my boyfriend is a teacher so we have to travel during "peak" vacation times and airfare is higher. thats why our plane tickets were so expensive. so i booked us the first night at the marriot in san juan and the last night at the sheraton (using credit card points). so that is taken care of. he booked the hotel in vieques and the airfare is taken care of. so i think we're in good shape. i sent an email to island adventures to reserve a biobay tour... so there is a choice of pontoon or kayak? any reccomendations or advice? everyone says they love it so much maybe i should go two nights... anything else i should try to book in advance?? (ferry?) thanks friends!

is there a better company than island adventures? maybe we should do the kayak. help please!

We loved our experience on the pontoon with Island Adventures. They start with a short lecture on the dinoflagellates and what makes them glow. Then you pile into a bus for a short but bumpy ride out to the bay. On the bus, you learn a little history about Vieques. Once on board the pontoon, one of the guides points out various constellations for a brief astronomy lesson. Out in the middle of the bay, everybody gets off the boat--there's a ladder into and out of the boat, so it's quite easy. We were in the water for around 30 minutes, as we were in the later group.

If you love to kayak, you might prefer that way of seeing the biobay. I agree that it would be nice to spend that much time closer to the water level. However, I sure wouldn't want to try to haul myself back into the kayak from the water after going swimming!

In my opinion, Island Adventures is the best. We have been on the tour 3 times and it is exactly as EJ states!
I,as well, would not want to try to get back into a kayak!
But if you guys are the more sporty/adventurous types, then it may be for you!
We did run into a family who got dropped off the pier in Esperanza last winter who had gone with a guide on a motor boat and had a terrible time, there are people out there who will just be ripping you off. So use a legitimate company.

We loved our kayak tour. You meander through narrow mangrove "caves" to emerge in the ocean where you then kayak to a private snorkeling spot - then dinner on the beach before heading back to the biobay at sunset. Truly one of the highlights of my life, I'm no super athlete by any means but am healthy and the activity felt great.

We're going to be returning to San Juan from a cruise on Sat. 11/18. We have rented a Jeep and plan to leave early on Sunday morning, drive through El Yunque, then drive to Fajardo in the afternoon and fly to Vieques for the night. Any suggestions on which airline to use from Fajardo to Vieques, where to stay in Vieques, and which biobay tour to do? I hear that Vieques is a beautiful Island, but we are basically only going for one night to do the biobay tour. After our cruise, we will probably be beached out. Any comments would be appreciated.

my husband and i will be staying at hacienda tamarindo in february. how far in advance do you recommend making reservations for Island Adventures biobay tour?

Our first trip there was in high season. We made reservations the day before. You probably want to look at a lunar calendar(there is a link somewhere on the enchanted-isle website) choose the best night for viewing and rerserve a day or so ahead. They do not go out on the nights where there is a full moon, etc.

thank you for the info. re: reservations.

id say..
in vieques.. look up Verito.. ask around at bananas on how to find him.. he's probably there! or look for his posters Casimar Tours! he'll take you surfing, kayaking, biobay, snorkelling, boating.. he is probably the only viequense who does it all. and he knows it all if you just ask him questions. (he can be a bit shy though)
for the main island... there is this amazing place called "gilligans island" in the south western area. you take a small, short, cheap ferry to this tiny mangrove island where you can swim "upstream" through crystal clear caribbean manrove chanels.. and then float back down! amazing! dont go on a weekend.. its crazy.

oh yeah.. and.. kayak! kayak! kayak!
if youre in a kayak in the bay.. you get the experience of paddling the amazing water around you.. touching it, throwing it, splashing it around with your paddle or hands. the kayaks are not hard to get in and out of.. believe me.. ive seen a woman who was pushing 300lbs, and not in peak phsical condition either, get in and out easily in less than a min in each direction. these kayaks are too easy to use! and that way youre not on a boat with 30 other people and only able to touch the water at swim time.
there are guides other than island adventures who know all the bio bay facts. Casimar Tours and Blue Caribe are the most reliable and knowlegeable for kayak tours.
And when you travel vieques in the winter.. ALWAYS MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR EVERYTHING YOU CAN. you still might make it in without one.. but you dont want to be dissapointed. usually a day in advance is enough for tours and resteraunts. have fun!

Caribbeanmiss, I heard the Gilligan's Island ferry isn't running any more. Have you heard that? How can I find out?

For vieques, if you do nothing else, go to the biobay. There are at least two different companies. You can go on an electric boat or kayak. I took a kayak trip with a company in Esperanza called Blue Caribe Kayaks which has the worse entrance point of the two companies. They took us through this swampy area that smelled like rotten eggs. The other company (I drove around the next day) takes you through Sombe (Sun Bay beach) and has a much better entrance point (not smelly, not swampy). I didn't get the name of them, however. Also when you go, bring lots of insect repellant (so you don't get eaten alive like me). Restaurants are all pretty expensive. We went to the place called Duffy's in Esperanza after kayaking, and it was pricey, but the food and service was not bad. What I didn't really like was when they tacked on a 20% tip for our party of 4. In Isabel II, we went to this place called Topacio--bad choice. Expensive, poor service, and small portions. I would not go back. The best restaurant we went to was in Isabel II called Shauna's, right across the street from Richard's (another restaurant) which was only open until 2 p.m. (a lunch place), and for $6-7 you get a very good typical puerto rican meal.

This is a reply to an old post, but it's still pertinent, I guess.

For those going on a biobay tour, please note that wearing insect repellant made with DEET is not allowed. They ask that if you put any on prior to arrival that you rinse it off. Well, my problem is that mosquitos love me, so here's a tip from a product that is new to me and I now will promote to anyone listening:

W. S. Badger makes an effective, all-natural repellent called Anti-Bug Balm that comes in a deoderant stick-like form. It works like a charm and it's easy to apply. I'm not afraid to wear it around my face or to forget about washing it off. Great for kids, and they can put it by themselves, too.

Anyway, I'm not employed by Badger but it's such a great product that is not harmful to people, animals, or the environment that I wanted to give it a shout-out.

Thanks for that, ejcrowe. Always good for anyone that snorkels to wear biodegradable sunblock as well.

I, too, am a buffet for mosquitos while DH gets nothing! So not fair!

Is this available in most drug stores or online ordering is better?

hi, BeachGirl--

I never knew about the sunblock thing damaging coral reefs until relatively recently. I hang my head in shame at the thought of the damage I unwittingly caused to the reef with the sunblock I was wearing.

I rather doubt that major drugstores would carry Badger products. Locally I have found it in an indie bookstore, an indie hardware store (they make a great healing balm that soothes rough skin), and stores that carry Burt's Bees products and other skin care products of that ilk.

Badger also makes an all natural sunblock which I used on my most recent Caribbean trip. Works great, smells pretty good, and it's non-damaging to the environment. the downside is that it's about 30% more expensive than other brands.

while I'm plugging Badger, I'll also say that I love their Bali Balm (for after sun soothing if you've overdone it) and Foot Balm (a great peppermint salve that cools aching feet and legs).