Frustrating Experience but Bio Bay was Worth Seeing Above all else - take the EARLIER tour!!

The bio bay is amazing. It's as if it could be something out of a movie. The sun was setting as we went into the mangrove channel, which is very narrow, and... read moreAbove all else - take the EARLIER tour!!

The bio bay is amazing. It's as if it could be something out of a movie. The sun was setting as we went into the mangrove channel, which is very narrow, and that was hard enough. It was frustrating because there are many people that have never kayaked before and therefore get in the way, hold people up, paddle in the wrong direction, cause chaos as they argue and disagree with each other, etc. It was completely dark on the way back. This was significantly harder not only because there was no light and it was hard to see, but because there were tours trying to go into the channel as we were coming out.

The bio bay was worth seeing, however, I would not do this again. read less

Awesome & Fun!!! Thalia & Kenny - March 17th 2022 @ 6:45pm. My family was so glad that we chose island kayaking adventure. Actually Natalie @ Brasas y Cultura gave us your info to schedule this trip. The guides were all excellent &... read moreThalia & Kenny - March 17th 2022 @ 6:45pm. My family was so glad that we chose island kayaking adventure. Actually Natalie @ Brasas y Cultura gave us your info to schedule this trip. The guides were all excellent & remained professional & kind, especially to the inexperienced paddlers. It was a pretty bright moon, the guides did everything to make sure we all saw the glow. The guide Thalia was very personable. She was so nice to my 2 daughters and me & my husband. Wish we had met Kenny the guide that night. Kayaking through the mangroves to the lagoon was an amazing & a beautiful experience. You must book this trip! read less

An adventure Our family (two kids7 and 8)enjoyed this adventure very much.

We started off at about 615 in the dark. Once we reached the mangrove canal it was pitch dark. It was easy to paddle right into the tree branches as... read moreOur family (two kids7 and 8)enjoyed this adventure very much.

We started off at about 615 in the dark. Once we reached the mangrove canal it was pitch dark. It was easy to paddle right into the tree branches as you can not see anything unless the hide flashes his light.

Once we got to the lagoon we were told to put a tarp over our heads to see the glow of the organism. We could not have stayed for more than 15 minutes. It would have been nice if they did not rush us back. The tour company has another late night tour which they have to get back for.

The glow is not like what I had imagined. It was more along sparks from static electricity. Other reviewers wrote that it was amazing. I did not feel it was very spectacular but it might just be the night we were there.

What was spectacular was the experience of kayaking at night through the mangrove canals.

I wouldn't say the guides were informative or went out of their way to make you feel comfortable. They were just their to lead the way.

Overall enjoyable. read less

Amazing!! WE went for this kayaking on our stay in Puerto RIco and can only highly recommend! Make sure you take dry clothes to change after kayaking as you WILL get wet!! Its good to take sandals and water shoes,... read moreWE went for this kayaking on our stay in Puerto RIco and can only highly recommend! Make sure you take dry clothes to change after kayaking as you WILL get wet!! Its good to take sandals and water shoes, water proof camera (dont risk to take your proper camera, as you probably wont be able to look after it! ), take towels and go for it! it is realy good to check the weather and moon as well, as it is really best visible when the night is really dark. Dont expect brightly shining big lake, but once you get there onto the bay and you will shake your hands or paddles in water you will see it ! And its amazing experience, after a while on water there, me and my friend moved a bit from the main group and suddenly there was only big lake, the luminescent water and us, dark around, and quiet, no moon above us, just clear sky and stars! Breathtaking moment 🙂 ON the way it was very funny as at some stages you will NOT see anything as the trees cover the space above your head and no light around ! You will only see other kayakers hitting side trees and each other and you will have a lot of fun!
DOnt worry, there is no deep water, and the leading guys are around to help.
Easy to do and hard to forget!! read less

Once in a lifetime experience! An absolutely breath taking and mesmerizing experience! Our tour guide's knowledge about the bay seemed unlimited and his passion for the lagoon was contagious! I went for my first time 9 months after Hurricane Maria and to be able to... read moreAn absolutely breath taking and mesmerizing experience! Our tour guide's knowledge about the bay seemed unlimited and his passion for the lagoon was contagious! I went for my first time 9 months after Hurricane Maria and to be able to come back four years later and see how much the lagoon has continued to prosper is truly amazing! We were blessed to have a night where the plankton were at the brightest they have been in a long time. Any time someone asks me about Puerto Rico, I always have to tell them about the bio-bay and there is no other company I would recommend to take you than Island Kayaking Adventures! Thank you for all of the beautiful memories! read less

Kayaking Adventure My husband and I had a great time on this kayaking adventure. Even though it was a full moon so we had to go under a tarp to see the bio luminescent organisms, it was well worth our time and... read moreMy husband and I had a great time on this kayaking adventure. Even though it was a full moon so we had to go under a tarp to see the bio luminescent organisms, it was well worth our time and money! The tour guides were great and friendly! Kayaking through the mangroves to the lagoon was an amazing and beautiful experience. On our way back through the mangroves we were able to see a bit of the bio luminescence with the stroke of our paddle. I would recommend this to all levels of kayaking experience! read less

Great experience, but highly commercialized I’ve seen a lot of highly critical reviews of the tour with relevant points, so I wanted to provide a review based on what I had seen before. The kayaking experience was lovely and my partner listed it as his... read moreI’ve seen a lot of highly critical reviews of the tour with relevant points, so I wanted to provide a review based on what I had seen before. The kayaking experience was lovely and my partner listed it as his favorite part of our time in Puerto Rico. I really enjoyed the experience, but there were some things that I wish I knew going into the experience as far as managing expectations (These comments likely hold for any of the tours in Fajardo/ Laguna Grande, I just took the Island Kayaking Adventure tour.)

(1) First and foremost, the bioluminescence is pretty weak relative to past experiences I’ve had. Is it still magical? Absolutely. That said, it’s unlikely that you’ll see animals glowing under your kayak and you have to look pretty carefully to see the glow of the water as you paddle.

(2) Perhaps a little more frustrating for me, it felt as though our time actually in laguna grande was short and rushed relative to the length of the whole experience. It’s over a km kayak through the mangroves in the dark to get to laguna grande. If nighttime kayaking is your thing (as it was for my partner and I) then it was still a really enjoyable experience. However, if you are expecting 30 minutes or more with bioluminescence you are going to be disappointed. In our tour, it even seemed based on what I overheard the tour guides were saying to one another about the timing that they cut our experience in laguna grande short for timing purposes because it took our group too long to kayak to the bay.

(3) Relatedly, the entire experience was VERY commercialized. Large groups, many tour companies, and different tour groups running into one another. It created log jams as we kayaked into the bay that weren’t helped by countless folks with zero clue how to kayak.

(4) They had bug spray (the nice Off Clean Feel Kind 😊) so don’t worry about picking up your own prior to the tour (that said, there are enterprising local shops that do sell it for an upcharge if this turns out to be incorrect for your particular tour).

I mention all of these to help manage expectations. I genuinely still enjoyed my experience, and the tour group certainly did a great job and provided nice directions on where to park/go for the tour, but if you do have the time and ability I may try going to Vieques or somewhere just a tad less touristy. read less

Bioluminescence Bay Wonderful family experience. Kayaking through mangrove forest was amazing, bioluminescence was not as bright as expected (not fault of company). Guides were funny and helpful. Wish more clarity about departure.

Bucket List item With a limited number of bio luminescent bays in the world this is a bucket list activity. The staff and equipment were excellent. It is very dark and you really need to know how to kayak at least a... read moreWith a limited number of bio luminescent bays in the world this is a bucket list activity. The staff and equipment were excellent. It is very dark and you really need to know how to kayak at least a "little". I felt sorry for the guides who had to deal with novices who slowed the whole group down. My only complaint is that the whole mangrove and bay is TOO crowded because local authorities have licensed too many tour groups. You have to stay on your toes to stat with your guide and group and not get confused by other kayaks in the channel with our tour groups doing the same thing. Kayaking at night in the mangroves and bay is cool but it is crowded. read less

Highly Recommend this Experience We had a great time on the Glowing Bay Adventure by Island Kayaking Adventure. We found them on a document provided to us from our resort. Went to their website and the identification of the excursion and payment was very... read moreWe had a great time on the Glowing Bay Adventure by Island Kayaking Adventure. We found them on a document provided to us from our resort. Went to their website and the identification of the excursion and payment was very smooth. You are provided very detail instructions and a map link to get to the meet location. There were two start times at 6:45pm and 8:45pm, and we opted for the later start to have more darkness. Pay attention to the moon 🌙 lamination as light takes away from the experience you may have. I recommend experiencing this light without a lot of stuff. No need to bring phones and stuff place you risk chance you could lose it or it get wet. We started out walking to our kayaks in knee deep water and the team assists you with getting in. You must have a partner as no solo kayaks. You will get wet at least waist high. You traverse through the mangroves until you reach La Guna Grande. As we get close you could see the bioluminescense paddling the water. They use colored lights to identify the difference in groups. We received some background on how it occurs. Then, they provided tarps to cover kayaks to help make it darker to see better. Great experience!!!! read less

Amamos Passeio imperdivel para quem visita Puerto Rico. Muito lindo e mágico.
O passeio é muito bem organizado e o guia explica tudo sobre esse espetaculo da natureza.

Super Experiencia Disfrutamos desde el principio hasta el final, el personal es super atento y una experiencia para repetir sin duda alguna.

Experiencing Kayaking and bioluminescence in moonlight. The tour guides were really good. The overall experience of kayaking in night time was good too. It was a moon lit night but the tour guides used a tarp to cover the boats to help see the bioluminescence. Overall... read moreThe tour guides were really good. The overall experience of kayaking in night time was good too. It was a moon lit night but the tour guides used a tarp to cover the boats to help see the bioluminescence. Overall a great experience! read less

Nice, Beautiful Amazing tour! The best tour guide is PEDRO!!! There’s two or more other tour guides with your group and they make very funny noises!! Pedro is so funny and explains everything perfectly and nicely! Definitely recommend Island Kayaking Adventures! 💛

Outstanding experience Outstanding experience. All 5 of the guides were very attentive and very funny. Seeing the bioluminescence in the lake was a very fun time. I definitely recommend this company because of their guides.

An adventure like none other This was a great activity in Puerto Rico. We went out around 6:30pm and I recommend this time over the later time as there is still daylight when you head out in the kayaks through the mangroves. The... read moreThis was a great activity in Puerto Rico. We went out around 6:30pm and I recommend this time over the later time as there is still daylight when you head out in the kayaks through the mangroves. The guides provided an excellent, thorough instruction on how to kayak and the evenings plan, but it was very helpful to get the feel for the kayak and mangrove before you are in the pitch black of night. Be sure to bring your patience as several other kayakers in the group seemed to forget the instruction on how to stop their kayaks - so much so that it felt like bumper kayaks at times. Once through the mangroves and into the lagoon, the guides provided a tarp to put over the kayaks so you could see the bioluminescence better when you waved your hands through the water. This was really helpful, because as even though it was a dark night with minimal moonlight, the bioluminescence is not as bright as the pictures online (they are photoshopped) and making it extra dark made a huge difference in seeing the glow. Even with the bioluminescence not being as bright as it is online it was still really exciting to see what looked like little blue fireflies in the water. The guides took pictures of each kayak before heading back, and posted them on Facebook for free. Kayaking through the mangroves in the dark is a great adventure on its own that I definitely recommend, so the bioluminescence is just the magical cherry on the cake at that point. They provided bug spray and a small snack afterwards. Both were nice touches (and definitely use the bug spray!) read less

Once in a lifetime experience! We loved our entire experience! Daniel, Christian, Kenneth & Bellen were so fun! Can’t wait to return!

Beautiful views above and below Words can’t describe how beautiful and mysterious this experience is… the stars overhead, the stars in the water, the mangroves at night… amazing!

Great experience. This was a cool experience. After reading the reviews of people not seeing much of the bioluminescence, I was worried it wouldn’t be worth it. But it was amazing. We did the later tour (darker) and could see it and... read moreThis was a cool experience. After reading the reviews of people not seeing much of the bioluminescence, I was worried it wouldn’t be worth it. But it was amazing. We did the later tour (darker) and could see it and the. Under the tarp it was even more amazing. Kayaking was a lot of fun too. My teenage daughters had a lot of fun. Pedro, Belin, Gary, Mark, Celix, Jesus, Kenneth, and Isaias were great guides. We felt safe and supported the entire time. read less

Well worth it! Very friendly staff that shared a lot of knowledge about the area. Was a great experience and would definitely recommend!

very worth it! the tour guides were super friendly and funny, and made you feel very safe on the trip. the experience was amazing! highly recommend bug spray though! the tour was very organized and affordable. but keep in mind you are kayaking... read morethe tour guides were super friendly and funny, and made you feel very safe on the trip. the experience was amazing! highly recommend bug spray though! the tour was very organized and affordable. but keep in mind you are kayaking through mangroves in the dark; but the guides make it very easy to get done! read less

Great night tour in the dark! Guides were great 👍 Talia helped us figure out how we could take the tour being odd number. We were happy in the end.

Island Kayaking The tour guides were so much fun, respectful, helpful and explained everything we needed to do and keeping us safe. It poured unexpectedly but it was as much fun kayaking in the lagoon. 100% will do it all over again.... read moreThe tour guides were so much fun, respectful, helpful and explained everything we needed to do and keeping us safe. It poured unexpectedly but it was as much fun kayaking in the lagoon. 100% will do it all over again. Thank you for the memorable experience. That was so awesome! HIGHLY recommend it with Island Kayaking Adventure! 👌🏼 read less

DARK Night Adventure The Bio-luminescent Kayaking Adventure was a lot of fun. There was work involved with two people per kayak and traveling through the pitch dark Mango groves. As long as the two of you work together as instructed it... read moreThe Bio-luminescent Kayaking Adventure was a lot of fun. There was work involved with two people per kayak and traveling through the pitch dark Mango groves. As long as the two of you work together as instructed it was not that difficult. My friend and I are 64 and 69 years old and we managed just fine. It was fun kayaking (our first time) through the darkness of the trees and challenging to follow the tiny blue light attached to the kayak in front of you. Lots of laughter and "I'm sorry" and you banged into each other and ran into the branches of the trees. When you put your hands into the water, it lights up all around your hand. In the bay, we even saw some falling stars. The guides were all extremely helpful, knowledgeable and very friendly. When we got back to base camp, we were given a light snack and bottled water. read less

Natural wonder This is one of those things you never forget. Truly amazing experience. There are 5 or 6 operators that do these tours and they all seem to have same equipment, same prices and same schedule. Island Kayaking Adventure is one... read moreThis is one of those things you never forget. Truly amazing experience. There are 5 or 6 operators that do these tours and they all seem to have same equipment, same prices and same schedule. Island Kayaking Adventure is one of them, I guess as good as any. Everything was well organized, on time, guides were informative, friendly and very helpful. My wife and second kid were having troubles paddling their kayak so one of the guides hooked them up to his boat and pretty much dragged them in and out all the way, which was great help. I strongly recommend the first tour so at least you have some light on your way in and don't have to bump into other boats that go in opposite direction. Return can be spooky for small kids because by then you would be paddling in almost complete darkness and bumping into trees branches and other boats. But considering how amazing this glowing water is - it's totally worth the money and effort. read less

Glowing Bay Tour Did the Glowing Bay Tour with this company and it was great. Picked up and returned to area very close to my hotel. The trip included water and snacks after the trip as well. Our tour guides were funny, friendly,... read moreDid the Glowing Bay Tour with this company and it was great. Picked up and returned to area very close to my hotel. The trip included water and snacks after the trip as well. Our tour guides were funny, friendly, and helpful. Now the tour itself was okay. Kayaking out to the bay was okay, but coming back in the pitch dark was difficult. The visit to the bay itself was fun. It is amazing to see how the water just lights up as your hand or paddle moves through it. I thought there would be a little more to the whole illuminating thing, but I would still do the trip if you get a chance. I would also definitely recommend Island Kayaking Adventure. read less

Latina Grande Bioluminescent Tour This was so much fun! And amazing. I would definitely recommend. Pedro was very knowledgeable, along with the other guides Gary, Belin, Celix, and Jesús who were all so helpful. This is a must do!

Great experience This was an awesome experience while visiting PR!The instructors were great!Definitely recommend 👍🏼👍🏼💯

Very cool experience My family and I went on the bio bay kayaking trip with Island Kayaking a couple of days ago. It was a very fun experience. The bio-luminescence is not that easy to see (pics online look much brighter),... read moreMy family and I went on the bio bay kayaking trip with Island Kayaking a couple of days ago. It was a very fun experience. The bio-luminescence is not that easy to see (pics online look much brighter), but the experience as a whole was great. We took the 6:30 pm tour which was nice because we could see the canal on our way to the bay. The staff was friendly, there was plenty of parking and the experience is worth it. read less

Biolumiescent kayak tour This is one of the coolest things I have ever done. This is an evening Bio Bay kayak tour. You kayak thru a mangrove channel and when it gets dark, you can see the bioluminescent organisms in... read moreThis is one of the coolest things I have ever done. This is an evening Bio Bay kayak tour. You kayak thru a mangrove channel and when it gets dark, you can see the bioluminescent organisms in the water. They look like diamonds in the water. Very Cool!! read less