Mosquito Bay Beach

The night kayaking was amazing! We had a full moon night though, that lightened the water a lot, which was also a cool experience! We used a kayak with a clear bottom, so we could also see the sparkling lights underneath us! Our tour company (Black Beard) provided us with a “blackout blanket”, which we used to cover ourselves inside the kayak in order to have a better vision of the bioluminescence! It was incredible!

This is a secluded beach that’s very intimate. If you’re looking for some time away from the tourists and the noise this is fantastic. The views are beautiful, the ocean is clear, and you may even find yourself surrounded by wild horses.

So beautiful best beach I’ve been too! Bring your own chairs & tents!

I cannot believe I was able to capture this magic so well on my canon t5i rebel. this was the most ethereal experience of my life. thank you.

Amazing

Hidden piece of beach at the end of the Isla Nena to be alone. But I was working.

Amazing to learn about another one of Earth's creatures!

Been there. The best Luminescent Bay in the world

The night kayaking was amazing! We had a full moon night though, that lightened the water a lot, which was also a cool experience! We used a kayak with a clear bottom, so we could also see the sparkling lights underneath us! Our tour company (Black Beard) provided us with a “blackout blanket”, which we used to cover ourselves inside the kayak in order to have a better vision of the bioluminescence! It was incredible!

This is a secluded beach that’s very intimate. If you’re looking for some time away from the tourists and the noise this is fantastic. The views are beautiful, the ocean is clear, and you may even find yourself surrounded by wild horses.

So beautiful best beach I’ve been too! Bring your own chairs & tents!

I cannot believe I was able to capture this magic so well on my canon t5i rebel. this was the most ethereal experience of my life. thank you.

Amazing

Hidden piece of beach at the end of the Isla Nena to be alone. But I was working.

Amazing to learn about another one of Earth's creatures!

Been there. The best Luminescent Bay in the world

It was amazing! Our tour guide was so lively and informative about the bay and the sky and made you want to stay out there for hours.

I need a full refund please. This is a total scam. Ride jammed in an old van down a badly maintained dirt road with huge ruts. Get out and walk through 10 yards of sewage and disgusting muck to get to your kayak. Then, you ride out half a mile into the lake for a 5 minute lecture that told us to cup some water in our hands, shake it to see the plankton light up. Then, we paddled back to the sewage pit and got out. The videos are fake - the lake doesn't light up as you paddle through it - you have to shake something in the water to see it light up. You see water lighting up on the back of paddles going though the water. Again, the videos are fake. Don't waste your money going there. They should pay you for taking this excursion. Totally disappointing!!!!

I've been twice, once about ten or so years ago, and then yesterday. Both times were incredible, as it's supposedly the best bio bay in the world due to its conditions (shallow, a consistent current of the Caribbean sea that flows inward which maintains its high concentration of the bioluminescent plankton). The first time we went, way back when, we were allowed to swim in it. But a few months later there was a shark attack, because the bay also serves as a nursery where mama sharks like to come give north. So now the standard is that there is no swimming, and this time we just kayaked which I much preferred. It was simply AMAZING and my favorite part was sticking my hand in and pulling it out to see all the glowing plankton still on it. Some tips: we went with Vieques Kayak Tours (I think) and had no complaints. I think it was something like 60$ per person and it was worth it. I wouldn't pay more than that. The guide was knowledgeable and the kayaks had clear bottoms. If it's raining, don't be deterred- it actually makes it much prettier. FYI- upon getting into the kayak and the entrance of the water it is very muddy and yucky, and the mud contains sulfur which has a terrible smell. So consider wearing water shoes or something like Chacos, or else you go barefoot.

Taking a Bio Bay tour while visiting Vieques is an absolute requirement. A few tour companies offer this night time tour (I used Black Beard Sports) and the adult cost is approximately $60 for the 2 hour experience of which 1 hour is actually spent on Mosquito Bay. Be sure that you only book your tour when there is little to no moon as the experience of the tour is best the darker it is. I believe the only way you can visit Mosquito Bay is through one of the tour companies as it is a protected area. The visuals for this tour are remarkable and unforgettable seeing the microorganisms light up as you disturb the water with your kayak moving through the water while paddling, scooping water up in your hand and having it trickle down your arm with twinkling green "diamonds" and seeing fish swim away from your kayak by their lit contrails. You will board 2 person kayaks after putting on a life preserver. The kayaks are very stable so you don't have to worry about tipping over as long as you use common sense. The kayaks also should have clear panels below for viewing the lights under as the kayak passes through the water. On the night of my tour last week, the water was calm and there were no bugs. Bringing a camera or using your phone for pictures is useless. This is because as the microorganisms light up in the water when disturbed, most cameras aren't sensitive enough to pick up the light and transfer it to the picture. Therefore this is an event to be experienced with the naked eye and the visuals stored in your brain. Your feet will get wet when entering and exiting the kayak from the shore so wear water shoes or go barefoot. Also you might want to wear shorts and expect them to get a little wet as while paddling (with the supplied double oars) it is easy to drip water on yourself especially in the seat area. This is a VERY enjoyable way to spend one of your evenings while in Vieques. You will be glad you did.

I've had only one experience worse than this. Detassling corn, and if you know how bad that job is, you'll know how horrible this was. So, you paddle in the dark to the middle of this bay that smells worse than seafood vomit to swirl your hand in the water to make a little glow that you wouldn't notice if you're not told. All of this pictures you see of bright glowing bioluminescence that are online...not real. They are entirely enhanced and taken with a special camera. Please, don't waste your time and money. Just look at the pictures online!

A visit to Mosquito Bay Bioluminescent Bay was on my bucket list. Check! The booking process with Blackbeard Sports was easy and the tour was amazing! I booked during the New Moon phase on a night with no moon. Although it was a bit cloudy, the constellations were still visible and beautiful! Christina and Cuba were our tour guides. We kayaked in clear bottom kayaks out into the biobay. The whole experience was amazing. The biobay lit up like diamonds as if the stars in the night sky were mirrored in the water. The air temperature was in the 80s and very comfortable. I highly recommend this tour and this company to provide it. Awesome experience!

I came here in 2012, then the hurricane hit in 2017 and decimated the region (no luminescence for 8 months)... since then, with the death of the Red Mangroves, there has been a resurgence! I only hope they are able to replant the Mangroves - or Bioluminescence may disappear again.

This is a once in a lifetime experience. I've read less favorable reviews and the truth is that you have to be strategic about your plans and have realistic expectations about the logistics of reaching this somewhat remote and secluded surreal place. Do your research! The moon phase matters. We found a company called Puerto Rico Tour Desk that only offers the Mosquito Bay trip when the moon phase is favorable. They will pick you up at your hotel, feed you and is the only company we could find that offers a generous amount of time in the bay and still get you back the same evening. The kayak tour guides are insanely knowledgeable. We really felt grateful to have made the decision to experience one of the most amazing natural wonders in the world. Also, you have to be into adventure. A boat takes you to the island (30 min) and if you're worried you might get sea sick consider taking half a Dramamine (as a precaution we did and were golden). Once on the island the bus ride gets "off-road" bumpy as you approach the bay. So, if you are into eco tourism, want to see the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world and have an adventurous spirit, do NOT miss this. I have been to all three bioluminescent bays in PR and this was by far the most amazing experience.

Before trips I like to research, and plan (yeah, I'm a nerd-scientist poet). So when Vieques was on my itinerary during a whirlwind trip to Puerto Rico, what did I see mentioned most about the island? :::::::::: Bioluminescent Bay (also aptly named Port Mosquito) :::::::::: First, the science: Bioluminescent Bay gets its name because of its inhabitants, namely microscopic organisms which come from the ocean and call this body of water home. The microorganisms are unique in that when they are disturbed, a small chemical reaction inside them illuminates their bodies. So, if you splash water around them, they light up. These glowing organisms are all over the ocean, but what makes "Bio Bay" unique is the geography. The bay has a serpentine intestine-like waterway which takes water from the ocean back to the actual bay. So, these microorganisms come in through this curvy little river and then STAY in the calm and protected waters of Bio Bay. Because of this geography, the density of these organisms is several orders of magnitude higher than any place on the planet, and so the glowing effects are as bright as you're going to see anywhere! Ok, so with real estate, it's location, location, location. With Bio Bay, it's timing, timing, timing! You really do need to come here when the Moon is cooperative. I imagine the best time to go is when you have a New Moon (when the Moon is at its darkest). Unfortunately, I made it here when the Moon was out. Yes, I did get to see some of the glow, but I fretted about how much better it could been. Even with a New Moon, I'm not saying you'll be living an experience like on the planet Pandora from Avatar, but it's still cool. Even with our "bright" night, we saw some cool effects. It would be neat to catch streaks in the water in the while---these would be nearby fish I reckon. Now beware, you are very likely to be on the dinner menu for mosquitoes. It's encouraged that you do not use nasty chemicals from bug repellant (so that you do not harm glowing organisms or their environment). Oh, and getting there is a crazy drive. Be ready for a bumpy head-hitting-roof type of ride out there (all part of the fun). So yeah, it wasn't like Avatar, but it was still cool! :)

There aren't words to describe Bio Bay. I had a moment of Stendahl Syndrome, where my brain couldn't process what I was seeing and felt overcome by wonder and its beauty. Our local friend made the arrangements for us, so I'm not sure which group we used to get there but whoever they were, they picked us up from our Airbnb which was pretty awesome of them! It's $45 CASH each. They're not swiping credit cards in the kayaks ;) And it was a good thing that they did pick us up. The roads were heavily potholed and I wouldn't want to take a rental car down there. It was also really really dark there; minimal light is used so you can enjoy the views of both the sky and the water. Without light pollution, I saw constellations I've only read about in textbooks--an amazing view that you must see!! We were put into two-person kayaks and our awkward 'tour guide' took us around the bay. She sounded bored the whole time and basically repeated the same facts: brightest bioluminescent bay, the light was caused by "solar-powered" dinoflagellates. I'm googling more about this. But I didn't care; I could not stop staring into the water, watching as our paddles cut into the dark water, releasing bright stardust streaks of blue-white effervescence. I would forget to paddle sometimes and would be roused when my kayak partner would bring me back to reality. If you pool water in your hand, you feel like you've briefly caught fairies. The fish also glow in the water, and there were so many glowing fish leaving comet tails of light. This is the brightest bay, they say (there used to be more bays like this but have since petered out) and to preserve it, it's not a good idea to swim in the water (save this experience for other people!) even if they offer to let you swim. Unfortunately, you'd need a really good camera to capture the light but again, it's hard to describe until you see it for yourself so pictures would never really do it justice.

This was beyond my expectations and a joy We'll remember for a lifetime. Can't praise this enough. Our guides were organized enthusiastic and experienced, providing background that was gratefully accepted They kept 10 canoes with about 25 people in 2 groups. O small feat Moonless sky is a must with moderate or even a slight breeze.

Nice natural marvel, but not worth the $50 per person charged... Should be a short 20 minutes tour for less money. Very rustic.

This was a truly unique experience, and you must do the kayak - not the pontoon boat! I was worried that the kayak would be too strenuous but the water is very flat and it was an easy paddle. You can't take pictures (light confuses the dinoflagellates at night) so all you take with you is your memories, awesome! We were lucky with the moon because it was a clear but dark night, so both the stars and the dinoflagellates were lit up! I would highly recommend our tour group - Black Beard Sports - especially if you are saying in Isabel II - as they pick you up from there. The other great bonus is that this tour company only takes out very small groups, so you are very safe and never far away from a guide. We had two guides to 9 people. Other tour groups had maybe 20 boats in the water at the same time. As well as seeing your oars light up, you can run your hand through the water and even scoop up some and let it run down your arm. It's like little neon diamonds all over your arm! I was scared it would be a let down but all three of us enjoyed it. It was a special night. If you are staying in Vieques, go ahead and make a reservation soon because your guide will be able to tell you the best night to go - regarding the moon phase. Also it gets booked up! There are only 5 bio bays in the world, 3 are in PR and apparently Vieques is the best. I can see why.

This was hands down one of the coolest things I have ever done! If you are visiting this part of PR and miss this adventure, you are missing out big time. Fluorescent waters, fun and comical tour guides, and starry skies that will truly take your breath away. Warning: Stick. With. The. Group. It is very dark and if you can't seem to find a way to turn yourself around, you'll probably have a panic attack (if you happen to be anything like me). Also, they don't necessarily tell you this, but there are jelly fish in the water, and the bottom of the bay feels like the slime and dregs of the earth..so do yourself a favor and stay inside your kayak. Overall, though, this is an absolutely magical experience.

Natural beauty at the heart of Vieques. Don't hesitate, if you are visiting Vieques, you must add this to one of your evening itineraries. This bay truly showcases the magic of nature at its best. Come with a tour group (we went with Abe) to get the full explanation and guided tour if that's your thing, or come by yourself, but this is a must have experience. Plan a trip at night, so you get the full impact of the bio-luminescence, and plan to explore the bay via kayak, not a motorized boat, so you can get up-close-and-personal and not disturb the natural calm of the area. You'll be able to run your hand through the bay, literally lighting up the water, and really experience the magic firsthand. Avoid harming the environment - don't use typical mosquito repellent, go for something natural (our tour used baby oil mixed with eucalyptus oil).

The worst scam possible ... there was no glow to the water we drove 2 in a half hours from San Juan and pod 9 dollars each to get on this boat drove out to a swamp and got to watch one guy swim and light up not what they make it seem to be then had to drive 2 in a half Hours back.. they say you can get in the water but only if you don't use a life vest like wth is that .. the only pretty thing was the stars in the sky !!!!!! FRAUD FRAUD FRAUD WASTE OF TIME DONT BE FOOLED LIKE WE WERE !!!

Biggest scam ever! Absolute waste of time and money. I was so disappointed to get there after driving for 3 hrs only to find a dirty swamp. The stars lit up way brighter than the alleged bioluminescent water. Save your time and money!

Bio Bay is a must try for everyone visiting Vieques. The secret is to go during new moon at night, because that's when the plankton is the most luminescent. This was truly an amazing experience. Swimming is forbidden, but kayaking is great. http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases_calendar.phtml

Truly a wonder of the world. A highlight and must see in Puerto Rico! The trip to the bay is crazy bumpy. It is so dark and a little scary but you get over it when you see the glow. It is unlike anything you've ever seen. The combination of the stars and Milky Way glowing above and the water glowing below was magical. Go in a kayak, it is worth it, and not hard at all! It was nice to be able to go off a bit from the guide (who wore a red flashing light so you knew where to go) and explore the water. The science behind the hay is fascinating. I hear this bay is brighter than all of the others that exist. It was bright. Words can't express how cool it was! If you're going to PR, Vieques' bay and beaches are a MUST SEE. Worth every penny!

They say this is the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world. We went on the night of the new moon, meaning there wasn't a moon out and therefore the sky was darker than when the moon is out - and therefore the light in the bay was supposedly brighter. Frankly, I was disappointed. Based on all the enhanced pictures we saw, we expected much more vibrant colors, like blue neon throughout the bay. The colors were not nearly as prevalent as expected. I blame this on my expectations and not the fault of the bay. But I feel you should know if you decide to go so you aren't disappointed. There is so much to enjoy about it. But I still suggest you go. If you take a kayak tour, you will go into the middle of a quiet, secluded bay in the middle of the night on a secluded island. You will feel alone in nature, even with other kayaks and a tour-guide. It gives you a wonderful perspective on life. We went with JAK sports and has a glass bottom kayak, which I feel is almost essential. The guide was really nice and informative. The tour was two hours and a lot of paddling. You will be tired at the end. If you know it is going to rain one night, I suggest you go then! The rain would agitate the water and the colors would probably explode around you. This called Mosquito Bay, but don't fear! The mosquitos aren't bad.

This is a must place to visit on this island. One of few places you could see such thing. Unique experience. It was raining on the day we were on the island. It was skeptical because this was my first kayaking experience. I was worried and tensioned but it ended up a spectacular experience that I can remember for ever.

This is definitely an amazing natural phenomenon worth seeing for yourself! It was a bit scary wading into knee deep sulfurous smelling mud in the pitch dark at night to get to our kayaks but rest assured the nickname for the bay (mosquito bay) does not signify the mosquitos there are extra deadly. In fact, much to my surprise, we actually did not get bit at all by the mosquitos - now that said, I just want to put a disclaimer on our good fortune by saying that everyone in our kayaking group sprayed on generous amounts of bug repellent before the start of the tour. Once you get out to the bay on your kayaks, you start to see your paddle glow with every dip in the water. It reminded me a lot of Disney's Fantasia where each wave of Mickey's hand sent glittering dust into the air, except this was into the ocean. Under the calm glass like water, you could see faint glowing shadows of fish flitting around and away from the kayaks. Once in awhile you may even see a glowing fish fly out of the water and skip across the water's surface! In fact, we got one that flopped into our kayak and almost made us capsize! Luckily we didn't. As if this experience could get any more magical, on a clear night you can look up at the sky and see stars twinkling down at you or if it is cloudy and starts raining, the bay will actually light up with each rain drop that falls! This is definitely a once in a life time experience I would recommend to others! To see all this, I went with Melaya's tours. It was $45/person if you pay with cash or $50/person by credit card (Master or Visa card only, Amex is not accepted).

This is a must-see in Vieques! It's the best bio bay in the world (so they say) and while it's not as bright as depicted on the Internet, it's still an amazing sight to see. I got to see a sting ray glow in the water and many glowing fish as well. It felt like a scene out of "Life of Pi" except instead of a humpback whale it was a stingray and instead of jumping out of the open sea it was swimming in the bay. I went on a kayaking tour with Abe's Snorkeling & Bay Tours, which is not even close to a 5 star experience, but that's another review altogether. Highly recommend the Bio Bay and worth taking the ferry to Vieques!

Ended up in Puerto Rico during spring break and at the request of my husband to be more spontaneous I did not reserve our spot on one of those big boats that take you out to the bio-luminescent bay thinking (or rather not thinking) that we I would get it done later. As you can imagine during spring break, later was too late. And I was determined to find a way to get it done as it was the one experience I could not miss during this trip. I rented a car in Fajardo and started to drive just to see the country and towards Puerto Mosquito. During a lunch stop, I went to the back of the restaurant and asked the kitchen staff (mostly fisherman) if they knew of someone who would rent us a boat and act as a guide in a tour of the bay. Someone in the back yelled "el capitan Carlos" he then left his post and we went to his car where from his phone he dialed this capitan and asked if he'd be willing to do this. He hung up the phone, handed me a number and instructed me to call and that he'd be waiting. I was thrilled, not even knowing what I was getting us into, but thrilled. Turns out El Capitan Carlos is a retired Marine Biology Professor who still studies the algae that produce the bio luminescent glow! We met him at the pier and jump into his boat and during the ride got a fully detailed explanation of the processes involved and of the impact it has on the surrounding biology, it was fascinating! When we got to the bay he proceeded to test the water in various places to determine where we could see the most activity. And he found it. He dropped the anchor and invited us to jump in and swim, it was glorious. The bay was completely dark and the glow from the water mirrored the starry night sky creating a very disorienting feeling that was magical. Shortly after, we got to see one of those boats for which we had missed the registration. It was a huge boat filled with standing people to the rim. When they stopped a member of the crew jumped in as the passengers where instructed to look over the rail to see the light being emitted by the algae, and they the left...Ten minutes maybe...I got to watch them from the water where I was swimming surrounded by light... and where we stayed for another two hours....

The kayaking it took to get out to the bay was a bit more challenging than I expected, and I must admit for the first 20 minutes in I was pretty stressed and rather annoyed with the whole bit. I'm not particularly outdooorsy/adventurous but I usually stand up to the challenge. This takes a bit of practice. Ultimately it was worth it to see the bioluminescence, but don't let the pictures fool you. While it is a fascinating phenomenon, the pictures make it look like glowing koo-aid when it is really more like your paddle has a faint flashlight on it. If you're bringing kids make sure they have kayaked before or you have an adult who can pretty much manage the kayak on their own. Teamwork is no joke or you'll capsize in the lagoon (seriously).

Had a great time! We did the kayak with a group and one of our kids us 14 and a paraplegic. The staff were very helpful with getting our son in and out. The bay was very cool and we all saw the glowing! Should have worn mosquito repellant though.