Fajardo Bio Bay Tour Times: month by month, early or late.
Fajardo bioluminescent bay tours, often called bio bay tours, run twice every evening, early and late, timed to sunset. In November and December, check in about 5:30 PM for the early tour (kayaks launch about 6:00 PM) or about 7:30 PM for the late tour (launch about 8:00 PM). All year, early check-in runs about 5:15 to 6:00 PM and late about 7:15 to 8:00 PM. Times are approximate and follow sunset, and your tour-day text has the exact time.
Fajardo bio bay tour times by month
Fajardo bio bay tour times move with sunset through the year. The early tour checks in between about 5:15 PM in January and about 6:00 PM from May to July, and the late tour checks in two hours after the early one. Kayaks launch about 30 minutes after check-in. Times are approximate and follow sunset, and your tour-day text has the exact time.
Your exact time comes by text on tour day
These times are approximate. They follow the actual sunset, so they can change. Check again closer to your tour date. On the day of your tour we text you your exact time, and it may differ from the time on your booking confirmation if you booked far in advance.
| Month | Early tour check-in | Early tour launch | Late tour check-in | Late tour launch | Sunset in Fajardo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5:15 PM | 5:45 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:45 PM | About 5:57 to 6:15 PM |
| February and March | 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM | About 6:16 to 6:35 PM |
| April | 5:45 PM | 6:15 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:15 PM | About 6:36 to 6:43 PM |
| May, June and July | 6:00 PM | 6:30 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | About 6:44 to 7:03 PM |
| August, September and October | 5:45 PM | 6:15 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:15 PM | About 5:50 to 6:57 PM |
| November and December | 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM | About 5:45 to 5:56 PM |
All times are Puerto Rico time. Sunset in Fajardo comes earliest, about 5:45 PM, in late November and early December, and latest, about 7:03 PM, in early July. Sunset times are for Las Croabas, worked out by the same engine as our bio bay moon calendar and checked against U.S. Naval Observatory data. For the best month and season to visit, see the best time to see the bio bay.
What time does the bio bay tour start?
The Fajardo bio bay tour starts in the evening. The time on your booking is your check-in time, when you arrive at Kayak Village in Las Croabas, and kayaks launch about 30 minutes later. Early tour check-in is about 5:15 to 6:00 PM and late tour check-in about 7:15 to 8:00 PM, depending on the month. Times are approximate and follow sunset, and your tour-day text has the exact time.
Those 30 minutes are for the lesson on land, the safety briefing and fitting your life vest, so arriving at your check-in time keeps the whole group on schedule. Booking online, you choose the early or late tour along with your date and hotel pickup if you want it.
Early or late bio bay tour: which is better?
We recommend the early Fajardo bio bay tour. You paddle the mangrove channel with some natural light left, so you see the mangroves on the way in and enjoy the kayak into the bay. Both tours are in the bay in darkness, whichever time you book. The late tour is a good choice too: you follow your guide's light through the channel, and it is best for a later dinner or a full day of plans first.
Choose the early tour if
- You want to see the mangroves on the way in.
- You like to have dinner after your tour.
- You want the tour we recommend.
Choose the late tour if
- You want a full day of plans first.
- You prefer dinner before you paddle.
- You like the idea of following your guide's light through the mangroves.
Either way, hotel pickup works with both tours.
Is the early bio bay tour dark enough?
Yes. Both Fajardo bio bay tours are in the bay in darkness, whichever time you book. Sunset in Puerto Rico comes early at some times of year, sooner than many visitors are used to: the early tour launches around sunset, and the late tour well after dark. The tour time does not change how much of the glow you see.
On the early tour, the sky keeps darkening while you are out on the lagoon. What changes the glow from one night to the next is the sky and the water, not the clock. Our guide to what affects the bio bay glow walks through each one, and the moon section below shows how the moon fits around the two tour times.
How your evening runs around the tour time
The Fajardo bio bay tour takes about 2 hours from the time kayaks launch. You arrive at your check-in time, learn the strokes on land, launch about 30 minutes later, paddle into Laguna Grande and come back to snacks and cold refreshments on shore, so plan on about 2.5 hours from check-in. That puts the early tour back on shore around 7:45 to 8:30 PM and the late tour around 9:45 to 10:30 PM, depending on the month. These times are approximate, and your tour-day text has the exact time. For dinner, the simple plan is to eat after the early tour, or to eat first and then join the late tour.
Arrive by your check-in time
The time on your booking, or in your tour-day text, is when you arrive at Kayak Village in Las Croabas.
Lesson on land and gear
Your guide covers paddle strokes, steering and a safety briefing, and everyone is fitted with a life vest.
Kayaks launch
About 30 minutes after check-in, the group launches together and follows the guide into the mangrove channel.
Laguna Grande in the dark
Move your paddle or your hand through the water and watch it light up while your guide explains why.
Snacks back on shore
Paddle back the way you came to snacks and cold refreshments on shore.
- Driving from San Juan? The drive is about an hour, 50 to 90 minutes depending on traffic and where in San Juan you start. Bio bay from San Juan has the route and when to leave.
- Hotel pickup works with both tours, $145 per person with the tour included. We confirm your pickup time after you book.
- Dress for a splashy paddle. Our guide to what to wear to the bio bay has the packing list.
Why your tour time can differ from your booking
Fajardo bio bay tour times follow the actual sunset, so they can change after you book. A booking made months ahead shows the time planned when you booked, and the exact time for your evening may differ from it. That is why we text you your exact time on the day of your tour. Check again closer to your date, and follow the time in that text.
- When you book: instant confirmation, then a prep email with directions.
- Closer to your date: check the times on this page again.
- On tour day: a text with your exact check-in time.
Questions about your time before then? Call or text (787) 209-2127 or message us on WhatsApp.
The moon and your tour time
The moon rises a little later every day, so on some nights it is still below the horizon for one Fajardo bio bay tour and up in the sky for the other. Both tours are in the bay in darkness, whichever time you book. Our bio bay moon calendar shows the moonrise or moonset time for every night, so the simple way to plan is to pick your night first, then your tour.
According to NASA, a full moon rises around sunset, and around the new moon the moon rises and sets with the sun. On brighter nights our guides spread a tarp over the group to shut out the light, so the glow still shows.
Tonight's skySee the darkest nights on the moon calendarOpen the bio bay moon calendar and tap a night to see its moon.
Fajardo bio bay tour times: questions
What time does the bio bay tour start in Fajardo?
The Fajardo bioluminescent bay tour starts in the evening, with two tours timed to sunset. Check-in for the early tour is about 5:15 to 6:00 PM and for the late tour about 7:15 to 8:00 PM. Kayaks launch about 30 minutes after check-in. Times are approximate and follow sunset, and your tour-day text has the exact time.
What are the Fajardo bio bay tour times by month?
Early tour check-in is about 5:15 PM in January, 5:30 PM in February, March, November and December, 5:45 PM in April and from August to October, and 6:00 PM from May to July. The late tour checks in two hours later. Times are approximate and follow sunset; your tour-day text has the exact time.
Is the early or late bio bay tour better?
We recommend the early Fajardo bio bay tour, because you paddle the mangrove channel with some natural light left and see the mangroves on the way in. Both tours are in the bay in darkness, whichever time you book. The late tour is a good choice too, and it suits a later dinner or a full day of plans first.
Is the early bio bay tour dark enough to see the glow?
Yes. Both Fajardo bio bay tours are in the bay in darkness, whichever time you book. Sunset in Fajardo comes early, about 5:45 to 7:03 PM through the year, and the early tour launches around sunset. The tour time does not change how much of the glow you see, so pick the time that suits your day.
What time should I arrive for the bio bay tour?
Arrive at Kayak Village in Las Croabas by the time on your booking, which is your check-in time. Kayaks launch about 30 minutes later, after the lesson on land, the safety briefing and fitting your life vest. If you booked far in advance, follow the exact time in the text we send on tour day.
How long is the Fajardo bio bay tour?
The Fajardo bio bay tour takes about 2 hours from the time kayaks launch, which is about 30 minutes after check-in, so plan on about 2.5 hours from your check-in time. That puts the early tour back on shore around 7:45 to 8:30 PM and the late tour around 9:45 to 10:30 PM, depending on the month. Times are approximate, and your tour-day text has your exact check-in time.
Why is my bio bay tour time different from my booking?
Tour times follow the actual sunset, so they can change after you book. A confirmation booked far in advance shows the time planned when you booked, and the exact time for your evening may differ. We text you your exact time on the day of your tour, so follow that text and arrive by it.
Do bio bay tour times change during the year?
Yes, Fajardo bio bay tour times move with sunset through the year. Early tour check-in runs from about 5:15 PM in January to about 6:00 PM from May to July, and the late tour checks in two hours after the early tour. Times are approximate, and your tour-day text has the exact time.
What time is sunset in Fajardo, Puerto Rico?
Sunset in Fajardo runs from about 5:45 PM in late November and early December to about 7:03 PM in early July. Our tours follow the actual sunset, so the early tour launches around sunset and the late tour well after dark. Our bio bay moon calendar shows the sunset time for every night of your trip.
Does the moon affect the early or late bio bay tour?
Yes, the moon can be down for one tour and up for the other, because it rises a little later every day. Both tours are in the bay in darkness, whichever time you book, and guides use a tarp on brighter nights. The moon calendar shows the moonrise or moonset for every night.
Can I get hotel pickup for the late bio bay tour?
Yes, hotel pickup works with both the early and the late tour. The pickup option is $145 per person, tour included, from hotels in San Juan, Rio Grande, Luquillo and Fajardo. You choose the tour time and pickup when you book online, and we confirm your pickup time after you book.
What time does it get dark in Puerto Rico?
It gets dark in Puerto Rico soon after sunset, and the sky keeps darkening through the evening. In Fajardo, sunset runs from about 5:45 PM in late November and early December to about 7:03 PM in early July. Both of our Fajardo tours are in the bay in darkness, whichever time you book.
Should I eat dinner before or after the bio bay tour?
With the early Fajardo bio bay tour, plan dinner after the paddle. With the late tour, have dinner first and arrive by your check-in time. The tour takes about 2 hours from launch, and snacks and cold refreshments wait on shore after either tour, so nobody paddles home hungry.
How do I book the early or late bio bay tour?
Book online with the Book Now button: pick your date, the early or late tour, and whether you want hotel pickup. You see live availability, get instant confirmation and check out securely through FareHarbor. A prep email with directions follows, and on tour day we text your exact time. Cancellation is free until 24 hours before.
Pick your night, then your tour time.
Choose your date, the early or late tour and hotel pickup online, with live availability and instant confirmation. Cancel free until 24 hours ahead.