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first of all, sorry if i spelled that incorrectly...
i have a pal who visited jamaica years ago and went at night on a small excursion to a biolumenescent lagoon. she took a boat to and then went swimming with the neon creatures. any idea where this is or how to visit? has anyone done this. sounds amazing!!!
thanks
We actually did do this and it is amazing. It is a night excursion. It is located in Falmouth, which is about 15 to 20 mins outside of Ocho Rios. If you are going to do it though, do so soon. They just open the port in Falmouth to Cruise ships, and they are afraid this species will dwendle to extent in the future. It is only seen in like 2 areas in the whole world, so it is like you are a part of some thing incredible. And the tour guide swears it makes the bamboo grow longer (wink, wink).... Worth going to for sure. And it was not expensive. Can arrange through the tour desk, just have to be persistant. Have an amazing time.
We were privileged to experience the bioluminescence of the wonderful Caribbean Sea in Bloody Bay at CN. Went out after dark, wading in the Sea, and experienced the luminescence after 'swooshing' our arms through the water, and watched remaining swirls, which were brightly lit. Kind of like being in an Avatar movie, and wonderful!
Irie,
TonyS
5moremins, thanks! just wondering if you did this recently? I had heard that about the port-very sad!! not to be weird, but not being a "couples" excursion, did you have any issues with feeling "unsafe"? were you the only ones, or was there a small group? just want to cover all of my bases. thanks!!!
We too did this but not on one of our "couples" trips. We stayed at a family resort w our kids and took them. It was magnificent! Plz do this!! I don't know how much the "tour" charges u at couples but we decided to skip it that way through the family resort. Took a cab, ate dinner at the restuarant where this "tour" happens and went out on the boat and swam in the water.. All for much cheaper than our "tour" price. Our driver stayed w us the entire time.. He had been our driver for the whole week. Seriously, no matter how u choose to do this... Do it! You will never regret it! :)
We are staying at CN 4/29 to 5/6 and getting married 5/3. I was wanting to do this excursion also.
Would this be possible with us staying in CN. We are also interested in the River Raft tour along with
the falls. Any advise would be great.
We did this excursion in 2010, not too long ago. Of course our driver stayed with us throughout, sitting with us till we loaded onto the boat, and waiting for us when we got off. The tour people there are very concerned with your safety too, as they want people to visit (their livelyhood). There is a big restaurant at that place, and they will serve you mighty strong rum punch. I like the though of it being like Avatar, it does feel that surreal. Take advantage of it, it is so worth it. Bring a low light waterproof camera, cause the boat runs most of the time with the lights off so you can see the lumensce in the boat wake. So magical.
I'd be interested in doing this- has anyone gone to falmouth recently or know if TI can arrange a tour there?
For those of you who've done this, how much does it run? I found their website, but I can't find pricing anywhere. We are going to be at CTI in December and I would LOVE to do this!
I will be at CTI in November and I would also love to do this! Can we schedule it through the resort?
Got to experience this in Puerto Rico a few years back, and would love to do something like is in Jamaica, since my beautiful fiance has never experienced this yet. We are staying at CN next month, is there a certain time of year or does this happen all the time? Thanks for the info!
We will also be at CTI in December 12/28-1/5/13 and this sounds incredible. Would love more information on it-sounds like a "MUST DO"
Falmouth: Glistening Waters Luminous Lagoon
Search for this....I found quite a bit of info
I hope it is still there when we return home to Jamaica!!!!
You are referring to Glistening Waters. Google it. We went two years ago. No package tours then, but the resort we were at arranged cab, dinner and boat trip for us. (And the cab driver waited for us.) It is amazing. Smallsih lagoon where Martha Brey river fresh water and sea water mix to a brackish mixture. The area it occurs in is very defined (not be man made stuff - just suddenly happens as the boat enters it and you can see the "edge" at times. Only two places in the world this happens. A minute micro organism grows in that brackish water and is electroluminescent. I.e. this is NOT phosporescence - you do not see this behind a cruise ship. When the water is distrubed they literal SHINE a bright aquamarine blue. At first you with think they have a flood light under the boat!! Then you see lights swining through the water where fish are disturbing it. They stop and let you get in if you want to. But be warned, the boat will be blacked out and is it dark out there, so be sure you are OK with that. ti is only about 4 - 5 ft deep but the bottom feels soft and "slimey" kinda, due to the silt from the river, so not a good idea to try to stand up - kinda creepy feeling. Myself and two young guys were the only ones who got in the water. My wife wanted to but the darkness was too much for her. The rest all missed out on an incredible experience. The water lights up around you and occasional red flashes too. It was waay cool! As I got out I was covered in tiny pin points of aquamarine light!!
BTW. The restaurant food at he dock was good and inexpensive and they had a decent bar.
Now. remember they were going to dredge Falmouth harbor for the Oasis of the Seas to come in there, so things may have changed a bit since our trip. But I would recommend the lagoon experience to anyone.
Alos note you can not see it from the shore - you have to take the boat ride out to the middle of the lagoon.
Oh, and it was about $30 when we went. Their website should list the prices. Dinner and a beer for the two of us was about $28 at the restaurant. Plus your cab ride from wherever you are. Plus tips - you ain't on an all inclusive, so tip the poeple appropriately.
I can't remember off the top of my head how much it was, but I am pretty sure it was less than $100 for both of us. Do it. It is amazing. You will never forget it. Magical.
Oh yes, if anyone knows how to arrange this tour from CTI, approximately how much it will cost, and how "safe" it is, please inform us all!
My fiance and I would LOVE to experience such a magical evening swim!
Also, we will be traveling to CTI from January 4th through 11th of 2013. If any other interested couples will be there during that time, we should try to arrange the excursion together!
Also, I just found this information, from www.Jamaicans.com.
"A visit to Jamaica’s Montego Bay area would not be complete without enjoying a trip to the Martha Brae River and its spectacular Luminous Lagoon. The river is in Falmouth, Trelawney, and according to local legend, it is associated with Spanish Conquistadores. The Spaniards captured and tortured a local woman to discover information about a gold mine. When the woman finally agreed to take them to the mine’s cave, she disappeared and used her supernatural powers to change the course of the river, sending its waters crashing into the cave, drowning the Conquistadores.
For tourists, the river offers excellent and affordable bamboo rafting adventures. Rafting in the daytime costs about US$30 (per couple and one small child up to ten years of age) per raft. The trip takes about 4.5 hours, and refreshments are included. Along the way, rafters enjoy the beautiful natural environment and view of Jamaica’s unique animal life.
Rafting trips at night are even more exciting because that is when the “glistening waters” of the Luminous Lagoon really shine. A nighttime trip may begin with a delicious seafood meal at the Glistening Waters Restaurant and Marina. Then at sunset, at a cost of about US$15/person, the cruise begins to the world-famous lagoon.
The lagoon is the home of a rare phosphorescent microbe – a dinoflagellate - that lives where the warm fresh waters of the Martha Brae River meet the salt waters of the Caribbean. The constant movement and flowing of the river causes the microbes to move and glow with a neon-green color. The phosphorescence is so marked that the fish swimming in the lagoon have been likened to moving stars. The activity stirred up by tourist boats and swimmers only enhances the effect. This unique microbial phenomenon can be found in just four places in the world, and Jamaica’s Luminous Lagoon is considered the best place on the planet to experience it.
During the cruise, the boat stops to allow travelers to swim in the shallower portions of the lagoon, with the waters glowing around them as they enjoy the tropical ambience surrounded by mangroves. This is a real can’t-miss adventure for Jamaica visitors!
Luminous Lagoon is reachable from Montego Bay & Ocho Rios.
Available Tuesdays & Thursdays from Ocho Rios: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Available Thursdays & Saturdays from Montego Bay: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Book your tour or private car through your Jamaica Tours Hotel Tour Desk
Book a tour with any of the following operators:
Glistening Waters Restaurant and Marina - http://www.glisteningwaters.com/
Island Hideaways - http://www.islandhideaways.com/newsl...us-lagoon.html
Jamaica Tours - To book directly with Jamaica Tours, call 876-953-3700 or email jtladmin@jamaicatoursltd.com."
If anyone is interested in getting a group together and arranging this excursion, PLEASE let me know! January of 2013 will be our first time visiting a Couples resort, so my fiance and I are a little bit clueless, and therefore, a couple who is familiar with the Ocho Rios area might have to take the lead. But we would LOVE to experience this!
does anyone know if CN offers this or has this at all?
This is quite far from CN, about a two and a half hour drive.
Hey, yes jbrew3066 - Puerto Rico. That's the only other place in the World this is known to happen. I couldn't remember if it was there or Cost Rica.
Guys, this is like a Nike thing "Just do it!"