In the southwestern no-man’s land
of Herzegovina is the stunning valley of Popovo
Polje. The ancient karst field is a minute piece of what
is the one of the world’s largest karst field that
stretches all the way into Croatia and Slovenia.
Near
the small town of Ravno and the medieval orthodox monastery
of Zavala is the largest cave system discovered in Bosnia
and Herzegovina – Vjetrenica Caves. This
extensive cave system has in total over 6
kilometres of chanels. The stunning Main chanel stretches on 2,50
kilometers.
Amongst the many archeological discoveries are the ancient
cave bears and leopards, cave drawings that are estimated to
be over 10,000 years old
. The Cave is also home to
many small lakes and endemic types of shellfish only found
in deep underground aquifer systems.
Vjetrenica is now on the list for Unesco protected areas
in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cave has recently been
re-opened after extensive research and improvements to the
infrastructure. Opening hours vary so it is advisable that
travelers check with local travel agencies before
visiting
the site. Well marked road signs are visible throughout the
main Popovo Polje road from Stolac to Trebinje and from the
main coastal road in Croatia towards Ravno.
