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Beaches are beautiful at any time of day, but the night can bring something extra special. Bioluminescent tides—which shine in the darkness—exist throughout the world. Sometimes these glowing waters seem like tiny twinkling stars suspended in the ocean. Other times, the seas shine with extraordinary brightness.
This phosphorescence is often a result of algae suspended in the water that glows whenever it is jostled by the tide rolling in and out or by the motion of a boat, fish, or finger moving through the water. Bioluminescent organisms like firefly squid and ostracod crustaceans sometimes create this glowing effect.
In a light-polluted world, the night’s beauty is often obscured by the glare of manmade light. But, if you look closely, you might see the quiet and gorgeous glow of bioluminescence.
Below, find eight places where you can view glowing ocean waters.
The Blue Grotto, Malta
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Blue Grotto in Malta, reachable only by a specially licensed boat, is said to be one of the most spectacular natural sights in the world. The oceanic sea cavern on the island’s south coast is surrounded by tall cliffs that are constantly pounded by waves, producing the phosphorescent glow for which the cave is known.
Blue Grotto is one of six caves on Malta, all popular tourist destinations.
Jervis Bay, Australia
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Beyond a white sandy beach and crystal-clear water, Jervis Bay, on the south coast of New South Wales, has bright, beautiful bioluminescence presentations. The dinoflagellate species Noctiluca scintillans, a widely occurring red tide organism, makes the sea sparkle in this bay. The most radiant displays typically occur between May and August and are especially concentrated at night after a rainfall.
Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico
Edgar Torres / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0
A remarkable algae glow at Mosquito Bay is one of three bioluminescent bay occurrences in Puerto Rico and is best observed from the water. Guinness World Records recognized this bay, known for its brilliant illumination, as the brightest bioluminescent bay in 2006.
The dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense causes this beautiful blue glow. These harmful algae produce saxitoxins that can lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning, which is highly toxic to humans.
Matsu Islands, Taiwan
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The dinoflagellate red Noctiluca scintillans cause the aptly named “blue tears” of Taiwan’s Matsu Islands. These sea sparkles are most visible after dark along the shores of the Matsu Islands.
Scientists in China have begun using satellites to track the harmful plankton, which has become more abundant. The scope of the algae bloom in the East China Sea includes coastal and offshore waters, and the algae survive in warmer waters better than previously believed.
San Diego, California
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The dinoflagellate algae Lingulodinium polyedrum is responsible for the glow off of San Diego’s coastline. In the daytime, it causes the water to appear red (red tide), but after sunset, the organisms’ natural defense mechanism results in the water turning blue. The red tide in California is not associated with nutrient runoff and has not been linked to yessotoxin.
The bioluminescent glow does not happen every year, and scientists have not been able to predict when it will occur. But when it does happen, people flock to the beaches to see and photograph the bright blue tides.
Toyama Bay, Japan
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The glow at Toyama Bay occurs for a different reason. It comes not from phytoplankton but from a phosphorescent creature called the firefly squid, or Watasenia scintillans. Every year from March to June, the bay and shoreline become inundated with millions of these three-inch squid, which come up from the ocean depths to breed. As they fill the waters and beaches, fishermen and tourist operations spring into action.
Republic of the Maldives
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The island paradise of the Maldives radiates just a bit brighter from mid-summer through winter when the ocean and shore glow and sparkle. The bright light is caused by ostracod crustaceans, which are bioluminescent organisms. The warm waters surrounding these islands provide the perfect environment for these luminous organisms that can glow for more than one minute.
Luminous Lagoon, Jamaica
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This shallow fresh and saltwater lagoon glows nearly year-round in the warm waters of Jamaica. The dinoflagellates feed on the vitamin B12 produced by the mangroves that surround the lagoon, and the abundant microscopic bioluminescent plankton is illuminated by the slightest movement. Boats bring visitors to the middle of the lagoon after dark where they can swim in the radiant blue water.
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