Visit a bioluminescent bay

“When we first arrived, I remember being a little worried that the bioluminescent bay looked the same as the ride over: black. However, the guides then explained that bioluminescence needs to be agitated in order to light up. The faster you paddle, the brighter the lights become. [...] My favorite moment was when I put my hand in the water and wiggled my fingers. The water around them lit up like I was in a movie and suddenly had some kind of superpower. [...] It’s truly a surreal feeling when the only light around you comes from the sky above and the bioluminescence below.”

“Once we started paddling, it was already getting dark. The first part is this narrow mangrove channel, and honestly that was one of the cooler parts for me even before the bioluminescence. It’s super quiet, a bit tight in spots, and you basically just follow the guide in a line. After a while you get out into the lagoon. The guide explained how the glowing water works (tiny organisms reacting when you disturb the water), and at first it’s kind of underwhelming because you’re not seeing much unless you move your hands or paddle in a certain way. But once your eyes adjust and you start actually messing with the water a bit, you can see these faint glowing trails. It’s not like bright neon or anything — more like sparkly flashes that appear for a second and disappear.”