Esa'ala Cave, Natural cave system in Esa'ala District, Papua New Guinea.
Esa'ala Cave is a limestone cave system in Papua New Guinea that descends deep beneath the surface with interconnected chambers and passages. The network spans a vast underground expanse with sections that remain largely unknown to explorers.
The cave system became known to the wider world through modern exploration efforts in recent decades. A tragic expedition in the late 1990s highlighted the extreme hazards of navigating its passages.
Local indigenous communities maintain traditional stories about the cave, incorporating it into their oral histories and viewing it as a significant natural landmark.
Access to the cave is highly restricted and requires specialized experience and preparation. Only organized expeditions led by qualified guides are permitted to enter the system.
Much of the cave network remains unexplored and inaccessible to visitors and researchers alike. The true extent of the underground passages is still largely a mystery.
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