Paddle over Caribbean waters on a bright sunny day and the visibility can reach depths of 60-100 or more feet. Looking down at undersea rocks, ravines, and reef fish is almost as clear as peering into an aquarium. This kind of watersports fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down. At night, if you’re in the right spot, a paddle slice through the waves can make the seas light up like millions of tiny glow sticks. The bioluminescence comes from tiny organisms called dinoflagellates, which when disturbed in the water by a paddle, hand, or boat moving through, glow bright blue. The best time to experience this effervescence is on moonless nights. Plus, when it’s been relatively dry as heavy rainfall can dilute the incandescence.
Here are five Caribbean bio bays to visit:
Bioluminescent Bay, Cayman Islands.
Located on the North Side of Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Kai region, it’s the narrow entrance and shallow features of this bay that restrict the water’s movement making it a perfect place for these shining organisms to put on their light show. The area is surrounded by private residences, making getting to the bay by shore unlawful. The most popular way to reach the bay is by taking a charter trip from Rum Point, Starfish Point, or Kaibo. Some outfits offer 1.5-hour guided kayak trips. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to paddle from Rum Point into the bio bay. There are also charter boat excursions and private boat trips with customizable itineraries. Or you can dinghy in on your own. The deeper into the bay, the more bioluminescence. www.visitcaymanislands.com
Luminous Lagoon, Jamaica.
Better than a laser light show is this down-low lagoon that’s teaming with glistening waters. Located 23 miles east of Montego Bay, on the island’s north shore town of Falmouth, there at four boats at the Glistening Waters Marina that offer 45-minute tours starting at sunset. The highlight of the trip is a chance to jump in for a swim and see yourself and fellow swimmers aglow. Afterward, have a drink or dinner at the hotel restaurant. The lagoon here is where the Caribbean Sea meets the Martha Brae River, which makes it marine organism-rich. It was a busy port for trade with England when sugar reigned king. www.glisteningwaters.com
Laguna Grande, Puerto Rico.
By day, this large lagoon located on the island’s East Coast, north of Fajardo, in the Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve, looks like any other body of water. But at night, and every night year-round, it glows. Interestingly, it’s the stands of red mangroves surrounding the lagoon that provide a source of vitamin B12 on which the flashy plankton feeds. Guided kayak tours are available aboard comfortable sit-atop kayaks. There are two other bio bays in Puerto Rico. One is in La Parguera, on the island’s south shore 36 miles west of Ponce. This is the only bio bay in Puerto Rico where visitors can swim. But you must be part of a tour to do so. That’s because the area is managed by Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural Resources and a permit is required to visit. The second is on the south shore of Vieques, an island off Puerto Rico’s east coast, on Mosquito Bay. It’s a beauty of a glow-in-the-dark destination. So much so that Conde Nast Traveler named it one of its 2020 Seven Wonders of the World. Plus, it’s the brightest with up to 700,000 dinoflagellates per gallon, according to a 2006 Guinness Book of World Records. www.discoverpuertorico.com
Salt River, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Historians note nothing in Christopher Columbus’ log books about the Spanish explorer seeing bioluminescence when he sent crew to shore here on November 14, 1493, for fresh water. Maybe his journal would have been different if he stayed the night. Today, this area is preserved as part of the Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve and run by the U.S. National Park Service. Several companies offer kayak tours. The tours include a half-mile paddle to the eastern side of Salt River and then entering the ready-to-get-lit Mangrove Lagoon. One outfitter provides pedal kayaks for a hands-free experience perfect for photo-taking, while another has glass bottom and clear see-through kayaks. The latter makes you feel like you’re sitting in fluorescence. There’s a second bio bay on the island at the Altona Lagoon, just east of Christiansted. www.stcroixtourism.com
Holbox Island, Mexico.
Perched at the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, this laidback island sits between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. When the waters here are warmest, between March and November, is when there’s the most plankton and the illumination most dazzling. You can visit the bay here on a kayak tour or tour free. For the latter, it’s best to depart from the Punta Cocos beach at the island’s southern tip. holboxisland.com
