Destination guide: Harrison’s Cave in Barbados

Harrison’s Cave, located in the parish of St Thomas on the Caribbean island of Barbados, is a natural limestone cave filled with glistening stalagmites, which rise from the floor, and stalactites, which descend from the ceilings. 

The natural wonder is a huge cave system that features streams and waterfalls and is at least 2.3 kilometres long. The average interior temperature is 27 degrees celsius and its largest cavern, called the Great Hall, measures 15 metres high. 

It’s considered an active cave because it carries water and its geological features are still growing, albeit very slowly! 

The cave was named after Thomas Harrison, who was a prominent land owner in the area during the early 1700s, although it’s not known whether he ever went in. The existence of the cave was well known for centuries but it was difficult to explore until the 1970s because the natural entrances were hard to access. 

In 1974, Barbadians Tony Mason and Allison Thornhill, along with a Danish engineer and cave adventurer called Ole Sorensen, rediscovered and mapped Harrison’s Cave. It was soon developed into a tourist attraction and a series of tunnels were excavated to carry visitors on trams into its recesses. 

Thousands of tourists now visit Harrison’s Cave every year while visiting Barbados, travelling deep underground to experience its unique beauty for themselves.  

Visit Harrison’s Cave website for more information on a variety of tours and search Find Yello for local travel agents.