Sweida - Sana
Sweida natural grottos
Sweida Province embraces a number of the natural and amazing grottos which have played a significant role in a lot of the folktales , and they have always been attractive tourist destinations with their
mysterious atmosphere derived from the shapes of the stones, the archeological springs and the stories told about them.
Director of Sweida Tourism Directorate, Jihad Abu Zaki, says that the Directorate works on enriching the Syrian tourist product with new tourist attractions, indicating that one of the most important grottos invested in Sweida is 'Areka' which is located in an archeological area famous for its monuments dating back to 450,000 years ago according to the researchers.
'Areka' grotto extends over an area of 1,460 meters, and it consists of three natural successive caves with a length of one 1km distributed among three connected parts.
The 6-meter height caves are basaltic, and they are separated with vaults and rock formations carved precisely by the nature as the water flow from them between the rocks, and they are distinguished by their stable temperature throughout the year which is estimated a 17 ° C .
The medical studies proved that the pure air inside the caves and the rate of the moderate humidity make them a suitable place for treating a lot of the difficult diseases such as the asthma and other respiratory diseases, in addition to the anxiety and tension.
1,5 kms to the south of Kanawat archeological town, one can see the 3-meter long, 5-meter height Kanawat grotto which is considered the widest and the most beautiful grotto in Sweida, and it is located near the center of the province and several villages that are famous for their captivating nature.
Kanawat grotto also embraces rock piles which constitute a natural source of ventilation and a watercourse which formed a number of the magnificent terraces, protrusions and furrows extending from the bottom of the grotto to its roof.
To the north of Um al-Riman Village near the Jordanian borders, one can see al-Houeh grotto which was formed about two million years ago, and it is a natural formation and an astounding tourist destination as it consists of volcanic and limy formations connected with each other in a unique way to make charming paintings ina cavity extending inside the ground.
The beginning and the end of the grotto are unknown, and its current entrance is a decline in the ground in the shape of a hole with an area of 200 square meters and a depth of 7 meters.
Al-Dallapheh grotto is located to the northeast of al-Rashideh Town on the side of a deep valley called 'al-Sham', and the gate of the grotto is 2,5-meter, 2-meter high and 20-meter deep.
Near the grotto, there is a spring of pure water, and it is visited by the citizens of the province and the whole area in general, and it captures the attention of those who are interested in nature.