Saint Lucia Teams Up With Sint Maarten and More as Underwater Adventures Beckon Travellers Across the Caribbean

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Saint Lucia teams up with Sint Maarten and more as underwater adventures beckon travellers across the Caribbean. Today, Saint Lucia teams up with Sint Maarten and more destinations to spotlight underwater adventures that invite curious travellers to explore beneath Caribbean waters. Meanwhile, travellers can discover sculpture parks, marine stories and unforgettable underwater experiences across the Caribbean. These underwater adventures bring art, culture and ocean exploration together in exciting ways. Furthermore, Saint Lucia and Sint Maarten showcase evolving attractions for global travellers seeking distinctive Caribbean journeys. Travel And Tour World urges readers to explore the entire story, uncover emerging underwater wonders, and discover how Caribbean destinations are reshaping memorable travel experiences.

Saint Lucia Tourism 2026 Expands the Underwater Travel Map Across the Caribbean

Saint Lucia Tourism 2026 is opening a fresh chapter for travellers interested in underwater art, marine conservation and cultural tourism.

The island’s new underwater sculpture programme is particularly notable because it is being developed as a three-part corridor.

The planned corridor includes a Dive Park, a Snorkel Park and a Conservation Park. The first collection is intended for Anse La Verdue in Canaries. The sculptures are designed to communicate Saint Lucian history, culture and heritage beneath the sea.

The project is arriving within a wider Caribbean tourism landscape where underwater art has already become a distinctive visitor experience.

Grenada pioneered the concept in the region with its Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park. The Bahamas developed an underwater sculpture garden near Nassau. Mexico’s MUSA has created a much larger underwater museum around Cancún and Isla Mujeres.

Jamaica and Sint Maarten have also pursued underwater sculpture projects, although their development status differs from established attractions.

Saint Lucia Underwater Sculpture Park: What Travellers Need to Know

Saint Lucia’s project is still at a development stage in 2026.

The government presented the first sculpture collection publicly in August 2026 before its planned underwater installation at Anse La Verdue.

The exhibition was free to the public and allowed visitors to see the works before they moved underwater. The wider programme is intended to connect diving, snorkelling and conservation.

The government has not yet published a final visitor ticket price, complete sculpture inventory, confirmed opening calendar or annual visitor forecast.

Travellers should therefore avoid assuming that the entire three-park corridor is already open.

Saint Lucia Tourism Numbers Provide Important Context

Saint Lucia recorded 1,136,111 total visitor arrivals in 2025.

That figure included 668,086 cruise passengers, 426,676 stay-over visitors and 41,349 yacht passengers.

In 2024, total arrivals reached 1,202,481, including 723,869 cruise passengers and 435,659 stay-over visitors.

The 2023 total was 1,036,066, while 2022 recorded 729,063 arrivals.

The figures demonstrate why new experiences can matter to travellers as well as tourism businesses.

Saint Lucia Five-Year Visitor Comparison

Source: Central Statistical Office of Saint Lucia.

The comparison also shows that cruise traffic forms a major component of Saint Lucia’s total visitor volume.

For travellers staying overnight, however, the stay-over market is particularly relevant because these visitors spend more time exploring accommodation, restaurants, attractions and communities.

Six Other Caribbean Underwater Sculpture Experiences Travellers Should Know

There are fewer genuine underwater sculpture parks in the Caribbean than conventional reef attractions.

Therefore, the following list distinguishes between established parks, underwater sculpture gardens and announced projects.

1. Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park, Grenada

Grenada’s Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park is the Caribbean’s landmark underwater art attraction.

The sculptures were installed in 2006 inside the Molinere Beauséjour Marine Protected Area.

The Grenada Tourism Authority describes the attraction as an underwater gallery reflecting Grenadian culture. The sculptures use materials such as concrete and rebar that can provide surfaces for marine organisms.

The attraction has expanded over time.

In 2023, a new Coral Carnival collection added 25 stylised sculptures inspired by Grenada’s Spicemas carnival traditions. Additional works brought the 2023 additions to 27 pieces.

The park is suitable for both snorkelling and diving.

Grenada’s tourism authority recommends visiting with licensed operators and avoiding contact with sculptures, coral and the seabed. Morning conditions can be particularly suitable when the sea is calm.

Travellers can base themselves around St George’s or Grand Anse and arrange a marine excursion to Molinere.

A practical trip can combine the sculpture park with Grand Anse Beach, St George’s historic waterfront and Grenadian food.

Visitors should try local dishes featuring seafood, spices and traditional Caribbean ingredients.

For accommodation, St George’s and Grand Anse provide the broadest choice of hotels, villas and resorts.

Grenada Visitor Statistics

Grenada’s 2021 figure included 42,099 stay-over visitors, 25,027 cruise passengers and 4,735 yacht passengers.

In 2024, total arrivals reached 524,708. Stay-over visitors increased by 9.5%, while cruise passengers increased by 2.8%, according to Grenada’s Ministry of Finance.

The park itself does not publish a comparable five-year annual visitor series.

Suggested Three-Day Grenada Plan

Day 1: Arrive in St George’s, explore the waterfront and historic areas, then relax at Grand Anse.

Day 2: Take a licensed boat excursion to Molinere for snorkelling or diving. Return for a Grenadian seafood dinner.

Day 3: Explore inland scenery, local markets and additional coastal attractions before departure.

2. BREEF Coral Reef Sculpture Garden, Nassau, The Bahamas

Nassau offers another underwater art experience through the BREEF Sir Nicholas Nuttall Coral Reef Sculpture Garden.

The official Bahamas tourism authority describes it as an underwater art gallery and snorkeling area.

Major works include Ocean Atlas and Virtuoso Man. The site also includes an Arawak mask and approximately 50 reef balls.

The attraction sits within the wider marine environment around New Providence.

The Bahamas tourism authority also highlights Clifton Heritage National Park as a location for underwater gardens.

For travellers, Nassau is convenient because the sculpture experience can be combined with beaches, heritage attractions, shopping and Bahamian food.

Cable Beach and Cabbage Beach are among the major beach choices listed by the official destination authority.

Potter’s Cay is particularly relevant to food-focused visitors, with conch salad among the island’s signature culinary experiences.

Travellers can stay in Nassau or Paradise Island, depending on whether they prefer a city-oriented or resort-oriented base.

Bahamas Visitor Statistics

The Bahamas reported 7,000,706 visitors in 2022.

Of these, 1,470,244 arrived by air and 5,530,462 arrived by sea.

In 2023, total arrivals reached 9,654,838, including 1,719,980 foreign air arrivals and 7,934,858 sea arrivals.

The Bahamas subsequently reported approximately 11.22 million visitors in 2024 and 12.5 million in 2025.

The Bahamas figures cover the entire country rather than Nassau’s sculpture garden.

Suggested Three-Day Nassau Plan

Day 1: Explore downtown Nassau, historic landmarks and nearby beaches.

Day 2: Take a licensed marine excursion to the underwater sculpture garden.

Day 3: Visit Clifton Heritage National Park and finish with Bahamian seafood or conch-based dishes.

3. MUSA, Cancún and Isla Mujeres, Mexico

MUSA, the Museo Subacuático de Arte, is one of the Caribbean region’s largest underwater art projects.

Mexico’s National Cultural Information System records the museum’s foundation date as November 14, 2009.

Government information says the museum contains more than 500 life-size sculptures.

The collection occupies more than 420 square metres and weighs more than 200 tonnes.

The sculptures use marine concrete designed to encourage the development of marine organisms and artificial reef structures.

The attraction extends across underwater galleries associated with Punta Cancún, Punta Nizuc and the waters around Isla Mujeres.

MUSA can be visited through diving and snorkelling activities.

The official MUSA site also offers glass-bottom boat experiences, providing an option for travellers who do not want to scuba dive.

Cancún gives travellers the widest choice of accommodation.

Isla Mujeres offers a slower island-based alternative.

Visitors can combine MUSA with beaches, cenotes, Mayan heritage sites and regional cuisine.

Mexican Caribbean dishes, seafood, tacos and Yucatecan specialities provide a broad food experience.

Quintana Roo Tourism Statistics

The Mexican government reported 20,993,827 tourists across the Mexican Caribbean in 2024.

Riviera Maya recorded approximately 8.3 million, Cancún 7.4 million and Costa Mujeres 1.2 million.

The state also recorded 7,167,497 cruise passengers in 2024.

International tourists represented 67.6% of tourism activity in Quintana Roo that year.

Cancún’s airport handled more than 32.7 million passengers in 2023, while hotel occupancy in the city exceeded 75%.

These figures should not be interpreted as MUSA visitor numbers.

Neither the Mexican government nor MUSA’s official information provides a directly comparable five-year annual attendance series for the underwater museum.

Suggested Four-Day MUSA Plan

Day 1: Explore Cancún’s hotel zone and beaches.

Day 2: Visit MUSA by snorkelling, diving or glass-bottom boat.

Day 3: Travel to Isla Mujeres and explore its beaches and local streets.

Day 4: Add a cenote or cultural excursion before departing from Cancún.

4. Montego Bay Underwater Sculpture Park, Jamaica

Jamaica’s Montego Bay project should be treated differently from Grenada and MUSA.

It was announced as Jamaica’s first underwater sculpture park, but the government sources reviewed do not establish it as a fully operational attraction comparable with Grenada’s established park.

The Montego Bay Marine Park Trust announced plans for a sculpture village featuring Jamaican-style mermaids.

One of the planned sculptures weighed approximately 226.8 kilograms and was created using crushed glass and cement.

The project is intended to combine tourism with marine habitat creation.

Montego Bay itself provides a substantial travel infrastructure base.

The official Jamaica tourism authority promotes Montego Bay for beaches, diving, marine experiences, heritage attractions, restaurants and nightlife.

Travellers can explore Doctor’s Cave Beach, the Hip Strip, Sam Sharpe Square and Montego Bay’s surrounding attractions.

Jamaican cuisine makes the destination particularly attractive for food travellers.

Jerk dishes, seafood, patties and traditional Jamaican breakfasts can form part of the itinerary.

Accommodation ranges from large resort properties to city-centre and hillside options.

Jamaica Visitor Comparison

Jamaica closed 2022 with approximately 3.3 million visitors.

Government information subsequently reported approximately four million visitors for 2023 and 4,271,999 visitors in 2024.

In 2025, Jamaica welcomed approximately 3.7 million visitors, consisting of around 2.6 million stopover arrivals and 1.1 million cruise passengers.

The 2025 result should be read separately from the 2024 figure because Jamaica’s tourism sector experienced disruption following Hurricane Melissa.

As with the other attractions, these are destination-level figures rather than sculpture-park attendance.

Suggested Three-Day Montego Bay Plan

Day 1: Explore Montego Bay, Doctor’s Cave Beach and the Hip Strip.

Day 2: Check the current operating status of the underwater sculpture project before booking a marine excursion.

Day 3: Combine local food experiences with a heritage or river excursion.

5. Sint Maarten Underwater muSEAum

Sint Maarten is another important example, but its underwater museum should currently be treated as a development project rather than a mature visitor attraction.

In July 2023, the government announced a water-use agreement for the proposed underwater muSEAum.

The planned museum is designed to feature cultural statues and large installations representing Sint Maarten’s heritage.

The project concept includes references to local music, the Ponum dance, steel pan traditions and Carnival.

For travellers visiting the island now, the project should therefore be considered a future attraction rather than an established alternative to Grenada or MUSA.

Sint Maarten still provides a strong marine holiday setting.

Travellers can combine the island with beaches, boating, diving, French-side excursions and culinary experiences.

The island’s tourism statistics are also particularly interesting because its airport and cruise figures measure different types of visitor traffic.

Sint Maarten Visitor Comparison

*From 2025, Sint Maarten’s statistics department changed terminology and methodology. It now reports air passenger arrivals rather than using “stay-over visitors” as the principal measure. The 855,994 figure includes the airport passenger measure and is therefore not directly equivalent to the earlier stay-over series.

This methodological change is important when comparing the five-year period.

In 2025, the United States accounted for 462,038 air passenger arrivals, while the European Union accounted for 221,179.

Cruise arrivals reached 1,597,940, with 592 cruise calls during the year.

Suggested Three-Day Sint Maarten Plan

Day 1: Explore Philipsburg and the island’s beaches.

Day 2: Take a marine excursion and check the current status of the underwater muSEAum project.

Day 3: Experience both Dutch and French sides of the island through food, shopping and coastal sightseeing.

6. A World Adrift, Carriacou, Grenada

A second Grenadian underwater sculpture experience deserves separate attention.

Carriacou opened its first underwater sculpture park, known as A World Adrift, in 2024.

The attraction is particularly significant because it was developed after Hurricane Beryl damaged parts of Carriacou.

The project forms part of the broader evolution of Grenada’s underwater tourism offer.

The attraction should not be confused with Molinere in Grenada’s main island.

Molinere is the established underwater sculpture park near St George’s, while A World Adrift is associated with Carriacou.

For travellers, Carriacou offers a markedly different island experience.

The island is suited to visitors looking for quieter beaches, marine activities and community-based travel.

Travellers can use Carriacou as a separate island stay rather than treating it as a quick extension of a Grenada mainland itinerary.

The most practical experience is to combine underwater exploration with beaches, sailing, local seafood and village visits.

Because the island experienced major hurricane impacts, visitors should confirm marine conditions, operator availability and attraction access before travelling.

Why Underwater Sculpture Parks Matter to Caribbean Travellers

Underwater sculpture attractions create a connection between three different forms of travel.

The first is cultural tourism.

Sculptures can tell stories about local people, traditions and heritage.

The second is marine tourism.

Divers and snorkellers gain an additional reason to explore coastal waters.

The third is conservation.

Artificial structures can provide surfaces and shelter for marine organisms when appropriately designed and managed.

Grenada’s tourism authority says its sculptures have become artificial reef structures and have attracted marine life.

Saint Lucia is now adapting this concept around its own national story.

Its three-part corridor adds another dimension by separating diving, snorkelling and conservation into connected components.

Caribbean Underwater Sculpture Comparison Table

Five-Year Caribbean Visitor Comparison

The figures below demonstrate the scale of tourism surrounding these underwater attractions.

They should not be interpreted as individual park attendance.

Sources: Saint Lucia CSO; Grenada Ministry of Finance and ECCB; Bahamas Ministry of Tourism; Jamaica Government/JIS; Sint Maarten Department of Statistics; Government of Quintana Roo.

*Sint Maarten’s 2025 air figure is not directly comparable with its previous stay-over series because the statistics methodology changed.

Which Caribbean Underwater Attraction Fits Which Traveller?

A Seven-Day Caribbean Underwater Art Travel Plan

Travellers wanting to build a longer Caribbean holiday around underwater art can combine several destinations.

Days 1–2: Grenada

Begin in St George’s.

Spend the first day exploring the capital and Grand Anse.

Use the second day for Molinere.

A licensed operator can arrange snorkelling or diving according to experience.

Leave time for local food and a relaxed coastal evening.

Days 3–4: Nassau

Fly onward to The Bahamas.

Use Nassau as the base.

Spend one day exploring the city’s heritage and beaches.

Reserve another day for the BREEF underwater sculpture garden.

Add Clifton Heritage National Park if time allows.

Days 5–7: Cancún and Isla Mujeres

Continue to the Mexican Caribbean.

Use Cancún for accommodation and transport flexibility.

Reserve one day for MUSA.

Travellers who prefer not to dive can investigate snorkelling or glass-bottom viewing options.

Use another day for Isla Mujeres.

The final day can be dedicated to a cenote, regional cuisine or a Mayan cultural attraction.

Practical Planning Guide for Underwater Art Holidays

Check Whether the Attraction Is Actually Open

This is particularly important for Saint Lucia, Jamaica and Sint Maarten.

Development announcements should not be treated as opening announcements.

Travellers should verify operating dates with official tourism authorities or authorised operators before paying for excursions.

Choose Snorkelling or Diving Carefully

Not every sculpture site is suitable for every visitor.

Grenada’s tourism authority advises visitors to use licensed operators, avoid touching sculptures and coral, and respect marine reserve rules.

MUSA provides several viewing formats, including diving, snorkelling and glass-bottom experiences.

Allow Weather Flexibility

Marine excursions depend on sea conditions.

Travellers should avoid scheduling an underwater activity immediately before an international departure.

A spare day provides useful protection against weather-related changes.

Combine Marine Art With Local Culture

The strongest itinerary does not end underwater.

Saint Lucia can combine marine exploration with community tourism.

Grenada adds spice, history and carnival culture.

The Bahamas combines underwater experiences with Nassau heritage and island beaches.

Jamaica adds music, food and cultural attractions.

Mexico’s Caribbean coast adds cenotes and archaeological sites.

The Bigger Travel Opportunity

The Caribbean’s underwater sculpture movement is developing into a travel category that combines art, heritage and marine exploration.

Saint Lucia’s three-park concept adds another destination to this emerging map.

The island is not simply copying an existing attraction.

Its government says local artists and community creatives contributed ideas for the sculptures, giving the project a specifically Saint Lucian cultural focus.

That makes the future attraction relevant to travellers seeking more meaningful experiences.

For visitors, the wider lesson is equally important.

An underwater holiday does not have to mean only coral reefs and shipwrecks.

Across the Caribbean, submerged sculptures are becoming another way to understand destinations.

Travellers can explore art beneath the surface, taste local cuisine above it and connect both experiences through community-led tourism.

As Saint Lucia Tourism 2026 places its new underwater programme before international travel partners, the island is adding another reason for global travellers to look beneath the Caribbean Sea.

Conclusion

Saint Lucia teams up with Sint Maarten and more Caribbean destinations as underwater adventures create fresh reasons to explore beneath the waves. From marine sculptures and conservation projects to snorkelling, diving and community experiences, these destinations offer travellers more than traditional beach holidays. Meanwhile, Saint Lucia’s emerging underwater attractions add a distinctive cultural dimension to Caribbean travel. Sint Maarten, Grenada, The Bahamas, Jamaica and the Mexican Caribbean further expand the underwater travel map with varied experiences. For global travellers, these attractions combine ocean discovery with local culture, cuisine and adventure. Travel And Tour World encourages readers to look beyond familiar Caribbean escapes and explore these evolving underwater experiences.