8 of the World’s Most Breathtaking Caves

Humans have been fascinated by caves for thousands of years—using them for shelter, burial sites, and as mystical gateways to the underworld. However, the era of cave exploration truly began only in recent decades. Many of the planet’s most remarkable caves were only discovered after the 1960s.  

Whether you’re an amateur cave enthusiast or a professional speleologist uncovering caves previously unknown to science, here are eight of the world’s largest caves you’ll want to explore.  

1. Son Doong Cave // Vietnam

Son Doong Cave, found by timber worker Ho Khanh in the early 1990s but not explored until 2009 [PDF], is situated in the remote jungles of Vietnam and is recognized as the largest cave in the world by volume. This extensive network of tunnels and chambers features the largest section, which could accommodate a full New York City block, complete with 40-story buildings, as stated by a 2015 National Geographic expedition. Some parts of the cave’s ceiling have collapsed, forming giant skylights known as “dolines” that nurture ecosystems deep beneath the forest floor. If visiting Vietnam isn’t possible, experience Son Doong through this amazing 360-degree virtual tour.

2. Mammoth Cave // Kentucky, United States

Mammoth Cave in Kentucky holds the record as the longest cave system in the world as of 2023, with 426 miles mapped. Experts believe another 600 miles remain undiscovered, based on air movement measurements within the cave. Visitors have flocked to Mammoth Cave since the 1800s, and today, 10 miles of underground corridors are open for exploration. The cave’s unique acoustics are celebrated through regular musical performances and the annual “cave sing” concert.

3. Veryovkina Cave // Abkhazia, Georgia

Veryovkina is the deepest cave on Earth, extending 1.4 miles below the surface. It takes professional speleologists about a week to fully descend and ascend, navigating waterfalls, narrow passages, and steep drops. The reward is stunning—at the cave’s end lies a “beautiful turquoise lake” roughly 50 feet long and 25 feet wide, “surrounded by jet-black limestone,” as cave photographer Robbie Shone told National Geographic.

4. Sac Actun // Mexico

The longest underwater cave system in the world, Sac Actun stretches over 235 miles beneath Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Adventurers can explore the Sac Actun system by swimming through more than 228 cenotes—natural swimming holes formed when sinkholes connect the surface to the underwater caves.

5. Derinkuyu // Türkiye

Rediscovered in 1963 during a private home renovation, Derinkuyu is believed to be the largest man-made cave system in the world. This expansive underground city was carved into the soft volcanic ash rock of the region during the 1st millennium BCE, a time when constant invasions made an underground refuge highly valuable. Researchers estimate that Derinkuyu could shelter up to 20,000 people, along with livestock and food supplies. The city was designed to endure sieges, featuring advanced ventilation shafts, deep wells, and amenities like chapels and wine presses.

6. Jewel Cave // South Dakota, United States 

As of today, more than 215 miles of the Jewel Cave system have been charted, with 99 percent of the exploration taking place since 1959, according to the National Park Service. Known as a “breathing cave,” Jewel Cave expands and contracts as air is drawn in or expelled, responding to changes in surface pressure due to weather. The cave’s name comes from the sparkling calcite spars that cover its walls. It is also the only place on Earth where the public can observe hydromagnesite balloons, formations resembling the deflated remains of a rock party.

7. Ox Bel Ha // Mexico

Located near Sac Actun in Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula, Ox Bel Ha stretches over 197 miles of submerged corridors. However, you didn’t always need a swimsuit to explore. During the last ice age, between 25,000 and 18,000 years ago, sea levels were more than a hundred feet lower in the area, leaving the caves dry and accessible to humans. Archaeologists have discovered traces of ancient fires and three deliberate human burials in Ox Bel Ha, suggesting the site may have held ritual significance. Speleologists believe Ox Bel Ha and Sac Actun are likely connected, and proving this link would make the combined system the largest cave in the world.

8. Lechuguilla Cave // New Mexico, United States   

Lechuguilla Cave began as “Misery Hole,” a 90-foot shaft in southeastern New Mexico where miners extracted bat guano for fertilizers and explosives. It wasn’t until 1984 that cavers got permission from the National Park Service to investigate a strange breeze coming from the cave floor. By 2023, Lechuguilla is recognized as the eighth longest cave in the world, with over 150 miles explored. The cave is home to a range of speleothems—delicately formed mineral deposits—such as cave pearls, U-loops, and the famed Chandelier Ballroom, which contains the largest known gypsum stalactites in the world.