The entrance wind
Cold air in summer.
Boris Maric — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bdx — CC0 · Boris Maric — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ma▀▄Ga — CC BY 4.0 · InDoRoN — CC BY-SA 3.0
Vjetrenica Cave is the largest cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the most biodiverse in the world. Its name means «wind cave», as a strong blast of cold air blows from its entrance in the warm months, amid hot rocky land near the village of Zavala in Popovo Polje. About 7,014 m of its passages have been explored and described, with a main channel of about 2.47 km, and geologists think it may stretch to the Adriatic. More than two hundred species are recorded, almost a hundred of them cave dwellers, and 37 were first described here. UNESCO made it a World Heritage Site in 2024. You enter with a guide and helmet through a stone gateway, walking a prepared path between wide halls and limestone formations. The guide explains the rare underground life, which is tiny and hard to spot, so do not expect visible animals. Outside is the old village of Zavala with its stone houses, part of the same site. It is 57 km in a straight line from Mostar and 31 km from Neum, so a car is the best way there. Bring a jacket even in summer, as the air inside is cold, and non-slip shoes, and follow the guide's instructions to protect the cave. Hours change with the season, so check before a long drive, especially outside summer.
Cold air in summer.
Limestone formations.
Old stone houses.
Near Zavala village, Popovo Polje, eastern Herzegovina
Probably not, as they are tiny. The guide explains their story.
A jacket and non-slip shoes, even in summer.