Is Mosquito Bay better known as the bioluminescent bay?
This dazzling, trippy travel wonder is Mosquito Bay, the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world. It's on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, seven miles off the southeast coast of Puerto Rico's main island.
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1. Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico. Hidden on the southern coast of Vieques, off the east coast of mainland Puerto Rico, this narrow inlet widens into a dolphin-shaped bay of mangroves that protects the brightest occurrence of bioluminescence in the world according to Guinness World Records.
There are five bioluminescent bays in the world and three of them are in Puerto Rico. Mosquito Bay, Laguna Grande and La Parguera.The other two are located in Luminous Lagoon in Jamaica and Halong Bay in Vietnam. A bioluminescent bay or bio bay is a body of water that glows.
“In other parts of the world, bioluminescence is seasonal,” explains Sharon Grasso, a tour guide on Vieques. “But here, the water glows brightly year-round.” Each night Grasso shows off the natural beauty of the bay.
Before visiting Mosquito Bay, it's a good idea to check the weather forecast. Mosquito Bay is accessible all year, however, the bioluminescence is best noticeable here between June and November. The water is warmer and the organisms are more active during this period, resulting in a brighter and more intense glow.
The brightest bioluminescent bay in the world, Mosquito Bay in Puerto Rico, is worth a visit, but it does take some planning. Let's take a look at the best time to see the water's bright luminescence and how to plan your trip accordingly.
In fact, La Parguera is the only Puerto Rican bioluminescent bay that you can swim in. Because of this, La Parguera is also the least bright of the three bio bays in Puerto Rico as swimming can disrupt the fragile ecosystem dinoflagellates live in.
Notable spots to see bioluminescence in popular bodies of water in the U.S. include Tomales Bay State Park in northern California, Vieques National Wildlife Refuge in Puerto Rico, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in Washington and bays near Acadia National Park in Maine.
Some note that the bay isn't as bright as they hoped. Though you can visit Mosquito Bay unaccompanied, it's best experienced via a guided tour on a boat or kayak. Tours operate nightly and cost approximately $60 per person, depending on the company you book.
The magic in Puerto Mosquito is created by an unusual wizard called Pyrodinium bahamense (whirling fire of the Bahamas). This single cell microscopic plankton is able to create an eerie bluish light by mixing two chemicals whenever something touches it. The result is spectacular.
While the most common way to visit the bio bays is by kayaking, it's also possible to visit on a tour boat. Para La Naturaleza also offers a walking guided tour through Laguna Grande, Fajardo. Pick the method that is the most comfortable for you.