I HIGHLY recommend their evening bioluminescent bay tour in La Parguera! Do yourself a favor and book this tour. I have seen these ocean bikes (chiliboats) in La Parguera at the cays many times. For anyone who has never taken the tour or driven these chiliboats let me answer some questions you might have:
1.) Is it difficult to use? Or hard to cycle?
Nope! It is VERY easy to drive/cycle these bikes, there is almost no resistance. Think of gear 1 on a bike. You move along at a good pace with little effort. I was on a tandem chiliboat. I would highly recommend this activity for a couple as well, please request a tandem bike and you will also have a partner to help you move along. :) It works out well if you have one person steer and the person in the back take pictures/video if you dare to bring your phone. I recommend a waterproof cover/bag with a neck lanyard if you bring a phone. If you want a little more maneuverability, opt for a single chiliboat. My nephew used one and he said it handles well.
2.) Does the tour move very fast? Will you be left behind?
Nope! They had guides in the front and back of the line of chiliboats that follow the same path to safely arrive to and from the bioluminescent bay and avoid shallow spots that can be missed at night if you don’t know the area. We slowed down and sped up according to the parties in the group and the guides made sure everyone stayed together and no one was left behind. The group we were in looked like people of all ages and fitness levels and it looked easy for everyone. I also know they provide some towing assistance if necessary, but I don’t think that is often needed due to the relative ease of use of the bikes.
3.) Is the ocean scary at night?
Nope! The night we went there was a very small waning crescent moon so it was dark, but that just meant there was amazing views of the bioluminescence and starry sky and because you follow the coast you start off near a lighted dock area in a small well-known neighborhood in Parguera with lit houses and can always see and feel close to land at all times. The chiliboats also have lights that provide lighting to your immediate area and you can easily see the full caravan of boats in your party. It was calm on the sea at night, so the trip was fun and pleasant. The slight breeze from the ocean made it a perfect temperature for those who like activity, but want a break from the sun after a day in the sun and ocean.
4.) Do you get wet?
Not really! We didn’t know if it was a tour where you get IN the water or not before we went. I live in Southwest Puerto Rico, so I have done all the other bio bay tours in La Parguera, where you watch a diver agitate the water and stay dry, where you kayak, and we have gone out in personal boats to fully swim in the bay at night. The chiliboat experience is the best tour of both worlds, because you can interact with the water personally, but is nice if anyone might be a little afraid/apprehensive to fully immerse themselves and swim. On the bike you are fully out of the water, but once you make it to the bay you can easily customize that experience because you can literally just dips your toes and feet in the water to see the glow or you can get off the seat of the bike and sit on one of the pontoons and dangle your legs and hands/arms all the way into the water if you want to. So the level of interaction is completely up to you! I highly recommend interacting with the water personally. Please note, on the bio bay tours no one jumped off the chiliboat into the water to swim. I assume since there is limited light and no easy way to climb back onto the bike if you aren’t on land, they didn’t let anyone get completely off. (On the day tours to the Cays of Parguera people absolutely DO get off the bikes and swim around.) But that is during the day when there is more light and the cays have shallow spots that make it easier to remount the bikes.
This is a wonderful tour, if you had any doubts don’t listen to them...
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