Crystal Cave tubing Belize City: Swim and float through formations

Float past thousand-year-old pottery and crystallized walls inside the Maya underworld

Crystal Cave tubing from Belize City is a 5.5-hour activity combining swimming, walking and floating through an extensive cave system decorated with crystal formations, broken pottery and massive columns. You hike 20 minutes through forest to the cave entrance, swim in spring-fed pools, then tube through Xibalba Dry Cave and Crystal Clear Pools with a guide who points out the frozen crystal waterfall wall and rock formations shaped like a jaguar. The float ends downstream at the parking area, with lunch and all equipment provided.

The experience

The drive from Belize City takes an hour, followed by a 20-minute forest hike to reach the cave entrance. Once there, you'll spend time swimming in the spring-fed water before the guide helps everyone onto the tubes. Each one has a mesh seat bottom, backrest, tow rope and cup holders. You're fitted with a life jacket, helmet and headlamp, so you're secure in the water and able to see the cave system as you move through it.

The tubing portion navigates you past the massive columns, the frozen crystal waterfall wall, and the broken pottery scattered throughout: pieces left behind more than a thousand years ago. Some sections require you to stand and walk inside the caves to see the formations up close, particularly around the waterfall. After exploring the cave chambers, the float continues to the cave exit and then downstream on open river for about 10 minutes until you reach the parking area.

Lunch (local Belizean rice and beans with stew chicken and vegetable coleslaw) happens during siesta time after the water portion ends. Pickup is included from Belize City hotels, cruise ports, the water taxi terminal or the municipal airstrip, and a guide fluent in English or Spanish leads the group throughout. The guide also handles all tube portage, so you're not carrying equipment to and from the cave entrance.

What’s included

• Complimentary pickup from Belize City hotels, cruise ports, water taxi terminals or the municipal airstrip.
• guide service in English or Spanish.
• lunch of local Belizean rice and beans with stew chicken and vegetable coleslaw.
• use of tubes with mesh seats, backrests and cup holders.
• life jackets, helmets and headlamps.
• tube portage to and from the cave entrance.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 11:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 to 75 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 88

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 17 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Tourism Auto Transport Ltd.

Is this one for you?The walk to the cave entrance is 20 minutes and some standing and walking inside the caves is required to see the formations up close, so choose this trip if you're comfortable with moderate activity and water entry. The full outing takes 5.5 hours from pickup to return, which fits a half-day schedule for cruise passengers departing an hour after the ship arrives in port.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years). Children under 12 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the walk like before you get on the tubes at Crystal Cave?

The forest hike to the cave entrance takes about 20 minutes on your own pace over uneven paths. Once at the cave entrance, you'll swim in the crystal clear spring-fed pools before the guide assists everyone onto the tubes for the underground portion.

Do you have to swim to see the crystal formations inside the cave?

Most of the cave exploration happens while you're on the tube floating through the chambers, so you're not swimming continuously. Some sections do require standing and walking inside the caves to get close to the formations, particularly near the waterfall, but the guide shows you the major sights (the massive columns, the frozen crystal wall, and the broken pottery) from the tube as well.

What happens after the tubing portion ends?

After you exit the cave system, the float continues downstream on open river for about 10 minutes to reach the parking area. Then there's a siesta break before lunch is served (local rice and beans with stew chicken and coleslaw), and you're returned to your hotel, cruise port or starting point in Belize City.

What equipment do you wear, and who carries the tubes?

You're fitted with a life jacket, helmet and headlamp for safety and visibility. The tubes themselves (which have mesh seat bottoms, backrests, tow ropes and cup holders) are carried to the cave entrance by the staff, so you don't have to transport them.