Bio bays, El Yunque and island tours in Puerto Rico
Prices, tour length, group size, age rules and cancellation terms for the local operators in 11 parts of the island, with a moon calendar for the bio bays. Taken from each operator's own website.
The three bio bays, side by side
Puerto Rico has three bays where the water glows at night. They differ more than most visitors expect, in how you get there, how you see the glow and what it costs.
 Laguna Grande, Fajardo |  Mosquito Bay, Vieques |  La Parguera, Lajas | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In short | The closest bio bay to San Juan, reached by kayak through a mangrove channel. | Listed by Guinness World Records in 2006 as the brightest bioluminescent bay. | The only bio bay where motorboats run at night and swimming is usually allowed. |
| From San Juan | About 1 hour by road | Ferry from Ceiba (allow at least 2 hours to the terminal), or a same-day boat trip from Fajardo | 2 to 2.5 hours by road |
| How you see it | Kayak only | Clear kayak tours on Vieques, or the same-day boat trip | Boat, water bike or kayak |
| Swimming | Not allowed | Not allowed | Usually allowed, but confirm with the operator |
| Listed from | $55 kayak tour | $70 on Vieques, $195 same-day from Fajardo | $63 night tour |
| Operators | Compare 4 operators | Compare 5 operators | Compare 3 operators |
Bio bay nights, next 30 days
The glow is easiest to see when the moon is down during tour hours, roughly 7:30 to 10 pm. The next run of dark evenings is Oct 30 to Nov 12. Estimated from the moon's phase and typical rise times, so treat it as a guide and check the forecast for clouds.
- Fri Oct 23Bright, 95% of the moon lit
- Sat Oct 24Bright, 99% of the moon lit
- Sun Oct 25Bright, 100% of the moon lit
- Mon Oct 26Bright, 99% of the moon lit
- Tue Oct 27Bright, 96% of the moon lit
- Wed Oct 28Bright, 91% of the moon lit
- Thu Oct 29Some moon, 84% of the moon lit
- Fri Oct 30Dark, 76% of the moon lit
- Sat Oct 31Dark, 66% of the moon lit
- Sun Nov 1Dark, 56% of the moon lit
- Mon Nov 2Dark, 45% of the moon lit
- Tue Nov 3Dark, 35% of the moon lit
- Wed Nov 4Dark, 25% of the moon lit
- Thu Nov 5Dark, 16% of the moon lit
- Fri Nov 6Dark, 9% of the moon lit
- Sat Nov 7Dark, 4% of the moon lit
- Sun Nov 8Dark, 1% of the moon lit
- Mon Nov 9Dark, 0% of the moon lit
- Tue Nov 10Dark, 1% of the moon lit
- Wed Nov 11Dark, 5% of the moon lit
- Thu Nov 12Dark, 10% of the moon lit
- Fri Nov 13Some moon, 18% of the moon lit
- Sat Nov 14Some moon, 27% of the moon lit
- Sun Nov 15Some moon, 36% of the moon lit
- Mon Nov 16Bright, 47% of the moon lit
- Tue Nov 17Bright, 57% of the moon lit
- Wed Nov 18Bright, 68% of the moon lit
- Thu Nov 19Bright, 77% of the moon lit
- Fri Nov 20Bright, 85% of the moon lit
- Sat Nov 21Bright, 92% of the moon lit
Dark: moon down or nearly new Some moonlight Bright moon
Every area we cover
- Fajardo bio bay (Laguna Grande)4 operators, from $55
- Vieques bio bay (Mosquito Bay)5 operators, from $70
- La Parguera bio bay3 operators, from $50
- El Yunque rainforest tours4 operators, from $60
- Icacos and Culebra snorkel trips4 operators, from $105
- Ziplines2 operators, from $49.99
- Old San Juan walking and food tours5 operators, from $50
- Cueva Ventana and the Arecibo caves4 operators, from $29
- Horseback riding and ATV tours4 operators, from $55
- Gilligan's Island and Guánica3 operators, from $150
- Surf lessons3 operators, from $70
Puerto Rico tours at a glance
The three bio bays are the most compared tours on the island, and they're quite different. Fajardo's Laguna Grande is about an hour from San Juan and done by kayak only, from $55 to $70. Vieques' Mosquito Bay, listed by Guinness as the brightest bio bay in 2006, needs a ferry or a same-day boat trip from Fajardo ($195). La Parguera, about 2 to 2.5 hours from San Juan, is the only bay where motorboats are allowed at night and where swimming is generally permitted.
By day, El Yunque guided walks start at $60, or $89 with pickup from San Juan, snorkel trips to Icacos run $105 to $135, and Culebra day trips start at $109, and Toro Verde's ziplines start at $59.99. Prices on boat trips usually exclude the 11.5% tax and a $3 DRNA fee.
Every operator, cheapest tour first
| Operator | What you get | Area | From | Length | Group | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Walking Tour |
$29 per adult |
Approx 90 minutes |
Check dates | |||
Corto |
$40 per person |
1-2 hours (hike and one cave) |
Check dates | |||
Toro Bikes |
$49.99 per person |
Four bikes ride at once |
Check dates | |||
Island Hopping Kayak Tour |
$50 per person |
3 hours, 8:00 AM departure |
Check dates | |||
Old San Juan History Walking Tour |
$50 per person |
2 hours |
10 to 16 people |
Check dates | ||
Bio Bay Kayaking |
$55 per person |
2 hours |
Check dates | |||
Agricultural Valley |
$55 per person |
1 hour, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun |
Check dates | |||
Wild & Scenic Rainforest Nature Walk to River Adventure |
$60 per person |
2.5 hours, morning |
up to 18 guests |
Check dates | ||
Horseback Riding Tours |
$60 |
About 1 hour |
Check dates | |||
Night Kayaking and Bioluminescent Bay Tour |
$63 per person |
Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours |
Check dates | |||
Bioluminescent Bay Water Bike Tour in La Parguera |
$63 per person |
Approximately 1.5 hours |
Check dates | |||
Rainforest Horseback Ride |
$64 per person |
1 hour, or 2 hours with a 30-minute river break |
One person per horse |
Check dates | ||
Bioluminescent Night Kayaking Adventure |
$65 per person |
1.5 hours |
Minimum 6 guests |
Check dates | ||
Mukaro Cave Tour |
$65 per adult |
3.5 hrs or more |
Check dates | |||
Old San Juan & San Cristóbal Castle Walking Tour |
$69 per adult |
Approximately 2.5 hours, 1:30 PM |
Check dates | |||
Fajardo Bio Bay Kayak Tour |
$70 per person |
2 hours including 15 minutes of instruction |
Minimum 6 guests or tour is rescheduled/cancelled without penalty |
Check dates | ||
Biobay Tour |
$70 per adult |
2 hours |
Check dates | |||
Vieques Bio Bay Clear Kayak Tour |
$70 per person |
About 2.5 hours total, about 1 hour kayaking |
Maximum 10 guests |
Check dates | ||
Bio Bay Tour |
$70 per adult |
Check dates | ||||
Horseback Riding Tours (1 Hour) |
$70 per person |
1 hour (2-hour option) |
Check dates | |||
Surf Lessons |
$70 per person |
2 hours |
Check dates | |||
El Yunque National Forest Tour (meet at launch site) |
$79 per adult |
4 hours |
Minimum 8 guests |
Check dates | ||
El Yunque Rainforest Small Group Tour from San Juan |
$79 per person |
About 3 hours of guided hiking (half day) |
Small group |
Check dates | ||
Cave Tubing |
$79 per person |
Meets 8am, ends about 1pm |
Check dates | |||
Beginner Group Surf Lessons |
$90 per person |
2 hours |
up to 6 students per class |
Check dates | ||
Snorkel & Beach Tour (Icacos PM) |
$105 per person |
5 hours (also listed as 4.5-5 hours) |
Minimum 16 to run; maximum 36-37 per boat |
Check dates | ||
Day Sail |
$113 per adult |
5.5 hours, 9 AM departure |
Check dates | |||
Catamaran Day Trip (Icacos Island) |
$114.99 per adult |
5 hours (9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, check-in 8:15 AM) |
up to 44 |
Check dates | ||
Private Group Lessons |
$120 per person |
3 hours |
Your own private group |
Check dates | ||
Yunque Ziplining Tour |
$129 per person |
About 1.5 hours (also described as a 2-hour outing) |
Check dates | |||
Icacos Snorkeling and Beach Tour |
$135 per adult |
6 hours (8:30 AM - 2:30 PM) |
up to 80 on the 65-ft East Wind II sailing catamaran |
Check dates | ||
Old San Juan Walk & Taste Food Tour |
$139 per adult |
3 to 3.25 hours |
up to 14 |
Check dates | ||
Discover Scuba |
$150 per person |
4 Hours, departs 7:00 am |
Check dates | |||
Vieques Bio Bay Same Day Boat Adventure |
$195 per person |
About 7 hours including check-in |
Check dates | |||
Private Tour: Through Old San Juan |
$200 per group |
2 hours |
up to 15 |
Check dates | ||
Bioluminescent Bay Tour (clear-bottom kayak) |
Not listed |
Approx. 2 hours 15 minutes including check-in |
Check dates | |||
Bioluminescence tour (transparent kayak) |
Not listed |
Check dates | ||||
El Yunque Rainforest Tour (Explora el Bosque Tropical El Yunque) |
Not listed |
Check dates | ||||
Old San Juan Food Tour |
Not listed |
3 hours |
Small groups |
Check dates | ||
Snorkeling 101 @ Gilligan's Island |
Not listed |
Approximately 3-hour experience, including a 2-hour boat trip and about 45 minutes in the water |
Trips limited to six passengers |
Check dates | ||
Watersports (kayak and paddleboard rentals) |
Not listed |
Check dates |
Each operator's cheapest listed tour, from its own website on October 22, 2026. Boat trips usually add 11.5% tax and a $3 DRNA fee. How we compare.
Before you book
Which bio bay in Puerto Rico is best?
It depends on what you want. Mosquito Bay in Vieques is the brightest but takes the most travel. Laguna Grande in Fajardo is the easiest from San Juan and is kayak only. La Parguera is the one where you can usually swim and where boat tours are allowed. No operator guarantees how bright a given night will be.
Can you swim in the bio bays?
Not in Laguna Grande (Fajardo) or Mosquito Bay (Vieques). La Parguera is the only one where swimming is generally permitted, on most nights, and operators say it isn't guaranteed, so confirm when you book.
When is the best time to see the bioluminescence?
On dark nights near the new moon. The calendar at the top of this page marks the darkest nights for the next month. Some operators, like JAK Water Sports in Vieques, don't run tours around the full moon at all.
Do I need a reservation for El Yunque?
The Forest Service says PR-191 North is free with no reservation and open 8 am to 5 pm, with visitor numbers managed; a 2023 news report put the gate limit at 200 cars. El Portal Rainforest Center needs an $8 ticket on Recreation.gov for ages 16 and up. Rideshare apps can't pick you up at either, which is one reason people book tours with transport.