On the Water · Paddle
Puerto Rico's three bioluminescent bays
Laguna Grande in Fajardo, Mosquito Bay on Vieques and Bahía Fosforescente in La Parguera glow brightest on dark nights. Only one lets you swim, and two take you in only with a licensed tour.
Mosquito Bay: Reported dark. The bay's glow has faded since July and it is in its third blackout this century; Puerto Rico's natural resources department (DRNA) is investigating. Ask your tour operator before booking. Our report, Oct 10
Side by side
| What | Laguna GrandeFajardo, from Las Croabas | Mosquito BayVieques, from Esperanza | Bahía FosforescenteLajas, from La Parguera |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swimming | No Prohibited by DRNA since April 2007 to protect the glowing organismsOne operator cites DRNA Reglamento 8013 (unconfirmed) | No Banned by DRNA; the ban is put down to sunscreen and DEET in the water | Yes The only bay in Puerto Rico where swimming is allowed; operators may require a flotation vest, and not every night |
| On the water | Kayak, through a mangrove canal; no motorboats | Clear-bottom kayak or electric boat; no motorboats | Boats, including glass-bottom boats, and kayaks; engines off in the bay. The only bio bay open to motorboats at night |
| Who may take you | Tours with operators endorsed by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company or certified by DRNA | Only DRNA-permitted tour companies (unconfirmed) | Open; many boat and kayak operators |
| Tour hours | No source gives this | 6 pm to midnight (unconfirmed) | No source gives this |
| Full moon | No source gives this | No tours the day before, the day of and the day after the full moon, operator FAQs say (unconfirmed) | No source gives this |
| Light pollution | Lower than La Parguera | Lower than La Parguera | Higher than the other two |
| Tour length | About 2 hours round trip | No source gives this | No source gives this |
Laguna GrandeFajardo, from Las Croabas
- Swimming
- No Prohibited by DRNA since April 2007 to protect the glowing organismsOne operator cites DRNA Reglamento 8013 (unconfirmed)
- On the water
- Kayak, through a mangrove canal; no motorboats
- Who may take you
- Tours with operators endorsed by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company or certified by DRNA
- Light pollution
- Lower than La Parguera
- Tour length
- About 2 hours round trip
Mosquito BayVieques, from Esperanza
- Swimming
- No Banned by DRNA; the ban is put down to sunscreen and DEET in the water
- On the water
- Clear-bottom kayak or electric boat; no motorboats
- Who may take you
- Only DRNA-permitted tour companies (unconfirmed)
- Tour hours
- 6 pm to midnight (unconfirmed)
- Full moon
- No tours the day before, the day of and the day after the full moon, operator FAQs say (unconfirmed)
- Light pollution
- Lower than La Parguera
Bahía FosforescenteLajas, from La Parguera
- Swimming
- Yes The only bay in Puerto Rico where swimming is allowed; operators may require a flotation vest, and not every night
- On the water
- Boats, including glass-bottom boats, and kayaks; engines off in the bay. The only bio bay open to motorboats at night
- Who may take you
- Open; many boat and kayak operators
- Light pollution
- Higher than the other two
- Near the new moonthe glow is brightest then and much dimmer at full moon. No source names a best season.
- $45–$135a person on a tour (Discover Puerto Rico)
- DRNA rangers have seized gear from unlicensed kayak operators here.Noticel, date not shown
- Plan to stay the night on Vieques: there is no late ferry back.Matador Network, 2019
Dark nights ahead
The glow shows best when the moon is out of the way. A dark evening here is one when the moon is down, or under a quarter lit, from 7 to 10 pm, the evening tour hours: the same rule as each bay's guide page.
| New moon | Dark evenings | No Mosquito Bay tours |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Nov 9 | Oct 30 – Nov 13Mosquito Bay: Reported dark. Our report, Oct 10 | Nov 23 – 25 |
| Tue, Dec 8 | Nov 28 – Dec 13 | Dec 22 – 24 |
| Thu, Jan 7 | Dec 27 – Jan 12 | Jan 21 – 23 |
| Sat, Feb 6 | Jan 25 – Feb 10 | Feb 19 – 21 |
| Mon, Mar 8 | Feb 24 – Mar 12 | Mar 21 – 23 |
| Tue, Apr 6 | Mar 26 – Apr 10 | Apr 19 – 21 |
| Thu, May 6 | Apr 26 – May 9 | May 19 – 21 |
| Fri, Jun 4 | May 26 – Jun 8 | Jun 17 – 19 |
| Sat, Jul 3 | Jun 24 – Jul 7 | Jul 17 – 19 |
| Mon, Aug 2 | Jul 24 – Aug 5 | Aug 16 – 18 |
| Tue, Aug 31 | Aug 22 – Sep 4 | Sep 14 – 16 |
| Wed, Sep 29 | Sep 20 – Oct 3 | Oct 14 – 16 |
Puerto Rico dates, worked out when this page was built (Oct 18, 2026). No Mosquito Bay tours: the day before through the day after each full moon, as operator FAQs say (unconfirmed); most operators skip full-moon nights. A bay reported dark is marked on the dates its notice covers. The glow has been reported faint or absent, whatever the moon: ask your tour operator before booking.
Do and don't
Do
- Go on a dark night near the new moon.Matador Network
- Book a licensed operator: Laguna Grande tours go with operators endorsed by the Tourism Company or certified by DRNA.Discover Puerto Rico
- If you wear sunscreen or repellent, use a cream at least 30 minutes before the tour.Discover Puerto Rico
Don't
- Spray sunscreen or bug spray before the tour, or put sunscreen, lotion or DEET in the water.Matador Network; Discover Puerto Rico
- Use a flashlight or a phone screen on the water. Phones rarely capture the glow anyway.Discover Puerto Rico; Matador Network
- Swim at Laguna Grande or Mosquito Bay. La Parguera is the only bay that allows it.Discover Puerto Rico
- Take water samples, or leave anything behind.Matador Network
Who runs the tours
No official DRNA list of permitted bio bay operators was found for Laguna Grande or Mosquito Bay. The operators named here are the ones tourism listings and the operators themselves name.
| Operator | Bay | Standing |
|---|---|---|
| Kayaking Puerto Rico | Laguna Grande | ListedOwn website; DRNA's authorized-operator lists for the Luis Peña and La Cordillera reserves |
| Las Tortugas Adventures | Laguna Grande | ListedDiscover Puerto Rico profile |
| JAK Water Sports787-644-7112 | Mosquito Bay | ListedOwn website; named a trusted operator by Discover Puerto Rico |
| Black Beard Sports939-283-6841 | Mosquito Bay | ListedOwn website; named a trusted operator by Discover Puerto Rico |
| Dindin's Bio Bay Tours | Mosquito Bay | UnconfirmedDiscover Puerto Rico profile, read via search summary |
| Paradise Scuba & Snorkeling Center787-899-7611 | Bahía Fosforescente | ListedOwn website |
Sources (7)
- Kayaking Puerto Rico (opens in a new tab)
- Matador Network: Puerto Rico's bioluminescent bays, 2019 (opens in a new tab)
- Discover Puerto Rico: protecting the bioluminescent bays (read via search summary) (opens in a new tab)
- Noticel: DRNA seizes gear from unlicensed kayak operators (opens in a new tab)
- Black Beard Sports: Vieques bio bay kayak tour (opens in a new tab)
- Discover Puerto Rico: Bahía Mosquito (read via search summary) (opens in a new tab)
- Afar: snorkeling and scuba diving in Puerto Rico, 2021-03-29 (opens in a new tab)
Rules and tours change; confirm with your operator before you book.