Mosquito Bay is one of three bio bays found in Puerto Rico.
Located on the remote island of Vieques, off the east-coast of mainland Puerto Rico, getting to the island is an adventure in itself.
As a resident of Vieques, I’ve visited Mosquito Bay many times.
In this article, I will cover:
– What is bioluminescence?
– What is Mosquito Bay?
– Where is Mosquito Bay located?
– How to get to Mosquito Bay from San Juan
– Is Mosquito Bay the best bio bay in Puerto Rico?
– What makes Mosquito Bay special?
– Can you go to Mosquito Bay without a tour?
– Other frequently asked questions
Bioluminescence means “light emitted by a living thing.”
An example of bioluminescence you might be familiar with would be the glow emitted by fireflies, some species of jellyfish, and glow worms.
Dinoflagellates are a type of plankton that produce bioluminescence in the water at night; this is what makes the bioluminescent bay glow.
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Video credit: @discovervieques
Dinoflagellates are small, single-celled organisms that are half animal half plant, and it is believed by scientists that their glow is a defense against predators. It is also suspected that bioluminescent organisms of the same species use light to communicate with each other.
The scientific name for dinoflagellates is Pyrodinium Bahamense, which translates to “whirling fire”.
To learn more about this naturally occurring phenomenon, read our article Bioluminescent Bays Puerto Rico – All You Need To Know.
Mosquito Bay is one of three bioluminescent bays located in Puerto Rico.
The deepest part of the bay is around 13 feet, with most of it being around 3 feet deep.
Mosquito Bay was named after Puerto Rican pirate Roberto Cofresi’s ship, El Mosquito.
Because of the glowing water, many of the pirate’s enemies considered the area to be “black magic” due to the bioluminescence. In Mosquito Bay, they left Cofresi and his crew to themselves.
Below is a video showing a tour through Mosquito Bay:
The bioluminescence is only visible for about 2.5 weeks of each month, due to the moon rise/set times.
To learn more about the best times to visit the bio bay, read our article When Is The Best Time To See Bioluminescence In Puerto Rico?
Mosquito Bay is located on the small island of Vieques, a few miles off the coast of Puerto Rico.
Vieques is only 21 miles long and 3 miles wide, with much of the island being covered in protected lands, the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge. Much of this land was formally occupied by the US Military.
The Vieques bioluminescent bay is one of many things to do on the island, which is also famous for its pristine beaches and wild horses.
Vieques is home to Puerto Rico’s only black sand beach, La Playa Negra.
The island offers world-class snorkeling and diving sites, beach horseback riding, hiking trails, and museums.
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Photo credit: @jurutungofarm
There are two main towns on the island, Isabel II on the north side where the ferry lets you off, and Esperanza on the south side where most tours meet to explore the bio bay.
With so much to do, you can be sure that a trip to Vieques will not disappoint.
Below is a video that shows you a bit more of Vieques:
Arriving in Vieques from Puerto Rico is an adventure that is well worth your time.
The most popular and economical way to get to Vieques is by ferry.
The cost to take this trip is only a few dollars and depending on weather conditions, it doesn’t take more than an hour. The ferry departs from the town of Ceiba, about an hour drive from San Juan.
There are options to take a public van from San Juan to Ceiba for visitors that did not rent a car.
Keep in mind that you will not be able to bring any rental car from Puerto Rico to Vieques on the ferry, and will need to pay a daily parking fee at the ferry’s dock.
Ideally, you should reserve your ticket ahead of time, especially if you are planning to travel during a weekend day. You can do that on the Puerto Rico Ferry website.
There are other options to get to Vieques from San Juan, such as taking a small aircraft or reserving a private boat charter.
The video below shows how to get from San Juan to Vieques with public transportation:
You can consider all the options in more detail by reading about them in our article How to Get to Vieques from San Juan.
Mosquito Bay has a high level of bio visibility.
The only issue is that it’s located in Vieques, which is hard to get to. For most tourists, this trip is too long.
Laguna Grande Bio Bay in Fajardo is much more convenient for tourists, since it’s located only an hour from San Juan, and still has good visibility.
Mosquito Bay does not allow swimming, so if you are looking to have that experience, you could check out La Parguera Bio Bay on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico.
The bio bay that is located closest to San Juan is Laguna Grande Bio Bay in Fajardo. This bay is about one hour drive from San Juan and is one of the more popular bays due to its close proximity to the city and El Yunque Rainforest.
Below is a video that shows the bioluminescence in Mosquito Bay:
Mosquito Bay is able to have such a large concentration of dinoflagellates due to its very small, “s” shaped entrance to the ocean.
While you are kayaking, you may see different types of marine life swimming around you, like small fish and turtles.
The “S” shape of the bay’s entrance traps the single-celled dinoflagellates, allowing them to multiply without being disturbed by the ocean’s currents.
This unique feature coupled with the mangroves that line the entrance to the bay further protects the organisms aiding in their multiplication, allowing Mosquito Bay to be the perfect nursery for dinoflagellates.
No.
Mosquito Bay is protected by Puerto Rico’s Department Of Natural Resources.
Only licensed tour operators are allowed to bring visitors to the bay.
This allows the area to remain protected and allows a minimal level of disturbance to the magical organisms that live in the bay.
There are some mosquitos, tour operators recommend using a DEET-free spray if you must use repellant. The bay was named after the famous Puerto Rican pirate Roberto Cofresi who’s ship was named El Mosquito.
No. In order to access Mosquito Bay, you must visit with a licensed local guide or tour operator.
Are there mosquitoes in Mosquito Bay Puerto Rico?
Is Mosquito Bay free?
If you are visiting Puerto Rico, then you must experience a bioluminescent bay.
This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will not disappoint you.
The problem with Mosquito Bay is that it’s very far from San Juan, and is hard to get to. If you are a tourist visiting Puerto Rico, then you should consider visiting Laguna Grande Bio Bay, which is only an hour drive from San Juan.
You can learn more about Puerto Rico’s bio bays in our article Bioluminescent Bays Puerto Rico – All You Need To Know.
Writer at PuertoRico.com. After living in Puerto Rico for seven years, I opened a guesthouse in Rincón and welcomed over 400 guests to the island from around the world. When I’m not writing about travel or spending time with my dog, I’m working towards becoming a pilot with dreams of flying around the islands.
