist (Bermuda Tourism Authority), his work draws on personal visits, local contacts in Bermuda, and questions and trip reports from thousands of readers over the years.
Learn more about Raj Bhattacharya
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Visitors' Reviews and Comments
Christina (June 2016)
Hi Raj, Are there any caves looking out onto the sea....in the Hamilton and surrounding areas? Thanks:)
Raj (bermuda-attractions.com) June 2016
Hi, yes the cave at Admiralty park house in Spanish Point area (north shore road). You can take bus #4 or a scooter. Enter the cave, let your eyes settle in the dark and you can see the stairway leading down into open water. Take a plunge if you want.
Brittany Johnson (April 2016)
Are there any good, free caves we could explore without a guide?
Raj (bermuda-attractions.com) April 2016
You can visit Tom Moore's jungle in Hamilton parish (opposite Grotto Bay Beach Resort). There are caves and grottoes there which you can explore, and also swim in the grottoes. You can take bus #1, 3, 10 or 11 from Hamilton or St. George.
Marco (June 2015)
Hi Raj: Heading to Bermuda this Thursday 7/2/15. Where is the entrance to Church Cave? I am staying at Grotto Bay BC and am familiar with Tom Moore's Jungle. Would like to see/swim at Church Cave; how do I get there? (Walking...Bus Lines to which stop...etc.?) Since it's on a developed property, is it still open to the public?
Raj (bermuda-attractions.com) June 2015
Hi, The entrance to Church cave was on the left of the front entrance of earlier Marriott Castle Harbor Hotel, which closed down in 1999, demolished in 2002 and a new hotel Rosewood came up at the same place. The entrance looked like a grotto with a trail. The new hotel (located at Tucker's Point) has made it inaccessible.
Warren (Apri 2015)
Hi Raj, Is there any place to go swimming in a cave? Coming in August on cruise.
Raj (bermuda-attractions.com) April 2015
Tom Moore's Jungle in Hamilton Parish... several grottos and caves where you can swim. Better to go through a guided tour conducted by Hidden Gems.
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