What do Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean film, a sea tortoise and the Virgin Mary have in common? At first glance maybe nothing, but after a guided tour of the most beautiful and accessible caves in Curacao you'll have the answer. Multilingual entertainers take you -since 1999- on a 45-minute tour on a paved illuminated path through the caves and point out the apocryphal and fanciful stories behind some of the stalactites and stalagmites that often bear an uncanny resemblance to famous people. The Hato Caves were formed 200,000 years ago when they were still located well below sea level. When water levels dropped the limestone formations were finally exposed to daylight. Today the caves cover an area of almost 5000m2 and are also home to a colony of long-nose fruit bats. These little flying creatures were already here when Amerindian Arawaks and escaped slaves used these natural shelters as hiding places. Outside the humid caves there's even more to explore including a 20-minute self guided walk along the Indian Trail that will acquaint you with the vegetation of Curacao. A handy map leads you through this scenic area, but don't miss the 1,500-year-old native carvings which are the highlight of the tour. Along the way you'll bump into some native species of cactus with inspiring names like kadushi di pushi. Keep an eye out for iguanas, which were brought to Curacao as tasty snacks by the indigenous people.
