As darkness settles over the bay, the water around your boat begins to glow, one small spark at a time.
On the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, the bay of Paquera takes on a different character once the sun goes down. This Paquera bioluminescence tour invites you aboard a motorboat at nightfall, accompanied by a guide, to head away from the lights of the shore toward the darker waters where bioluminescence shows itself best.
Bioluminescence is the light produced by tiny marine organisms. When the boat passes, they release delicate flashes that scatter across the surface, so that for a moment you seem to be sailing through a sky full of stars. It is a quiet, immersive way to discover another side of Costa Rica's natural richness.
This bioluminescence boat tour is also a more restful alternative to a kayak outing: you simply sit back and watch the water come alive around you. Please keep in mind that this is a living natural phenomenon. Its intensity depends on conditions such as the moon and the weather, and it can never be guaranteed.
You meet the group at the port of Paquera, where the boat departs at 5:30 pm. As dusk falls, you board the motorboat with your guide and head out across the bay. Little by little, darkness wraps around the water and the boat moves away from the lights of the shore to reach the waters where the phenomenon reveals itself more fully. Watch the surface closely: tiny marine organisms give off soft flashes of light as the hull passes, and small glittering particles drift and scatter around the boat. Under the stars, surrounded by the silhouettes of tropical shoreline, the night feels calm and spacious. The intensity of the glow varies with the moon and the weather, so every outing is a little different.
Minimum 4 participants. No payment now: we confirm availability within 48 hours, then send you a secure Banco de Costa Rica payment link.
No. Bioluminescence is a natural phenomenon and its intensity varies with conditions, especially the moon and the weather. It can never be guaranteed.
The boat departs at 5:30 pm from the port of Paquera, on the southern Nicoya Peninsula. You meet the group directly at the port.
No. Transportation is not offered for this excursion, so you will need to make your own way to the port of Paquera.
The boat tour described in the program with its guide, entrance fees, the 13% tax on tourist activities, and assistance from our agency team, who can answer your questions in English. Meals, drinks, tips, personal expenses and travel insurance are not included.
On this outing you travel by motorboat, so there is no paddling involved. It is a more restful alternative to kayaking while still taking you out to the darker waters of the bay.
An evening on the water, the shoreline fading behind you and small points of light trailing in the boat's wake: the Paquera bioluminescence tour offers a simple, quiet encounter with one of Costa Rica's most curious natural phenomena. If you would like to add this bioluminescent bay tour to your stay on the Nicoya Peninsula, our team in San Francisco de Heredia will be glad to prepare a quote and help you fit it into your plans.
