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Sunset Bioluminescence Tour: Merritt Island Wildlife
4.7
93 Ratings
Mims
Experience the magic of sunset on the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge with our Bioluminescence Tour. Watch dolphins, manatees, and a variety of bird species as the sky ignites with color.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- A Day Away Kayak Tours - Kayak to an island with a very diverse bird population before they settle in for the night, right next to a beautiful sunset on the horizon. Then, paddle to a nearby location to see various types of bioluminescence - one of only a few places in the world to see it.
What's Included
- Kayak
- Professional guide
- PFD (Personal Flotation Device)
- Paddle
- 2 hour kayak tour
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
The Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge comes alive at dusk, bursting with activity. Dolphins can be seen hunting for their evening meal, while manatees navigate towards shallow waters in search of an overnight resting spot. The setting sun sets the sky ablaze with vibrant hues, lending an extraordinary backdrop to the flurry of activity on ‘Mullethead Island,’ a government-protected nesting site. Here, some of the refuge’s 358 distinct bird species, including the Ibis, herons, egrets, pelicans, cormorants, and roseate spoonbills, return to their secure nests for the evening. All of this grandeur framed against the iconic backdrop of NASA’s launch pads. Embark on your getaway.
- What to bring:
- Clothes you don’t mind getting a little wet. Towel (left in car)
- Water Shoes – sandals or Crocs that can be worn in the water
- Bring an extra change of clothes just in case
- Camera & Dry bag (optional) These are fairly useless to capture bioluminescence, but great for capturing people.
- Bottled water, Snacks
- Any special personal paddling gear if you like
- You may bring a flashlight, though we will provide a safety light.
Location
Haulover Canal Kayak Launch
Haulover Road Southwest
Departure Point: Haulover Canal
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
If you have any difficulty finding us you may reach us at one of the following numbers:
9am-5pm
After 5pm
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(93 Ratings)
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Brendaw152
Jul 10, 2024
Wonderful - We thoroughly enjoyed the sunset bioluminescence tour! Aiden and Matt were great guides, laid back but informative. The bioluminescence was absolutely amazing, never seen anything like it. We also saw lots of dolphins, one even slapped his tail 4-5 times as if telling us hello. The guides said they had never seen that before. The tour was exciting and relaxing at the same time!
Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Unclevance
Jun 5, 2024
Sunset luminescent adventure - We had lovely weather under the the light of a new moon. Saw both dolphin and Manatee while paddling to our final destination of Mosquito lagoon. Our tour guide Drew was very knowledgeable about the eco system, its history, the phytoplankton . and the luminescent source of the light in the water we were seeing. I have been on many of rivers in Florida in a kayak but this was the first in darkness. Loved it and would highly recommend to any age at any skill level.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Geofferym2018
Apr 29, 2024
Wonderful and beautiful tour of a natural part of Florida - I booked the Sunset Bioluminescence Tour with A Day Away Kayak Tours for 11 people, 9 of them Foreign Exchange Students from three different countries. We were well taken care of by Drew, Lauren, and Piper. Several in our group stated they would go back again to explore more! I highly recommend this tour. The scenery and history of the area is beautiful
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bikermom852
Mar 27, 2024
Third time's a charm... - This is the third time I have used this group... I love them... The group felt safe and had an amazing time.. saw all kinds of wonderful things and made great memories..
Review provided by Tripadvisor
H4175nojulien
Jan 2, 2024
The best trip - Our guide Chaz was so passionate and knowledgeable, on top of just being a really fun and cool person. The experience was also unforgettable. We saw so many different groups of dolphins, including some playful boys jumping and one mama and her baby dolphin. When the sun set, not only did we see the bioluminescent jellies up close (Chaz held a light up to them so we could see rainbows through them and their cilia moving); we also got to see the plankton light up with every stroke of our paddles. A magical, must-see experience. Would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alexakchilton
Jan 1, 2024
Sunset Kayak on Christmas Day - My husband and I had a fabulous time and tour with A Day Away Kayak Tours. The guides provided great insights into the biodiversity in and around the waters. Alongside this, we had a large group, with some new to kayaking. The guides were very accommodating to all levels, which we really appreciated. We were lucky enough to see dolphins, manatees and the bioluminescence jellyfish on Christmas Day. A memorable experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annalf1588bn
Mar 26, 2024
Glad we went but disappointed - March (& windy weather) worked against seeing much that night. For that reason, the clear bottom boats were worthless for us (& less comfortable). Guides scooped up comb jellies to look at. Nothing visible from our kayaks. Large group and couldn’t hear much at all. Sadly, very little learning that I was looking forward to. Some due to unavoidable things; to a lesser degree, the guide.
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Briceman
Jul 28, 2024
An uneven tour experience - Our guide Aidan was amiable and filled in knowledge gaps on the area and its nature. We saw a little bit of the bioluminescence, but nothing like the pictures. We did see a manatee, and paddled through the mangroves in the dark. There were dozens of other kayakers in tours at the same time. An ok experience for the cost.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lynneperrault
Jul 24, 2024
Disappointing experience - Altho we enjoyed the paddling and being on the river for sunset we did not see anh bioluminescence as advertised in the booking.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Emerald78
Apr 7, 2024
Cancelled due to weather no refund - Our kayak tour was cancelled as winds too high. The company explained they do not give refunds only reschedule. This is robbery. We are a family on holiday from Europe rescheduling was not an option. We did not sign up to this policy it was not highlighted we didn’t sign anything outrageous service
Review provided by Tripadvisor
