The world is full of wonders yet to be discovered. One of those wonders was discovered by a team of divers who went to eastern Mexico, and they claim to have found the world’s longest flooded cave in the world, Reuters reports.
According to the divers, the cave is located only three miles west of the white sand beaches of Tulum. Thanks to this discovery, it is now confirmed that the vast, 164-mile Sistema Sac Actun, which is a waterlogged system of natural sinkholes, is in fact, connected to the almost 52-mile-long Dos Ojos system. That brings the entire length of the caves to 216 miles.
The world’s longest flooded cave extends quite deep, to a depth of more than 332 feet, which in comparison, is slightly deeper than the height of the Big Ben in London. The divers captured some breathtaking underwater photos of the cave. It is believed that they will help discover more secrets of the Maya civilization, which was present and had ruled that region before the Spanish invasion of Central and South America during the 16th century.
The cenotes, sinkholes linked to subterranean waters, often appeared to be the locations for the holy cities of the Mayas, which were, back then, believed to be portals to the gods. The divers have discovered and unearthed religious artifacts, followed by human skeletons in those artifacts. That led researchers at the Gran Acuiefero-Maya, which is a project dedicated to the study connected to the caves, to think that the skeletons may have been used for sacrificing.
“It allows us to appreciate much more clearly how the rituals, the pilgrimage sites, and ultimately the great pre-Hispanic settlements that we know emerged,” underwater archaeologist and project director Guillermo de Anda told Reuters.
The discovery of the world’s longest flooded cave is just another reason to visit Tulum, which is already popular for its wonderful beaches, breathtaking coral reefs, and top-end pilates retreats aimed at the female corporate set.
In the past few years, this beautiful destination has attracted various luminaries. One of them is chef René Redzepi, who decided to run a pop-up version of his Copenhagen restaurant Norma there in 2016. Nevertheless, the destination is still a great place to stay whether you prefer a ritzy treehouse with wonderful views of the seaside or a hotel flattered by inspiring artworks by Picasso, Warhol, and Botero.
Sistema Sac Actun and Dos Ojos were already considered favorite destinations for scuba diving, although the discovery of the world’s longest flooded cave will attract even more diving enthusiasts.
