Identification key

Which bay is yours?

All three glow from the same phenomenon, but they are not interchangeable. Read the key the way a naturalist would: start at couplet 1, pick the line that fits, and follow it to a bay or to the next couplet.

aGetting into the water and swimming in the glow is the whole pointLa Parguera, Lajas

bSwimming is not essential; you mainly want to see itgo to 2 →

2(1b)

aYou want the brightest glow there is, and can spend a night on ViequesMosquito Bay, Vieques

bYou want the easiest trip from San Juan: no ferry, no overnightLaguna Grande, Fajardo

For the full picture

The three bays, side by side

Comparison of Mosquito Bay, Laguna Grande, and La Parguera across brightness, access, swimming, distance, price, and best use
	Mosquito BayVieques	Laguna GrandeFajardo	La PargueraLajas
Brightness	Brightest of the three, Guinness World Record 2006	Bright, kayak tours through a mangrove channel	Bright, unique for allowing swimming
Access mode	Kayak or electric boat	Kayak only	Motorboat
Swimming allowed	No	No	Yes, the only one of the three
Distance from San Juan	Requires a ferry or flight to Vieques, plan an overnight stay	About 45 minutes by car, the closest	About 2.5 hours by car
Typical price range	$65 to $145 per person	$59 to $70 per person	$45 to $70 per person
Best for	The brightest possible glow, worth the travel	A day trip from San Juan with no overnight needed	Swimming in the glow itself

Whichever bay you land on, check the moon calendar before booking. The bay decides the trip; the moon decides the night.