Did you know that there are only a handful of bioluminescent bays in the entire world? And three of them are in Puerto Rico, including Mosquito Bay, which is the brightest bio bay of them all! So if you’ve ever wanted to see the waters glow with this incredible phenomenon, Puerto Rico is the place to be!
For those who don’t know, a bioluminescent bay is a special body of water that glows at night due to dinoflagellates, tiny organisms that produce light when they’re disturbed. These organisms particularly thrive in warm water with lots of nutrients, making Puerto Rico a fantastic place to see them year-round.
Now, if you can find the time, Mosquito Bay on Vieques Island is the best of the best. But if you don’t have the time to leave mainland Puerto Rico for a tour, you can visit La Parguera in Lajas on the southwestern coast, or Laguna Grande in Fajardo, on the northeastern coast.
While each bio bay has its own unique perks, Laguna Grande is a popular option for visitors due to its close proximity to San Juan and calm waters protected by mangroves. That’s the option we chose to explore for our first visit to Puerto Rico, and it did not disappoint!
If you’re looking for a fun and convenient way to see a bioluminescent lagoon with your own eyes, here’s everything you need to know about booking and taking a kayak tour with Puerto Rico Bio Bay Tours in Fajardo!
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Why We Choose Puerto Rico Bio Bay Tours
A quick Google search will give you plenty of options for booking a bio bay tour, so it can be a bit overwhelming to choose.
Some things to keep in mind include:
- Will you drive to the meeting point, or do you require pickup?
- Are you staying in Fajardo or coming from San Juan?
- What is your budget per person?
- How long do you want your tour to last?
- Do you want to book a tour package that includes other activities?
In our case, we were already in Fajardo to visit El Yunque National Forest with a self-drive hiking and waterfall tour, so we did not need (or want) pickup. It was more convenient for us to drive directly to the location, especially as we had accommodations booked just 15 minutes from the tour launch site. But if you’re coming from San Juan and don’t have a vehicle, you might want to choose an alternative tour to get transportation.
In the end, I chose Puerto Rico Bio Bay Tours because they had great reviews on Get Your Guide (4.6 stars), and the tour lasted for 3 hours rather than the typical 2 hours. (We spent two whole hours on the water.) I was also happy with the $85 price tag per person, which included guides, double kayaks, botanical-based insect repellent, and snacks and bottled water at the end.
Why You Should Book Your Bio Bay Tour in Advance
Now, as you can probably imagine, bio bay tours are extremely popular in Puerto Rico. Because of that, they can sell out very quickly, leaving you with few options if you wait. I went to book ours about 2 weeks in advance, and many of the tours were already sold out for a Thursday night, so I recommend you book at least a month out, especially during peak travel seasons and weekends. Honestly, as soon as you know what your travel dates are, I’d go ahead and book.
Tip: If you’re worried about booking early in case your dates change, Get Your Guide offers free cancellation with a full refund up to 24 hours before your activity, and options to reserve now and pay later for more flexibility.
*Want to save an additional 5% on your booking? Download the Get Your Guide app and use code CARRIEDAWAYTRAVELS5 for a 5% discount! (Valid for new app users only)
Full Moon vs. Bioluminescent Nights In Puerto Rico
Something important to understand is that you won’t always be able to see the bioluminescence with your naked eye. The more light there is, the harder it will be to see the waters glowing. That’s why the moon cycle makes such a difference!
The brighter the moon is, the less likely you are to see the blue glow, which is why on certain nights of the moon cycle, Puerto Rico Bio Bay Tours switches to a “Full Moon Kayak Adventure.” This alternate tour focuses on ecology and stargazing rather than the bioluminescence. You’ll still get to paddle through the mangroves and enjoy the lagoon–in fact, you’ll get to see a lot more of them along the way. But you won’t be able to see the blue water very well.
If that doesn’t interest you, check the moon phase before booking your tour to ensure you come on a dark night with better chances of seeing the bioluminescence.
Getting to the Bio Bay Tour+ First Impressions
Our kayak trip with Puerto Rico Bio Bay Tours started in Las Croabas, a small fishing village in Fajardo. We drove about 15 minutes from our accommodations to meet our tour group around 7:45 for our 8 p.m. tour. There’s a park-like area right by the meeting point with plenty of free parking, so we had no problem finding a spot and getting over to the dock.
When we arrived, PRBB had a check-in area set up for us with multiple workers to keep things running smoothly. We had the option to leave our valuables in a secure location with them during the tour, which is a great option if you don’t want to leave your phone, wallet, keys, etc. in the car (never a great idea) or risk losing them in the water. Because we had our floating dry bag, we opted to keep all our items with us, but it was nice to have the option.
Once 8 pm rolled around, a staff member gave us a thorough briefing on how to paddle our two-person kayaks, what to do if we fell out of the kayak, and general safety information. He also assured us that if anyone really struggled, the staff would help tow them to ensure everyone could do the tour safely.
After that, they made sure everyone had a partner, handed out life vests, and had us form a line to get into our kayaks. They also had plenty of staff in the water to help everyone get into their kayaks safely. (Pro tip: do not wear flipflops for this part–just carry them!)
The Bio Bay Paddle Journey
Once everyone was situated, we formed a single-file line, following the main guide. Each kayak had red and green lights at the front to help us distinguish our group from the others taking the same journey, and additional guides paddled alongside us the entire time to help.
We started out with a big loop around the harbor, which gave us some beautiful views of Las Croabas all lit up at night before entering the mangroves. This entire journey was very calm because none of it was in the open ocean, so it was pretty easy to paddle.
Paddling through the mangrove tunnel was also calm, but it was definitely an obstacle course! Because there was no moonlight, we had to work solely from the lights at the front of our kayaks as we maneuvered around sharp bends and underneath low-hanging branches. To navigate safely, our guides had us pass down information “telephone” style, calling out warnings that each kayak repeated to the one behind them. (I.E., Low branch on the right!)
This initial journey lasted about 45 minutes at an easy pace while we listened to the sounds of wildlife all around us. It was a little scary sometimes because there were a lot of unknown noises, but overall, it was very peaceful!
The Magic of Laguna Grande
Finally, the mangroves opened up, and we entered Laguna Grande (a.k.a. Big Lagoon). This lagoon is sheltered from the ocean and sits in the middle of a peninsula. However, the mangrove channel still allows a lot of nutrients to come into the lagoon during high tides, providing the perfect spot for the dinoflagellates to thrive!
When we arrived, our guides had everyone line up, turn off the lights, and lock our kayaks together before taking about 10 minutes to explain the science of the bioluminescence to us. I didn’t initially notice the waters glowing because of all the light, but once everyone turned off their kayak lights, it was easy to see the blue glow every time the waters were disturbed!
After that, we were given 20-30 minutes to paddle around and enjoy the water. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the right camera equipment to capture the glow very well, but I did get one good picture from a long exposure. Apparently, any light, even the dim glow from your camera screen, can counteract the bioluminescence, so you need some specific equipment or settings to capture it correctly.
Remember: the glow is best enjoyed in person, so take in the sight in person—you may never do something like this again!
Camera Settings for Good Photos
I assumed night mode would be enough for this, and I was very wrong! I did some research afterward, and here are the settings you’ll want to get good photos and videos:
- Night mode with the longest exposure time available
- Widest aperture possible (f/1.8 or f/2.8 is best to maximize light)
- Long shutter speed of 10 to 30 seconds minimum
- ISO at 800 to 1600
- White balance set to 3000K if possible
- If you’re using an action camera, find the feature that allows you to turn your front screen off while recording to reduce light pollution.
The Return Journey to Las Croabas
After our time in Laguna Grande was up, we took the same journey back through the mangroves and the harbor to return to the meeting point. They did have us change our lights, so it was a bit easier to see those low-hanging branches and river bends.
This took another 40 or so minutes before we reached the dock, where we took turns paddling up to shore in groups of 2 or 3 kayaks so the guides could help us disembark safely.
Once we were back on dry land, they made sure everyone got their valuables back and set out some bottled water and snacks for us to enjoy, including granola bars, pastry crisps, and trail mix.
Practical Tips for a Great Experience
While it may be tempting to show up to this kayaking tour in your tank top and flip-flops, you’ll actually want to dress a little differently.
Keep in mind that 1) it can get chilly out on the water at night, and 2) bugs can make you miserable! For that reason, it’s a good idea to wear quick-drying long-sleeve shirts and pants. You will have to get in the water 2x, so if possible, choose fabrics that won’t stay wet for long, like athletic wear or water-resistant hiking pants and sun shirts.
I also recommend water shoes over flip flops. They make it easier to get in and out of the boat, and if you do happen to capsize, you won’t lose your footwear.
You’ll also want a towel, possibly a change of clothes (although I didn’t see a good place to change), and a waterproof camera or phone pouch so you can take some photos and videos of your adventure!
Watch our Puerto Rico Bio Bay Experience on YouTube!
Final Thoughts on Our Puerto Rico Bio Bay Tour
While I know the pictures don’t do it justice, seeing this natural phenomenon in person was an absolutely magical experience! It was so incredible to see the waters lighting up around us, and well worth the hour and a half kayaking there and back. If this interests you at all, I would say you should definitely go ahead and book a tour because you never know when you’ll get the chance to see something like this again!
This is a great option for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and families with older or active kids, so really anyone can go. You will need to be physically fit enough to paddle, but the guides are always right there to help anyone who’s struggling, too.
Once again, Puerto Rico Bio Bay Tours did a fantastic job. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, the prices were good, and I liked the little extras we got with our tickets. I definitely recommend booking with them if you can.
If you are planning a trip to Puerto Rico, be sure to check out the rest of my guides and reviews before you go to make sure you don’t miss an adventure!
I’d also encourage you to sign up for my newsletter, so you can stay up to date with the rest of my Puerto Rico series and all the other fun things ahead. Thanks so much for stopping by, and I wish you many happy travels!
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