Page 13 - AHATA

A9
LOCAL Friday 28 November 2025

Visit the island’s popular cave sites!

(Oranjestad)—Among the cave had five chambers,
endless sea of dark brown including one that is heart-
sand and cacti, there are shaped. This cave had nar-
two caves hidden in the row stairs that led to long
outskirts of San Nicolas, in pathways deep into the
the north-eastern area of cave, with a staircase lead-
the island. These caves, ing to the exit on the other
The Quadiriki cave and The side. In one of the cham-
Fontein Cave are open to bers, there used to be the
visitors of the Arikok Na- carving of the Virgin Mary,
tional Park, so if you ever put there for the protection
decide to take an “off- of the cave.
road” tour in the park, be
sure to visit these prehistor- However, the Huliba Cave
ic caves. has been permanently
closed for a few years now,
Quadirikiri Cave as a way to preserve the
Known for its two cham- bat population that lives
bers accompanied by a in the cave. These Long
skylight, the Quadikiri Cave Tongue Fruit Bats and In-
is the most popular cave Her beloved, in turn, was through to illuminate the is also where prehistoric sect Eater Bats are very im-
among locals and tourists, locked away in the Tunnel chamber. drawings can be seen. portant to the ecosystem of
as it is easy to walk through of Love (Now known as the Though this cave does not the island. Though this cave
and provides great lighting Huliba Cave). Though there have been have its own legend, this is no longer accessible to
for pictures. discoveries of Amerindian was speculated to have the public, it surely is inter-
Through the pathways un- drawing on the wall, these been occupied—or at esting to learn more about
Woman in Quadirikiri Cave, derneath the Tunnel of have mostly been ruined least used by prehistoric Ar- the history of these caves
Arikok National Park, Aruba Love running up to the by vandalism. However, awak settlers on the island and the Arawak tribes that
As with all prehistoric or an- Quadiriki cave, the two the Fontein Cave further for rituals and other spiritual resided or utilized them.
cient sites, there is always love bird found each other, up north, provides a better ceremonies.
a folk legend that adds to and refused to let each glimpse in prehistoric Amer- Do note that these caves
the lore and mystery of the other go. Because of their indian paintings. The Huliba Cave/ Tunnel of are very dark, humid, hot,
site. The Quadirikiri cave stubbornness, they both Love and are inhabited by bats.
is no different. The most died in the Quadiriki Cave, Fontein Cave The Huliba Cave, formerly Do wear comfortable
well-known legend behind their ascending spirits burn- Longer than the Quadirikiri known as the Tunnel of clothing and shoes, as the
the cave could be consid- ing two holes in the ceiling Cave, the Fontein Cave Love, was once open to pathways in these caves
ered as Aruba’s first love of the cave. This is why the contains pathways that the public, and was the may be rough and bumpy.
story, as it tells the tale of cave has two holes through stretch to the limestone biggest and most acces- Take care to not disturb the
the undying love between which sunlight passes walls further down. Here sible of all three caves. This bats’ habitat. q
the chief’s daughter and
her beloved. As legend
would have it, the chief
disapproved of his daugh-
ter’s choice of lover, as
he thought him unworthy.
Stubborn and filled with an-
ger, the daughter refused
to turn away her beloved.

So, the chief decided to
lock her up in the Quadirikiri
Cave, in hopes that she
would soon calm down
and turn away her lover.