GREEN GROTTO CAVES – THE NATURAL BEAUTY of RUNAWAY BAY

About The Green Grotto Caves

You can easily reach the Green Grotto Caves from Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. It is a popular place to visit, but renting a driver or taxi and taking your tour is possible instead of joining a large cruise group.

Our guide met us at the entrance. We put on our helmets and hairnets and began our journey into the middle of the earth. Although we didn’t travel that far, we did get quite a distance underground. Two caves can be toured: the Runaway Cave and Green Grotto Cave.

History of Green Grotto Caves

The Green Grotto caves primarily influenced the history of Jamaican history. These caves are believed to have been used by the Tainos, the Arawak Indians, who were the first to inhabit the island.

The Spaniards used these as cover against the English during their island invasion in 1655.

These chambers were also used by runaway slaves in 18th-century England to hide from the English. Pirates used these caves to conceal their treasures. During World War II, arms dealers also smuggled weapons from this area to Cuba. The government even used it to store rum.

Runaway Cave Nightclub

The Green Grotto caves were used in the most bizarre way possible by an American family who owned the land and made it into a nightclub.

The father had always longed to own a nightclub. Ah, the 80s. For people to dance the night away, they set up bars, dance floors, and cement benches.

The music’s vibration was too strong for the environment, and many of the main chamber’s stalactites or stalagmites were destroyed.

The Jamaican government retook the Green Grotto Caves in 1999. Since then, it has been a top attraction in Jamaica. The first Caribbean caves to receive the highest honor of Platinum Certification from EarthCheck.

Runaway Cave Tour

We began in Runaway Cave. This is the largest chamber with easy cement paths you can walk through. There are remnants from the days of nightclubs, including pools, cement barstools, and a stage.

The irresponsible American businessman did not destroy all of the cave. As we continued along the path, we found more impressive formations.

You can access different chambers by using bridges, stairs, or pathways. The green and yellow light will illuminate the narrow caverns and stone pillars. Many openings in this area will likely have caved-in ceilings, where trees can grow, and bats can escape each night.

The caves are home to approximately 10 million bats. Kevin, our guide, told us that only a portion of the Green Grotto Caves system had been excavated and explored.

It is vital to protect them as they play an essential role in the ecosystem, helping to kill bugs and pollinate crops.

Escape Route

The escape route that the Spaniards used to escape from the British after discovering the caves was shown to us. It is a small cave that measures 3 miles in length and took the Spanish to the ocean. It is hard to imagine how much courage I took to climb into that tiny black hole.

James Bond and The Green Grotto

After the Runaway Cave tour, we walked out to The Green Grotto Cave for our second cave tour.

After some fresh air, our group arrived at Green Grotto’s entrance. This underground lake is located 45 feet below us (15 meters). You will be taken down 65 steps to reach a large, water-filled cavern. The lights light up the pool, and the stalactites are visible in the water, creating a stunning scene.

I tried to picture the scene where Jane Seymore and James Bond are being dropped into Mr. Kananga’s shark tank, but it was too difficult to visualize. Dave and I rewatched the scene and decided it needed to be from a different angle. They were looking back at the platform where we were standing.

They missed a better opportunity!

To give you an idea of how dark it is, the guides will turn off all lights at this point. I am curious to know how early settlers discovered anything.

The bat guano is highly combustible, so the team couldn’t bring torches to the site to investigate it. All of it had to be found and cleared manually.