Waitomo Caves, New Zealand

The Waitomo Caves are located on New Zealand's North Island. The name is derived from the Maori language, and roughly translates to "water passing through a hole". Some caves are extremely accessible, while others may receive only minimal traffic. The caves are natural limestone formations that are over 2 million years old and feature wonderful stalagmite and stalactite formations. However, they are best known for their abundance of glow-worms, a type of insect unique to New Zealand. Thousands of them inhabit certain caverns in the Waitomo system, and their luminescence provides for a beautifully illuminated experience in the Waitomo Caves.