GREEN GROTTO

The "Green Grotto" lies halfway between Discovery Bay and Runaway Bay. It owes its name to the translucent emerald-green waters that lie dormant at the bottom, fed by crystalline springs flowing into its secret depths. A 30-minute underground exploration reveals deep galleries sculpted with a profusion of stalactites and stalagmites, a journey through a vein of the earth 1.5 km long and 12 metres deep, enhanced by lighting that highlights the subterranean relief. A veritable limestone labyrinth, home to colonies of bats. At the end of the tunnel, lined with these spectacular rock formations, is a large natural pool of transparent water, which can be crossed by boat and bathed in - a magical moment that gives the impression of a bath of purity! The cave was inhabited in Arawak (Taïnos) times, as evidenced by the fragments of pottery and objects found here. The cave was also used as a refuge by the Spanish in the ^17th century during the British invasion of the island, by runaway slaves in the ^18th century, and as a hideout for smuggled weapons bound for Cuba between the two world wars. Finally, it was used as a rum warehouse and as a film set for certain scenes in the James Bond film Vivre et laisser mourir (1973). At the exit, to reward the deserving tourist, a drink is offered. Opposite, a jerk center awaits the hungry.