Isla Holbox

Isla Holbox trip ideas

Kayak experience and swiming with the bioluminescence in Holbox

Badge of ExcellenceIsla Holbox, Mexico

1 hour 45 minutes
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Marvel at the glistening water flowing from your paddle and around your boat on this overnight kayaking adventure. It's bioluminescence, a natural phenomenon caused by tiny creatures in the water. With a group of no more than 14 people and a guide to lead the way, you'll paddle under the stars in dark waters where you can swim and interact with bioluminescence.

Kayak under a starry sky in search of bioluminescence
Forge memories to last a lifetime at this spectacular natural phenomenon
You can hydrate yourself with bottles of water during the warm evening
The maximum number of travelers is 14, ensuring a safe and intimate experience

What's Included

Bilingual Guide, equipment, water, biodegradable repellent
we have life insurance and medical expenses.

The drop off is not included

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

IMPORTANT: Please send us a message on WhatsApp >>+52 871 483 6808<< 24 hours before the day of the activity to confirm the pick-up location and time.

What To Expect

Holbox Island

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Christine

Mimi and yuris were great bilingual guides. They made us feel very safe on the water. The activity is for beginners but being out in the open sea at night is intimidating but the waves were much calmer when we got further out

Reviews

4.5

73 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 73 reviews

You won't believe your eyes

Jaime_K, Jan 2024

This was the hightlight of our trip to Holbox! A truly unique experience, leave your phone at home, wear aqua socks and something that is ok to get wet but also protect you from the elements.

A beautiful glowing experience

Christopher_C, Jan 2024

Great experience! They picked us up at a convenient location near our hotel. Our guide Dali was very helpful and informative. Everything was very straightforward. I’m from Puerto Rico and have been to all 3 bioluminescent bays there and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by how great and beautiful this one in Holbox was! Both the water and the sand bank where they took us glow up (even our footsteps in the sand glow which I have never seen before!). Highly recommended!

Unique experience in Holbox!

SARAHMICHELLE_A, Nov 2023

Lovely experience - from beginning to end. Daniela our guide was so nice and knowledgeable! Kayaking under the stars was already a great experience plus the plankton.

Do it

Maria_M, Aug 2023

The tour is beautiful and the guides are exceptional. They make the experience unforgettable. Highly recommend it.

Highly recommended!

Bente_H, Jul 2023

Our guide was wonderful - friendly, knowledgable and enthusiastic. We kayaked out at night, were lucky to find the bioluminescence and swim among it. Highly recommended!

Good experience on reasonable price!

Alain_L, Jul 2023

Great expérience, nice staff, well manage by the Honduras women and her Team! Not has the pictures mention it, but cool to see the star effets in the water!

Must-do experience

Rebecca_R, Jun 2023

This tour was AWESOME! We’ve never seen anything like this. Mimi and Diego were amazing, communicative hosts. Would highly recommend. And an fyi, because we missed this in the instructions: wear a bathing suit so you can jump in the water!

Magical

Poppy_F, Apr 2023

The guide was friendly, informative, relaxed, and capable. It was an evening with not much bioluminescence, but we still were able to see at least two different kinds, and just floating around on the warm ocean at night under the stars was pretty magical!

TRY IT IF YOU LIKE ADVENTURE!!

LUIS_P, Feb 2023

One of the best experiences we had on the island! Definetely you need to try it if you like adventure, be prepared to get into the sea , complete darkness and the sky full of stars … mesmerizing!!!

I recommend going on the...

Jack_L, Dec 2022

I recommend going on the appropriate season, ask them exactly the correct location and know they don’t provide ride back (3am in the morning) not easy to find

Mimi and yuris were great...

Christine, Nov 2022

We had a great night with...

stephanie_d, Nov 2022

We had a great night with MiMi. she gave us a good knowledge on not only the bioluminescent experience but also on Isla Holbox history and other activities you can do!

A dream!

Antonio_V, May 2022

You have to book this tour! We had planned to only see see the plankton during the bioluminescence tour, but boy were we in for a surprise. We got to see jellyfish that lit up the whole area around our kayaks. It was magical, even our tour guide mentioned that this was a rare instance of nature.

Great new experience on the water

Kayla_O, May 2022

Mimi shared her appreciation for natural phenomenon like the bioluminescence and it was hard not to love it with her! The stars were unreal and the activity was well-organized. I appreciated that as our trip leader, she was able to adapt to challenges like inexperienced kayakers and someone who brought a professional photographer. The experience went as follows: meet at the tour headquarters, take a golf cart taxi to the location, receive some info and kayaking training, receive life jackets, store personal items like phones in a box with the tour company, kayak for 30 min, swim, kayak back, then walk or find your own taxi (with your own money) to get back. We didn’t bring our phones because we didn’t know about the storage option, and weren’t really prepared for heading back from a location we hadn’t been in the dark, but figured it out! My only other complaint would be the time spent waiting for other participants to arrive. We had a full group so it took some time. Bring bug spray!

Wonderful experience with the loveliest team!

Despina_F, May 2022

From the first to the last minute, my highlight in Holbox island! From the pick up with the golf caddy and the ride together with Morgan the dog, to the attention we got while kayaking, the information shared and the bioluminescence itself (we were really lucky and got a 70% visibility that night), it was a great experience that we take home with us and can only recommend! Shoutout to Mimi, because you could really feel her love for nature and marine life. Shoutout to our driver (I hope Vero is the correct name), who then afterwards sent us an amazing list of extra tips for our journey onwards to Mexico city. The best team and event ever, keep it up!

Unreal experience

Kevin_B, Mar 2022

This activity was absolutely unreal. Kayaking in the middle of the night itself was amazing. The stars were the brightest I've ever seen them. The bioluminescence was craaaazy to see in person. Then swimming in the ocean at night has a unique feel to it. We also got to see the moon come up and it was just breathtaking. The team that took us was great. They were knowledgeable and super sweet. They shared great stories and knowledge and made us feel very comfortable and safe the whole time. Great souls. Loved this so much.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Hola Kevin!!!! We greatly appreciate your comment and experience, we hope to see you again in this paradise! Enjoy the trip!

Spiritual and meditative experience

Daniel_S, Jan 2022

This experience was really great! It was very spiritual and meditative. Professional and super friendly staff. The 1.45-2h lasting time was also perfect. Being out on the ocean while it’s pitch dark, seeing all the stars, hearing the waves, totally silence, experiencing the bioluminence.. (which appearently now was about 60-70%) mind blown! This is a must if visiting Holbox.

Glad I went!

Erin_G, Jan 2022

Staff was responsive to inquiries on whats app, provided helpful hints to prepare for the excursion. We were with a group of 11. Paddle guide was knowledgeable and helpful. It was an interesting trip at night, paddling through the waves. Due to time of year and time of month, we got to see some of the biolumines which were very pretty.

Bioluminscence is life-changing.

Brandon_N, Jul 2021

We had a blast. Our guides were great and took care of everyone, making sure that they were comfortable and having a good time. And if you haven't seen bioluminescent water before, it can be life-changing. Find it and go to it.

Stay Awaay!

snl14, Jun 2021

We were booked for Friday night. We were picked up and dropped off at the wrong location and was told to wait. The tour staff did not follow up with us at all. After waiting 20 minutes, we asked the person who we were dropped off with how much longer and she told us 20 more minutes. We decided to reschedule as everything closes at 11p. Our tour guide never followed up where we were even after requesting the reschedule and mentioning why. Fast forward to this evening, we were told to be ready at 8:40p. After waiting more than 10 minutes we were told the driver was on the way. Another 10 minutes goes by, i was told the driver was waiting for us, there was no driver. My friend walked to the other side of the hotel and there was no driver. i called and they claimed they were calling the driver again: after waiting another 10 minutes, i called and they did not answer the phone. After waiting 45 minutes for a taxi, we cancelled. They still never returned my call, instead we wrote back claiming they called 5 drivers. Best part, despite booking via viator. requested to send refund via PayPal. Stay away. Lack of communication, disorganized and dishonest.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

I understand your annoyance and we accept responsibility, there are many things that you would not understand unless you lived on an island and experienced the situations that arise that are not in our hands such as the state of the streets and the taxis that operate on the island. About Paypal I do not understand what the problem is, it is just one more form of payment. A thousand apologies for what happened. PD. We are not dishonest.