"San Juan: La Parguera Bio Bay Swim & Rum Tasting"

It was a great experience. Very safe and fun. The rum tasting was amazing. The guide taught us how to make a good piña colada. The Bio Bay experience was amazing too. Our guide "Steven" was the best.

Our tour guide Steven was terrific. He communicated well and let us know our options when we were the only ones booked for the tour, they have a minimum of 4 people. We were able to reschedule when others had booked. Pickup/drop-off at our hotel was very convenient. He and our captain were very well informed on the BioBay and made the time together fun. Be advised, if you're in San Juan, the trip is about 2 hours to get to the bay. Nothing against the tour, just be prepared for a lot of time in the car. I definitely recommend this tour to anyone that doesn't think they can make the other tours by kayak.

Stephen and everyone he involved was TOP NOTCH!! From our boat captain to our INCREDIBLE fish tacos, to the AMAZING rum tasting, it could NOT have been better! The bio bay was crazy cool! Plus, our vehicle was beautiful and comfortable, and we learned so much and saw so much on the ride! Truly, if I could give it more tha 5 stars, I would!

1. YOU DON'T SWIM IN THE BIO BAY. ONLY AFTER THEY DROPPED ANCHOR DID THEY TELL US THEY CANT ENTER THE BAY; IT'S TOO SHALLOW FOR THEIR BOATS. $255 PER PERSON AND THAT'S IT? Screw the tourists. 2. The ride from our hotel takes far longer than they say. Plan on 3 hours each way. 3. The rum "tour" is a joke. You get there, and they point to photos on a wall to take you on the "tour" of how they make rum. 4. Stopping on a random hill for 5 minutes for a photo op...why? 5. They tout the restaurant as authentic local food. I guess authentic local means it's not very good, and its filthy. Canned chicken on the tacos. Tacos. No rice, beans, or salsa. By the time the food comes, your single can of soda is warm, and the bartender was not happy to be asked for a cup with ice. 5. Wear your swim trunks on the ride there. My fiance had to find a random bathroom in the "town" to change in. 6. Whole trip seemed like it was their first time doing it. Clusterfxxk of epic proportions. Youve already paid, so no one involved with the tour really cares about live expectations. 7. On Yelp, businesses are unable to remove negative reviews. No surprise you won't find them on Yelp.

My friends and I (3 of us) booked the tour for that past Saturday. They cancelled on us at 9 pm the night before! We called them twice the week of to confirm the pick up time and at no point did the local contact mention that the tour might be cancelled. We were left with no time to find a different tour. Additionally, we had to contact TripAdvisor to get our money back vs the vendor just refund us automatically after cancelling on us! We spent over 45 mins on the phone with our travel agent and our travel agent attempted for hours after our call to finally get a hold of the vendor! It was a very disappointing experience overall. Do not recommend unless you don’t mind the possibility of getting your tour cancelled last minute

most amazing experience!!! DO THIS TOUR!!! steven was the most amazing guide. he was so nice and knowledgeable about so much and just a fun guy to spend the day with. the rum tasting was a great start to our day. gabriel was fun and kept us laughing… and the rum was delicious! we had the fish tacos at the next stop before the bay and they were good but the sweet chili sauce wasn’t my favorite. i’d try them without it next time. on the boat captain frank was so welcoming and also so knowledgeable. all were such proud puerto ricans and made me fall in love with their life and the area! the glow from the plankton was so unreal. nothing i’ve ever experienced… such a cool opportunity!! THIS IS A MUST DO TOUR!!

I had a fantastic time. Stephen was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The tour involved far more than I expected, and was definitely worth the money. I would highly recommend this trip & company.

As a 54-year-old woman traveling solo, this tour was everything I hoped for and more. From the moment I joined the group, everyone was welcoming and friendly, and our guide, Steven, made the entire day smooth, fun, and informative. We began in beautiful Ponce with a guided tour of the historic castle, followed by a Don Q rum tasting and a deep dive into its fascinating history right there on-site—such a unique experience! From there, we headed to La Parguera for delicious fish tacos (seriously, don’t skip them!), then boarded Captain Jack’s boat for the real magic. Captain Jack was knowledgeable, funny, and made sure we had the best views at the sandbar for the sunset and later, in the bioluminescent bay. Swimming in glowing water under the stars was absolutely surreal—and they even helped us get great photos to remember it by. I felt completely safe the entire time and truly cared for as a solo traveler. This tour went above and beyond. It’s an absolute must-do when visiting Puerto Rico!

Most of the tours I found in Puerto Rico seemed designed for people with no mobility issues. I have nerve damage and use a cane, so I was specifically looking for a tour that could accommodate my needs and also give me a chance to explore other parts of the island—which is why I was excited to find your tour. Initially, you indicated that I would be picked up at my hotel, and later you also provided a secondary pickup location three blocks away. Due to the fact that it had rained every day during my stay—and given my medical condition—I strongly preferred the hotel pickup option to avoid standing in the rain, which is difficult and painful for me. However, if the alternate location was the only option, I was willing to try to manage it. I attempted to confirm the pickup location with your company the day before the tour but never received a response. Then, on the day of the tour, it was canceled without any direct communication or proper explanation—only a vague message saying you didn’t want to "ruin my trip," which is exactly what happened. I have taken many tours over the years and have never had an issue with any other company. I am seeking compensation for the cancellation and the disruption it caused, especially since this tour was the main reason for my travel to Puerto Rico.

What an amazing tour!! It was such a fun day. Our tour guides Enrique and Jose were so nice and informative and even though the drive to La Paguera was long we learned a lot of the history of Puerto Rico on the way. The rum tasting was great and we all made our own mojitos (and kids can make a non-alcoholic version). The dinner was very yummy. And of course the best part was swimming in the bioluminescent bay. It was definitely at the top of most incredible things I and my kids have ever experienced. And an added bonus was that the night was so clear that we were able to see the most beautiful starry night. I highly recommend this tour. It is worth every penny and more.

Tour guide Stephen could not have been better - from our 1:20 pick-up at the Caribe Hilton to our return at 11:15pm. He was informative on everything Puerto Rico, friendly funny and helpful. The first stop was Don Q tasting that was really cool - in a historic mansion at the top of a hill above Ponce with a hilarious tour guide that kept us moving and tasting. The second stop was in the little fishing village of La Parguera for our choice of fresh and filling Tacos. We next drove 5 minutes to the marina and our boats. Both boat Captains were friendly and helpful. Stephen was with us every step and swim of the way. We first stopped at a sandbar at dusk with many other boats moored around and many of us swam for about 30 minutes while waiting to enter the Bio Bay. Nice white sandy bottom with a few inquisitive but harmless tarpons swimming by. A short run to the Bio Bay where we moored waited until full darkness as the boat captain explained the upcoming science of the bay. Our night had a crescent moon casting a little shadow. But, Stephen and the team used a shade between the two boats offering total darkness to fully enjoy the full experience of bioluminescence. After the short boat ride to the marina we went to a local gas station to change, get snacks, and enjoy the ride back to San Juan. This was a really fun day, and cool experience that was worth the money.

Fantastic excursion! We feel like we got to see almost the whole island with a fabulous guide. We loved the rum tour/tasting, and swimming in the biobay under the stars was magical. Highly recommend!

The boat captain was very nice and knowledgeable. The boat ride was nice. Stars were beautiful. I didn't get to see very much of the bio bay due to a medical emergency which the captain of the boat was very helpful and attentive. It was appreciated. The moon was a little too bright so they put a tarp out so we could see the bio bay glow. The food was ok. The rum was strong like it's supposed to be.

Highly recommend! This was an unforgettable experience. Tour of Don Q was fun and interesting. Tacos at La Parguera were delicious. Sandbar swim and experience at the bio bay swimming under the stars were amazing.

Our guide, Steve was great. He took care of us throughout the tour. People at the distillery were very humble and nice. Veggie tacos were delicious. Both captain was a very nice guy and took care of us. Bioluminescent was very good. Overall, I would say the tour is worth the money.

Awesome experience to swim in a bio bay. Beyond anything I've ever experienced. I was stung at the end by jellyfish about 8 times at the end as were a few others but not as much as me. Worth it and they gave me acetone on the boat to help stop the sting. The rum tour half way was excellent, better than casa bacardi in my opinion. Dinner also was delicious and was included. The tacos were huge and you get 3. I could manage 2. The sunset boat ride and swim prior to the bio bay was very pretty. The swim in the bio bay was the highlight of our trip for us both. I think everyone should experience this once in their lives. I was originally going to do the bio bay kayak tour in Fajardo but so glad I canceled that and upgraded to this one. More pricey but Worth it!!!!! The guide was super great as well. Highly recommend.

I was unsure which tour to take - La Parguera or Fajardo. Fajardo is closer to San Juan but you stay on your kayak. La Parguera allows you to swim in the bioluminescence water. That is the magic. I cannot describe how amazing it is to see yourself create light in the dark water. It was like being an angel or fairy - sprinkling magic dust. Just lifting your hand out of the water you see twinkles of light. Never experienced anything like it.

We had an excellent time on the Bio Bay + Rum Tasting tour! Steven was a great guide and provided lots of tidbits about the island during the drive. The bioluminescence was incredible to experience - definitely worth the extra distance from San Juan to be able to swim in the bay. The Don Q rum tour inside the Museo Castillo Serrallés was also a lot of fun and included 2 drinks and a tasting straight from the barrel. The views of Ponce were stunning! Would highly recommend this tour!

It was wonderful… both the Rum tasting and the boat ride to see the bioluminescence water formations!!

We had a great time, everything went off as planned, and the weather cooperated for a good view of the bioluminescence. Even though there was a half moon, we had a full experience. The tacos were good for dinner. There were 11 on the van, and there were no problems. Steven was a good and informative guide. If you cannot swim and/or tread water, this is not the trip for you. You have to be able to get in and out of a boat, so if you have serious mobility issues this is also not the trip for you.

We enjoyed this experience. The restaurant for lunch was good. We didn't feel rushed. They arrived on time and ensured everyone enjoyed the boat.

Both our guide and boat captain were incredible. We were able to experience the mountains and inland areas of the island. The boat trip was great, and the bio bay swimming was a once in a lifetime experience.

This was a magical experience--the whole day was wonderful and our tour guide was great. We really enjoyed the hot springs and the tacos, but the bioluminescent swim was incredible.

Great day, great guides and captains. Drove through the mountains with some awesome views. Tacos were excellent! And the time on the water was spectacular! Highly recommended

This is a trip every person should see. Our tour guide Stephen was amazing, along with everyone we encountered. I cannot say enough positive things about this trip. The bay itself shows you how amazing nature is. If you come to PR, take this tour. It will be the best money you will ever spend. We will definitely be doing this tour again.

Cruz was an excellent tour guide. Funny, knowledgeable and made sure everyone was comfortable. Frank and Carlos who operate the boats were also amazing. 10/10 experience, highly recommend.

The experience was more than I expected. Our tour quiet/host, Stephen, was very informative and helpful. On our drive he pointed out where we were and different points of interest. He was more than attentive. Our boat captains were delightful, concerned for our safety, and very informative. Absolutely recommend .

It was great experience. All other bio bay tours were sold out and we got this tour last minute. Hot springs were ok. Bio bay Algae tour was spectacular. Swimming in bioluminescent algae was experience of lifetime. Driver and guides were good people.

This was terrific! Such a memorable day and evening. The guide and the boat captain were terrific. It's a lot of driving but the mountain scenery is gorgeous and the guide (driver) talks a lot about the towns you go through which is very interesting. The swimming in the bay is wonderful and so is the bioluminescent bay. Highly recommend!

This is a must-do in San Juan. Steven, our guide, was phenomenal. The boat captain was also fantastic. The experiences were amazing and everything was perfect… Until the end of the tour when I left my phone in the van. But Steven made a special trip to return it to me. Above and beyond kindness.

Ok, so the day was a bit of a disaster and we did not do any of the activities except lunch because of weather and poor communication. HOWEVER! Cruz, our tour guide went above and beyond to keep everyone entertained and happy. I took off a star because “Cruz’s boss” would not let him bring us home early, presumably, because he did not want to cancel the tour and give refunds. . Seven of us waiting two hours in a lightning storm, even though it was clear we would not be going in or on the water. We did not get to go to the hot springs ( power outage from the day before). This was a bummer because I feel like the hot springs and tour operator could have been in better communication since the hot springs had been closed at least 10 hours before our tour started. Cruz informed we were just going to move our day ahead and go to the Parguera. He stopped to make sure we could use the restrooms and get refreshments since we were going to be in the van(a nice Mercedes sprinter van with reclining seats) for another hour. We arrived to the town of Parguera for lunch. Cruz stopped at an overlook so we could see all of the little keys/cays and the marine science center. There had been lightning at this point, So after we ate lunch we were waiting to hear from the captain of the boat about the plan. Cruz took us through to town and down to the dock to look at tarpon. As the weather got worse, and we couldn’t be in the rain and lightning, he took us to a lovely hotel which allowed us to charge our phones and stay safe and dry while we enjoyed some coffee beverages. On the way home,It was dark and pouring rain. At some point we hydroplaned for about 50 ft. Cruz drove the S*** out of that van and got us back to the hotel in one piece. He was always entertaining and knowledgeable. I would definitely try this tour again.

Steven and both boat Captains were wonderful. The tour was definitely once in a lifetime and far exceeded anything we could have imagined!

Such a unique once in a lifetime activity. The ride from San Juan to La Parguera was very enjoyable thanks to our driver who shared lots of great history pieces on the places we were driving through. Both captains and driver were very friendly! Amazing experience!!

Steven was THE best host!! As we drove to Paguera, he told us of the sites and history. After the Hot Springs portion of the tour (small pit stop before the Bio Bay), he stopped by a local fruit stand and got us all fresh pineapple which was the best I have ever had! Once at Paguera beach, he ordered us tacos from a local restaurant and afterwards we were able to walk around and take in the sights of this lovely beach/fishing town! Once it was time to get on the boat to take us to the bay, we had the most charming ship captain! We stopped at a sand bar first on the Caribbean side and swam in the shallow, beautiful waters! The sunset was great and it was lovely! Then it was time to go to the Bio Bay and it was nothing short of amazing!! 10 out of 10! Our captain and Steven helped us understand the details around the bay and helped us get the most of our experience and took pictures for us! It was a great tour! I highly recommend this one because it is the only Bioluminescence tour you can swim in! Steven took great care of us and we felt very safe!

This was a wonderful tour. Trip of a life time. It seems long and expensive, but so worth it, every second!!! The Coamo baths were so relaxing and Zen. The dinner, tacos and drinks were delicious. We could have used some cutlery, but we made due. The sandbar enjoyment was spectacular at sunset. And the swimming at the bio bay was just magical. The captains were super full of information, not just about La Parguera, but also about the bio bays at Fajardo and Vieques. Our tour guide Steven was really informative, helpful, and funny. He filled us with many facts about the cultural and indigenous history of Puerto Rico, and I have been going to PR as a child. He also got us some super sweet local pineapple, yummy! Great experience!! May be doing it again on the future.

Guide Cruz was excellent along with Captain Frank! We enjoyed alot and the food was delicious, loved the small town we left from and enjoyed swimming on the sand bars, and the bay was amazing

There is a lot of driving involved in getting to the right location, but it is worth it. The food was delicious, and the bio bay was magical. It was crazy to swim in the bay and see your body glow with the bioluminescence.

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!

If you are afraid of your own shadow and have zero sense of adventure this is for you!!! A late night activity they canceled because it rained heavily at 5:30pm-7pm. This isn't even dark yet. Wasted a whole day of vacation that is something I never get to do and kill myself to afford. But hey lawyers win again cause it's "unsafe." No thunder, no lightning, just stupid. Tour guides driving was more unsafe then tour would've been.

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.

My husband and I did the Bioluminecent Bay and Hot Spring Tour. We were picked up at a plaza near our hotel. The van was spacious and clean. There were 9 people in our tour group. It took about 1.5 hours to drive to the hot springs. The hot springs had 2 pools. We had an hour to enjoy them, which was more than enough. Then, we had a 1.5 hour drive to dinner. We had an hour to eat and explore the small area surrounding the restaurant. Borikua Tours provided 3 tacos and drinks for dinner. My husband and I both chose the fried fish tacos, which were tasty. After dinner, we boarded 2 boats and rode to a sandbar. We spent about 45 minutes swimming at the sandbar and saw a few types of fish in the water. After dark, we headed to the bioluminescent bay and were not disappointed! The glow created with movement was magical. We spent about 30 minutes in the water. We could’ve stayed longer, but a few people were stung by jellyfish (we were told it’s uncommon for jellyfish to be in the bay). The crew were prepared and promptly took care of those who were stung, including my husband. The pain from the sting improved after 4 hours and disappeared after a day. Finally, we drove 2 hours back to San Juan. It was a long day and our guide, Steven, did a good job keeping us on track. It was a lot of driving, but 100% worth it to be able to swim in the bioluminescent bay.

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 Borikua Tours 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.

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.

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

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!

Such a great time! The hot springs were nice and relaxing. The bioluminescent was amazing! Such a fun group! Would definitely go again!

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

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!

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.