Vieques: Bioluminescent Bay Boat Tour

About This Experience

A 24-foot electric catamaran on Mosquito Bay, which is the option to take if you want the brightest bio bay in the world without paddling for it. An air-conditioned van collects you in front of the Sun Bay beach entrance in Esperanza and runs you the short distance to the bay, where the crew helps you aboard. The electric motor matters here: it is near-silent and leaves no fuel sheen on a protected bay.

The on-water portion is 40 minutes, the shortest of anything we list, and that is genuinely enough on a bay this bright. You interact with the water from the deck and watch it light up, with the crew explaining what causes it. At $105 you are paying for the transfer, the boat and the fact that nobody has to be fit enough to paddle.

Two pieces of small print on this listing are more useful than most of the marketing on this page. First, the operator requires you to have at least one night's accommodation booked on Vieques before you travel, because the last ferry off the island leaves at 7:30pm and there is no way to make it after an evening tour — and it will not refund you if you turn up without a bed. Second, it states outright that no phone, DSLR or mirrorless camera guarantees the glow will show up in your photographs, and it does not give refunds or discounts on that basis.

Highlights

• A 24-foot electric catamaran on Mosquito Bay — silent, and no fuel on a protected bay
• Air-conditioned van transfer from a central meeting point in Esperanza
• No paddling and no fitness requirement, unlike every kayak option on Vieques
• Crew commentary on why this bay is the brightest in the world
• A 40-minute run on the water, which is ample on a bay this bright
• Rated 4.5 out of 5 by 54 guests

What's Included

• ✓ Shared air-conditioned van transfer from Esperanza to Mosquito Bay and back
• ✓ Night cruise aboard a 24-foot electric catamaran
• ✓ Captain
• ✓ Tour guide with commentary on the bay
• ✓ Assistance boarding from the crew
• ✓ Life jackets

Not Included

• Ferry ticket to Vieques and accommodation on the island
• Food and drinks
• Tips

What to Bring

• Comfortable clothes and water shoes
• A light layer for the open deck after dark
• Insect repellent
• A camera, with realistic expectations

Good to Know & Caveats

• You must have at least one night's accommodation booked on Vieques. The last ferry off the island leaves at 7:30pm and there is not enough time to catch a ferry or a plane after the tour.
• No refund is given if you cannot join because you have no accommodation on the island.
• The operator states that no phone, DSLR or mirrorless camera guarantees the glow will appear in your photos, and gives no refunds or discounts on that basis.
• The tour takes place rain or shine.
• Departure times shift through the year with the length of the day, so check your confirmed time rather than assuming.
• Swimming is prohibited in Mosquito Bay.

Meeting Point

In front of the Sun Bay beach entrance in Esperanza, Vieques, where an Isla Nena driver collects the group for the transfer to the bay.