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Monday 17 March 2025 locAl
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Visit the island’s popular cave sites!

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