6 Night Kayak Tours in Mexico Worth Getting Wet For

1.Bioluminescence by kayak or SUP to Los Arcos Puerto Vallarta

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 343 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $101Our pick

Paddle Zone takes you from Mismaloya to Los Arcos by tandem kayak, SUP, or family board. Guides such as Felipe, Kevin, Ulysses, and Juliso lead the way through caves and marine sanctuary waters, then show you bioluminescence after dark. Roundtrip transport, photos, snacks, and hot chocolate are included.

“I highly recommend this tour. It was really amazing to not only see the bioluminescence but also whales, birds, and an amazing sunset.”

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2.Bioluminescence Tour in Kayak in Holbox Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 165 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $50

From your hotel, ride to Mosquito Beach, paddle a short distance to Punta Mosquito, and wade or swim as plankton flashes in the dark. Guides such as Johnny, Alex, Jony, and Abraham also point out constellations. Pickup and drop-off are included, but timing follows the moon.

“This was an amazing experience and I hope the community can embrace a dark sky so it can continue for others in the future. People should know that the tours have to follow the cycle of the moon and when it is not in the sky therefore our tour did not begin until 1 AM! Kind of thrilling to be standing in the ocean in the darkness but we were in very shallow water and it was very surreal. The only thing I would recommend for the tour guide is to send or verbally give a high-level agenda of what we would be doing- for example we have a 20…”

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3.Holbox: Guided Bioluminescence Kayaking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 143 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $49

Meet your bilingual guide on Holbox, paddle a tandem kayak into darker water, and watch plankton sparkle around your boat. Guides such as Diego and Eric explain the glow before you stop at a sandbar. Pickup is available from downtown, Punta Mosquito, and Restaurante La Cabane.

“It wasn’t really the right time of year to properly see the bioluminescence but we did see some sparkles. Unfortunately I’m not the greatest at kayaking and was paired with someone who chose not to do any work and so it took us a lot longer than necessary to get where we needed to. This isn’t the guide’s fault and so on the way home the two guides kayaked us back in their ones which was very nice of them.”

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4.Holbox: Stars and Bioluminescent Marine Life Kayaking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 111 reviews · from $44Best value

Paddle Holbox after dark, then swim through neon-blue plankton beneath a star-filled sky. Guides such as Diego and Omar have added lively astronomy and island stories, while hotel pickup, kayaks, and dry bags keep the outing simple.

“was a truly amazing experience not to be missed. Only downside was guide didn't translate everything for us so felt as though we missed out on bits of interesting information which Spanish speakers got all of”

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5.Mismaloya: Los Arcos Bioluminescent Waters Kayak & Cave Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 97 reviews · 3 hours · from $99

Paddle Zone takes you from Mismaloya Beach to Los Arcos National Marine Park by kayak, paddleboard, or family board. Guides such as Kevin, Luis, and Ulises lead the 3-hour trip, with sunset views, caves, snorkeling, glowing water, snacks, and round-trip transport from central Puerto Vallarta.

“Our family found this tour amazing. Our guide, Luis, was wonderful and really has a passion for his work.”

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6.Holbox: Bioluminescence by Kayak and Stargazing.

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 95 reviews · from $49

Ride by golf cart to the beach near Las Nubes, paddle 15 to 20 minutes toward the Punta Mosquito sandbanks, then walk and swim among glowing plankton. English and Spanish guides explain the science, while clear skies add a star show. Victor has earned special praise for his guiding.

“Overall a good experience to learn about and see the bioluminescent algae! Tour guide was lovely and very knowledgable. We got picked up and taken to the beach near mosquito point, kayaked out to the split and then swam with the algae. One note to say would the taxi for 5 meant that 2 of us were in the trailer part of a golf cart - this was fine for us, but wouldn’t be for everyone! It was priced a little high for what you got for your money compared to other longer tours that include food, drinks etc.”

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