Sunset & Bioluminescence at Los Arcos

Discover Los Arcos’ sunset and bioluminescence tour—snorkel, cruise, and witness nature’s glowing spectacle. Perfect for adventurers and nature enthusiasts.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Puerto Vallarta - We provide two convenient meeting options for our bioluminescence tour. Guests can meet us at our designated meeting point at the gas station in Zona Romántica, or directly at our Mismaloya Xtreme office on Mismaloya Beach. The chosen meeting point and precise timing will be confirmed after booking.
    Tour start times vary by season…
What's Included
  • Carbonated beverages
  • Bottled water
  • Snacks
  • Use of snorkeling equipment
  • Alcoholic beverages
What's Not Included
  • On-board WiFi
Additional Information

Savor a stunning sunset and marvel at the enchanting glow of bioluminescent plankton at Los Arcos—an experience that will stay with you forever!
Discover the wonder of Los Arcos Marine Geological Sanctuary as day turns to night. As the sun dips below the horizon, observe the sky become a vibrant tapestry of colors while gliding over the tranquil waters….

Location
Gasolinera Pemex Puerto Vallarta
Carretera Costera a Barra de Navidad
We’ll meet you at the listed gas station. Please make sure you’re in front of the OXXO that is at the gas station, not a different one nearby. We’ll be waiting for you in front of the OXXO. Please arrive 30 min before to the pick up point.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(112 Ratings)
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Christopher_s
Jan 24, 2026
An aventure on the sea - Lotos of fun snorlkeing , and seein the natural beauty of the area froma boat. Boat is msall, less tha 10 people, and bounces around in the waves. Not for those who are timid about the sea.
Review provided by Viator
Ronald_l
Jan 22, 2026
Great natural Bio-illuminance water adventure. - Good people, very nice, very accommodating, most beautiful views. Don't be afraid to go into the water at night, they guide you, Alex and Poncho were fabulous. The beach restaurant (Las Gaviotas) was a rip off, they charged my wife $16 US dollars for a very small margarita and bottle of water. I do not like when locals take advantage of people, don't they want us to come back? or just make a few extra bucks right now? Anyway the tour was great
Review provided by Viator
J7807mrsarahv
Jan 21, 2026
twinkle lights in the sky and water - Would highly recommend. Alexis was an amazing guide. A few kids were in our tour group and it was very family friendly. We were extremely lucky to have seen a Blue Footed Boobie (bird) and see 3 different whales breach before the sunset! The overall experience took a bit of a build up but once we were in the dark, the waters lit up and it was absolutely incredible. The sky was clear and the stars were bright while the water was glittered around every movement you made. I recommend you also take a moment and look at others when they swim too! A sight I will never forget seeing was when a friend was treading water in front of me and the water was illuminating!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Greg_m
Jan 20, 2026
👍. It was magical, the... - 👍. It was magical, the best activity on my trip. Would recommend to others visiting Puerto Vallarta
Review provided by Viator
Andres
Jan 15, 2026
Amazing tour - Amazing experience. We really enjoyed the tour and Gabriel was an excellent guide. The landscape is stunning, watching the sunset over the sea is really worth it. We also got to see sea turtles. Lastly we swam in the caves in the middle of the dark, and we watched the bioluminescence, there was a lot. Really recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J2094cbmarthas
Jan 13, 2026
Swim in a starry sky - We loved the bioluminescence experience. In our case, the guide Alex made us feel safe at all times, both during the boat tour and when swimming. The phenomenon can be seen all year round, but ideally the night is as dark as possible and moonless, so that the effect is better seen. Being swimming, the feeling was like doing it in a starry sky, as each movement illuminated the water. Undoubtedly a unique experience that is totally worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patricia_l
Jan 7, 2026
Alexis was our guide. He... - Alexis was our guide. He was great. I know he had to learn all our names for safety reasons but it adds a personal touch. Do not wear glasses, wear contact. That said, you will enjoy it even half blind as everything is pretty close to the fa e in the water. Also, I drove there instead of meeting at the meeting place and one of the employees was kind enough to walk me back to my car.
Review provided by Viator
Dea1005
Jan 7, 2026
The ocean by night - Excellent tour, excellent guide and boat captain! I liked the small size, (9in our boat), knowledgable guide with lots of good information. The bioluminescence was well worth the frisson of anxiety about snorkelling in the dark and getting back in the boat. There were ropes to hang onto, and getting in was easier than I thought, and facilitated by the crew. It was cloudy, so our sunset was not hugely spectacular however Los Arcos framed it nicely. To know - there is a bit of walking on sand and uneven surfaces, if that would be an issue, and a bit of mobility is required to get in and out of the boat, which is in (very) shallow water. As an added bonus, the taxi rides to and from the drop off points were through Ann older part of PV, and was a hoot. Would recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Martham2810
Jan 16, 2026
Good to be on the water - We went by van about 20 minutes to the drop-off point, then walked barefoot 10 minutes to the beach to jump on the boat. The bioluminescence was limited but beautiful; the sunset was unremarkable due to weather. Although snacks were promised, there weren't any available.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jessica_h
Jan 11, 2026
Not as luminous as I thought it would be - This excursion was not as impactful as I thought it would be. The arched rocks are beautiful, and the little town you board the boat in is cute, but I wasn’t blown away by the bioluminescence (the only thing I cared about). The area where you can get in the water to view the bioluminescent plankton was shallow and felt very safe, but the plankton were not super luminous like I thought they would be. Don’t get me wrong, they are very cool little creatures, but they weren’t very bright the night we went. We spent a lot of time on the boat just cruising close to the resorts nearby waiting for it to get dark, which I didn’t care for. I did get seasick (not their fault obviously—I had a Scopolamine patch on AND took Dramamine before and still got sick). I was even sick when I got in the water due to the small swells (although the water was air temperature and felt amazing). I would suggest that the tour guides carry ginger chews for the people like me who get sick! If you’re looking for super impressive bioluminescence, maybe it’s better to do this excursion a different time of year? We didn’t get a sunset either because of the clouds (also obviously not their fault). The bird life was impressive, though, and the guides were nice.
Review provided by Viator
From $79
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).