La Parguera

La Parguera is a small fishing settlement on the southwest coast where the shore breaks up into a maze of mangrove cays and shallow channels, with wooden houses built on stilts out over the water and boats tied beneath them. Its best-known feature is the bioluminescent bay, one of three on the island, where dinoflagellates flash blue when disturbed; unlike Mosquito Bay on Vieques, which is brighter but protects itself by banning swimming, La Parguera still allows you to get into the water, which is a rarer experience even if the glow is fainter. By day, boats run out to the cays for snorkelling and to a wall that drops off the shelf, and the dry southwest sun makes this the sunniest corner of the island.

History

Lajas was founded in 1883 by Teodoro Jácome Pagán, of a family of Mallorcan Xueta descent, and a census of 1899 counted 8,789 people. Its village of La Parguera became known for its Phosphorescent Bay and many cays, and the Parador La Parguera was founded by the comedian Henry LaFont (Wikipedia, Lajas, Puerto Rico).

What's there

• The bioluminescent bay - swimming among the blue flashes, which few bays permit.
• The mangrove cays - the maze of channels and islets explored by boat.
• The stilt houses - the village built out over the water.
• The offshore wall - the drop-off diving on the southwest shelf.

When to go

December to April is driest. For bioluminescence, the darker the better: go on a moonless night, since a bright moon washes the effect out almost entirely, and check the lunar calendar before booking. Trips run nightly regardless, which is worth knowing.

Practical notes

La Parguera's glow is noticeably weaker than Mosquito Bay on Vieques, partly from boat traffic and light pollution, and operators run trips on full-moon nights when there is very little to see, so time it yourself. Motorboat tours stir the water and the fumes; the quieter kayak and electric-boat operators are better for the bay and for the bay's health.

Nearby

Guánica's dry forest is east; Cabo Rojo and San Germán are west and north.