The Tunnel of Love

The island of Aruba is known for many beautiful and adventurous sites from white sandy beaches to clear blue waters filled with tropical fish and ancient shipwrecks. One of the biggest tourist attractions though are the caves that dot this tiny island. Aruba is only nineteen miles long and six miles wide, but is filled with caves from tip to tip. One of the most famous is the Baranca Sunu Cave which locals call the Tunnel of Love. It is three hundred feet long and is found on the northern part of Aruba. In English, the name means ‘Naked Rock’. With five chambers deep inside, including one that resembles the Virgin Mary, the Tunnel of Love has become a big tourist attraction.

Don’t let the name fool you though, as the cave offers much more than just a chance for romance. Entering into the cave, you’ll find very steep and narrow stairs leading down into the dark and can be quite a challenge getting in and out. Currently, this famous cave is closed for preservation reasons while the island tries to reestablish its bat population. The two bats which are called Long Tongue Fruit Bats, and Insect Eater Bats, are very important to the island’s ecosystem as they help control pests that could bother tourists.

Another popular cave in Aruba is the Fontein Cave, which has drawings of an Indian tribe called Arawak. A tour of this cave can give visitors a real sense of the history of the island. It’s believed that in this cave, with the red drawings across the ceilings and on the walls, that Indians held ceremonies and rituals there during the days that they inhabited Aruba. The Fontein Cave is definitely one that you should put on your list if you are planning a vacation to Aruba.

The third cave that attracts many visitors is the Guadirikiri Cave, which is actually found at the base of a very steep cliff. With two chambers that are at times brightly lit by sunlight coming in through the holes in the top of the cave, this cave is also home to hundreds of bats. Like the Tunnel of Love cave, it is periodically closed so that the bats can reproduce in private. As you can see, along with the natural beauty of sand, sea, and waterfalls that Aruba has to offer, the caves are a great way to spend a day whether you are looking for a lesson in history about the island, or a time of romance.