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Waitomo


Waitomo Cave, also known as Glowworm Cave and the cave of Waitomo, located in the karst area in Waitomo, Waikato, New Zealand, is well-known for underground karst caves. The underground layers of limestone create a large system of karst caves, simultaneously decorated with various stalactites, stagmalite and glowworms.

1. A Profile of the Scenic Spot

Some karst caves are open to travelers while others are for the exclusive of experts to take investigations. Sitting on a bamboo raft, passing through the dark caves, you can find the beauty and charm of underground karst caves in Waitomo. You can take a bamboo raft by yourself which will carry you with the flow of underground river, or go for drifting with the guidance of tours. Some other activities in Waitomo include horseback riding, quadricycle riding and jet boating. There are about 9,5000 locals in Waitomo which has installed a tourist center, different accommodations, cafes and stores.

The limestone cavern in north-central North Island, New Zealand, is located in vicinity of a tributary of Waipa and is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Hamilton. A tourist highway can directly reach the underground cavern which is also decorated with delicate stalactites and stagmalite. The view that one can see on a boat running through underground rivers is the most appealing.

Many people have the experience of catching glowworms, running in the darkness for a long time, finally putting some small glowworms in a bottle and watching them burning themselves and emitting light. Glowworms resemble stars in the sky, so catching them is a childhood dream. Now a small city in North Island can make the dream come true: thousands of glowworms glimmering in the cavern, alike the shinning stars. Some people even call the natural phenomenon as "the ninth largest miracle of the world”.

Driving south from Auckland for over 160 kilometers, you will arrive in the Waitomo, which means "surrounded by green water” in Maori language. Undoubtedly, Waitomo is embraced with green mountains and babbling streams. There is a cabin with a steeple erected at the entrance of Glowworm Cave and next to it lie some red wooden pillars carved with Maori totems.

2. Description of Scenery

The rare active limestone cave was formed about 15,000 years ago. There was once an frozen lake on the mountain of the rock, but due to climate change, the lake was gradually unfrozen and its water flowed into the cracks of limestone, which then gave birth to the cave. However, for the cave was formed not long ago, some flows still run in the cave and the cave is still expanding, so it is an active cave.
Water flows beneath the cave can rush black solid stones, making the black stones smooth and round and detained in the entrance to the cave, which is very interesting. However, the natural round stones are not allowed to be taken, so travelers should not ignore the bans. There are openings at both the top and bottom of the cave through which insects come inside the cave and reproduce themselves, including the glowworms that predate insects like spiders. Actually glowworms should be the most special inhabitants in the cave. They spin sticky silk which resembles beads, and give out blue light from their tails. They are scattered all over the upper area in the deep cave, just like stars in the sky.
It takes thirty minutes if you take a boat in Tiana Tower to the opposite bank where you can visit Glowworm Cave. When you are near the cave you have to go in by boat. Then you should go on the bridge on foot. After that, you will find a small waterfall below which there possibly are trouts. Travelers can take a man-powered boat around the cave to appreciate the wonder of glowworms shining like stars.

3. Beautiful Views

Thousands of beads reflected in a mirror
Walking down the stone stairs in the cave and taking a boat by the river, you will be devoured by the darkness. Your tour guide will pull with hand a rope that can push the boat forward. Only the sound of flowing water lingers around your ears. However, you may find the twinkling water right before you. By now, you have entered the world of "stars” and you feel that a light green river of light is flowing over your head. The blue spots are like shining stars. Layers upon layers of lights are gathered in dense areas while few lights are decorated in sparse areas. Seeing from a distance, one would feel he or she is appreciating lamps and cradles of a myriad family. The "stars” are reflected on the water surface, like thousands of beads are reflected in a mirror, which is very amazing.

Dazzling fluorescence

The stalactite cavern has 15,000 years of history. Walking deep in the cavern in darkness, with the whispering guidance of tour guides, you can find a green and white light at the side of rocks. The light actually is some semi-transparent strands with different lengths hanging from the ceiling. Every strand has many "water drops”, which causes the strand to be like a crystal bead curtain. In fact, larvae of glowworms can not only glow but also emit sticky strands attached with water drops. Insects in the cavern will follow the light but when they touch the strands they cannot move any more. Then the larvae will climb through the strands to eat the insects. The beautiful and shiny bead curtains are dangerous "fishing lines”. The life cycle of glowworms in New Zealand lasts for one year. Their larvae can glow and spin and their glow will be more bright as they get older. After six to nine months larvae will turn into adult glowworms. Strangely, adult glowworms have wings yet no mouths, so they cannot eat or fly. Or they can do is to mate and spawn, until they are too exhausted. After two or three days, they will throw themselves onto the strands with their last effort, sacrificing themselves for their descendants. Glowworms in New Zealand are different all other glowworms in the world. They have great and sticky requirements for living environment because they cannot live with light or sound. The kind of glowworms is only found in New Zealand and Australia, so people cannot feel their beauty in videos and there are few photos of them taken for tourism promotion.