bioluminescence

The 7 Best Places to See Bioluminescence: A Journey in Pictures

29 August 2019

It's one of the world's most stunning natural wonders.

During your time on the Internet, you've probably spotted a few photos of beaches covered in bioluminescent organisms. At the risk of waxing rhapsodic, these phenomenons look like God just poured glitter on Earth, or like the stars broke into pieces and fell into the sea. Most likely, you're familiar with these natural wonders from photos you reblogged when you had a Tumblr in middle school. But you can actually experience this phenomenon—known as bioluminescence—in real life.

Bioluminescence occurs when a living organism produces light. This typically happens because of a chemical reaction that occurs within these creatures, due to a chemical known as luciferin, which produces light when combined with oxygen. Seen in creatures like glowworms, fireflies, sea stars, some sharks, jellyfish, and fungi, bioluminescence has long summoned travelers out to sea oceans or deeper into dark forests. When bioluminescence occurs en masse, it's one of the most stunning sights on Earth.

One caveat: Real bioluminescence doesn't always look like it does in these photos. Many of these are taken using time-lapse technology. Still, nothing compares to experiencing its faint glow for yourself, especially when you're surrounded by salty waves and tropical winds.

The admittedly stunning (but incredibly overused) image above might be one of the Internet's most popular photos, but unlike many viral posts, this one isn't photoshopped. Instead, it was taken in the Maldives, a collection of islands that's also home to a large number of bioluminescent plankton.
Located off the coast of India, there's one particular island—called Mudhdhoo Island or Vaadhoo Island—that's become famous for its photogenic displays. The island's gorgeous, neon blue light show has made it a popular destination for honeymooners and anyone seeking a glimpse of the sublime.
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The best place to see bioluminescence in America would have to be San Diego's Mission Beach. The glow you see in the above photo is created by a type of algae called dinoflagellates, which—like most phosphorescent animals—start to shine as a natural defense mechanism to tension or stress. Since this kind of algae is non-toxic, it's actually possible to go for a swim among their radiant masses. Known as a "red tide," this phenomenon only occurs on rare occasions. It happened once in 2013, once in 2018, and once in 2019, but it's always a sight worth waiting for.
Though the California coast might offer the most idyllic views, phosphorescence can be found across America. Red tides have been spotted off the coast of New Jersey. The waters off the coast of Florida are home to an array of comb jellies, which emit rainbow-colored lights in addition to the classic blue glow. And each summer, Tennessee's Smokey Mountains are occupied by millions of fireflies gathered for a rather psychedelic mating ritual.
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This glow is generated by a type of creature called a sea firefly, a kind of crustacean that lives in waters surrounding the shores of Okayama. At only three millimeters long, these creatures (also known as "umi-hotaru") can produce a tremendous amount of light for their small size. The photo above is from a stunning collection of time-lapse images entitled "The Weeping Stones," and though these fireflies may not reach this level of surreality in real life, they still are sure to take your breath away.
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There are three bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico, but the largest is Mosquito Bay in Vieques. Often referred to as the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world, the glow isn't always visible—but it's easiest to see in total darkness, so an ideal visit would coincide with a New Moon. The little organisms that create this glow thrive off the surrounding ecosystem of mangrove trees; however, they are disappearing due to chemicals from pollution and from the skin of human swimmers, who have now been banned from the waters.
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New Zealand's Waitomo caves are full of glowworms, which are the source of the cave's fanciful, starburst iridescence. This labyrinth of caves, sinkholes, and underground rivers can be experienced via raft, zip-line, or good old-fashioned crawling.
This miraculous display began to form over 20 million years ago, and the glowworms are accompanied by magnificent stalactite and stalagmite formations created as droplets of water fused together over time. It's a capsule of the past that feels profoundly futuristic, and it's one of New Zealand's most famous and haunting attractions.
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With its pristine beaches and crystalline waters, the Cambodian island of Koh Rong has everything you could want from a tropical island—but its phosphorescent waters bring things to a new level.
To see the island's plankton inhabitants, all you have to do is go swimming at the darkest time of night. Then shake your arms around a little, and wait for the ensuing glow.
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Also known as the "Glistening Waters," Jamaica's Luminous Lagoon is a popular tourist attraction, and for good reason. The lagoon sits at the juncture between the island's Martha Brae River and the Caribbean Ocean, and the brackish water offers the perfect conditions for microscopic bioluminescent organisms to thrive.
Unlike other sites, the plankton's ghostly glow is visible all year round here, and you can also swim in the murky, mineral-rich waters. According to Jamaican folklore, this place is also a Fountain of Youth.
It makes sense that gatherings of bioluminescent creatures would generate legends and myths; something about it feels profoundly magical. Even though we have the science to explain it, there's something otherworldly and inexplicable about it all, something that inevitably reminds us just how strange and beautiful the world can be.
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