11 Best Water Parks in the Caribbean

These top water parks in the Caribbean offer colorful rides, hairpin slides, surf simulators, and giant inflatables, typically close to some of the region’s dreamiest beaches, too.

While the Caribbean is ripe with white shores, tropical rainforests, and exotic marine life, water parks add an extra dose of fun to a sun-soaked getaway.

From the hair-raising slides at CocoCay in The Bahamas to unhurried parks in the Lesser Antilles, you’ll find your dream day of entertainment. Pack your swimwear and goggles and liven up a beach day at one of the best water parks in the Caribbean.

Thrill Waterpark, Perfect Day at CocoCay, The Bahamas

The rainbow-hued Thrill Waterpark is one of the best waterparks in the Caribbean for its array of 13 sky-high water slides.

This adventurous spot on CocoCay, a luxurious private island in The Bahamas, features the biggest wave pool in the Caribbean and the obstacle-filled Adventure Pool, with rope swings dangling above the water.

A highlight for many is the jaw-dropping Daredevil’s Peak, the tallest waterslide in North America, coiling 764 feet and peaking at 135 feet.

The dazzling ride is translucent with glowing lights. Not that you’ll have much time to gaze at the views; riders are whisked to the bottom in just 35 seconds.

Thrill-seekers could also ride the twin vertical-drop Dueling Demons slides, which are not for the faint-hearted. Mantra Raycers features two open waterslides, while Screeching Serpent is another daredevil’s dream with a vertical drop. Meanwhile, the twisting Green Mamba features a huge aqua tub.

Splash Summit is home to six slides suitable for all ages, including The Twister tube slide, which involves sloshing around in a two-person raft. Take your family on The Slingshot, which involves a three-person inflatable flume, while the four-lane Splash Speedway gives adventurers the chance to race against each other.

Following plenty of aquatic fun, laze under the sun on a beach chair by the wave pool. Rent a sun lounger or even a private cabana for added luxury.

Snack Shack is the place for all-day dining at Thrill Waterpark, with options including crispy salty fries, beef hot dogs, Shack burgers served on a brioche bun, and mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce.

Read: Best Island Vacations for Families

Playa Mia Grand Beach and Water Park, Cozumel

Amid a tangle of bamboo and palm trees, Playa Mia Grand Beach and Water Park lies on San Francisco Beach in Cozumel.

For travelers to Mexico, this is one of the best water parks in the Caribbean. Children love the pirate-themed Buccaneer’s Bay, with squirting water cannons, a pirate ship, and age-appropriate slides, while older kids and adults can fly down the twin, 200-foot snaking wet slides.

Take a relaxing dip in the Oasis hot tub, with its hydro massage jets, or tread the 500-foot-long adventure circuit, with its bouncy structures and water trampolines that hover over the sparkling Caribbean water.

There’s more: twin-seated kayaks, water bicycles featuring giant wheels, a pool bar, beach volleyball, and a ping pong table, all yours to enjoy. Other watersports, such as sailboats, snorkeling, and jet skis, plus beach cabanas are available to rent.

Read: Best Things to Do in Cozumel

Surf N Fun Water Park, near San Juan, Puerto Rico

Family merriment is the theme at Surf N Fun Water Park, a seasonal, summer-only park in the town of San Germán, Puerto Rico.

With a wave pool, a lazy river ride, bumper boats, a surf simulator, water jets, and splash zones, there are plenty of attractions for all ages of your tribe.

The seven-lane lightning-fast water flumes are a big draw for adrenaline seekers, allowing groups of friends and families to compete.

Race down the Adrenaline Slide or surf the Flow Rider. Younger children can play in the colorful splash area and join parents on the family-friendly flumes. Facilities include sun loungers, shaded seating, and food and drinks kiosks.

Before or after visiting Surf N Fun, consider tagging on a wander around San Germán, the second-oldest town in Puerto Rico after San Juan. It was established in the 16th century, with quaint cobblestone streets and immaculate plazas.

Porta Coeli, a restored convent and church, originally built in 1609, is central to the historic district. Inside there’s a religious art museum with statues of saints and paintings of biblical scenes.

Rascals Waterpark, Bridgetown, Barbados

Rascals is an inflatable water park lying in the alluring turquoise water off Brandons Beach in Bridgetown.

At one end of Brandons Beach is Mount Gay Visitors’ Centre, the home of the island’s famous velvety Caribbean rum, with Rascals Waterpark at the opposite end. Sink your toes into the soft creamy sand before diving into this stripy assault course on water.

Climb, crawl, and bounce as you attempt to make your way around the course without falling into the azure water. You’ll find it surprisingly tiring, in a pleasant way.

Sun loungers, parasols, and kayaks are available to rent on the shore, while Rascals serves beachside meals and snacks, such as fries, fishcakes, and calamari, along with soft drinks, cocktails, and beers.

Splash Island Water Park, St. Lucia

Lying in St. Lucia’s sweeping Rodney Bay, on Reduit Beach, Splash Island Water Park is among the Caribbean’s best water parks, close to the amenities of Rodney Bay village.

This multi-colored inflatable water park in St. Lucia is an obstacle course on the ocean, featuring a climbing wall, swing, trampoline, hurdles, monkey bars, and water volleyball. Clamber over the inflatable sections to reach the water slides, before descending straight into the sun-warmed Caribbean Sea.

This is a delightful spot, with views of the green-covered Mount Pimard, wonderful snorkeling opportunities, and a handful of beachside restaurants, including SeaGrapes Beach Bar and Restaurant right by Splash Island.

De Palm Island, Aruba

A short distance south of Oranjestad, the capital of Aruba, De Palm Island is among the best water parks in the Caribbean due to its sultry location—set offshore on its own island—and excellent facilities.

This buzzy water park features a splash area, multiple water slides, water cannons, tipping buckets, and water showers, making it one of the best things to do in Aruba with kids.

Entrance to De Palm Island includes a return ferry transfer from Aruba’s mainland, access to breakfast and lunch buffets, an open bar, snorkeling gear, zip line rides, banana boat rides, beach volleyball, and sun loungers.

Try Seatrek, an underwater helmet walk, or Snuba, a combination of snorkeling and scuba diving. Among the island’s extraordinary marine life are the endemic blue parrotfish, a variety of sea turtles, flying fish, queen angelfish, pufferfish, and starfish.

You could also witness flamingos feeding on De Palm Island’s soft shore and paddling in the delicious translucent water. If you opt to paddle, too, it’s wise to pack water shoes as some of the coral shoreline is rocky.

Kukumba Beach, Old Belize, Belize City

Tucked into the green-covered shore, a short distance south of Belize City is the lesser-known Kukumba Beach in Old Belize.

This charming spot, named after the cucumber farms established here in the mid-20th century (Kukumba is creole for cucumber), features a lagoon filled with water inflatables.

Punctuating the lush, languorous coastline is a 50-foot water slide that plunges into the still water. There are also rope swings, beach volleyball, and sun loungers.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite, head to the laid-back Old Belize Exotic Beach & Bar and take a waterfront seat on the deck. This spot serves traditional Belizean dishes, such as zingy ceviches of conch, shrimp, and lobster, chicken stew with rice and coleslaw, and shrimp creole.

You could also hop on Old Belize’s family-friendly train through an exhibition charting Belize’s tropical vegetation, Mayan culture, the country’s main industries of chicle, sugarcane, and logging, and a display of a traditional Belize fishing home.

Danny’s Inflatable Water Park, Scarborough, Tobago

A short hop from Scarborough in Tobago, Danny’s Inflatable Water Park is nestled in the idyllic Buccoo Bay.

Set in the Caribbean’s warm water off Bucco Beach, where thick mangroves tumble onto the shore, this inflatable water park features a course of climbing, bouncing, and wobbling obstacles suitable for all ages.

Mix splashing in the clear water and rolling down water slides with time spent relaxing on the white-sand shore. You could also join a glass-bottom boat or snorkeling excursion to Buccoo Reef to look for leatherback and green loggerhead turtles, queen angelfish, and spiny lobsters.

Xcaret Park, Playa del Carmen

While most Caribbean water parks feature a head-turning selection of slides, Xcaret Park, between Tulum and Cancun on the Yucatán Peninsula, focuses on nature and serene immersive water-based experiences. To many, this is one of the best water parks in the Caribbean for this reason.

Visitors can swim in dramatic underground rivers, take in a show depicting the traditions of the Maya, and admire the wildlife enclosures, including the bird aviary, coral reef aquarium, and butterfly garden.

Xcaret takes its name from the nearby Xcaret Maya archaeological site within the complex, which is surrounded by a luscious emerald jungle. There are natural seawater pools, a lagoon, a beach, and Mundo de Niños, a designated area for the smallest members of the family with shallow pools.

Aside from being one of the best spots for snorkeling near Cozumel, there is plenty to do at this Caribbean water park on land, too.

Follow the nature trail that winds through lofty palm trees. There’s a sea turtle area within the Coral Reef Aquarium and the Living Museum of Orchids and Bromeliads. Flamingos, bats, manatees, jaguars, and howler monkeys are among the park’s wildlife.

Maya Beach Club, near Fort-de-France, Martinique

On the volcanic island of Martinique, just over an hour from Fort-de-France, Maya Beach Club offers pleasure seekers the opportunity to indulge in aquatic adventures on Anse Caritan Beach.

This beautifully wild spot is set on a golden sandy beach, with boats gently bobbing off the shore. It’s a tranquil spot where you could easily lose a day dipping in and out of the ocean and water park, with its catapult, climbing walls, slides, trampolines, swings, an obstacle course, and aqua volleyball.

There are two age-appropriate sections. The Miniparc is for young children (though it requires an accompanying adult) and features an ocean depth of up to three feet.

The Grand Course is for anyone over the age of seven (an accompanying adult is also required for children using this course), with ocean depths of up to 12 feet.​

As well as offering one of the best water parks in the Caribbean, Martinique also draws travelers for its excellent snorkeling, with exquisite reefs home to myriad sea life, including parrotfish, yellow-tail blue damselfish, sergeant majors, and invasive lionfish.

Coral World Ocean Park, St. Thomas

On the gorgeous island of St. Thomas, Coral World Ocean Park is less about eye-popping water slides and more about educating travelers on the world’s ocean life through engaging experiences.

This five-acre site next to Coki Beach—one of the best beaches in St. Thomas—supports conservation projects, such as essential reef restoration drives in the Caribbean, while offering travelers the chance to meet a variety of sea life, including dolphins, sea lions, and sharks.

Wander the tropical nature trail that weaves through the park and search for stingrays buried in the lagoon. Visit the turtle pool, home to rescued green sea turtles, and the turtle rehabilitation center, where sick and injured turtles convalesce before being returned to the wild.

Head to the underwater observatory within the Observation Tower, which provides a unique perspective from three stories, or 15 feet, below the water’s surface.

The only one of its kind in the Caribbean—accessed via a boardwalk that unfurls 100 feet into the ocean—the Observation Tower rewards visitors with scenes of the surrounding coral reef. From witnessing green turtles to barracuda, and horse-eye jacks, the views are spectacular.

The upper level of the tower, open December through March, offers equally breathtaking scenes with the chance to spot humpback whales on their migration back to cooler seas after calving in the Caribbean’s warm waters.

To complete your visit to Coral World Ocean Park, step inside the 360° aquarium to view a kaleidoscope of sponges, soft and stony corals, and more of the Virgin Islands’ tropical fish species.

With white-sand beaches, crystalline waters, and rainforest-covered mountains, the Caribbean offers the chance to indulge in nature and adventure.

Whether you want to lie on a beach and relax or experience nonstop fun, there is a Caribbean island—and water park—to suit every type of traveler. Discover Celebrity Cruises’ Caribbean cruises and book your next getaway.