Updated in September 2026, this Crystal Cave guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, transport, accessibility and what to see.
Crystal Cave is a natural limestone cavern in Hamilton Parish, Bermuda, formed over roughly 30 million years. Guided tours run all day, every day, though a combined ticket with neighbouring Fantasy Cave only departs at set times, which is worth knowing before you plan your visit.
Quick facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | 9:00 am–5:00 pm daily; tours run continuously all day |
| Ticket prices | $24 adults, $10 children (12 and under), free under 5 |
| Address | 8 Crystal Cave Road, Hamilton Parish CR 04, Bermuda |
| Nearest transport | About 10 minutes by bus from the Town of St. George |
| Typical time needed | About 35 minutes for the guided tour |
Crystal Cave opening hours
Crystal Cave opens 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, daily, with the first tour at 9:00 am and the last at 5:00 pm. Tours run continuously throughout the day, so no set departure time needs to be booked for a single-cave visit.
From April to September, tours depart roughly every 15 minutes; from October to March, they depart every 30 minutes, on the hour and half-hour. The site is closed on 1 January, Good Friday, and 24, 25 and 26 December.
5 experiences worth booking in Bermuda
- 🤿 On a glass-bottom boat cruise, go for a walk along the ocean floor in a diving helmet.
- 🍽️ In Hamilton, taste authentic Bermudan dishes and drinks on a food walking tour.
- ⛵ Take a catamaran cruise to a private cove without the crowds – with snorkelling equipment included.
- 🤿 Explore the Constellation and Montana Shipwrecks on a snorkelling adventure.
- 🪨 Combine the Crystal Caves with top scenic photo stops on a half day island tour.
Crystal Cave ticket prices
A ticket for Crystal Cave alone costs $24 for adults and $10 for children aged 12 and under; children under 5 enter free.
Visitors who also want to see neighbouring Fantasy Cave can buy a combination ticket for $35 adults and $12 children, which is cheaper than paying for both caves separately. The combination tour only departs 9:00–11:45 am and 2:45–4:45 pm Monday to Thursday, and 9:00 am–4:00 pm Friday to Sunday, so it needs more planning than a single-cave visit.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in September 2026. Visa, Mastercard and American Express are accepted; there is no Bermuda-wide attraction pass that includes Crystal Cave.
Tickets are sold on-site rather than requiring advance online purchase, though groups of 15 or more are asked to call ahead so the operator can plan tour timings accordingly.
How to get to Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave is in Hamilton Parish, about 10 minutes by bus from the Town of St. George and 30 minutes by bus from the City of Hamilton.
From the Royal Naval Dockyard, at the opposite end of the island, options include a ferry to Hamilton then bus route 1, 3, 10 or 11 to the Crystal Caves stop (about an hour total), or a taxi, which takes roughly 40 to 45 minutes and costs around $75 for up to four people. Ticket prices do not include transport.
Parking at Crystal Cave
On-site parking is available for visitors arriving by car, taxi or scooter.
How long to spend at Crystal Cave
A guided tour of Crystal Cave alone takes about 35 minutes. Visitors adding the combination tour with Fantasy Cave should allow about 1 hour 15 minutes in total.
Accessibility at Crystal Cave
Reaching the underground lake involves a stepped descent of 88 steps, and rubber-soled shoes are recommended for the damp walkways. The cave is not suited to wheelchairs or strollers, and there is no swimming in the cave.
Inside Crystal Cave: what to see
Guided tours lead visitors down a walkway to a series of floating pontoon paths that cross a crystal-clear underground lake. The water’s clarity is such that formations visible near the surface are, in fact, more than 50 feet below.
Overhead, an “amazing profusion” of pristine white stalactites, many coated in delicate crystallised “soda straws,” lines the cave’s ceiling.
The cave was discovered in 1907 (some sources say 1905) when two boys, Carl Gibbons and Edgar Hollis, lost a cricket ball down a hole on the Wilkinson family’s property. The property owner’s 14-year-old son, Bernard Wilkinson, was lowered 140 feet into the hole by rope, using only a bicycle lamp for light, and found a lake some 55 feet deep surrounded by crystal formations.
The author Mark Twain visited on a later trip to Bermuda and described descending “150 steps” into “a splendid place 250 feet long,” lit by acetylene jets and lined with stalactites “as white as sugar.” In 1913, the cave featured as a filming location for the silent film Neptune’s Daughter, a box-office hit of its era.
Geologically, the cave is part of a network of limestone formations around Harrington Sound, carved out over an estimated 30 million years as rainwater dissolved the island’s soft limestone bedrock, later partially flooding as sea levels rose.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visit outside the closed dates (New Year’s Day, Good Friday, and 24–26 December). |
| Crowds | Cruise ship days bring coach tours; arriving early or late in the day is quieter. |
| Layout | Consider the combination ticket if you also want to see Fantasy Cave the same day. |
| Entry process | Walk-ins are welcome all day; groups of 15 or more should book ahead by phone. |
| On-site logistics | Wear rubber-soled shoes for the 88-step descent and damp cave walkways. |
Frequently asked questions about Crystal Cave
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Crystal Cave suitable for children? | Yes, though the 88-step descent should be manageable for younger children. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Crystal Cave? | No for individual visitors; groups of 15 or more should book by phone. |
| Is Crystal Cave open every day? | Yes, except New Year’s Day, Good Friday, and 24–26 December. |
| Can you swim in Crystal Cave? | No. Tours are guided, walkway-based visits with no swimming. |
| Is Crystal Cave wheelchair accessible? | No, due to the 88-step descent into the cave. |
Things to do near Crystal Cave
- Swizzle Inn Pub: a historic Bermuda pub within walking distance of the caves.
- Bailey’s Ice Cream Parlour: a popular stop next to the Swizzle Inn.
- Walsingham Nature Reserve (Tom Moore’s Jungle): wooded trails and limestone sinkholes, a short walk away.
- Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ): about 10–12 minutes away by bus.
- Town of St. George: a UNESCO-listed historic town, about 10 minutes away by bus.
Alternative attractions
- Fantasy Cave: the neighbouring show cave on the same property, with a distinct set of formations.
- Fort St Catherine: a 17th-century coastal fort near St. George’s, about 15–20 minutes away.
- Gibbs Hill Lighthouse: Bermuda’s tallest lighthouse, about 35–40 minutes away.
- National Museum of Bermuda: a fortress-museum complex at the Royal Naval Dockyard, about 1 hour away.
- Spittal Pond Nature Reserve: Bermuda’s largest nature reserve, with coastal trails, about 15–20 minutes away.
