Laguna Grande
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Laguna Grande
Laguna Grande

Laguna Grande

Laguna Grande, Fajardo

The Basics

Visitors can set the water aglow and create a trail of light with every stroke of their paddles during guided nighttime kayaking tours. Trips are usually offered around the cycles of the moon, timed to the darkest nights. Some tours also combine kayaking with an afternoon nature walk to La Mina Falls in the nearby El Yunque National Forest.

There are only a handful of places in the world where bioluminescent plankton is consistently found, three of which are in Puerto Rico. In addition to Lagunda Grande, this natural phenomenon exists in Mosquito Bay on Vieques Island and the bay at La Parguera. Laguna Grande in Fajardo is surrounded by red mangrove trees, which are native to the surrounding El Yunque rain forest and provide vitamin B12 to the marine plankton.

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Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking Tour 7:30pm | Laguna Grande, Fajardo
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking Tour 7:30pm | Laguna Grande, Fajardo
star-4.5
$59.00 per adult
Traveler Favorite
Family/Teen fun!!
When we arrived in Fajardo Avilio greeted us kindly and got us signed in. Emily was our main tour guide and she had three assistants and they were all fantastic. They help to fit us with life jackets gave us clear instructions and guided, even beginning kayakers easily and safely. She gave an excellent tour with facts and humor and the whole family enjoyed! Thank you all for sharing a piece of your beautiful country with us.!
Sheri_B, May 2023

Recent reviews from experiences in Fajardo

Fun paddling through the mangroves!
star-4
Fun paddling through the mangroves!
Margaret_B, Feb 2023
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking Tour in Laguna Grande Fajardo
We had a really fun Main guide with a good sense of humor. The e tire activity was very well organized , adequate time to review safety rules , and was not rushed. There was adequate time for paddling through the mangroves and in the bioluminescent bay. We were able to see the bioluminescence in the bay and on our way back paddling through the mangroves. Overall very enjoyable.
Scary fun adventure but such a beautiful experience seeing the glowing lights
star-5
Scary fun adventure but such a beautiful experience seeing the glowing lights
Erika_R, May 2023
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking Tour 7:30pm | Laguna Grande, Fajardo
Everything I was a horrible sport but they made the experience amazing loved it and the tour guides were funny as well as great
It was an incredible...
star-5
It was an incredible...
Anuj_S, May 2023
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking Tour 7:30pm | Laguna Grande, Fajardo
It was an incredible experience.Honestly it was first time kayaking and I was so nervous because it was during night time however the guides were super amazing they helped us and guided us throughout. If it's your first I'd say don't worry at all just go for it. It's definitely an experience of a lifetime.
Illuminating Experience
star-5
Illuminating Experience
Abel_B, Mar 2023
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking Tour in Laguna Grande Fajardo
Great experience and the guides/instructors were amazing!! Highly recommend it, even if you have never done kayak.
Great Experience
star-5
Great Experience
Heather_S, Mar 2023
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking Tour 7:30pm | Laguna Grande, Fajardo
The guides that lead us were great. They were very knowledgeable, funny and friendly. The kayak to the bay was fun but, a tiring
Must do
star-4
Must do
David_H, Jan 2023
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking at Laguna Grande, Fajardo 5:30pm
Beautiful. Emily was a great guide. Easy to do for any skill level. I didn’t like there were other tour groups on water at the same time that were too loud and being disrespectful to peace of the tour. Not our tours fault.
Great experience!
star-5
Great experience!
Kenedy_W, Mar 2023
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking Tour 7:30pm | Laguna Grande, Fajardo
This trip was great! My favorite part was honestly kayaking through the mangroves. The biolumenesence was great, we went during a waning crescent so the moon was barely there, and we could easily see the bioluminescence by splashing our hands and paddles. I’d do it again for the price I paid for 3 people. We all enjoyed it - but do keep in mind that they fill up fast so book ahead of time. They provided snacks and water at the end, and the crew was kind and very enthusiastic.
Worthwhile experience
star-5
Worthwhile experience
Max_S, Dec 2022
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking at Laguna Grande, Fajardo 5:30pm
Great experience! We went at 5:30pm and I was worried that it wouldn't be dark enough to see the bioluminescence (sunset was 5:45pm), but with the tarp it wasn't a problem. It was actually nice to kayak through the narrow channel before it was fully dark so people could get used to it. Though traveling back was more challenging, especially since there were many other kayaks going out while we were coming back. The bioluminescence itself was actually cooler than I thought it would be. Definitely worth seeing! Just keep your expectations realistic.
Fun yet slightly disappointed
star-4
Fun yet slightly disappointed
Shelly_K, Mar 2023
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking Tour 7:30pm | Laguna Grande, Fajardo
This was a very fun and enjoyable adventure. Paddling in the dark was slightly spooky, yet felt very safe. Bioluminescence was not as spectacular as I was expecting, you could only see it if you put your hand in the water.
Great experience!
star-5
Great experience!
Kathryn_L, Jan 2023
Bioluminescent Bay Night Kayaking Tour in Laguna Grande Fajardo
A great experience! We did the 5:30 tour, and enjoyed paddling through the mangrove forest, sunset on the bay, and the sparkly bioluminescence. Our guide, Emily, was excellent. She was knowledgeable, personable, and entertaining. A great experience all around!
Kayaking
star-4
Kayaking
Rcm2, Apr 2022
Natural One Puerto Rico: Laguna Grande Bio Bay Kayaking
Tour was ok. Kayaking was fun and the tour guides were very nice. The lights were just a but disappointing since we couldn’t see much and was not what you see in pictures.
Kayaking at night is great
star-5
Kayaking at night is great
Nicholas_H, Apr 2022
Natural One Puerto Rico: Laguna Grande Bio Bay Kayaking
Kayaking at night is pretty unique. I would recommend that you wait until the Moon is gone as it is difficult to see the bioluminescence in the water. I do appreciate the tour guide bringing a tarp to make things darker, and I do appreciate how amazing it is to save the kayak at night in a lagoon. The staff was nice, some of the people in our group were a bit rowdy, but all in all it was a good experience
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Things to Know Before You Go

  • Kayak tours typically navigate through a tunnel of mangrove trees before reaching the glowing waters.

  • Swimming in the bay is not allowed; you can swim and snorkel in the bay at La Parguera.

  • Guides will sometimes bring a cover so that the tour group can observe the bioluminescence in complete darkness without starlight.

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How to Get There

Laguna Grande is located in the Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve, just off the shores of Fajardo, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) or an hour’s drive east of Old San Juan. Tours typically depart from San Juan or Luquillo, which is 9 miles (15 kilometers) away.

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When to Get There

Kayaking trips frequently set out in the early evening around sunset, launching from Las Cabezas with a tour guide or instructor. The best time to experience the bioluminescent bay is when the sky is especially dark due to little or no moonlight, so try to book your tour around a new moon and avoid days surrounding a full moon.

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El Yunque Rain Forest

Sometimes coupled with a tour of the bioluminescent bay, a visit to El Yunque Rain Forest is a must-do for nature lovers visiting Puerto Rico. It is the only tropical rain forest in the United States Forest Service and features well-defined walking trails, lush landscapes, and plenty of wildlife such as the Puerto Rican parrot and the Coqui frog.

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