NEWSWEEK.COM 45
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911810Reed Flute Cave
Guilin, China
Also known as the “Palace
of Natural Arts,” this
limestone cave located
just north of Guilin City
is not only beautiful, but
historically important as
well; it is full of inscriptions
that can be dated back
to the Tang dynasty.09
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Waitomo Village, New Zealand
The main draw of the Waitomo cave
system is the Glowworm Grotto where
visitors can glide along an underground
river with millions of glowworms
sparkling like stars overhead.11
Hang Son Doong (See previous page)
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam10
Avshalom Cave Nature Reserve
Beit Shemesh, Israel
Also known as the Soreq Cave Nature Reserve,
Avshalom is considered to be the Rosetta Stone
of climate history in the Eastern Mediterranean
through the densely packed stalactites found
in the cave, some of which are over 13 feet
long and are as old as 300,000 years.08
Blue Grotto
Capri, Italy
Once used as the personal swimming
hole for the Roman Emperor Tiberius,
this dazzling sea cave is almost 200
feet long and 82 feet wide. Its unique
glow comes from the light entering
the small opening to the outside and
refracting through the clear water off
the sandy bottom 490 feet below.07
Fingal’s Cave
Staffa, Scotland
This sea cave, lying
within an uninhabited
island, is formed
entirely from
hexagonally jointed
basalt columns formed
by a Paleocene lava
ʀow. Named for an 18th
century poem, it’s been
featured in literature
and song throughout
the centuries.06