Harrison's Cave

[wack001]

Has anyone done this recently, some old posts, but I read that this is the one MUST do in Barbados.

Cost of taxi to the caves?

Thanks

[138east]

Haven't done this recently, but.... be sure the caves are open the day you will be there. I think they are now closed Monday and Tuesday. We got off really early in the morning and were at the caves when they opened. That way we were ahead of the excursions, which had reserved all the tickets mid morning. You may want to combine the caves with something else. Our taxi waited for us and then took us to Folkestone Underwater Park where we spent several hours at the beach. We spoke to the vendor there and she got us a taxi to bring us back to the ship.

[wack001]

Haven't done this recently, but.... be sure the caves are open the day you will be there. I think they are now closed Monday and Tuesday. We got off really early in the morning and were at the caves when they opened. That way we were ahead of the excursions, which had reserved all the tickets mid morning. You may want to combine the caves with something else. Our taxi waited for us and then took us to Folkestone Underwater Park where we spent several hours at the beach. We spoke to the vendor there and she got us a taxi to bring us back to the ship.

 

Thanks, but when did you do it, cost, time to get there, the ship does not offer this so I thought it would be good. I am also thinking to taking the local bus just for fun, how far, how was the underwater park?

thanks

[oceanbreezer]

Just went to the caves last Thursday. Really awesome to see! Make sure that you have a way of keeping your camera covered. A t-shirt works fine. Condensation drips from the ceiling. I think the taxis are about $15 and the price of admission was $20 US a piece. It takes about 40 minutes for the tour. Just be sure that you get your change back in US$. They like to try to slip some Barbado money in there and unless you are going to do some shopping what do you do with it?

[wack001]

Just went to the caves last Thursday. Really awesome to see! Make sure that you have a way of keeping your camera covered. A t-shirt works fine. Condensation drips from the ceiling. I think the taxis are about $15 and the price of admission was $20 US a piece. It takes about 40 minutes for the tour. Just be sure that you get your change back in US$. They like to try to slip some Barbado money in there and unless you are going to do some shopping what do you do with it?

 

Thanks and finally a response. U said taxi was $15 was that round trip?

was it crowded, how long a drive? long wait.

thanks for all.

Bob

[138east]

Folkestone is just a public beach/park on the west coast in the middle of a very posh area. The beach itself is narrow. However the park which is shaded by Eucalyptus trees goes almost right up to the ocean, so it is possible to rent a chair and sit in the shade almost at water's edge (and not in the sand) with a gorgeous ocean view. By moving a few feet, you could be in full sun on the sand. You can walk up the beach and be at a fancy beach club.

 

You can snorkel here as well. The park is nothing fancy, but we really liked the low key atmosphere. There were changing rooms, a snack shack, a vendor, a small store and a playground for kids. When we wanted a cab back, we just told the vendor and a cab came for us.

[eh2zed]

Harrison Caves is a great tour. Since we were there last it was closed for quite some time for a refit. Has been open again for some time now.

[davidnsteph]

On a stop in Barbados on Dawn Princess in 2005, we took a ship-sponsored tour to Harrison's Caves. The caves were truly awesome, with an infinite number of stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes. The ceilings of the caves resembled the high vaulted arches of a cathedral. We drove through the caves in electric open cars, and got out at several places to appreciate the sights.

 

However, on our last stop there last February on the Emerald, we were surprised to see no excursions offered that included Harrison's Caves. 138east's comment about the caves not being open every day may be the reason.

 

DavidnSteph

[aloha43]

I fully inten on going to the cave when we are there in Feb 2010. Here is a link to the caves.

 

http://harrisonscave.com/home.php

[aloha43]

I fully inten on going to the cave when we are there in Feb 2010. Here is a link to the caves.

 

http://harrisonscave.com/home.php

 

I see that it costs $40.00 each....more than I thought.

[Ocean State]

Hello, I understand that you see the cave via a tram ride. My mother in law tends to get claustiphobic, did you feel closed in?

[oceanbreezer]

Hello, I understand that you see the cave via a tram ride. My mother in law tends to get claustiphobic, did you feel closed in?

 

No I didn't feel closed in at all. You ride on a tram that is like a people mover at Disney. The ceilings are high and it is well lit. As long as you don't think about how far below ground level you are it is great. There is a tour guide that faces you and talks the whole way and you have a driver that of course is facing away from you. It is so fascinating you don't have time to be claustiphobic.

 

Now being stuck on an elevator on the ship with 12 other people :eek:well that's another story.:rolleyes:

[Sunniebgi]

I see that it costs $40.00 each....more than I thought.

 

That's 40.00BBD or 20.00USD.. The caves were closed for about 18mths for renovations. when they reopened they have chosen to not open on Monday's and Tuesday.. not sure why, but.. that's they have done.

[Ocean State]

Thanks OceanBreezer for the info about the tram. We plan on going to the caves, and then heading over to the Boatyard.

[lannp]

I was just there. You do ride through on very nice, comfortable trams. They have had a lot of rain and it was quite wet, lots of dripping. There were very few low ceilings, most are very, very high but for somebody who is worried about claustrophia you might still feel closed in.

[A Sixth?]

Hello, I understand that you see the cave via a tram ride. My mother in law tends to get claustiphobic, did you feel closed in?

 

I have to disagree a bit with oceanbreezer, who I assume is not claustrophobic because a person who was "slightly" claustrophobic on our tram a few years ago was effected, all be it only slightly. Verbally complaining about being nervous, not a full blown panic.

 

 

It is a cave after all, and IMHO as oceanbreezer says more like an amusement ride. But if your mom "thinks" about the under ground aspect she may in fact whip herself into a bit of a sweat.

 

Leave it up to her, will she accept the complete safety and ride aspect of a really wonderful "must see" or dwell on a phobia?

[Ocean State]

Thanks for the different insights, I will pass the info along to her, and she can decide. I am looking forward to going there. We did some caves years ago in New Hampshire, but you walked thru some very tight spaces! The tram ride will be a nice treat.

[Snoopy at sea]

What is the best way to see the caves? Taxi or tour?

[lizardhowson]

I see that it costs $40.00 each....more than I thought.

 

Thats Barbados $$$

 

About $20 US

[FlaKrznNubie]

I see that it costs $40.00 each....more than I thought.

 

That's Barbados dollars= $20 US dollars

[Nanner]

We just returned from a cruise on Friday, and did Harrison's Cave in Barbados. Well worth the entry fee. The trams are OPEN, no roof or side doors, so I would think that would help keep claustrophobia at bay. The ceilings in the cave are high, the rooms spacious, so you don't get that crowded feeling.

 

I had thought a cave in the afternoon would be cool and refreshing. While damp, it is about 78 degrees Farenheit in there. Caves reflect the average annual temperature above ground at their location. Since we're in the US, I'm used to caves being a lot cooler than that.

 

The revisions on the site are continuing. They are changing the entry area to above the cave entrance, and you will ride a glass elevator down to tour. They are adding a zip line in the gully and nature hikes. It seems the Barbados government wants to make the site more of an eco-adventure attraction, though the tram ride through the caves doesn't seem totally eco-friendly.

 

We had some teens on our tram that kept touching the cave. The guide kept telling them to stop. After the second infraction, I would have been fine with them tying the kids' hands behind their backs, but that's just me.

[Aplmac]

It seems the Barbados government wants to make the site more of an eco-adventure attraction,

though the tram ride through the caves doesn't seem totally eco-friendly.

 

We had some teens on our tram that kept touching the cave.

The guide kept telling them to stop.

And that's exactly why the decision was taken, decades ago

to transit people thru the cave via tram-car

..because it would drastically minimise human tactile contact.

 

 

Please don't touch anything

-caves are fragile ecosystems,more delicate than you'd think.

 

 

 

Look with your eyes -not with your hands, okay? :)

 

 

.

[dz63]

We just returned from a cruise on Friday, and did Harrison's Cave in Barbados. Well worth the entry fee. The trams are OPEN, no roof or side doors, so I would think that would help keep claustrophobia at bay. The ceilings in the cave are high, the rooms spacious, so you don't get that crowded feeling.

 

I had thought a cave in the afternoon would be cool and refreshing. While damp, it is about 78 degrees Farenheit in there. Caves reflect the average annual temperature above ground at their location. Since we're in the US, I'm used to caves being a lot cooler than that.

 

The revisions on the site are continuing. They are changing the entry area to above the cave entrance, and you will ride a glass elevator down to tour. They are adding a zip line in the gully and nature hikes. It seems the Barbados government wants to make the site more of an eco-adventure attraction, though the tram ride through the caves doesn't seem totally eco-friendly.

 

We had some teens on our tram that kept touching the cave. The guide kept telling them to stop. After the second infraction, I would have been fine with them tying the kids' hands behind their backs, but that's just me.

 

 

Did you go to Harrison's Cave on your own or through a tour?

 

For those of you that have visited Harrison's Cave recently on your own--did you take the taxi? Is the taxi fare still $15.00? Is the cost of this fare roundtrip or one way? Is this per person or for how many can fit into the taxi?

 

Did you have to pre-book a time at the Cave? If so, we need to allow enough time to get there from the cruise pier. How far of a drive is Harrison's Cave from the cruise terminal?

 

We are considering taking the kids to Harrison's Cave and appreciate any additional information or advice you may have to offer.

[Nanner]

We did the cave visit as part of a ship's tour. It was about a 15-20 minute drive to get there, and traffic is pretty intense until you get away from downtown. Sorry I can't help with cab fare questions.

 

I would think that if you aren't going in high season you will get in fairly quickly. Even our ship tour group had to wait some minutes to start, as they have to space the trams out.

They have a gift shop (of course) and refreshment stand to help pass any wait time.

 

Before you enter the cave, you go through a nice interpretive center and see a short film on the discovery and development of the cave, as well as future site plans.