The Glass Bottom

Incredible experience! We heard it was best to do this excursion when there is very little moonlight out and luckily for us, there was only a sliver of the moon that night. Our hotel front desk agent recommended going with a company that had glass bottom kayaks so we could see the plankton glowing without having to peer over the edge (and fall into the water!) So we Unilocaled a few businesses and came upon this one and we are so thankful!
From the very start of the tour, one of the guides started gathering us around him with incredible energy and I knew this was going to be good. They did a quick (and I mean quick) kayak lesson and explained how this would be challenging since it was so dark out, but reassured us that they were there to help. There were four total guides with our big group of about 20?
We set out and me and my friend were doing fine until we got to the mangrove canal. Pitch black. Not very good at kayaking already. Kept crashing into trees. We were saved by the best tour guide ever, Kevin, who asked us if we needed help (yes, please!) and he latched us onto his kayak and we barely had to paddle! He made it seem so easy! (It was funny, the other guides asked us if we got a flat tire, haha — no we just suck!)
When we finally got out of the mangrove canal into a beautiful wide area with nothing but the stars above us, glowing plankton below us, and mangroves around us. we begged Kevin not to unlatch us hahaha! He was amazing and left us connected to his kayak. We actually got a little personal VIP tour from him as he explained a bunch to us. He never made us feel dumb for not being able to get it together enough to kayak properly. Kevin — you’re the bomb!!!

Glass Bottom PR employees were gracious and kind. We were running late because it was a little hard to find, but they called to check in with us, gave us directions, and waited for us. Plus, we were exhausted and a bit nervous kayaking back, and our tour guide tied our kayaks together and towed us back. I would highly recommend taking the 6pm tour. Getting to see the mangroves while kayaking was son much fun. Plus, there are some narrow areas and low hanging branches so seeing them in the daylight will help you when you need to return back. I didn’t see much luminescence. The tour guides bring out a tarp, and groups of kayaks huddle together with the tarp over our heads. We are instructed to put our hands in the water and under the kayak and splash around while we look through the glass bottom. The sparks were minimal and non-​obvious. Do not expect «fireworks» under your kayaks. It’s not like a spark or two here or there. Try to be the kayak on the end because it is a tight squeeze to stick your arm between kayaks and splash under. If you are claustrophobic then this is not an experience you want. You are provided complimentary insect repellant, water, and snacks (chips, fruit snacks, granola bars). The company is fantastic but I think the actual experience is just ok. Be prepared to get bitten. I had tons of bug spray on me, but I got about 5 – 7 bites.

I was super excited for this trip. I thought it was going to be the highlight of our trip to Puerto Rico. All started well. We broke the group into two, Spanish speakers and English speakers. I was in the English speaker group. There was only four kayaks in my group compared to 15 or 20 in the other group. Still excited at this point. The larger group took off first. Then our group. This is when the cluster started. We steered into a mangrove canal and when we were ¼ mile in it got super dark. Another guide group was exiting the mangrove and they had all sorts of problems. Our dumbass guide decided to leave our group to help his competition. It was so dark you literally couldn’t see five feet in front of you. I just heard stay to the right. The problem is you had no idea where the right and left side of the canal was. It sucked. We ran into trees. Other unlit kayaks literally ran into us. It was dangerous. I was pissed. I’m an expert kayaker. If I wasn’t we’d have been in a much more dangerous spot.
I complained and and had some pissed words for our guide when he finally showed back up again. He then let me know about his hero status and attitude and how he needed to help his competition. He literally said «it’s part of the job description». I was sooooo pissed. I said «your f-​ING job description is to guide the people that paid you and not leave them in dangerous positions». He went on to tell us that he never sugar coats anything and we were so amazing. Then he started to make jokes about tipping your guides and not your kayaks.
I chose the glass bottom group because of the glass bottom kayaks. I wanted to see the glow in the dark creatures through the floor. I didn’t see any.
Because of the dangerous cluster our guide abandoned us in, we missed areas to look for the bioluminescent creatures on the trip in. It’s an out and back trip so I did get to see them on the way back, but that’s not the point.
Go on the trip. It’s cool. Choose a safe company that illuminates their kayaks (glass bottom does). Also choose a company that pays attention to your safety and happiness (glass bottom did not). Our guide made an event I was super excited to do really a poor experience. Seeing the bioluminescent creatures was cool but I was left with a bad taste for the company.
I wouldn’t rebook with Glass Bottom. I’d try another company. I’d ask if they attach those little glow sticks to the kayaks (front and back) so you can be seen and I’d wear a headlamp.

This was a great way to visit the Fajardo bio-​luminescent bay. The glass bottoms of the kayaks improved the experience a whole lot. On the night we went, the bio-​luminescence wasn’t all that strong, so glass bottoms really helped. The tour guides were wonderful. If you can’t get to the Vieques bio bay (we couldn’t), this is a very good choice. Highly recommend. Note, requires more than 1 hour of kayak paddling.

My family thoroughly enjoyed this night time kayak experience! Our tour guides Ralphie and Manolo made the experience fun and educational! We truly enjoyed the experience, it was surreal! The tour guides were funny, knowledgable, and extremely helpful! It doesn’t look like the advertisement, the water actually glowing, but you can see the luminescence in the water. The tour guides have all the kayaks next to each other, then they put a long tarp covering all the kayaks so you can see the luminescence on the glass bottom. They truly work very hard to make the experience amazing. We had an amazing time and so did our young adult children. We recommend their company to everyone. There are many companies but this one truly surpasses the expectation.

We had a great time on this tour! The glass bottom kayaks are definitely the way to go to experience the bioluminescence, and not many tour companies offer them. Our guides were awesome and knowledgeable about the area. It is a little scary kayaking through the tree canopy when it’s pitch black, but the kayaks have glow sticks so it’s easy to follow the person in front of you. Definitely recommend Glass Bottom Kayaks!

This business was very responsive. I was able to reach them by phone easily. It’s also a big plus that they have a very clear schedule online and I can make my reservation online.
The tour itself was excellent. One of the very few companies that have a glass bottom on their kayaks. This makes the experience much better. The tour guides were very friendly and knowledgable. Told lots of jokes and stories on the way. They were very attentive to everyone in the group and handled high traffic situations much better than the other tour guides.
Money well spent. Book here.

Excellent crew, excellent experience and wonderful memories! Do not hesitate as it’s very safe and the crew will make sure it’s a great experience for all. Just one advice, make sure to put some mosquito repellent on before heading out.

They have the most repulsive tour guide. Even they knew the water was not glowing, they took us there and kept for almost one hour. The guy who thinks he is funny was totally annoying and disturbing. If you don’t want to watch cheap theater play, avoid from this company. Thanks.

We had no idea what to expect…
I called every single company in Fajardo looking for a tour on a Sunday, and most of them do not offer tours or were already booked. I called Glassbottom and then texted, crossed my fingers and waited. I got a text response shortly thereafter and was booked for the next day! Everything was awesome, and quite the adventure. I don’t want to give too much of the adventure away, but the staff at Glass Bottom are super friendly, informative, and hilarious. My friend and I were lagging behind so one of the guides strapped our kayak onto his and pulled us the entire way, FIRST CLASS SERVICE! Be prepared to get wet, see cool things, and have a great time.

One the best tours I’ve ever taken, up there with snow mobiling on a glacier in Iceland! The tour guys are playful, funny and you felt really taken care of. Kayaking in the dead of night in the ocean is an exhilarating feeling. We got to see bright shiny stars in the sky and shiny bioluminescence in the sea! We kayaked for about 1.5 hours through a windy mangrove forest. This is a must do if you are in Puerto Rico!

Awesome tour and only one with glass bottom kayaks! The glass bottom was neat to see the glowing micro-​organisms shooting underneath! The tour guides were great at instructions and just funny/​nice, Michael and his two crew members Rafi and Manolo! Seemed like other tours were a bit more chaotic vs how they managed our group. Would HIGHLY recommend!!!

I’ve always heard amazing things about PR’s bioluminescent bays. There’s a couple of them. We opted for the one in Laguna Grande (not the more popular Fajardo one). I don’t have any other experiences to compare it to but man was it magical!
My kayak partner and I fell behind and kept running into trees. Mind you, it’s pitch black darkness and also my first time kayaking!) and our guide Bradley was quick to save us. He tied us to his kayak and paddled, fast. His speed allowed us to witness and experience of the glowing plankton more than we would’ve otherwise. We ran our hands through the water and the glow was magical! Be warned though, most pictures you see of bioluminescent bays have been through super slow shutter speeds. The reality of it is less glow but it was still amazing.
After you reach the opening of the bay (no more trees overhead), you can clearly see all the stars in the sky. I’m from NYC where there’s never much up there, so this was really special. Stars twinkling above, glowing microorganisms below. It was truly magical!
Thank you Bradley for the wonderful experience. And the glass bottom kayaks was well worth the price (it’s only a bit more than the non-​glass bottoms). Also, they give you snacks and drinks afterwards! They also provided a photographer who took shots before and after your ride so you don’t have to worry about bringing your phone (highly recommend you don’t since the kayak is filled with water most of the time).
CONS:
Lots of kayak traffic, many are there without a guide (or with bad guides) it seems so they don’t even know protocol of communicating they’re approaching, which makes it dangerous (paddles to the face are NOT fun and I barely avoided one). The traffic also made it hard to figure out which kayaks were with which guides, though there was a small glow-​stick marker on them.
ADD’L info:
We booked on
for $ 110 per person which included hotel pick up but realized that it would’ve been $ 50 cheaper per person if we just found our own transportation to the bay.

I made our reservation online as their website is being overhauled and I couldn’t get it to work. Julie was professional and helpful, communicating with me via text after the reservation was made. She sent a reminder, directions and an afterhours contact number for Christian who is the coordinator onsite. We ended up changing our night for the trip and they were very accommodating.
The night of the trip was clear (though I had prayed for light rain as it makes the trip more magical), we were paired up and loaded in the Kayaks following a brief safety talk. A word to the wise… if you are a novice paddler– hang to the back of the group, if you are a decent paddler move towards the front… The guides in the middle and the rear are more help if you just cant get it together!
The trip though the mangroves is a little scary but adds so much to the adventure. Its dark, smells odd, has lots of wildlife sounds and is an experience that most would never ever experience. It is still and mosquito ridden… use copious amounts of bug repellant, rub it in vigorously allllll over your skin and spray your clothes and hair. I recommend using a natural oil based product like Skedattle. It works way better than OFF and it will not harm this very delicate ecosystem. I discovered it on another trip and have recommended it to the staff at Glass Bottoms. Don’t bother taking your camera, it wont photograph the organisms and the guides will take photos that are better than your selfies. If you drop your device… its gone. Wear water shoes if you can, they will not let you take your flipflops, water bottles or anything else in. As I said this is a delicate eco system that will not take any more abuse.
The guides are personable and fun, their english is good and they love to tell you about their island, lives, jobs etc… they offer a minor science lesson and work hard to make sure you have a good time. Keep in mind, like waiters– –these guys do not make a lot of money… if you enjoy them, tip them.
This is my 4^th «bio bay» trip as I have shared both Laguna Grande in Fajardo and Mosquito Bay in Viegas with friends and family. This is however the first time I have gone since the 10 year seaweed event this past fall… it did a number on the bay. This last week there was very little bioluminesance in the water, I understand that some days it will be stronger than others and there is no way to know when it will be a good day. That being said, kayaking at night, in the mangroves, seeing stars etc is still a worthwhile experience… even if you don’t have diamonds in the water!

We called and left a message, telling the company our name and how many people were interested in taking the tour to the bio bay. A couple days later, we received a text message confirming our reservation and cost. There were 4 of us going and we reserved 2 glass bottom kayaks. Rental per person was $ 48.
It was a little difficult getting to the meeting spot. Our GPS took us to the wrong place. We called the kayak company and they were able to give us directions. The group was willing to wait for us to get there. When we got to the meeting spot, we were giving life jacket and a paddle. We coupled up and walked into the lagoon until the water was above my knee. So I recommend wearing flip flops and shorts. We got into our kayaks which will be wet. We got into single filed lines and followed our tour guides. We were a group of about 10 – 12 kayaks.
The tour guides were friendly and hilarious. There was one leading and one at the end to make sure we didn’t get lost or stuck behind. When we got to the middle of the lagoon, we all huddled up and got under a tarp which made it pitch dark. The planktons were more easily seen. It was a cool experience. The beautiful light they give off when you run your fingers through the water. It was amazing and totally worth it.
It took a little over an hour to complete the tour. Refreshments and snacks were provided after the tour. Tips are optional. I highly recommend spraying yourself with Off! or mosquito repellant before and after the tour. My friend got attacked by mosquitos! She had over 50 bites (I counted)!

My boyfriend and I did the biobay kayaking on the glass bottom kayaks. I’m so glad we used this company. We had four instructors who were all incredibly experienced and helpful when navigating through the mangrove channels. This is not an easy kayaking trip! It is pitch black, the current is strong and you are constantly trying to avoid hitting the side of the channel, the other kayaks around you and low branches. But these instructors made sure to tell the group every time we should expect a sharp turn, low branch or another group coming the opposite way. Some of the kayaks in the group were not able to get through the strong current and one of the instructors ended up towing 3 kayaks Behind him. Amazing!
I wasn’t actually that impressed with the bio bay. It was hard to tell that the bay was glowing. Still, I was proud that we were able to able to get through the dark channel. This experience is certainly a test of your communication skills and some of the couples on our trip did not do that well!
Lastly, we got picked up from our hotel by a very friendly driver. Made the experience awesome from start to finish!

My family and I booked a 10 hour Tour with this company and It was simply amazing. Yamille was our Tour Guide and we loved her. She made sure we were on time Bio Bay and the Rain Forest.

I’m surprised that none of the reviews I read mentioned how scary kayaking in pitch black darkness can be. I was terrified! Luckily, the guys at the Kayak Rental (Michael, Kevin, Bradley, and Manolo) were so chill, funny, and entertaining, that it helped to take the edge off. They were well placed throughout the group to make sure everyone was taken care of, cracking jokes, singing, and shouting directions at us.
The glass bottom kayak was a huge advantage because none of the other kayak companies had it and it allows us to see the glittering bioluminescence while going through the mangrove.
The later tour is the darkest, and obviously the best for seeing the bioluminescence. There are lots of kayak groups and two motorboats going through the channel also, and it can get tight and there will inevitably be kayak crashes, but we were given lots of directions in terms of terms and when to get to the side to allow for another group to pass.
At the end, they provide snacks and beverages and mosquito repellant spray for people to use. They also take pictures when you first get into the kayak and once you’re out in the bay, and they put them on Facebook and make them available for free. They don’t pressure you for tips or upsell you, but they definitely deserve tips! The guys were great and made the experience entertaining and fun.

Being on my second biobay excursion, I must say this company is way better than the last.
— GLASS BOTTOM KAYAKS — totally worth it, especially given that the price is essentially the same as going on a regular kayak.
— CLEAR and LOUD instruction helped navigate the mangrove. Last time I went, I nearly broke my nose on one of the branches hanging down on the mangroves because nobody said to avoid certain sides of the mangroves or warned of turns. These guys shined lots of light and did an excellent job warning of hazards. In addition, when other kayakers were coming through, we’d be the only company that was given clear and loud instructions as to what side to stay on. The rest just rammed into each other all the time.
— MAGICAL bio bay. So beautiful and an absolute must in Fajardo. Water shining under your hands.

This place was great. The number one reason I would encourage people to choose them is this… the tarp.
So, basically when you go out, you can kind of see the glow from the little creatures, but the light from the city and the moon makes it harder to see… BUT… when they put the tarp over you, the brightness is unbelievable! You see it so much clearer with the tarp. that alone is worth the trip.
I didn’t see any other crew do this… go with them so you can see the little creatures really well when you’re under the tarp. You can pick up a handful of water and blow it and it’s like blowing fairy dust everywhere, that’s how much it sparkles!
Added bonuses… they are glass bottomed kayaks, so you can see through, which means you see little shimmers of the florescence as they hit your kayak. The crew is fun, knowledgeable, and helpful.
I would recommend them hands down!