Balankanche Caves

These caves are really cool! It's a huge cave system! We took around 1 hours to visit it - I'm telling you, it's really big! It was interesting to see all the stalagmites and stalactites coming from every corner, and many of these formations left a good impression on us as they seemed quite old! These caves are even more amazing if you think that it was actually used by the Mayas. Not so long ago, archaeologists were able to find loads of Mayans artifacts very well-preserved. The downsides of the caves are that it's TOO hot inside (almost unbearable), there is a f*** horrible creepy sound system running during the visit (it can drive you crazy), there are no signs along the route to tell you about the history and other stories related to the caves. Due to this last issue, you might find it interesting to go with a guide that can tell you all there is to know about these caves. Upon arrival at the caves, there is no need to worry about parking as the area reserved to leave your car offers plenty of space for all visitors. Besides, there is a knowledgeable member of staff at the entrance that will greet you politely and make all necessary introductions to the place. Next to entrance as well, there is a small museum with interesting facts about the caves and its formations. Taking photos inside the caves are a bit challenging as, of course, natural light is scarce, so make sure you take your time when shooting. I'd recommend making videos, it's probably going to give you a better result in the end. Enjoy!!

If you enjoy historical and archeological sites then you should definitely consider visiting these caves. The chamber with the tree of life was the highlight for sure, it was quite the spectacle. It is very hot and humid in there though so athletic apparel and a bottle of cold water would be highly recommended.

They won’t take just one or 2 people. They make you wait on a group. When I was there, I paid double for a single tour. At the bottom of the cave, the lights shut off. Good thing I always have a headlamp. Guides were unprepared.

We could not go in as they don't let fewer than 6 people in at a time. It might be fabulous, but we will never know. We hung around and watched the pictures on their screens, but left after 30 minutes when no one else arrived.

This cave has an impressive collection of original Maya artifacts still in the cave. There are lots of bats living in this cave, which is fun to see. We had a wonderful tour guide, who was happy to tour us in Spanish (for our practice) and help us understand concepts.