Approximately 5 meters (~16 feet) tall statue of the Taino people mother, which was submerged in March 2023. The Tainos were the original inhabitants of the Dominican Republic who met Columbus.
Atabey is a historical, cultural, ecological and touristic link. The sculpture symbolizes the revival of indigenous wisdom to restore the biodiversity of the coral reef ecosystem. One of the largest underwater sculptures in the Caribbean, it is constructed of steel and a special ph-neutral cement, as acidity kills corals.
The reason for placing the statue in the water is that only 10-15% of the seabed has a sufficiently solid substrate for the natural formation of corals (they do not get stuck on sand, for example). The sculpture is designed to attract a wide variety of marine organisms and has a textured surface for easy attachment of corals and sponges.
Options how to get there
There are several companies on Playa Sosua that offer the opportunity to see the statue. Glass boat, transparent kayaks, Scuba Diving. After all, you can swim to it with fins, it is located approx. 300m from the beach.
Glass boat trips offer a combination of several experiences, Los Cabezos, 3 Rocks , and Atabey for 35 USD per person including soft drinks and a small snack.
Final words
The statue is definitely worth seeing up closely. The best experience is when diving or snorkeling. It is an extraordinary experience.