The Băluța cave, situated in the Băluța village on the Gaps of Băluța, presents two layers: one flooded almost all the time, and the other one situated above it, a fossil floor with different carst formations. The cave has a length of 248 meters.

The Băluța cave is the biggest penetrable carst cavity of the oriental carst area, being a temporary active resurgence, situated in the proximity of the thalweg the Valley Rîieni.

Its galleries are developed on two layers, among which the inferior one is constituted by a succession of siphons, with pressure conducts flooded almost all the year.

The fossil floor, developed in the final part of the cave, is connected by the first one by the means of the galleries and draw well intersections; this presents collapsed areas and concretion forms.

The cave is easily accessible especially in the droughty periods, requiring minimum protection equipment.

The Gaps of Băluța are the only gaps of bigger dimensions and importance from the territory of the commune Ponoarele, on a length of approximately 1 km.

The Gaps of Băluța are situated in the proximity of the village Băluța, being bordered by the Cornet of Băluța and the one of Râieni, with altitudes of the calcareous wall comprised between 300 and 400 m.

Through the Gaps of Băluța it is realized the connection with the resort Bala, following a beautiful path favorably afforested to the practicing of cycling – tourism.

In the year 1967 there were filmed sequences for the Romanian movie the Dacians.

Ponoarele is a commune situated in the county Mehedinți, Olteani, Romania, formed by the villages Băluța, Bârâiacu, Brânzeni, Buicani, Ceptureni, Cracu Muntelui, Delureni, Gărdăneasa, Gheorghești, Ludu, Ponoarele (residence), Proitești, Răiculești, Șipotu and Valea Ursului.

According to the census performed in the year 2011, the population of the commune Ponoarele was up to 2.425 inhabitants, in decrease in comparison with the previous census of 2002, when there were registered 2.940 inhabitants. The majority of the inhabitants are Romanian (97, 11%). For 2, 64% of the population, the ethnical affiliation isn’t known. From the confessional point of view, the majority of the inhabitants are orthodox (95, 55%). For 2, 64% of the population, the confessional affiliation isn’t known.

Other tourist attractions from the area are: the Bridge of God, the Wooden church, the Carst Complex, the Field of Lapiezuri, the Zăton Lake, the Ponoarele Cave, the Bulba Cave and the Forrest of bats.