WITHOUT A PADDLE…read more Kayaking during the day proving too easy?  How about kayaking at night...through a mangrove forest. As my wife and I planned our second trip to Puerto Rico, we agreed that a bio bay kayak tour should be on the list.  Only 5 biobays exist in the world, 3 of which are in PR (in Vieques, La Parguera, and here on the far northeast corner of the island).  There's a few kayaking tour companies in the area, each offering a similar bioluminescent excursion. Hang on, biolu-what?  I'll skip the TED talk--all you need to know is that a certain kind of marine plankton makes the water in extra salty lagoons glow blue.  It's the same science that gives jellyfish, fireflies, and deep-sea anglerfish their special ability to produce light. When we arrived around 8pm, tour guides gave our group of 15-20 life vests and provided instructions, like what to do if your ass falls out of the kayak.  Our goal was Laguna Grande (literally "big lagoon"), roughly 1 mile from our starting point on the shores of Fajardo. So......getting to Laguna Grande is not easy.  Along with a partner, you'll paddle your way through a narrow channel surrounded on all sides by thick mangroves, including an overhead canopy.  This is tricky during daylight hours, but at night the difficulty ramps up.  Keep in mind that visibility in these thick mangrove patches drops to near-zero at times. You might (probably will) have to avoid other kayak groups and (possibly) motorboats as you make your way to the lagoon, all while trying not to crash into the person in front of you, fall too far behind, or be knocked unconscious/impaled by low branches.  The outbound trip was not super chill, thankfully coming back was less stressful. Having an experienced partner is CRUCIAL. Bio bay tours are very much like whale watching, in that your visit is based almost entirely on luck.  A lot needs to go right in order to see magic stuff in the water, like the moon being in its 'new' phase (full moon casts too bright of a reflection) and no recent rainfall (rain comes down as fresh water, decreasing the lagoon's salinity). Under ideal circumstances, the microorganisms appear as florescent blue swirls when you move your hand/paddle through the water.  What we saw were closer to electrical 'sparks', still cool but not vibrant.  Capturing what little bio-presence we saw on camera would've been impossible, so we smartly kept our phones in the car. Oddly enough, mosquitos weren't a problem. * TL;DR * For me, this was more about the journey than the destination. If I'd hung all of my hopes on seeing tons of bioluminescent activity, I would've been disappointed.  I was focused more on trying not to capsize while also listening to the symphony of 'coqui' (the local island tree frog). It can be romantic with a spouse/partner, assuming they're not yelling at you the whole time. Wear comfy clothes (swim trunks aren't a bad idea) and be aware that parts of your outfit will be crunchy the next day, due to the lagoon water being twice as salty as the ocean. Mangroves play a critical role in the tropical ecosystem, but they stink! Would definitely recommend this to anyone over the age of 18; it's an awesome late-night adventure and one of the most unique things you can do while in Puerto Rico.

What a beautiful experience. Had great guides during our Bio Bay tour. Our guide told us all about…read morethe science and history of the bay. Very cool, don't miss this magic!

We did the night kayak tour during the day, enjoying the mid morning paddle through the water…read more There is a parking ramp right next to check in. It was rather busy but we did find one spot. Not sure where you go if that is full. Our guides were absolutely fantastic. Super friendly. Respectful of the animals and knowledgeable about the area. The tour uses glass bottom boats. You can see the sea grass but we didn't see any fish below our boat. You hang out in the bay a bit then go under the bridge to the ocean side. Definitely gets rougher but nothing to worry about. We saw several turtles poking their heads above the water. We saw iguanas in the trees and a puffer fish swam by. As we were coming in, a manatee surfaced and our guide was able to get a video of her. We saw the nose and head from our boats but they are rather shy so a video to tie it all together was the way to go. You are on the water for about an hour. They take a bunch of pics for you and send those to you after the tour. They were also helpful with restaurant ideas and other sites to see. We enjoyed the experience.

This was the most amazing and fun experience I ever had. Rafa was our tour guide and he was very…read moreinformative, fun and made the tour interesting. Not to mention he got some of the most amazing pictures of my mom and I-memories that will last forever. The price for this experience is a steal! You get to enjoy a night (7pm glow tour ) by putting glow paint all over your body. Getting in a kayak with whomever you want to share the experience with or if you go solo in a kayak that is clear on the bottom for you to see Mother Nature. My mom and I got to witness up close a sea star, a squid, AND really up close a sea turtle (this was an experience nobody else got to see because they rushed back to the dock) take your time with your guide and enjoy the moment. They give brief instructions on how to kayak so if you don't know I would ask for further instructions. My mom and I are avid kayakers so we didn't have any issues with this. The check in process was smooth and everyone was so kind and fun. FOR SURE do this tour. Oh and I got to see so many planes-amazing sites to see. I would do this again! And I highly recommend! Thank you Rafa!

We had such a great time! We were on a group trip with my husband's company and they made sure to…read moretake care of everything! The snorkels were clean and new, the flippers and gear were awesome! They provided food, we made delicious sandwiches and had pasta and delicious fresh fruit, they had Unlimited drinks. the boat captain and ship mates were all outgoing and so fun! They were very kind and attentive to our needs! We snorkeled the reef and basked in the sun! Make sure to bring lots of sunscreen cause no matter how much you apply you need to apply more lol.. lots of sun! Great experience! Highly recommend!

Had a great day on the water!! We went to 2 different islands and saw all kinds of marine life…read more.. sea turtles sting rays, schools of fish, etc... They provide lunch and all u can drink!!! Definitely recommend to friends and family

My family and I took the full-day fishing and snorkeling adventure with Juan and Perla. It was by…read morefar the highlight of our trip to Puerto Rico and ranked up there with one of the best days I've had on any vacation anywhere. Captain Juan and Perla provided everything we needed--drinks, snacks, lunch... and their deep knowledge of the area was unmatched. None of us will ever forget the green turtle that suddenly came up to the surface beside us, or the eagle ray that glided by beneath our feet. The fishing was fun for everyone and Juan used his vast knowledge of the local waters to help our teenagers catch some amazing fish (which we later ate for dinner). Juan was more than a knowledgeable host... from him we learned about the history and the culture of PR, AND got some amazing tips on where to eat throughout the rest of our stay. Highly, highly recommended.

The trip was very nice smooth travel to Culebra The only…read morebummer was that we did not make it to Flamenco beach. I was so excited to spend time at this world famous beach because of the sea weed conditions. We should have been told we were not going to that beach. The other beaches were fine Also they should remind people to bring towels and how to travel to get to the boat No details were given. Michael was a great snorkel tour guide and helper Was kind and very helpful getting on and off the boat

The crew aboard our chartered catamaran for the Culebra Blue Paradise Experience was easily one of…read morethe highlights of the entire day, aside from the absolutely gorgeous views and crystal clear water surrounding the remote island. From the moment we boarded, the crew was friendly, attentive, accommodating, and genuinely caring. They were especially great with those in our group who quickly discovered they did not quite have their sea legs. We had quite a few victims of seasickness onboard, and the crew handled it all with patience, humor, and compassion, making sure everyone was comfortable and taken care of. Once you get past the ride out there, it is nothing but smooth sailing, beautiful scenery, great music, and a really fun atmosphere. The drinks kept flowing throughout the day, and the lunch, while simple, was surprisingly delicious and exactly what we needed after spending time swimming and enjoying the water. Overall, this was an unforgettable experience and a fantastic way to enjoy Culebra. The scenery is incredible, but the crew is what really made the trip special. Highly recommended!

This was such a neat excursion! Perfect for solo travels as they offer round trip transport from…read moreSan Juan to the marina. They also served lunch, variety of cold salads and fresh fruits. All drinks were included, including alcohol and beer! The crew was so nice and the views were amazing, would do it again!

A great experience with Captain Jimbo, Herbert, and Ralphie. I've never seen so much coral and…read morefish. Ralphie made sure to show me the best spots and Herbert took some great photos and showed us some of the local sea creatures. They served a tasty lunch, fun music, and of course a kick a$$ rum punch. Can't wait to do it again.

I had so much fun, can't wait to go snorkeling with them again!…read more The Captain and his men Scott and Herbert were super friendly group of guys that gave special attention to everyone on board. They gave us instructions for snorkeling, and helped everyone to securely fasten their gear. We stopped at three spots for snorkeling. The first one were very close to Icacos Island, which was deliberately in a shallow area, so first time snorkelers like me can get some practice before going into deeper waters. The other two spots we stopped were in the middle of the ocean, among the reefs and vast expanse of the Caribbean Sea. Herbert, an experienced diver that guided our tour, dove down and flipped lots of rocks and caught little star fish, urchins, shrimps, crabs and other interesting creatures for us to see. It was amazing, and something I couldn't have done if I were on my own. Snorkeling is such an easy sport, even though I've only swan in water parks before, I find it easy to swim the sea with no problem. Lunch was prepared by them, with cold cuts, cheese and sandwich bread. I'm not a fan of these type of food, but I didn't expect hand pulled noodles in the middle of the sea either. Food was not the point of this trip anyway. If you don't like these food, you can always bring snacks and just put them in the cabin downstairs. In the end, we sailed by this small piece of land and saw iguanas climbing up the trees. It was really nice. I learned about this tour rather late, so I didn't meet the book online window (at least 12 hours ahead), had to call in and make reservation. I would recommend everyone taking advantage of their online booking system, it is real-time and you get $10 off.

If you're looking for a nice relaxing day on a private island then this may be the trip for you!…read moreThis is a group tour that travels with more than just those you booked with. As long as 15 people are on the tour, they will take you to your Calebra. If less than 15 you stay local! There were well over 15 so we were able to tour Calebra. It was so beautiful! Once you get there, they pick you up on a ferry to take you to the boat . The boat travels for about an hour before getting to a private island and that is where you get the guided snorkeling or diving tour depending on what you selected! My friends and I did the snorkeling. As someone who can't swim (I know I know lol) I had a great time. The tour guides were very informative and helpful for all ages and swim levels. They do provide fruit, cold cut sandwiches and rum punch and when you stop . If you're looking for a "party" boat then this may not be for you. Don't expect lots of liquor and twerking etc it's a family type tour, Some of my friends were a bit disappointed by the price expecting that we'd stop somewhere that had a bar and restaurant but it was just a private island (we're in our high 20s low 30s). So idk I think it depends on your expectations but I was okay with everything and the service was great!

Never In my life did I think I would give a 1 Star but would not recommend this company. We…read morecontacted them weeks prior to our trip to inquire about getting scuba certified. We were told we had to first buy and complete the course work through PADI and from There they would do the water/ dive sessions and compete the certification. The shop also gets a kick back from Padi as work since it makes u select a dive shop where ur course work is sent to. Once we complete the course work, we each reached out to the dive shop about 2 - 1 1/2 weeks in advance to schedule the dates and times for the water sessions. We did not receive any type of response back from the shop. We attempted to message on whatsup as requested but still did not receive a confirmation or any type of communication. We called down to the shop, where we were told to just text them. We again tried to text the shop but did not receive any response. We flew to San Juan and arrived and immediately went to the shop, we were told to text them and they would get back to us.. we asked directly if they had availability and we were told they would check and get back to us via text.... A day goes by, we attempt to call and no response.. fully we get a text saying they are fully committed...... This was without doubt the worst type of un-reliable customer service and a refusal to communicate.. I would not trust this dive shop or operation. They should never have told us to use to do the course work with their shop and then refuse to complete our certification. Luckily Scuba Dogs next door came to our rescue when we told them about the horrible customer service we received. Just be aware this shop will not be reliable.

I booked this for my wife, myself and 4 children. Sergio was amazing. Both captains really. They…read morereally worked hard to make this special for us. I would book again in a heart beat. The ride, the FOOD....Yummy. All of it was just above and beyond what I expected. The beach was spectacular. Thank you so much Island reef tours.

We booked a private charter for 8 guests out of Fajardo, and the tour itself was good…read more The problem came after. I accidentally overpaid by $200 when sending the balance (sent the deposit twice via Wise). I emailed Ellen the same day with a payment link to make the refund easy. She had been incredibly responsive leading up to the trip, but once it was over, I never heard back. I followed up multiple times over two weeks and got nothing. Would have been a 5-star review if they had just handled the refund. The tour was that good. But going silent on a customer who's owed money isn't okay.