What to know before you visit the bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico!

A Bioluminescent bay  is a place where you get an opportunity to see water glowing. It is a natural phenomenon that happens because of the presence of a micro-organism called ‘dinoflagellate’. When these organisms are disturbed, they have a chemical reaction as a defensive response which makes them glow in the dark. You can see this phenomenon in only a few places in the world and Mosquito Bay on Vieques island in Puerto Rico is considered the brightest because of the amount of dinoflagellates available per gallon of water.

Below are the things you should know before you plan your trip:

Go with the right expectation –  When I first heard of the bioluminescent bay, I googled it to see what it is like. I was amazed by the pictures I saw. When I visited the Mosquito Bay in Puerto Rico, I thought I was going to see what I saw in the pictures. Let me tell you, the pictures are fake/photoshopped. Bioluminescence is a beautiful phenomenon but it is too faint to be captured in a picture with a regular camera. The best picture you can take from an iPhone will be similar to what I have here. This glow was created by moving a hand in the water.

Plan your visit considering the lunar calendar – Try going as close to a new moon as possible. The glow seems much brighter when there is no moon light.
Opt for a glass bottom kayak tour – Many tour operators have started offering glass bottom kayak tour. I would say it is totally worth the extra $10. It is exciting to see the tiny organisms moving under your kayak. 
Be prepared for some rain – If you are traveling between May to December, it is likely you will encounter some drizzle. Be prepared to cover yourself and the equipments you are carrying, if any. We were also told that sometimes when there is heavy rain, it can make the water glow. So who knows – you could be the lucky one to see it.
Take appropriate gear if you really care about photography  – As I mentioned earlier, a simple iPhone camera is not going to get you the picture you want. You will need equipment that can take long exposure shots and/or is really sensitive and designed for very low light. Also, don’t forget you will be sitting in a kayak during most of the tour which makes it quite hard to click pictures. I have seen some videos of Mosquito Bay which are legit and capture the real essence but they were shot by professional videographers.
Avoid going by yourself –  Even if you are comfortable kayaking by yourself, it is not a good idea to go alone. It is dark in the bay so it’s easy to lose your sense of direction. Also, some areas are brighter than others and tour guides have a good idea of those spots. 

We took the 9 pm tour with Melayas Tours and were happy with their service. They have a meeting point in Esperanza and from there they take you to the bay in a shuttle and bring you back. The whole trip took about two hours.

Hope you find this information helpful. Let us know how you liked your bio bay tour.