Tapolcai-tavasbarlang

A karst cave system beneath the centre of Tapolca whose passages are largely water-filled; the show-cave section visited by boat is about 250 m long, of which 180 m is flooded. Beyond the tourist part, cave divers have explored and surveyed side branches such as the Poseidon, MHS, Plózer and Nautilus branches and a spring chamber, which approach the neighbouring Kórház-barlang (Hospital Cave). The passages are low and silty, and visibility drops quickly once sediment is disturbed. Diving here is a permit-only activity, not part of the public visit.

Facts

• Region: Hungary – Caves & Mines
• Area: Balaton Uplands & Bakony
• Depth: 0–10 m
• Level: advanced
• Current: low
• Type: cave
• Coordinates: 46.8833371, 17.4434067 (approximate)
• Highlights: karst spring cave under the town centre, mostly flooded passages, Poseidon branch, MHS passage, Plózer branch, Nautilus branch, spring chamber, silt-out risk, connection to Kórház-barlang
• Permit: Custodian consent from the Balaton-felvidéki National Park Directorate (Nature Conservation Act §51(4); Decree 17/2021 (IV.9.) AM §4 and Annex 4: Tapolca cave system – Tavasbarlang part max 20 persons/day, Kórház-barlang part max 4 persons/day). The application must give the dive leader's details and certificate numbers, the site, purpose, route, start/end and number of divers; consent is for a specific date only and is decided within 15 days. Only via an organised group/club with a qualified cave dive leader; no individual tourist diving.
• Issuer / contact: Balaton-felvidéki National Park Directorate
  • Phone: +3687555260
  • Email: bfnp@bfnp.hu
  • Website: https://www.bfnp.hu/
  • official contact page not machine-readable; phone/e-mail from public directory listings (8229 Csopak, Kossuth u. 16.) - verify
• Tips: Not a recreational dive site: the visitor centre offers boating only. Diving needs a dated consent from the Balaton-felvidéki National Park Directorate, applied for by a group whose dive leader holds MBSZ cave dive-leader + 'cave diver III' (or equivalent full-cave) qualification; max 20 divers/day in the Tavasbarlang part and 4/day in the Kórház-barlang part. Full cave certification, sidemount-friendly kit and excellent buoyancy/trim are essential. No commercial operator found.

Sources

• https://njt.jog.gov.hu/jogszabaly/2021-17-20-7R
• https://termeszetvedelem.hu/_user/browser/File/barlangkutat%C3%A1si%20jelent%C3%A9sek/2010/plozer_istvan_2010.pdf
• https://termeszetvedelem.hu/_user/browser/File/barlangkutat%C3%A1si%20jelent%C3%A9sek/2003/mttsz_2003.pdf
• https://termeszetvedelem.hu/_user/downloads/NPTKTT_Jogszab/Tapolcai-tavasbarlang_TT.pdf
• https://www.programturizmus.hu/partner-tapolcai-tavasbarlang.html