Vjetrenica
Vjetrenica is the largest and most famous cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a protected natural monument and tourist destination in south-east part of Herzegovina. It is located 300 m east of Zavala, on the western edge of Popovo Polje, in the municipality of Ravno and 12 km away from Slano on the Adriatic coast (Croatia), that is 80 km from the city of Mostar. In total, it was discovered around 6700 meters of underground channels.
Speleological features of this unique cave are specific beauty, spacious corridors and halls, numerous clusters of stalactites and rich hydrographic world with its numerous lakes, several waterfalls, more permanent streams and dozens of smaller periodic streams that flow in different directions. Particularly attractive is appearance of a strong wind at the entrance and significant air flow in several places in the interior, as well as ancient collapsing of gigantic ceilings. Vjetrenica is equally interesting in ecological, geomorphological and economic sense, while it is also one of the most powerful sources of identity of the wider area of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a protected natural monument since 1950., and it is declared geomorphological natural reservation in 1981.
Bijambarske Caves
The greatest attraction of this area is certainly access to the caves that are nicely grouped. There are five caves in three horizons, which have their own names and that are more known, but there is also one unnamed cave, which is probably still unexplored. The largest cave is called Glavna (Main) Bijambarska Cave or Srednja (Middle) Bijambarska Cave or simply Bijambare.
The main cave is quite large, and its length is 420 m (along the main path, without secondary paths), with four large coridors with a diameter reaching up to 60 m, and height more than 30 m. One of the halls (the last one) due to its impressive size is commonly called "Concert Hall". The cave is rich in cave forms of jewelry such as stalactites, stalagmites, draperies, basins, side poles and the like. It’s currently inhabited by a colony of bats and crickets, and it is possible to find other life forms.
After short investigation in 1967., a tool for stone carving was found in Gornja (Upper) Bijambarska Cave - the remnant of the cave man. It’s very likely that more of this tool can be excavated. Skeletons of old bears, deer and other animals are also found in some of these caves.
Relative proximity of main administrative, industrial and tourist centers and the planned European highway (corridor Vc), tourist tradition and natural beauty make this site particularly interesting for all visitors, from school children to citizens in search of recreation, from foreign tourists to the researchers from different fields of science.
Hrustovacka Cave
There are only speculations about real depth of this cave. It is certain that the cave is divided into two branches which are joined again on the known entrance. Expeditions have found two lakes so far, at a walking distance of 2,5 to 4,5 hours. Cave is only partially explored and the deepest surveys were terminated at 150 m. Although largely unexplored, it is very rich in cave ornaments and with an extraordinary findings of ceramic material that is classified as Vucedol culture.
Dabarska Cave
Dabarska Cave is located near the source of the river. On the basis of the Nature Protection Act, it was placed under protection as a natural monument. It is famous for the fact that Proteus anguinus (Olm) resides in it.
