Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk through a cave in the middle of nowhere? Well, let me clarify. A pitch-black setting filled with bats, cockroaches (3x bigger than normal ones), spiders, and one or two snakes? Needless to say, this wasn’t really one of my lifelong dreams. In fact, I am frightened of any and all living insects/animals in such spaces. My anxiety and fear, related to things of this nature, is quite overwhelming. Most people laugh when I’m scared, or ignore me, without realizing how sincerely difficult it is for me to cope. Quitting has crossed my mind more than once already while in the Caribbean from merely mosquitos, but I refuse and choose to accept the challenge. So, ready or not, sweaty palms, heart racing, head down…I walked through the cave.

In Puerto Rico, there are a few caves and caverns that are highly recommended by locals and are rated quite high on things to do during your stay. You can easily plan a day trip and visit every one of these locations if time permits. My husband and I had a late start and decided to visit only one: the Window Cave (Cueva Ventana). This particular cave is located in Arecibo, Puerto Rico and is approximately one hour from San Juan. The (somewhat hidden) entrance is located directly off the PR10 freeway and next to the Puma gas station. The parking lot is located on top of a small hill on the left. The entrance fee for the Window Cave is $10 per person/plus tax and includes parking and gear (helmet and handheld flashlight).

The 20-minute hike up to the cave is easy. There are a few steps along the way and informative boards that provide neat facts about the surroundings and wildlife. Getting into the cave however was a bit challenging for rookies like us. There are a few downward steps on uneven ground/rock with only a rope and vines that assist and lead to the pitch-black entrance.

From a distance and in the dark, we heard a voice that was telling us to head down carefully. Luckily, we didn’t fall on the way down. The creepy voice happened to be the tour guide that walks you through the cave and explains everything you are hearing, smelling, seeing, etc. I remember thinking: is this necessary? Can’t we just run across this thing and see the window already? After all, there were only four of us that day. The truth is, the cave tour was interesting and this guy knew so much about everything. The problem: He made us stop about three times along the way to provide insight and reminded us not to point our flashlights toward the bats above our heads. How does anyone pay attention to this guy? As he was talking I could hear bats flying above our heads. It was awful! You could see and smell Guano (bat droppings) everywhere. The minute I focused on the wings flapping above my head and saw a critter cross my path, I held on to Enoc so tight and begged him to get me out of there. He said we were almost there and asked me to relax, as if that were remotely possible.

In the end, this was so much more than a rewarding view and I am happy we did it. Cueva Ventana was stunning and provided a neat experience. The cave itself is less than a 5-minute walk before the window (light), but it seemed like a long and dreadful hour to me. My suggestion to the tour guide was to save the lecture for the end and perhaps invest in a zip lining business that would allow visitors to strap on and head to the bottom instead of walking back through the forsaken cave. Joke of course, but I would consider it.

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