If you are looking for pure magic in Puerto Rico, forget the kayaks and jump straight into the bioluminescent bay for a swim. This close-up and personal encounter with nature’s glitter is an unforgettable experience that goes far beyond experiencing it from above the water.
I have been to Puerto Rico before, and I wanted to visit a bioluminescent bay, but my kids were too young. Honestly, I’m so glad I waited because this swimming experience with Hook’d on Adventure was infinitely more personal and magical than the kayaking experience we would have had.
I was lucky enough to have this bioluminescent bay experience as part of a recent press trip to Puerto Rico where we went beyond San Juan and explored parts of the island not nearly enough tourist explore.
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What Is a Bioluminescent Bay?
The glow comes from microscopic organisms called dinoflagellates, a kind of plankton. When you disturb the water with a paddle, a boat, or your hand, they emit a burst of blue-green light as a defense mechanism to startle predators.
These bays form in areas where mangroves protect the water from the open ocean, allowing the vitamin-rich leaves to decompose and feed the plankton. The narrow openings to the sea trap the plankton inside, creating a dense concentration of what looks like glitter that lights up the night.
There are only five permanent bioluminescent bays in the world, and three of them are in Puerto Rico. We visited La Parguera in Lajas, which is unique because it is the only one where swimming is currently allowed.
While Mosquito Bay in Vieques is technically the brightest, being able to swim in the bay at La Parguera makes it a superior experience in my book. There are other places around the world that have bioluminescent bays when the weather and wind are right, but you have to be lucky to catch them, and I would never want to try to time my vacation around that.
Sunset at the Sandbar
The tour with Captain Nicole of Hook’d On Adventure is a two-hour adventure that starts before the sun goes down. We first visited a sandbar to catch the sunset, and it was the perfect way to ease into the evening.
The sandbar lies within a protected bay, meaning there is barely any current and the surface was glass-smooth when we were there. This makes it a trip those prone to seasickness can handle, though if you are worried, take your seasickness preventatives.
We moored adjacent to mangrove islands, and exploring them was a highlight I didn’t expect. There are natural channels within the mangroves, so you can actually walk through tunnels of roots and branches.
The water was a little chilly since I visited in January, but we got used to it quickly. On me, the water never reached even chest height, so you don’t need to swim to explore any of it.
We saw huge tarpon swimming near the boat (they ignore you unless you feed them, which you shouldn’t do!), sand dollars on the ocean floor, and tons of sea cucumbers. Amidst the mangroves, we spotted tiny minnows and even baby barracuda using the protected area as a nursery.
The bottom can be a bit rocky, so bringing water shoes is a smart move if you have them. I didn’t think to do that, and I was ok as long as I moved slowly, but I definitely would have been more comfortable with them.
Swimming in the Stars
Once it was fully dark, we headed to the bioluminescent bay itself. We had about 30 to 40 minutes to swim, and it was pure magic.
Nicole had life jackets and pool noodles available to help us float and be comfortable in the water. I started with a noodle but eventually ditched it, and there isn’t a requirement that you use one.
The bay is very salty, making you naturally buoyant, so I found I could float effortlessly just by controlling my breath. The water here was also warmer than the water near the sandbar, so it was more comfortable getting in, as well.
The real secret to enjoying this is to bring goggles or a mask and snorkel so you can see the details of the bioluminescence underwater. Don’t go for the full-face snorkel set, as there are a lot of issues with those.
I spent a lot of my time diving underwater to see the plankton up close and personal. With the buoyancy of the bay, it was hard to get too deep, but I was able to see plenty and enjoy the effects.
As I swam deeper, it looked like little stars were floating off my skin. My absolute favorite moment was watching my hair move in front of my face underwater where it looked like a curtain of stars billowing around me.
Pro Tips for the Best Experience
Move slowly. If you wave your arm quickly, you get a big swish of brightness, which is cool, but if you move slowly, you can see each individual plankton lighting up like tiny diamonds. It creates a much more detailed and awe-inspiring light show.
Bring extra towels. The boat doesn’t provide towels, and I randomly grabbbed three, which was perfect. I used one to dry off a bit after wading in the sandbar, then I used the other two after I got out of the bay to dry off and keep me warm on the quick trip back to the dock.
Accept that you won’t get any good photos of the experience and just enjoy the moment. You need a really low shutter speed and a tripod, and that’s not possible with this experience, so put away your camera and make memories.
How Do the Moon Cycles Impact Bioluminescence?
The bioluminescence works best in true dark. If you have the option to book your trip around a new moon, do it. We visited the day before a full moon, and we saw plenty, but I know it would have been better two weeks later.
The darker the sky, the brighter the water appears. That said, we created our own darkness and shadows, and it worked well.
Nicole docked our boat next to another one of the Hook’d On Adventure vessels, a catamaran, to create a large shadow on the water. We were able to swim between the catamaran’s fins for true darkness, which made the glow incredibly vivid despite the moonlight.
I also found that diving underwater and going deeper gave me brighter illumination, as well. It proved that you can still have an amazing experience even if your travel dates don’t align perfectly with the lunar cycle.
What to Know Before You Go
Hook’d on Adventure keeps the groups small, with a maximum of six people per boat. The boats easily accommodate that and more, so you don’t feel cramped aboard.
They have a cooler stocked with water, Coke, Sprite, beer, and rum punch included in the tour. While it’s not a rule, I strongly suggest waiting until after you are finished swimming to indulge in the punch. You want to be fully present and safe for the main event.
There is one big rule for swimming here: you cannot wear sunscreen, bug spray, or lotions. The chemicals in these products can harm the delicate plankton that create the light. Because you are out on the water after dark, you really don’t need either.
You can also bring food on board if you want. Grab a picnic with sandwiches or grab takeout from one of the restaurants near the pier, and enjoy that while you watch the sunset.
Where Is La Parguera?
The bioluminescent bay at La Parguera is the one you want to visit to be able to swim. La Parguera is town located in the Lajas district of Puerto Rico.
La Parguera is on the southwest side of the island, about a two or two and a half hour drive from San Juan. You definitely want to rent a car if you’re staying in San Juan or – better yet – take a couple of days to explore this part of Puerto Rico and stay nearby.
This swimming tour is a completely different animal than the kayak trips. I loved the connection to the environment in a way that sitting in a boat simply can’t.
It was magical for me, and I could have stayed in that bay all night. If you have the chance to book with Hook’d on Adventure, do it. It turned a bucket-list item into a core memory I will never forget.
