Bioluminescence tours in Isla Holbox: are they worth it?
We booked a bioluminescence tour in Isla Holbox for our last night on the island. You can go to see it without a tour, but we were glad we did for a few reasons. Firstly, a trip to the best place to see bioluminescence would not have been easy from our Airbnb without our guide and his ATV.
The tour also supplied us with wetsuits, swim shoes, and snorkels that were delivered to our Airbnb during the day before our trip. This made getting into the water to see the bioluminescence up close possible. And we also were able to hear more about Holbox island itself, as well as the science behind the bioluminescence.
When does a bioluminescence tour in Holbox start?
Due to a full moon, our bioluminescence tour in Isla Holbox started at 4am. We were collected from our accommodation and driven to one of the island’s southern beaches. We picked up other members of the tour on the way. The wetsuit and other kit was dropped at our Airbnb during the day so we were able to wake up and groggily get dressed into it in time for our collection.
What happens on the Holbox bioluminescence tours?
After parking up on the beach, we walked down to the water while our tour guide explained the different stars and planets we could see in the night’s sky. Our tour aligned with one of the only days where you can see all the planets illuminated in a row. It was a pretty magical experience which we wouldn’t have witnessed without our guide’s passion for astronomy!
Once at the water, we waded in and were told about the bioluminescence. If you’ve Googled photos and seen stretches of green and blue lights in the ocean, this isn't it. In Holbox, these tiny creatures capture light and glow like individual stars. So we were encouraged to put our faces into the water and move our hands around in front of the scuba masks to make them glow. We were even given piece of cloth which, when pulled through the water, glittered with bioluminescence.
From the shore, non-tour members were gathering for their own look. But it’s unlikely they would have been able to see anywhere near what we were able to see in the water. So it’s definitely worth investing in a tour (and getting up in the dead of night) to see it.
Tour times depend on the moonlight, so they can start anywhere between 10pm and 4am. Due to the full moon, there was light cast over the ocean almost all night. So we had to catch the time between the moon setting and the sun rising. But at different times of the month, the tour hours are much more sociable.
Which is the best bioluminescence tour in Isla Holbox?
We booked our Holbox bioluminescence tour with Alejandro Flores Castañeda, who was highly rated on Viator and Trip Advisor. I haven't tried any other tours, but we were really impressed with Alejandro's experience. It cost less than £35 per person (not including the tip we chose to leave). And Alejandro communicated with us throughout the day – putting up with my endless questions about how it all works and if we would have time to make our 6am ferry back to the mainland.
He even came back to give us a lift to the ferry port in his ATV so we could fit in the tour without missing our boat home! Although Alejandro is very hard-working and I wouldn't have asked this of him. He offered to ensure that we could make it on the tour.
Alejandro was fun, friendly, informative, and passionate. So if you're looking for the best Bioluminescence Experience in Holbox, I’d definitely recommend booking with Alejandro Flores Castañeda.
Looking for even more to do in Isla Holbox? This is how we spent 48 hours there.
Note: I chose and paid for my Bioluminescence Experience independently (I didn't even have this blog yet!) This post is not an advertorial and is a true reflection of my experience with Alejandro and his tour. However, if you book yours through my Viator link, I might make a little bit of money through affiliation.