Updated in October 2026, this Animal Flower Cave guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, parking or transport, accessibility and what to see.
The Animal Flower Cave is a sea cave beneath the cliffs of North Point, at the northern tip of Barbados in the parish of St Lucy. Cave tours run Tuesday to Sunday and need no booking, and an adult ticket costs $40 Barbados dollars. This guide was last updated in October 2026 and confirms the current ticket prices, the Tuesday-to-Sunday opening days and the swimming rules.
Quick facts: the Animal Flower Cave
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Cave: Tuesday to Sunday, 9.30am to 4.00pm, waves permitting. Restaurant: Tuesday to Sunday, 11.00am to 3.30pm. |
| Ticket prices | Adult $40 BBD (about US$20). Child under 12 $20 BBD (about US$10). |
| Address | North Point, Conneltown, St Lucy, Barbados |
| Nearest transport or parking | Free parking lot at the cave. Bus 1C from Speightstown to Connelltown, then a walk. |
| Typical time needed | About 1 to 2 hours |
The Animal Flower Cave opening hours
The cave is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30am to 4.00pm. It is closed on Mondays. Opening depends on the sea, so the cave closes when the waves are too high.
The restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11.00am to 3.30pm, for dine-in or take-away. The hours are the same all year, but swimming is sometimes not possible in the winter months, when the waves are stronger.
Phone the cave on +1 (246) 439-8797 to check on the day.
5 great Barbados experiences to book
- 🏝️ See all the island highlights including Bathsheba Beach and Bottom Bay on the full day, round-island tour.
- 🐢 Snorkel with turtles on a catamaran cruise including lunch and open bar.
- 🌿 Take a half day adventure including Harrison’s Cave, Hunte’s Gardens and Bathsheba Beach.
- 🏛️ Pack in Barbados’ key heritage sites on a Bridgetown walking tour.
- 🐒 Enjoy a small-group monkey-feeding experience at the Barbados Wildlife Reserve.
The Animal Flower Cave ticket prices
An adult ticket to the Animal Flower Cave costs $40 BBD. Barbados dollars are fixed at two to one against the US dollar, so an adult ticket is US$20.
- Adult: $40 BBD, US$20.
- Child under 12: $20 BBD, US$10.
- Booking: not required for cave tours.
- Swimming: allowed in the natural rock pool in the last cave chamber, when conditions allow.
Tours are flexible and run throughout the day, so you can join whenever you arrive. Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in October 2026.
How to get to the Animal Flower Cave
The cave is at North Point, the northernmost tip of Barbados. From the south of the island, allow 60 to 90 minutes.
- By car: set your GPS to Animal Flower Cave & Restaurant, North Point, Saint Lucy. Follow Highway 1C to Animal Flower Cave Road. Yellow and black signs mark the main junctions.
- By bus: route 1C runs from the Princess Alice Terminal in Bridgetown to Connelltown, with stops in Holetown and Speightstown. The fare is $3.50 BBD.
- From Speightstown: the 1C bus leaves the terminal about every 30 minutes. The ride takes about 28 minutes, and the walk from the Connelltown stop is about 15 minutes.
- By taxi: a taxi or ride-share from Speightstown to the cave takes about 20 minutes.
- Fuel: there are no petrol stations near the cave, so fill up before you leave the west coast.
Parking at the Animal Flower Cave
A free gravel parking lot is next to the cave entrance. It is spacious and flat, and it fits large vans and tour buses.
Visitors arriving on a tour bus can park at the same lot. There is no charge for parking.
How long to spend at the Animal Flower Cave
Plan about 1 to 2 hours. A tour of the cave takes part of that time, and a swim and a meal at the restaurant take the rest.
Allow longer at lunchtime, because the restaurant overlooks the Atlantic and the cliff tops. The cave is at the meeting point of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Accessibility at the Animal Flower Cave
The cave is reached by a set of steep coral steps. The steps were built in 1912. The route is not suitable for wheelchairs.
Wear shoes with a good grip, because the rock is wet near the sea. The cave is a natural sea cave, so waves can and do enter it, and unexpected random waves sometimes surge in.
Never exit the pool onto the outside ledge. If you are unsure about the waves, do not swim.
What to see at the Animal Flower Cave
The Animal Flower Cave is the island’s only accessible sea cave. It is under the cliffs at North Point, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea.
The name comes from the sea anemones, called animal flowers by locals. They live in the rock pools. The Reverend Griffith Hughes described them in 1750 in his book The Natural History of Barbados.
Inside, visitors see rock formations, openings to the Atlantic and tidal pools. The cave stands above the high-water mark, although it was formed at sea level, because Barbados is slowly rising.
The natural rock pool in the last cave chamber is up to eight feet deep. Bring a swimsuit and a towel.
The site is a family-owned heritage property that has been in the same family for generations. Local guides lead the tours. They are Bajan characters who tell entertaining stories that may not all be true.
The restaurant serves Caribbean food made with local produce. The menu includes jerk chicken, fish tacos, a catch of the day and a breadfruit taco. The restaurant welcomes dogs. Tables can be reserved through the cave’s website, and enquiries can be sent to animalflowercave@outlook.com.
Practical visitor tips
| Topic | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | The cave is closed on Mondays. Arrive before 4pm, and check the waves in winter. |
| Crowds | Tours run throughout the day, so there is no need to book or arrive at a set time. |
| Layout | The car park, restaurant and cave entrance are close together on the cliff top. The cave is reached by steps. |
| Entry process | Pay at the entrance. No booking is required for cave tours. |
| On-site logistics | Take a swimsuit and towel. Never exit the pool onto the outside ledge, and do not swim if you are unsure about the waves. |
Frequently asked questions about the Animal Flower Cave
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Animal Flower Cave suitable for children? | Yes. Children under 12 pay $20 BBD. The cave has steep steps and wave surges, so children should stay close to an adult. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the Animal Flower Cave? | No. Cave tours need no booking and run through the day. |
| Is the Animal Flower Cave open on Sundays? | Yes. The cave is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30am to 4.00pm, waves permitting. |
| Can you swim in the Animal Flower Cave? | Yes, in the rock pool, but not on days when the waves are high. This is generally in winter. |
| Is the Animal Flower Cave open on Mondays? | No. The cave and restaurant are closed on Mondays. |
Things to do near the Animal Flower Cave
- Barbados Wildlife Reserve: a reserve in a mahogany wood in St Peter, in the north-west of the island, across the road from Farley Hill National Park. Its ticket also covers the Grenade Hall Forest and Signal Station.
- Hunte’s Gardens: a tropical garden in a sinkhole at Castle Grant in St Joseph, about 17 km south-south-east of the cave as the crow flies.
- Welchman Hall Gully: a collapsed cave planted with tropical forest, near the centre of the island in St Thomas.
- Flower Forest Botanical Gardens: a hillside garden in central Barbados, close to Hunte’s Gardens and Welchman Hall Gully.
- Bathsheba Beach: a rocky Atlantic beach on the east coast, known for its large rock formations and strong surf.
Alternative attractions
- Harrison Point Lighthouse: a lighthouse on the north coast, about 1.8 miles from the cave. It can be seen from the outside.
- Farley Hill National Park: a park in St Peter, across the road from the Wildlife Reserve.
- Grenade Hall Forest and Signal Station: a forest and signal station next to the Wildlife Reserve.
- Speightstown: the historic town on the north-west coast, with the bus terminal for route 1C.
- Harrison’s Cave: a crystallised limestone cave in the central hills, visited on guided tram tours.
More Barbados travel
Other Barbados travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Plan a visit to the Andromeda Botanic Gardens in Barbados.
- How to get to the Gun Hill Signal Station in Barbados.
- Guide to the Barbados Museum in Bridgetown.
- See where the first US president stayed at George Washington House in Bridgetown.
- Taste top Caribbean rums at the Mount Gay Rum Visitor Centre.
