The Most Beautiful Caves to Discover With Culture Trip

Usually it’s the geological furnishings of a cave that make it special, but in Pak Ou there are some human creations that add an extra touch of spirituality. These two caves are carved directly into a cliff face overlooking the Mekong River, just a couple hours upstream from Luang Prabang. They’re most notable for the hundreds upon hundreds of miniature Buddha statues that have made the caves home. This has been a place of worship for potentially thousands of years, and remains an important pilgrimage site for many Laotian people today. You’ll get to visit the caves on our two-week Thailand and Laos Rail Trip, which includes a Mekong river cruise that we’ll use to get there.

Greece is not short of coastal coves and caverns ripe for exploring on foot or by boat. However, you’ll struggle to find a more impressive one across the archipelago than Sikia Cave in Milos. The island is bordered by a series of hidden ocean alleys, old pirate hideouts and secret golden beaches, which you’ll explore with a boat cruise on day four of our island-hopping extravaganza in the Cyclades, including a stop at Sikia. The roof of the cave collapsed long ago, leaving an almost surreal circular skylight that illuminates the inside. It’s only accessible via small boats that can fit through the 5m-tall (16ft) entrance, but once inside there’s a gorgeous little pebble beach and a crystal clear pool that you can swim in. It’s a truly dreamy spot to go for a dip, as the Mediterranean sunlight bursts through from above.