What makes caving such a unique family adventure? Besides being kid-friendly, kids just love to pretend they are explorers & in the case of my son, loves to climb everything, so you can imagine how much fun we all have whenever we visit a cave.

Here are 5 Absolutely Cool Reasons to Check Out a Cave:

1. Learn about the underworld: in Central America it is almost guaranteed that whenever you enter a cave you will see remainings of paintings & alters where the ancient Mayas performed ceremonies. They thought that caves lead to the soul of the earth & guard the secrets of the universe.

2. You can see and come up close to those beautiful tower-like formations that can be found all over the caves (stalagmites). In some cases you can even allow your kids to run among them. Note: specialists don’t recommend touching them because the natural oils of your hands can change their composition & affect their growth.

3. Have you ever wondered how those rock formations that hang from a cave’s ceiling (Stalactites) got there? And why they are right above stalagmites? Go inside a cave and find out.

4. If you visit the Lanquin Caves in Guatemala try to get there at twilight because this time, right before sunset, is perfect to see thousands of bats fly out for breakfast of insects. If you stay in the sidelines you will see a beautiful (& safe) show.

5. Caves are coolest and most different types of places to go. The smell in the air, the lighting, the rock formations & the Mayan vestiges set a different kind of mystical mood.