Bioluminescent Bays of Puerto Rico
A Must-See During Your Puerto Rico Vacation
Tiny organisms make the warm waters of these incredible bioluminescent bays light up at night. It's a sight you will never forget.
If you are into wild nightlife –literally -- make sure to stop at one of the bioluminescent bays (sometimes called phosphorescent bays). The older destination, la Parguera, is in a small town on the southwest side of the island. To get to the better destination, you will need to make a trip to the island of Vieques off the northeast coast of Puerto Rico.
The Experience
Try to get a seat in the back of the boat—you will have the best view of its glowing, foaming wake. Take note of where the life jackets are. This will almost certainly be an unnecessary precaution, but it could help save valuable time during an emergency.
The boats travel without lights to help the passengers get their night vision. Little happens during the long minutes it takes a boat to reach its destination; perhaps a bright flicker here and there. The suddenly, the water around the craft will start glowing – greeted, most likely, by collective oohs and aahs. The glow gets stronger and stronger yet: a delicate neon breaking the monotony of the night. Finally, the ship will stop in the secluded bay where the bioluminescent organisms live.
There can be as many as 720,000 glowing dinoflagellates in one gallon of water. These dinoflagellates, are harmless, unless you happen to be plankton. Any little movement will make the water glow; otherwise—darkness.
Making the Most of Your Trip
Go on a warm, moonless night, if possible. Not only will you be blessed with the wonder of the stars above, but you will also be able to enjoy what’s going on in the water that much more.
The majority of ships make passengers stay on board. If you have the opportunity to charter a boat that will let you swim in the bay, do so. The extra expense will be well worth the memory of this trip.
Conservation Tip
Please resist the urge to take some of the dinoflagellates home with you. Even if kept in a bottle with salt water, they will die within a few hours. La Parguera is already suffering from decades of tourism. There are very few bioluminescent bays in the world; please help preserve them.
How To Get There
To La Parguera: From San Juan take Road 52 to Ponce and Road 2 towards San German. Exit onto Road 116 to La Parguera. Go to the docks to get on one of the boats that takes you to the bay.
To Vieques: Vieques is a small island off Puerto Rico, so you will have to either fly or take a boat to get there. The easiest, cheapest way to go is to drive down Road 3 to Fajardo, then take the ferry to Vieques.
