If Time Permits You

Through the last of the trees, a clearing becomes visible, with the most pristine lake right in the middle of the island. The locals are friendly, humoring you as you finish strapping on your life jackets and helmets. Four per boat they say, as your feet hit the water and climb into the creaky paddle boats. Hanging plants cover a vast limestone mountain, providing a picturesque view in the sunlight as your boat travels closer and closer.

Just as you think you’re about to crash into the rock, your boat reaches the crevice at the base. Amazing, you think, that wind and water created an opening in this mountain. The guide jokes that it’s the entrance to hell; and you are fascinated.

As you travel inside, darkness surrounds you, with nothing but the glow of the single candle lamp in the front on the boat. Pitter Patter goes the water as it races down stag-mites, and the shrieking of bats becomes the soundtrack as they react to the dim glow.

Yet your guide is sociable, their knowledge on the cave and river is so captivating, and their jokes and ideas find you playing guessing games amongst the rocks; finding celebrity resemblances amidst the cave dwellings.

The cave walls are beautiful, covered in markings and patterns created with limestone and multi-coloured rock, danced and washed up by the water through time. Sculptures envelop you, exquisitely crafted, so much so that it were as if we crafted it ourselves.

But no, nature over time is what has created this phenomenon. The beauty in the underground river hidden by a mountain is so profound, so unimaginable you are left in awe of what else our world holds. You can’t wait to share this place with the world. You would say to them, “If time permits you, travel and discover the cave before water hits high tide. You won’t be able to enter otherwise. If time permits you, experience it before the crevice closes permanently.”

The walk back to the front of the island has you marveling at the forest trees surrounding you, pulling you in at the sights of flowers and fruits at every branch. Monkeys are hanging and crawling along the forest floor making you wonder why you would leave. As you start to feel the sand between your toes, you jump into boat to take you home and leave with an awestruck disposition as the monkeys of the island wave goodbye, bidding you to come back.