About
Most people visiting Eleuthera never know this cave exists, which seems like a real shame. Hidden off Queen's Highway near the Hatchet Bay silos, it's the largest cave system on the island and one of the more genuinely weird and wonderful things you can do in the Bahamas. A descent down a set of rough stairs puts you in the first chamber, where natural light still filters in and a few stalactites and stalagmites give you a preview of what's ahead.
Keep going and things get considerably more dramatic. The cave runs about a mile underground across three levels, with formations that locals and visitors have given names like "Cathedral Hall," "The Wizard's Hat," "Wedding Cake," and "Frozen Waterfall." A thin guide string runs along the floor to keep you on track. The cave was described in an 1874 issue of Harper's Monthly as "a cave extending 1,100 feet underground enriched by stalactites of a brilliant brown hue," which is still pretty accurate. At one point you'll need to descend a ladder to reach the second level, where the real formations are.
The cave is also home to colonies of leaf-nosed bats, which mostly ignore visitors but will remind you they are there if you make enough noise. And then there's the graffiti. Some of it is genuinely fascinating: signatures carved with carbide lamps dating back to the 1870s, left by people who made their way in here before electricity or automobiles existed on the island. The more recent spray-painted stuff is considerably less charming, but it thins out the deeper in you go. The Lucayan Arawak people, who inhabited the Bahamas before European contact, believed caves were gateways to the afterlife. Archaeological evidence suggests they used Hatchet Bay Cave for burial purposes, which adds a certain mood to the whole experience.
The cave is unmanaged, free, and about as far from a tourist attraction as you can get while still being a place people actually visit. It's worth every minute.
Know Before You Go
Turn west off Queen's Highway near the Hatchet Bay silos and follow the dirt road to the east entrance. The opening is easy to miss in the brush, so watch for the small wooden sign.
Bring two light sources per person (a headlamp plus a backup flashlight) and do not go alone. The guide string on the floor will keep you oriented, though it's broken in a few spots.
Wear closed-toe shoes with grip since the terrain is uneven and slippery in places. Light, breathable clothing is best as the cave is warm and humid. The whole cave takes roughly 45 minutes to walk end to end if you keep moving.
If you make a one-way trek through the cave, note that the rear exit is via a rope ladder through a man-made shaft. The ladder will put you out into a wooded area around 850 feet from the parking area and main entrance.
A swarm of mosquitoes typically camps out near the entrance, so use bug spray before you go down. Hiring a local guide is strongly recommended for anyone planning to go beyond the first level. There are no facilities and no cell signal inside.
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Published
May 22, 2026
