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Confirm where your tour starts and how to get there.
Read the requirements
Check age, paddling and mobility details before you book.
Compare tours
Find your kind of night
Filter by the things that really differ between tours, then check dates and prices on the operator's page.
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Experience
Paddling
Transport
Departure
Adventure Vieques
Adventure Vieques
- Meets at
- Esperanza
- Time
- 2 Hours on the water
- Included
- Guide, Kayak, Paddle, Life Jacket
- Cancellation
- 24 Hour
- Accessibility
- Ask the operator
Opens the operator's page. Prices and dates are shown there.
Alikei Adventures
Alikei Adventures
- Meets at
- Confirm with the operator
- Time
- 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30. 90 minutes on the water
- Included
- guide, kayak, paddle, life jacket.
- Cancellation
- 24 Hours
- Accessibility
- Ask the operator
Opens the operator's page. Prices and dates are shown there.
Bieques Eco Tour
Bieque Eco Trip
- Meets at
- Confirm with the operator
- Time
- 6:30, 7:30. 90 minutes on the water
- Included
- guide, kayak, paddle, life jacket.
- Cancellation
- 24 Hours
- Accessibility
- Ask the operator
Opens the operator's page. Prices and dates are shown there.
DinDin's
Dindin’s Biobay Tours
- Meets at
- Esperanza
- Time
- 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, 9:30. 90 Minutes on the water
- Included
- guide, kayak, paddle, life jacket, Isabel Pick Up
- Cancellation
- 24 Hours
- Accessibility
- Ask the operator
Opens the operator's page. Prices and dates are shown there.
Fun Brothers
Fun Brothers – Clear Kayak BioBay Tour
- Meets at
- Esperanza
- Time
- 9:15. 75 min utes, 75 minutes on the water
- Included
- guide, kayak, paddle, life jacket.
- Cancellation
- 24 Hours
- Accessibility
- Ask the operator
Opens the operator's page. Prices and dates are shown there.
Isla Nena Bio Bay Boat Tours
Isla Nena Bio Bay Boat Tours
- Meets at
- Esperanza
- Time
- 6:15, 7:15, 8:15, 9:15. 1 Hour on the water
- Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle 24 Foot Pontoon Emergency Life Jackets Pickup up will be in Front of Sunbay beach Entrance
- Cancellation
- full refund up to 24 hours before departure
- Accessibility
- Not wheelchair accessible
Opens the operator's page. Prices and dates are shown there.
Salty Spirit
Salty Spirit
- Meets at
- Esperanza
- Time
- 8:30. 2 Hours on the water
- Included
- guide, kayak, paddle, life jacket.
- Cancellation
- This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Accessibility
- Not Wheelchair Accessible
Opens the operator's page. Prices and dates are shown there.
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Plan your night
Tonight and the next seven nights
Darker nights show the glow best. Clouds and rain can change a tour, so check the forecast on the day you go.
Tonight Nov 6
Dark sky
Clouds 80%
Rain 60%
Sat Nov 7
Dark sky
Clouds 60%
Rain 40%
Sun Nov 8
Dark sky
Clouds 50%
Rain 30%
Mon Nov 9
Dark sky
Clouds 40%
Rain 20%
Tue Nov 10
Dark sky
Clouds 40%
Rain 20%
Wed Nov 11
Dark sky
Clouds 50%
Rain 30%
Thu Nov 12
Dark sky
Clouds 62%
Rain 40%
Moon phase at 9 pm island time. Cloud and rain are the 8 pm National Weather Service forecast, refreshed every few hours.
The brightest bioluminescent bay in the world is on Vieques. Here is how to pick a tour and what to expect.
Every paddle stroke, boat wake or hand in the water sets off a flash of blue light. It is one of the few things on the island people plan an entire trip around, so it helps to choose the tour and the night with some care.
Quick answers
- Where
- Mosquito Bay (locally Puerto Mosquito), on the south shore of Vieques
- Best night
- Around the new moon, when the sky is darkest. Clouds matter too. Use the moon and forecast strip on this page.
- Swimming
- Not allowed. Licensed guides will not let you swim.
- Tour types
- Kayak (standard or clear-bottom) or a quiet electric boat. Use the filters above to compare.
- Book ahead
- Yes, especially around the new moon and in busy seasons
- Bring
- Quick-dry clothes, a light rain layer, and eco-friendly bug spray applied well before you arrive
- Bugs
- Mostly out at twilight, easing off after dark
Tour details, prices and departure times change. Confirm with the operator when you book.
What makes the bay glow
Mosquito Bay is home to a dense population of tiny organisms called dinoflagellates (Pyrodinium bahamense), sometimes called “dinos.” When something disturbs them, whether a paddle, a fish or your hand, they give off a quick burst of blue-green light. Move through the water and you leave a glowing trail.
The Guinness World Records named it the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world in 2008. Hurricane Maria in 2017 upset the bay’s balance and it went dark for a time. It recovered, and many guides say it is now as bright as ever.
Why Vieques
The bay is shallow and its mouth to the sea is narrow, so waves do not wash the dinoflagellates out. The mangroves around the shore feed them as leaves and roots break down. Change either of those things and the glow suffers.
Puerto Rico has three bioluminescent bays. Vieques is the brightest. Laguna Grande in Fajardo is next. La Parguera, in Lajas on the southwest coast, is the dimmest of the three. If you make it to the west coast, a kayak trip at La Parguera will get you to spots a boat cannot reach.
The name on maps is Puerto Mosquito, and visitors usually call it Mosquito Bay. Its official name is reported as Caño Hondo. There are mosquitoes and no-see-ums on the island, so pack bug spray (see what to bring below).
Planning your visit
When is the best night to go?
Book around the new moon. The darker the sky, the brighter the glow looks. The bay glows every night of the year, so a full moon is not a reason to skip it. It just looks dimmer.
Clouds and rain matter as well. The strip on this page shows the moon and an evening forecast for the next several nights.
Kayak or boat?
Kayaks put you right at the water. You can touch it and see the light run off your fingers and paddle. Boats are quieter and easier on the body, and they suit anyone who does not want to paddle. Clear kayaks let you see the glow below you.
The tours above are marked so you can filter by experience and by whether you paddle.
What should I bring?
- Quick-dry clothes and shoes that can get wet
- A light rain layer
- Eco-friendly bug spray. Bugs are mostly out at twilight and ease off after dark.
- Little else. Leave your phone in a dry bag. It will not photograph the glow well.
Why can’t I wear bug spray or lotion in the bay?
Chemicals on your skin, including bug repellent and lotion, can harm the dinoflagellates. Choose a reef-safe, eco-friendly product, apply it early, and ask your operator what they recommend.
Can I swim in the bay?
No. Swimming is against the law and licensed guides will not allow it. If a company offers it, that is a reason to book with someone else. On a kayak tour you can touch the water with your hand.
How do I help protect the bay?
- Book only with licensed operators
- Do not swim
- Do not throw anything into the water, including food and trash. Even a small piece can kill thousands of dinoflagellates.
What others say about the bay
Guinness World Records, 2008
Guinness recognised Mosquito Bay as the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world. It credits the bay’s shallow water and narrow entrance, which keep the organisms from washing out, and the mangroves around it, which feed them.
Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure has listed a night in Mosquito Bay among the most romantic places in the world.
National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids explained the glow for younger readers and noted that the bay glows year-round, unlike some bays elsewhere. It also warned that outside light, pollution, dredging, damage to mangroves and overuse of the water can all kill the dinoflagellates.
Video
A video gives you an idea, but the glow is hard to capture on camera. You have to see it in person.