The main goal of the park is to bring the beauty and thrill of caves to the general public of the island and visitors alike in a safe, enjoyable and educative way, while preserving the integrity of all the caves of the island and the karstic environments where they are found.
The area of Barkadera is well known for its high density of sinkholes and caves, therefore offering a unique opportunity for a complete cave experience including among others dry and wet caves, bat maternity chambers, cave snorkeling, native art, beautiful speleothemes (stalactites, stalagmites, flutes, straws, etc.) and all levels of difficulty to traverse these caves. With a total area of approximately 30 hectares, the park includes enough caves to avoid overcrowded visits. Additionally, the geology, flora and fauna of the Bonaire limestone terraces is showcased in this park via more than 4 Km of hiking trails providing an opportunity to comfortably walk through Bonaire’s thorny forest, with a spectacular view to the sea. In order to avoid that these improvements hamper the “rough natural look” of these caves and their surroundings, the signage is kept to a minimum and the walking trails are kept as natural as possible.
Visiting regulations
Visitors can access the park only under the supervision and leadership of cave tour guide certified by CARIBSS (Caribbean Speleological Society). Accordingly, only certified guides are allowed to conduct tours in the park on a professional basis.
CARIBSS-certified cave tour guides courses
CARIBSS offers a comprehensive cave guide course including topics like basic karst geology, karst and cave’s flora and fauna, public speaking, cave tour guiding, maximum carrying capacity, first aid and cave safety (including rope handling) among others.
