Kayak Tours in St. Croix USVI
St Croix kayaking is a great way to get some exercise and experience Caribbean tropical beauty and nature at the same time. You can book a kayak tour with one of the many professional kayak operators on the island. St Croix kayak tours are provided by locally-licensed companies who offer kayak rentals by the hour, half day or full day on guided tours of key attractions and St Croix environmental landmarks.
Right next door to Villa Margarita, you can take a guided kayak tour of Salt River National Park and Ecological Preserve. Here you’ll find a unique combination of ecological, cultural and historical highlights. One is the very spot where Columbus landed in 1493, called Columbus Landing. If you’re up for the ultimate kayak Virgin Islands experience, then you absolutely must do bioluminescent kayaking St. Croix with a night kayak tour in a St Croix bioluminescent bay (we have two). You’ll be blown away by the glowing jellyfish, glow worms, and illuminating microorganisms as they light up your path through the night water! Using a see-thru kayak really enhances the experience of these St. Croix bioluminescent kayaking tours.
Kayak rentals are also available at many St Croix resorts & beaches, including The Buccaneer, Cheney Bay Beach Resort, Tamarind Reef Resort.
So what are you waiting for? St Croix kayaking starts here!
St. Croix bioluminescent tours
Here’s a great video of a bioluminescent bay in St. Croix USVI. The best time to experience this is when there is no moon, so book ahead with one of the companies below get the best bioluminescent kayaking St. Croix tours.
St Croix Kayak Tours
BushTribe Eco Adventure
Location: Island-wide
Phone: 340-277-2503
Website: www.bushtribe.com
BushTribe offers trips all overthe island, including daytime educational trips and nighttime St. Croix bioluminescent tour adventures. Create your own adventure! We specialize in personalized custom tours for St Croix: kayak rental, snorkeling and hiking tours.
Join Ty McRae for a daytime trip through Salt River National Historic and Ecological Preserve, and learn centuries of local history. Guides are knowledgeable, fun and friendly. You are guaranteed not only an educational adventure, but also an entertaining experience for all ages. Do a St. Croix bio bay tour today!
Sea Thru Kayak Tours
Location: North Shore (Salt River Marina)
Phone: 340-244-8696
Website: www.seathrukayaksvi.com
Come join the only tour operator in the world using see-through kayaks for St. Croix bioluminescent tours! These unique tours are guided by long-time local Craig Scott, and offer an unforgettable experience of the natural beauty Salt River Nature Preserve, its bioluminescent bay and mangroves. Get the fullest experience from a St. Croix see through bio bay tour!
Cost per person is $60 and the tour runs around 1 hour and 45 minutes. It also happens to be conveniently located only 3 minutes away from Villa Margarita!
Virgin Kayak Tours
Location: North Shore
Phone: 340-718-0071 / 0062 Toll Free: 1-833-BIOBAY1
Website: www.virginkayaktours.com
Voted Best Kayak Tour on St Croix, and Best Eco-Tourism! Virgin Kayak strives to be the highlight of your vacation: by using state of the art gear; taking out small groups; and visiting really cool, out of the way places. We feature the amazing Hobie Mirage pedal kayaks, which let you relax and pedal rather than stress your torso. It’s like walking on water! Whether you’re doing a half day tour of the National Park, bioluminescent tours St. Croix, a full day tour of Shell Island or Green Cay, or our weeklong Eco- Adventure Package, we think you’ll love it! Kayak tours start at just $45.00 per person. Call Bryan and Jill today!
Caribbean Adventure Tours
Location: North Shore
Phone: 340-778-1522
Website: www.stcroixkayak.com
One of the best St Croix kayaking tour companies, Caribbean Adventure offers something for everyone! As featured on The Discovery Channel and in The New York Times, you can kayak through the protected Salt River preserve and discovering St Croix’s rich history, including ancient Indian burial grounds, villages and customs. Caribbean Adventure Tours offers guided kayaking tours where you can explore a wide range of St Croix’s natural charms such as mangroves and bird nesting areas, or you can choose to sunbathe, hike and swim on a pristine secluded beach. Whatever your adventurous nature desires, we have something for everyone! People are particularly impressed with St Croix bioluminescent bay tours.
Nearby places to eat
You’ll probably be hungry after your St. Croix kayak tour, so here’s a list of suggested places to get a bite to eat and recharge:
- Brew STX. Tel: 340-719-6339 — View Brew STX menu (pdf)
- The Mill Boardwalk Bar Brick Oven Pizza. Tel: 340-643-6455 — View menu (pdf)
- Shupe’s on the Boardwalk Tel: 340-773-3400 — print menu (pdf)
- The Landing Beach Bar at Cane Bay. Tel: 340-718-0362 — view menu (pdf)
- AMA at Cane Bay — download the menu (pdf)
- Off the Wall at Cane Bay (beach restaurant). — View menu
- The Palms at Pelican Cove Tel: 340-718-8920 — print menu (pdf)
- Blues’ Backyard BBQ & Grill Tel: 340-514-2541
Other things to do
Most the St. Croix kayak tours operate our of Salt River Marina on the north shore, right next to a very historical place — Columbus Landing — where Columbus and his ships landed in 1493. So you you can combine in one afternoon some great adventure kayaking as well as soak up some real history.
Here’s some resources to help you explore the Salt River area and historical landmarks:
- Salt River Bay National Historical Park — read about Salt River’s history (pdf)
- Columbus Landing Site – historical site — read about Columbus Landing history (pdf)
- Columbus Landing Beach
More about Bioluminescent Bay St. Croix & Bioluminescent Kayaking
St. Croix is home to 2 rare bioluminescent bays, or “bio bays”. What is a bioluminescent bay? A truly mystical wonder of nature, it’s difficult to describe bioluminescent water. It’s a blue glow that appears when you disturb the water. Bioluminescence is a natural phenomenon of living creatures emitting light when disturbed to protect themselves — Bioluminescent bays are full of microorganisms that when agitated, produce light – think underwater fireflies or glowing jello. Visitors to St. Croix USVI can best experience these glowing organisms year-round inside the Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Reserve.
The bioluminescent bay here hosts a large population of bioluminescent plankton known as dinoflagellates. In what biologists theorize is a defense mechanism, these dinoflagellates respond to physical contact by emitting light, scaring off any would-be predators.
To observe these amazing creatures best require completes darkness. This makes St. Croix bioluminescent kayak tours dependent on the moon cycle. Kayak tours are run when the moon is below the horizon during the evening — basically for two weeks following a full moon, or when the moon is in its crescent phase.
You really have to see this stunning natural phenomenon to believe it! And best of all? This true bucket list experience of bioluminescent kayaking in St. Croix is just 2 minutes away from Villa Margarita!
Bioluminescent Tours St Croix FAQ
What’s the best time to see bioluminescence in St Croix?
January and February is the best time to experience bioluminescence in St Croix, and when there is no moon. This is because without moonlight you can see them better. That said, you can still enjoy a great bioluminescent tour in St Croix year round.
Where can you see a bioluminescent bay in St. Croix US Virgin Islands?
At Salt River mangrove lagoon and at Altona lagoon. Salt River is the most popular for kayak tours.
Is it safe to swim in a bioluminescent bay?
It is not advisable to swim in with bioluminescent algae because they can give off toxins that can cause sickness. But some people do anyway to get the “maximum experience”. Most St. Croix bioluminescent tour operators discourage swimming.
Can you see bioluminescence without a tour?
It’s possible but honestly why bother? The local tour operators know the precise timing and ideal locations to get the best chance of a great experience, and tours are not that expensive.
What causes bioluminescence?
Bioluminescent algae produces light when disturbed by a reaction of oxygen with the complex molecule luciferin, releasing energy in the form of “cold light” which gives off no heat. These light flashes usually last a only fraction of a second, and are a survival mechanism allowing the algae to frighten away predators.
Can you film or photo bioluminescence?
It’s challenging but advances in low-light cameras make it now possible. But be realistic and don’t expect HD videos or photos with bright vivid colors. St. Croix bioluminescent tours are best experienced with the human eye and you’ll remember them for a lifetime!
How to Prepare for St. Croix Bio Bay Tours
Check the Lunar Calendar
The best time for a bioluminescent bay tour is during the new moon. This is when the night is the darkest and there is the least amount of light pollution caused by the moon. Tours are offered during the week before and after the new moon, but the closer you can go to the exact date, the brighter the lights will be.
Take a Shower
One of the biggest dangers to bioluminescent bays is pollution. Puerto Rico shut down one of its bays to let it heal from pollution damage. So before you go, rinse off and skip the lotions, perfume and bug spray.
Leave your Camera/Phone in the Car
Unfortunately it’s very hard to film these organisms, even with the most sensitive equipment. So leave your camera behind just go for the live experience.
Bring Cash
Don’t forget to bring some cash to tip your guides. The guides here are great and really go the extra mile. You don’t have to tip, but it’s always a nice gesture if you enjoyed the tour.
Check out Kayak Tours in St. Croix USVI today!
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