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San Juan to La Parguera: Bio Bay Boat Tour with Hot Springs

Name: San Juan to La Parguera: Bio Bay Boat Tour with Hot Springs
Brand: Borikua Tours
SKU: 7069P3
Price: 250.00 USD
Rating: 4.5 (121 reviews)

San Juan, Puerto Rico

La Parguera Bio Bay Boat Tour from San Juan

9 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Enjoy a sunset cruise followed by an exploration of one of Puerto Rico’s bioluminescent bays during this full-day excursion from San Juan. Experience the glowing rays of the sun as they fade into the ocean. Then see a different type of glowing as you explore and swim in the bioluminescent waters near the town La Parguera.

Enjoy a combination sunset cruise and bioluminescent bay boat tour
Watch the last rays of light melt into the ocean
Explore the amazing glowing waters of a bioluminescent bay near La Parguera
Discover two of Puerto Rico's most scenic coastal sights on a single trip

What's Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Certified local guide
Dinner: Veggie, chicken or fresh fish soft tacos (3 tacos pp)
During dinner, soda or bottled water (1 pp)
Noodle to float
Air-conditioned vehicle
Certified captain and boat
Life vest

Hard liquor, international or artesanal beers
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.

Meeting points

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Pickup points

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Start time

02:00 PM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

Other Pickup: Old San Juan, Condado area, Isla Verde area, Las Catalinas Mall (Caguas), Ponce downtown (Plaza de Ponce) PONCE PICKUP: Ponce is a city in the south of Puerto Rico, if you pickup location is in San Juan or Carolina please choose San Juan pickup. Thanks! 1. Guest Must be 15 minutes before pickup time at the location agreed. 2. There there will be 5 Minute waiting time after the pick up time if guest still do not arrive the tour guide will leave for the next pick up and Viator will not refund as this will be considered a no show. 3. Remember to call 24 hours the company so the guest can provide location and we can provide pick up time. 4. Even thou we have a 2pm pick up time this is only a approximate time. The pick ups time my range between 12:30pm to 2pm. That is why is important to call for location and pick up time.

What To Expect

Receive an afternoon pickup from your San Juan hotel and head south to the coastal town of La Parguera, about 2-hours away. As you drive you’ll enjoy the views of the Puerto Rican countryside.

When you arrive in this seaside city, board a boat for your evening experience on the water. Motor out to one of the scenic ‘cays’ (islands) located just offshore to watch the sun slip into the ocean.

As the sky grows dark, continue to a nearby bioluminescent bay, watching in wonder as the water emits an eerie blue-like glow. It’s a sight that can only be seen in a handful of locations around the world. Then, slip into the glowing waters for a swim before you return to port for the drive back to San Juan and a drop-off at your hotel.

Borikua Tours

3 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Monumento al Jibaro Puertorriqueno (Pass By)

La Parguera

1 hour 35 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

La Parguera

1 hour 35 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
It is recommended that you bring a bathing suit and or swimsuit, towel and change of clothes
Not wheelchair accessible
A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
You will be immersed in the Caribbean sea and will be a guest of the marine life of the sea
Infants must sit on laps

Most travelers can participate
Travel time is included in the 11 hour duration of the tour
We offer the tour with a Minimum of 4 Guests
Guest that weigh over 300 pounds.
Not Walker accesible
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 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.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Yulian_W

Our host Cruze is really good!! He is very knowledgeable to Bio Bay and PR culture in general. He is easy going and also very organized (he called us 30 minutes before the trip to make sure that we had everything we needed and what we should expect for the trip). The car is nice and comfortable. The dinner is tasty. We swam (twice!!) in the bay which was definitely the highlight of the trip. And the Bio bay at night is beautiful and unique. We recommend this trip!

Reviews

4.5

121 reviews

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

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 121 reviews

Great time!

Rebecca_N, May 2024

We had a great time on this tour. Our tour guide Cruz was awesome. Knowledgeable, funny, and very helpful. The tour itself was beautiful. Very happy we got to experience this!

Memories to cherish forever!

Jamie_M, May 2024

Look no further! This tour is THE ONE! It was the most fabulous experience we had on the island! I am so glad we did it! The tour was well thought out. The hot springs were lovely, the tacos were delicious. The sand bar was an absolute delight! It was so fun to be in the warm shallow waters and see a lovely sunset. Then- the bio bay! Swimming in the water was fascinating! Watching it sparkle and run down your arms, funding different ways to experiment with movement, it was unforgettable! My entire family enjoyed it, even one person who was a little hesitant at first ended up having a great time. The boat ride back was peaceful with beautiful views of the night sky.

A waste of time and money.

Glenda_H, Apr 2024

I went kayaking in Mosquito Bay three days earlier, but I could not swim in it. I knew La Parguera would be much dimmer, but I went specifically to go swimming in it. I have balance and mobility issues and use a walker or cane. They told me this would not be a problem. After getting on the boat, we stopped for a swim before going to the bio bay. My foot slipped getting back into the boat. Afterwards, the captain said he would not allow me to go swimming when we got to the bio Bay and that I should ask for a refund from the tour company. The tour company offered no compensation at all. As the sole purpose of my going was to swim in the bio bay, and as I had signed a waiver before getting into the boat, and as I still wanted to swim in the bay, even after the previous slip, I think I should have been allowed to swim in the bio bay. Since I was not allowed to swim they should have refunded the money. It was a long drive and my time would have been better spent exploring more in old San Juan. Viatour was no help in advocating for me and therefore I will never book another tour through them.

Beauty, History and Connection

Jennifer_S, Apr 2024

A great balance of beauty and education of history. The tour guides were so personable. Would love to do this trip again.

Sparkly Mermaid Dreams Fulfilled

AmandaStephens, Apr 2024

This tour was absolutely amazing. The hot springs were a delightful, relaxing stop. We had a delicious dinner then got on the boat for a slightly rainy sunset. The bioluminescent Bay isn't anything amazing until you get in to the water, and then it's magical. Highly recommend Cruz as a guide and this tour in particular!

Amazing

Patrick_A, Apr 2024

Bucket list checked off Amazing it feels like you are swimming to never never land with tinker bell Pictures don’t do it justice you have to experience it

Relaxing, beautiful trip

Angela_T, Apr 2024

The tour guide and boat captains were amazing and knowledgeable. The hot springs were relaxing and the bioluminescent bay was the best experience of the trip!

Swimming in glitter

Heidi_M, Apr 2024

Cruz was an incredible guide. He did his absolute best to accommodate all of our requests and was genuine and kind. The hot springs were a fun way to break up the trip to the bio bay and nice little experience to enjoy. The town of Parguera was cute and we enjoyed our taco dinner there before hopping on the boat. Sadly the weather wasn't on our side to see a sunset at the sandbar, but we enjoyed a quick swim and then headed the bio bay. We were delighted by the bioluminescence. It felt like we were making glitter when we would sway our hands in the water and our 8 year old was overjoyed by how fun it was. Our boat captain was kind enough to pull water up on the boat and pour over the hands of the grandparents who came with us who didn't want to swim so they could see it up close too.

Unforgettable!

Mitzi_P, Mar 2024

Excellent adventure! The tour guide and boat captains were wonderful. Dinner was good, hot springs were very relaxing, and the overall experience was purely magical!

Great family outing!

Joslynn_J, Jan 2024

Lovely trip - our guide was very professional and called ahead to confirm all the details, handled a flat tire with ease and got our trip right back on schedule, and shared tons of knowledge on the drive! The bio bay was gorgeous; not photographable, but being up close and personal swimming in the bay was an incredibly unique experience. Bring goggles to see the bioluminescence under water - the glow is lovely even without, but having some goggles definitely enhanced the experience. The hot springs were a lovely addition, a great relax/rest break, and watching the sunset was a beautiful photo op. Overall would recommend. We had a wide age range in our group (grandmother, parents, and kids), and everyone had a wonderful time. We had excellent food, beautiful views, and a very relaxing trip overall.

Pure Magic!

Elena_D, Dec 2023

This was hands-down one of the most amazing experiences of my life! Our tour guide, Cruz, was friendly, took care of everything, and taught us so much about the history and life of the island. The hot springs were incredible, and the bio-bay swimming was magical. It was also so nice to have the transportation and meal taken care of so we could just focus on making memories!

Fabulous experience

Sarah_C, Aug 2023

Perfect guide. Great balance on explaining the experience and providing time for us to spend time alone as a family. The bio-bay was well worth the drive.

Trip worth the time and price tag!

Allison_S, Apr 2023

Cruz did a wonderful taking care of us on the 9 hours we spent together. He was very knowledgeable and made us feel safe and comfortable. Highly recommend this tour. It gave us a chance to see and explore other parts of this beautiful island.

Amazing excursion!

Laurell_K, Mar 2023

This excursion was the highlight of our trip to Puerto Rico! Cruz was a fantastic guide and made sure everyone was well taken care of. The hot springs were so relaxing - would have liked to have a little bit more time there. The bio bay was incredible and as my daughter said, "It felt like a dream". I will never forget the time we had!

Our host Cruze is really...

Yulian_W, Mar 2023

Magical experience which can't be captured with photos

Moshe_P, Dec 2022

First of all, Cruz is the best. He was engaging and knowledgeable during the tour and communicated clearly about pickup before. The ride was comfortable and air conditioned. Now the fun stuff Hot springs were pleasant and made for a good pit stop at about the halfway point. There were two pools, one just under 100 degrees and the other 108 although this changes slightly each day. Be sure to go to the cooler one first. We felt like the 30ish minutes at the springs was well paced like the whole trip. Fish and veggies tacos were good and cruz called the order in ahead of time which helped as it was crowded. We then walked under 5 minutes to a lovely boat and took a nice ride to the sandbar. Swimming on the sandbar was idyllic with warm 3 ft deep water and soft sand beneath. Watching the sunset while bopping in water was fantastic. Now for the main event. A once in a lifetime experience with a magical atmosphere. We are so happy we chose this bay, the only one on the island you can swim in. The experience is akin to swimming in gemmed water and watching it sparkle in the water and on your hand was captivating for the whole time we were there. The atmosphere was further enhanced by the twinkle of the stars. They provided pool noodles and life vests to those who wanted. Would recommend bringing goggles for the stunning visual beneath the water. We were there shortly after a new moon and would strategize on timing to try and minimize light. After, we had a chance to change before an uneventful drive back. Thank you Cruz and our boat captains!

The perfect experience

Lisa_E, Nov 2022

What incredible experience. Cruz was fantastic tour guide and gave so much information. The fish taco were amazing and we even were able to amazing coffee before going to The boat . Captain Frank was also great but absolute incredible experience was swimming with bio essences. It something I will never forget .

Awesome experience!

Adam_T, Aug 2022

We booked this tour as a last-minute replacement for a tour that got cancelled the day before we were supposed to go, and it couldn't have worked out better. Enrique and Richard were great guides, and treated our family wonderfully. The hot springs were relaxing, the included dinner was great, and the swimming in the bio bay was amazing. We highly recommend this tour to anyone.

Remarkable Experience

Tracy_G, Jul 2022

Cruz was terrific! We were a family of four and there was another couple on the tour, so it felt like a private tour. The journey was awesome, with Cruz pointing out all sorts of interesting things about the island as we went. The hot springs were amazing. It was the first thing that we did that felt like only locals usually do. Gorgeous, serene location and a great way to spend a bit of the afternoon. The town of Parguera was so cool, they had live music set up to celebrate a festival and the restaurant where we stopped for tacos was great. The fish tacos were awesome and the kids said the chicken tacos were excellent, too. The highlight of the day, of course, was the Bio Bay. Captain Frank was a ton of fun and seeing all the houses on the water was so cool. He first took us to sun bay, where we could swim out in the middle of the ocean near the mangroves and it was just a ton of fun. After that, the Bio Bay. I don't even know if there are any words to describe how magical the bay was. The water sparkled and the stars were out in force overhead just making the whole thing surreal. My husband, who is notoriously hard to please, was blown away. When they said it was time to wrap it up and get back to the boat, he mentioned that he could stay out there forever. My recommendation would be to choose a night of your vacation that is set to have the smallest moon. The darker the sky, the brighter the bay will seem. Apparently, a light rain is cool, too, because then the bay sparkles with every raindrop, but our night was clear. Also, the day we went it had a lovely breeze, so bugs weren't a problem, but in general I think it would be a good thing to carry along some bug spray, just in case.

Absolutely amazing!

Rachel_G, Apr 2022

Amazing experience! The drive wasn't too long and there were stops to use the bathroom and get snacks halfway through. The hot spring stop on the way down was very relaxing and gave us a chance to chat with the others on the trip. The tacos for dinner were delicious and more filling than I had expected. And the actual boat ride and bio bay - absolutely amazing! Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Luckily we were there at an optimal time to be able to see the bioluminescence (you want to go as close to a new moon as possible), and had cloudy skies. Bring a light jacket for the boat ride, as it can be a bit chilly. Once at the bio bay, you have the option to either take a pool noodle or a life jacket into the water, and there is a ladder if you're like me and a bit hesitant about jumping right in. The guide and boat captain assured me they would let us know if they saw any jellyfish, which was a concern for me but I felt at ease after talking to them about it. Being able to see the sparkles of bioluminescence with every movement in the water was absolutely magical. I'm so glad we chose this tour and this bay.