Took the bioluminescence tour last night with 3 grandchildren. What a fun and educational experience. We highly recommend!

We took the daytime kayak tour with our guide, Ann. She was so knowledgeable about the island, the wildlife, the history and the people. The kayak's were east to operate and steer. I would highly recommend Virgin Kayak Tours! read more

This was the friendliest, nicest tour company we've experienced on our worldwide travels. Allison made everyone feel as if we were invited to her home for Sunday dinner. The check in process with Parker was smooth, the equipment top notch, entry into the water was so easy, and the tour itself was outstanding. We certainly experienced the bioluminescence that we came for and also got a great lesson about St Croix history, the National Park features, and several funny jokes along the way...okay, maybe the mom version of dad jokes. Navigating the bay was super easy with these kayaks. All foot pedals, not paddles, and steering was intuitive and easy. It's a short trip across the bay so there is plenty of time to dip your net and watch the magic of light. And you might just catch a surprise along the way. Put this kayak tour at the top of your list of things to do while in St Croix! read more

Ann was a great guide and thoroughly covered the ecosystem and history of the islands during our Mangrove Tour. She also was nice enough to take pictures of us and chat with us afterwards. She's a great person overall. Please bring water and carry sunscreen in a tiny waterproof fanny pack on the boat because you will burn within 1.5 hours on the kayak even after putting on sunscreen beforehand. The UV is no joke. They provide lockers with locks to store your towels, shoes, etc. They don't let you wear shoes on the kayak. read more

I had a great time kayaking with Ann on the Ecological and Historical Tour. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the island's flora and fauna, and shared fascinating insights throughout the trip. The pedal-powered kayak was much easier to use than traditional paddling. I'd definitely recommend bringing sunscreen as I got very sunburned. read more

My mom and I unfortunately were not there while they offered the bioluminescent night tour so we chose the Daytime Historical and Ecological Tour with Ann as our guide. We ended up being the only two so we got a private tour! Ann knew so much about the ecology, flora and wildlife of the area. She also talked a little about the culture and society of the island (which I find fascinating). I honestly think I could've asked her questions for 4 hours. She just had a lot of knowledge. She also knows where some of the birds and other wildlife hang out. The foot-pedaled Hobie Cat kayaks were quite unique and fun to navigate. Anyone can use them! We had a taxi picking us up at a specific time so we didn't get to see the whole park. Ann very much wanted us to come back so she could show us the rest of the park but we only had one day left of our vacation. Next time we're there we'll try to give ourselves more time. I'll also want to do the paddleboard tour and of course the bioluminescence tour as well. read more

The Bioluminescence tour was the highlight of our vacation in St Croix. We were very lucky to have seen the Fireworm and a "Super Bloom. Our guide was AWESOME explaining how to use the pedals on the kayaks, the history of St Croix and the things we were seeing. read more

Had a great time kayaking with Ann on the ecological and historical tour. She was very knowledgeable about many aspects of the marina and its past. I highly recommend. Easy for beginners because of the pedal mechanism instead of rowing. Saw sea turtles, lots of birds, jellyfish, and iguanas. read more

We did the Eco - Historical kayak tour on Sunday morning, a flotilla of three couples, each in two-man kayaks, led and narrated by guide Ann. She covered all the bases: wildlife, birds, mangroves, various environmental challenges that the bay has seen or presently faces. The Salt River is really a bay and aside from the quiet marina and some moored yachts this is a pretty remote and wild area. The historical aspects of her tour included a description of various native American tribes on St. Croix as well as the coming of Columbus and the ensuing cultural clashes. Thank you, Ann, very well done! As for the equipment, the tour utilized Hobie Mirage Oasis two-man sea kayaks, these were great boats, in excellent condition, easy to use and very stable. read more

We did the bioluminescence tour and absolutely loved it. Kevin and Jimmy were our guides and made it easy and fun. You just show up, and they take care of everything. Jimmy was full of fun facts about history, boats in the harbor, and what we were seeing that night. The pedal kayaks are way more enjoyable than paddling kayaks. We would definitely do this again! read more

We absolutely had so much fun! Even our teenagers loved it!! What a great experience for our whole family.

This was one of the best kayak tours I have ever done. The kayaks are pristine, easy to maneuver and fun. The foot pedaling made my day as I have pain in both of my hands. What a relief to not have to use them to paddle. The guides were amazing especially Alison with her detailed history telling of the island and the science behind the bioluminescence. What a joy and a highlite of our trip. read more

Great Amazing! I picked the right one. The owner took us out for the tour and was so friendly, funny and very knowledgeable. I learned a lot. Glad I went with the foot pedals instead n paddles, less tiring. Experience of a lifetime read more

Virgin Kayak Tours was recommended to us by 2 trusted local businesses, and we were not disappointed. They were kind enough to give us the option to cancel a tour the week earlier because the weather would have impacted the experience (I don't think every tour operator would have done that), and this tour couldn't have been more spectacular - from the stars to the bioluminescence, it was such an amazing experience. We had 9 people in our group, from 11 to 70, and we all loved it! read more

This was quite a disappointment for my partner and me when we went. The tour was WAY too big and this meant that launching and docking took forever, few people could hear, the group moved very slowly, and we got to spend very little time in the bioluminescent bay. My read is that the company figured they could make more money by simply increasing the size of each group without making any other changes to scale up to an increased tour size. Here are the key elements to know about our experience: 1. The 8:45pm tour should probably not exist. We were on this tour and it was 9:30pm by the time my partner and I were in a boat on the water. It was around 9:50pm by the time the group got to bioluminescent bay and when our very large (20-25 people) group only caught 1 jellyfish among all of us, the tour guide mentioned that the jellyfish are usually done for the night by that time. Thus, it does not make any sense that there would be an 8:45pm tour. 2. The bioluminescent bay was not very impressive. In the most active part, there was a cool glow and stream of sparkling specks that showed up behind the net when it was dragged in the water. It was not at all what I was expecting (nor my partner, who is from Puerto Rico and has actually seen bioluminescent bays before). Even setting aside the other negatives of our experience, I would not recommend this based on the bioluminescence on its own. The only time I *might* recommend it if everything else were improved would be if it's raining, since the guide said it lights up the whole bay as the raindrops strike the surface of the water. 3. As mentioned earlier, the "8:45-10:45pm" tour consisted of the group getting on the water at 9:30pm because it was such a ridiculously large group (that we suspected was just a way to try to make more money because they had ordered additional boats and they had arrived recently). After peddling around for 10-15 minutes waiting for our turn, we were finally able to dock at 10:55pm... and there were still another 6-8 boats behind us waiting to finish. They had to prioritize those who were taking a taxi because it had been waiting at since 10:45pm and the tour guides said they had seen taxis leave before while folks were docking. 4. Be aware that this is not traditional kayaking. They have Hobie kayaks that are entirely powered by foot pedals. I had never experienced this before and it was interesting, just not what we had expected. Also worth noting that if you aren't wearing water shoes or sandals that are kept on your feet and won't flop, you will be made to go barefoot and the pedals are a bit uncomfortable for bare feet. 5. Because of the ridiculously large group size and the fact that there was only one tour guide (the other two employees were just bringing up the rear making sure no one wandered off or fell behind), only 20% of the group could hear anything that was being said throughout the experience. All of our boats kept bumping into each other because we were all trying to cluster together to hear what was being said and even then, most of the group could not hear the tour. The info was interesting and so this was a huge shame for those who couldn't hear. read more

Loved it! The whole family, Brian, Brianna, and Johnny, were great hosts/tour operators. I was especially impressed with the pedal operated kayaks -- I had never used before. They made scooting around the bay a breeze, even with 15-20 mph winds and moderate chop! While the water was as cold as it gets in the tropics (right after winter solstice) and it wasn't the flamboyant display you get in other seasons, we were enchanted with what we saw. We had bioluminesce in three forms: dinoflagellates, jellyfish, and fireflies. The weather was perfect, and the night time excursion was a unique experience I will always treasure. read more

100% recommend! My friend and I went on the sunset tour and it was absolutely amazing. The pedal kayak are SO much easier and really allow you to enjoy the experience more. We were supposed to miss the bioluminescence but were extremely lucky that there was heavy cloud cover and we were able to see it! Our tour guide was really wonderful. He was extremely entertaining and knowledgeable. What we really liked was that he gave us some time to explore the bioluminescent bay on our own without constantly talking like some other tours do. It allowed you to really get lost in the moment and beauty of nature. read more

Because it was a new moon we particularly want to do this on Monday, 12/14/2020 so this was our first excursion booked for our week on St. Croix! John, the owner and operator, was very friendly and informative and safety conscious. It was not the first place we had called, but since it was a new moon other outfits were already booked. John had an assistant in training, Brian, that accompanied the four of us and himself on the tour of the bio-luminescent bay. Since we were such a small group, there was no reason John couldn't have respected our multiple requests to get a bit closer so we could hear what he had to say. AND, he had a great deal of interesting facts to share. We hated missing out! John is extremely knowledgeable and a fun guide...if you could hear him. All of his kayaks are rigged with a unique peddle system which is quite efficient. Our daughter has been a whitewater raft guide and was looking forward to paddling a kayak not peddling, plus my knee was not cooperating, so I paddled half of our trip. Between the noise of the paddling, the breeze and the crashing waves on the reef, it was VERY difficult to hear John. He seemed oblivious to our dilemma. This definitely affected our enjoyment. Brian was extremely helpful in filling us in and getting the rudder up so we could paddle. John spent more time peddling around the various sailboats anchored in the bay then he spent time talking about the bio-luminescent bay. Just saying, with only the 4 of us in 2 kayaks, we should have heard his spiel. BOTH men could not have been nicer though and, yes, we would recommend it. read more

Very cool. Great kayaks... I want to buy one now! The bay tour at night was awesome! Friendly guys working it and a small enough group to talk to the guide a bit and keep track of my wife and daughter. Very neat and educational. Kevin and John were great during the tour and Jill was very friendly helping us schedule it on short notice. I'd come back and do it again. read more

Really friendly staff and great equipment- loved the foot powered hobies! Nice cruise over to the bio bay and really impressive bioluminescence compared to the one in Puerto Rico. The bioluminescent jellyfish (non-stinging) was a cool surprise :-) Plenty of time and knowledgeable guides made for a great evening! read more

Great day on the water. Nice mix of history and eco facts. Very friendly family business. We would book again if were here longer. Thanks for a great memory. read more

This tour is an absolute must do adventure if you are on the island. The kayaks themselves are extremely stable and easy to maneuver with their foot powered paddling and their hand rudder controls. The bioluminescent creatures in the bay are a trip. They love to show off their bioluminescence for your enjoyment. Not only are there dinoflagellates and fireflies/lighting bugs, there are also jellyfish that blink a bright blue light. You can hold them in your hand briefly before returning them to their home. The lights we saw were really bright tonight just when dragging your fingers in the water. We didn't get to meet Brain or Jill, but Jill's nephew was our guide. He was outstanding. His knowledge of the bay was very impressive. He was also a great overall guide, showing us everything the Bio Bay had to offer. I would recommend him to anyone. It was such a good time that we would love to do it again another night when we are back on the island. Hope to see you there! read more

This is a top-notch operation! High quality pedal kayaks, fantastic guides, and incredible bioluminescence bay. We did the sunset tour and would highly, highly recommend for anyone! read more

We had a great time at Virgin Kayak! Brian and Johnny were awesome hosts. We caught jellies and let them go, heard amazing stories and were fascinated by the luminescence. Thank you so much! A must do adventure! read more

We went on the bioluminescent bay tour. My 10 year old son and I loved it!! My 70+ year old parents liked it but thought it was a lot of work (which it was - but the foot peddles saved the day!) Johnny and Salena were friendly, knowledgeable and incredibly helpful!! Can't begin to describe how amazing the glow in the dark jellyfish were... and we got to use nets that made me feel like we were fire bearing wizards - lol! read more

We took the Salt River Bay tour with Virgin Kayak and it was one the highlights of our entire trip! Ther fleet of kayaks is impressive. They are operated by foot pedals, which is much easier and more enjoyable for a leisure ride. Our guide, Brian, really made it an unforgettable experience. He is extremely knowledgeable about the history of the island and its native people, and we enjoyed listening to his stories and anecdotes during our tour. The Bay itself is beautiful, and offered lovely views of the island. We even saw a sea turtle! I wish we had more time to take the Bioluminescent tour with Virgin Kayak. If you are looking to do either tour (or both) we highly recommend Virgin Kayaks. read more

Our ultimate destination (on MY bucket list) was the Bio Bay kayak tour ($50 cash) of the Salt River Bay with Virgin Kayaks, just behind Eat. Jill and Brian own Virgin Kayak, and I must say that Jill has been so very helpful & prompt in answering all my questions before we even left home, about the kayaking AND the island. Jill drove 14 of us in a large van to the kayaking drop off, which happened to be where Columbus landed; Brian had gone ahead to prepare the kayaks. They both helped all of us prepare for kayaking (these are great FOOT powered kayaks, no paddling) and to be sure that we were safe & comfortable in our nicely padded elevated seats in the self baling kayaks. I was in a double with my older daughter, and my younger daughter had her own single kayak that had a "turbo charger" to make it go faster. We had a beautiful evening, with the sun going down we paddled past boats both new & old. After dark we arrived at the spot of the bio-luminescence, and we were able to see sparks fly in the water when we put our hands or arms in the water & quickly moved them. Then the option to get in the water and swim and make glowing trails of light was open to anyone who could manage to get back into the kayak themselves. My daughters did this, along with many others. This was my favorite thing we did on our trip. The stars were shining brightly above us which was a treat. If only all of the lights around the bay weren't so bright; we could have seen even more luminescence! read more

Virgin Kayak Tours - Virgin Kayak Tours, St. Croix: Close to the Bio Bay - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - St. Croix, Virgin Islands

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Wow! We had the best time! Our first pedal kayak adventure and definitely the way to go.... We saw Sea Turtles and Brian and Johnnies history and oceanographic tutorials were awesome! Highly recommend this tour of the Salt River with this outfitter. The Best! read more

We took the bioluminescent night tour last night with Virgin Kayak Tours. The owner, Jill, could not have been more accommodating. I didn't realize that these tours book up fast and you need to make reservations before you even leave for vacation. Hence, the next available spot on the tour was for the day after we left. I explained to Jill, through text messages, that I really wanted to be on the tour and to contact us if there was a cancellation, she quickly figured out how to make it happen by adding another guide. Sooo great! When I told her that we didn't have cash (my husband did not bring an ATM card (who does that? and well, I just don't have any) she made it possible to pay on line, even though it was late. The tour itself was awesome, the guides were knowledgeable and the kayaks were easy to use. This was awesome. I've read one or two fake reviews, don't believe them people! read more

Amazing tour. I would highly recommend. Having never kayak before, John the guide was very understanding and calming. Very knowledgeable and gave the right amount of information. A must do when on the island. The kayaks are done by peddling, which makes it earier for a first timer and easier to manuver than if had to use paddles. A wonderful time. read more

Took the bioluminescent bay tour on 7/4/2016. We had 8 people with ages from 6 to 88 and everyone was able to participate fully. The pedals were so easy to use. Because it is a bay, the water is calm. We had 2 guides so there was no getting lost. The bay is one of the highlights of the trip for all 8 of us. The guides clearly know and love the area, they know history, current events, nature, even astronomy (Jupiter was above us). This is a don't miss. Yes, I believe this is as good as it gets for an adventure in St Croix. read more

We did the evening bio-luminescence tour on Salt River and it was fantastic. After some challenges with my husband and I learning to work together to steer the boat it was awesome. A little cool and windy but our guide, Bryan (also the owner), gave me an industrial strength trash bag - a very effective way to stay dry and warm! He is super knowledgeable about the island, culture, history of the Caribbean and it made for a great tour! It's definitely well priced and worth the money. His wife, Jill, is very responsive and they are very accommodating in terms of getting a tour booked. Additionally, I left my hat on the tour and they are sending it to me back in the states. read more