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Times
3 days ago
- Times
12 of the world's best bioluminescent beaches
Bioluminescence might have a tidy scientific explanation — think trillions of light-emitting plankton reacting to movement — but no biology lesson can prepare you for the real-life spectacle of the 'underwater northern lights'. Wade into Mosquito Bay on Puerto Rico's Vieques island and watch in wonder as your fingers leave ethereal, glowing blue trails in their wake. Paddle Vietnam's Ha Long Bay at midnight to witness the Gulf of Tonkin perform a glittering dance as your kayak slices through the stillness. In Japan's Toyama Bay, it's firefly squid that steal the show, rising from deep canyons each spring to transform fishing boats into floating electric-blue constellations. Even the Jersey Shore — just an hour south of New York City — has its moment: in summer, Manasquan Beach glows blue by night, red by day. Yes, a new moon, dark skies and minimal light pollution help, but anyone who's experienced this phenomenon will surely harbour a suspicion that magic also plays its part. From Tasmania to Thailand, these are the world's best bioluminescent beaches. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue Sprinkled across the East China Sea, this group of islands is named after a statue of Mazu, the Taoism goddess of the sea, on the main island of Nangan. Each year, their rocky shorelines begin to glow from May, and there's a chance to spot the phenomenon until September. Travellers can witness the spectacle, romantically referred to as 'blue tears' by locals, around a few of the islands. There are no guarantees of seeing the blue tears in the wild but Nangan is home to the Matsu Blue Tears Ecological Museum, where algae is cultivated and you can see the phenomenon in a lab-like environment. Accommodation in the Matsu islands tends to be quite basic, but home stays can offer a good way to experience the off the beaten track destination. Try Matsu Seaside View Homestay on Nangan, which is close to one of the beaches where blue tears appear. Set your compass for magic on the tropical paradise that is Havelock Island. Officially known as Swaraj Dweep, and one of the largest of India's Andaman Islands, it's accessible via a short hop by ferry or seaplane from capital Port Blair. While days are best spent exploring the island's wildlife-rich rainforests, after dark, it's the mangrove forests that dazzle — particularly around the new moon phase from November to January, when weather and water conditions are optimal for a bioluminescent extravaganza. Join a night kayaking tour from Havelock Jetty to explore the mangrove-lined waters in which plankton thrive, witnessing the glowing waters — and some of the island's best beaches, including Elephant, Radhanagar, Beach No. 5 and Kalapathar — up close. For luxury with exceptional service, book a stay at the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans. The balmy summer and autumn months are your best bet for catching a bioluminescent display on the enchanting Caribbean 'Spice Isle' of Grenada, where — when conditions are right — coastlines literally light up with life. Luminous nightly shows come courtesy of the marine algae noctiluca scintillans, which glows an atypical bold amber-orange — a reaction to organic matter in the tides. Locals often liken the drifting spots to embers dancing across the waves, with the spectacle having been seen in recent years from beaches including La Sagesse and Grand Anse. Spice Island Beach Resort is one of Grenada's best hotels and has a prime location right on Grand Anse beach. Hidden on the southern coast of Vieques, off the east coast of mainland Puerto Rico, this narrow inlet widens into a dolphin-shaped bay of mangroves that protects the brightest occurrence of bioluminescence in the world according to Guinness World Records. Mosquito Bay is thick with diamond-bright dinoflagellates that shimmer come nightfall. To protect the delicate ecosystem, no swimming is allowed. You can arrange a boat tour, but we recommend booking a glass-bottom kayak tour for an otherworldly immersion. The nearest town to Mosquito Bay is Esperanza, where Puertas at El Quenepo offers a characterful stay on the seafront. Nicknamed the 'Sea of Stars' island, Vaadhoo sits in Raa Atoll in the Maldives and is home to fewer than 500 people. Visit during the dry season, between December and March, to improve your chances of a sighting. Come nightfall, head to the uninhabited northern tip of the islet to stroll barefoot amid the stars and trace messages in shining letters in the sand. Experience the bioluminescence during a stay at Vaadhoo View Inn, a homestay close to the Sea of Stars beach. • Best all-inclusive hotels in the Maldives• Best family hotels in the Maldives The months of March to May mark hotaru-ika (firefly squid) season in Toyama Bay. Situated on the west coast of Japan, a couple of hundred miles northwest of Tokyo, this deep v-shaped canyon fills with mass gatherings of the three-inch-long squid. During the day, these cephalopods live at great depths, but each evening they ascend to the surface to mate and the photophores at the end of their tentacles light up. Sightseeing boats depart at 3am from the fishing port of Namerikawa for a two-hour tour to the spawning grounds where you can watch fishers (the squid are a delicacy) haul up an illuminated catch that turns their boats into turquoise beacons. The 13-day Cycle Japan tour from Explore! includes an overnight stay in Toyama Bay with a chance to sample the local seafood — keep your fingers crossed to see those firefly squid while you're there. • Best hotels in Tokyo• Unmissable Japan adventures This unassuming tree-fringed shallow-water beach on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, 26 miles north of Auckland on New Zealand's North Island, is usually frequented by families visiting for a safe paddle. Matakatia is a quiet suburb punctuated with pockets of nature reserve and home to just over 2,000 people — and when the tides are right, 'blue gold' can be seen. Locals report algae blooms are strongest when heavy rain is followed by a hot evening, with peaks occurring two hours either side of high tide. Tindalls beach, just a little further north, is also a good spot. Consider visiting this remote spot on a self-drive holiday. Travelbag has several options including a 21-day Ultimate New Zealand Campervan Adventure. • Best New Zealand itineraries Warming seas brought bioluminescence to Tasmania in the early 1990s. For the best sea sparkle make a beeline for Coles Bay — incidentally, the first town in the world to ban plastic shopping bags — which sits inside Freycinet National Park, a three-hour drive from Hobart. Its knuckles of greened granite mountains punch into azure bays and the lack of light pollution makes phytoplankton easy to spot. Start your search at Honeymoon Bay or the oh-so-photogenic perfect smile of white sand at Wineglass Bay. The seven-day Tasting Tasmania & Flinders Island tour from AAT Kings is a small-group adventure that includes a two-night stay in Coles Bay. • Best Australian experiences Known for its limestone pinnacles jutting from the emerald Gulf of Tonkin, Unesco-listed Ha Long Bay in northeast Vietnam is a popular tourist destination and a bit of a gamble due to a rise in sediment. You'll need to book a reputable overnight boat tour, as they know the safe paddling spots. Most tours include squid fishing and shine lights on the water. You'll usually need to wait until midnight for these to be switched off. Then you can swim and swish your arms to see bioluminescent algae sparkle. The 14-day Vietnam & the Reunification Express tour from Wendy Wu includes a two nights cruising in Halong Bay, and will take you from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City as part of the itinerary. • Best hotels in Vietnam Selected as a filming location for Survivor, this tropical island, a 40-minute ferry ride from Sihanoukville on the Cambodian mainland has developed only 15 per cent of its land, so there's very little light pollution if you avoid the main tourist area of Koh Touch. On moonless evenings, head around the corner to the sugar-sand Long Set Beach for a sparkly swim, or book one of the boat tours advertised on the beach. The 14-day Ultimate Cambodian Adventure from G Adventures visits Phnom Penh, Battambang, Siem Reap, Kratié, Kampong Cham, Kampot, Kep, as well as Koh Rong. Unbelievably, just an hour south of New York City, this strip of sand, which is one of the most popular Jersey Shore beaches, experiences algal blooms between July and September. During the day, the dinoflagellates mass together until the water turns red and creates a red tide, but at night they appear as electric blue waves. If you turn up at sunset, you'll be able to experience both. A 20-minute drive north, Asbury Ocean Club Hotel is one of the nicest places to stay on this stretch of coast. • Best value hotels in New York On the east coast of Bali, an hour from the capital of Denpasar, Padangbai is the main departure point for ferries to the neighbouring island of Lombok and one of the island's busiest ports. It's the last place you'd expect to see bioluminescence. But join a night dive and they'll take you beneath the waves and encourage you to turn off your torch and kick your fins to discover an Avatar-esque world of blue. The beachfront OK Divers Resort & Spa is the perfect base — it's Padi-certified and suitable for new and experienced divers. • Best hotels in Bali Additional reporting by Julie Alpine and Qin Xie
South China Morning Post
15-07-2025
- South China Morning Post
Star Cruises trip from Hong Kong to Taiwan marks a special comeback for its operator
As the Star Voyager cruise ship departs Hong Kong and I look out at a sweeping vista of Victoria Harbour, I reflect on how the voyage I am about to embark on marks a special comeback for the ship's operator, Star Cruises. Over the next four days, we sail eastward to Kaohsiung, Taiwan's largest port city, and then to Magong, the capital of the Taiwan Strait's Penghu archipelago – a city renowned for its rich history and worship of the Chinese sea goddess Mazu. In 2022, Star Cruises' parent company, Genting Hong Kong, went bankrupt under the economic strain of the pandemic. But this 2025 season, Star Voyager will make 45 trips from Hong Kong's Ocean Terminal, including to Taiwan, Okinawa in Japan, and Southeast Asian destinations Nha Trang in Vietnam and Boracay in the Philippines. Dinner is already being served at Sophia, one of the ship's restaurants, when we depart at 6pm. Its set menu includes dishes such as snow crab and avocado tartare with wasabi dressing, lobster bisque soup with sorrel leaves, and roasted Angus beef tenderloin steak. A view of Hong Kong Island's eastern coastline gliding past the windows creates a unique dining experience. Star Voyager's main lobby, where activities like salsa dancing and karaoke nights are frequently held. I decide to turn in early in preparation for enjoying one of my most anticipated cruise experiences: watching the sunrise over the open ocean. I set my alarm for 5am and let the ship's gentle rocking lull me to sleep, already picturing the golden dawn that awaits.
Daily Telegraph
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Triple Crown chasing third Doomben 10,000 victory on Saturday
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Mazu can enhance Triple Crown's remarkable run of success in the Group 1 $1.5 million Doomben 10,000 (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday. Triple Crown boss Chris Ward revealed his sprinters had finished 'top three in five of the last 10 runnings' of the feature Doomben sprint. 'We have had two wins with Mazu (2022) and Redzel (2017) – Charlie Boy ran a second (2015) and a third (2016) and Mazu also ran third (2023),'' Ward said. 'It would be unreal if Mazu could win it again on Saturday'' The Joe Pride-trained Mazu is at $9.50 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the 10,000 behind favourite Sunshine In Paris at $4.40. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Mazu returns to Doomben in winning form after retaining his 'title' in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes at Royal Randwick last start. With the Doomben track bordering on the heavy range and more showers forecast overnight, Mazu gets his preferred rain-affected track conditions for the feature sprint. Mazu has won nine races and earned just over $9 million prizemoney during his 36-start career with eight of his wins on slow-heavy tracks. • EXPERT TIPS: Professional punter James Molony's race-by-race tips and analysis for Scone on Saturday Triple Crown also has the very consistent Firm Agreement as the $4.40 favourite to finally break through for a deserved win in the Group 3 $250,000 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) in the Doomben closer. Firm Agreement, trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, has reeled off a hat-trick of second placings this autumn in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes, Group 1 ATC Australian Derby and Group 3 Frank Packer Plate. 'He has been racing so well and so consistently,'' Ward said. 'It looks likely to be a heavy track and we know he handles that well so hopefully he can get that win. 'He has been bouncing out of his skin and should be hard to beat.'' • Ray & Duff's Scone Saturday tips: $8.50 value bet Miss Hellfire ($18), a stablemate of Firm Agreement, gives Triple Crown representation in the Listed $160,000 Bright Shadow Stakes (1100m). 'This is Miss Hellfire's swan song, she will go to the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale after this race,'' Ward revealed. 'It would be nice if she can have a fairytale finish.'' At the Scone stand-alone meeting, Triple Crown and the Archibald stable also team up with Kujenga in the Listed $200,000 Woodlands Stakes while Kadall is in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m). Ward conceded the barrier draw had made it more difficult for both horses with Kujenga coming out of 15 and Kadall from 11. 'They have both drawn wide, unfortunately, but we feel they are chances,'' Ward said. 'If they get a bit of luck they have the ability to run well.'' Originally published as Mazu chasing Triple Crown's third win in Group 1 Doomben 10,000 on Saturday
News.com.au
16-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Mazu chasing Triple Crown's third win in Group 1 Doomben 10,000 on Saturday
Mazu can enhance Triple Crown's remarkable run of success in the Group 1 $1.5 million Doomben 10,000 (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday. Triple Crown boss Chris Ward revealed his sprinters had finished 'top three in five of the last 10 runnings' of the feature Doomben sprint. 'We have had two wins with Mazu (2022) and Redzel (2017) – Charlie Boy ran a second (2015) and a third (2016) and Mazu also ran third (2023),'' Ward said. 'It would be unreal if Mazu could win it again on Saturday'' The Joe Pride -trained Mazu is at $9.50 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the 10,000 behind favourite Sunshine In Paris at $4.40. Mazu returns to Doomben in winning form after retaining his 'title' in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes at Royal Randwick last start. With the Doomben track bordering on the heavy range and more showers forecast overnight, Mazu gets his preferred rain-affected track conditions for the feature sprint. Mazu has won nine races and earned just over $9 million prizemoney during his 36-start career with eight of his wins on slow-heavy tracks. Mazu makes it back-to-back TAB Hall Mark Stakes! ðŸ'� @PrideRacing | @jamieleekah07 | @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 19, 2025 Triple Crown also has the very consistent Firm Agreement as the $4.40 favourite to finally break through for a deserved win in the Group 3 $250,000 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) in the Doomben closer. Firm Agreement, trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, has reeled off a hat-trick of second placings this autumn in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes, Group 1 ATC Australian Derby and Group 3 Frank Packer Plate. 'He has been racing so well and so consistently,'' Ward said. 'It looks likely to be a heavy track and we know he handles that well so hopefully he can get that win. 'He has been bouncing out of his skin and should be hard to beat.'' Miss Hellfire ($18), a stablemate of Firm Agreement, gives Triple Crown representation in the Listed $160,000 Bright Shadow Stakes (1100m). 'This is Miss Hellfire's swan song, she will go to the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale after this race,'' Ward revealed. 'It would be nice if she can have a fairytale finish.'' At the Scone stand-alone meeting, Triple Crown and the Archibald stable also team up with Kujenga in the Listed $200,000 Woodlands Stakes while Kadall is in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m). Ward conceded the barrier draw had made it more difficult for both horses with Kujenga coming out of 15 and Kadall from 11. 'They have both drawn wide, unfortunately, but we feel they are chances,'' Ward said. 'If they get a bit of luck they have the ability to run well.''
News.com.au
16-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Joe Pride heeds Jamie Melham's advice for Mazu in Group 1 Doomben 10,000
As wet track warrior Mazu looks to turn back time and win another Doomben 10,000, trainer Joe Pride reckons he has identified one of the keys to the evergreen galloper. A kind, female touch. Jamie Melham will ride Doomben 10,000 rival Benedetta on Saturday, but Pride has her words about Mazu ringing in his ears. 'Jamie is convinced you don't need to do much on him, you don't need to stand over him or be too vigorous on him,' Pride said. 'He is ridden by a female rider in his work and Jamie is the only one who has won on him in the last year. 'I thought keeping the theme up, getting another female rider (Rachel King) for the 10,000, that could work. 'Mazu is one of these horses who started racing early in his life. 'He has been around for a few racing seasons, but he has still got some petrol left in the tank.' • Yes Sir: $2.7m import to step out for Gai and Adrian There is a potential of a rain-affected Doomben track although exactly how it will be rated is in the lap of the gods – and if the weather forecasters are on the money. Six-year-old Mazu is a swimmer and would love a heavy track. Of his nine career wins, five have come on heavy tracks and three on soft tracks. A comprehensive win in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes, with Jamie Melham in the saddle, has him primed to fire on Saturday as an $11 chance in the $1.5m Doomben 10,000. It will be his fourth crack at the Doomben 10,000, having won the race in 2022 when he was trained by Peter and Paul Snowden. Last year, he finished seventh in the 10,000 but was less than three lengths off Bella Nipotina. 'There have been some pretty strong Doomben 10,000s that he has contested,' Pride said. • Williams gets unexpected shot at rare Group 1 hat-trick 'It will be interesting race on Saturday as there are a few who aren't going to be suited if the track gets well into soft or heavy range. 'I saw the barrier (13) and then I saw the ones around him and I thought it doesn't make a hell of a lot of difference. 'I don't mind the whole set up. 'It's perfect race for him, I'm glad I have kept him fresh for it. 'I could have given him another run or brought him up for the Victory Stakes (last Saturday), but I thought he was best served going four weeks into it and on the fresh side ready to go.' Meanwhile, Pride indicated elite performer Private Eye would have another trial before being sent north for a first-up tilt at the Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm on May 31. 'He is in great shape and I will bring Nash Rawiller up to ride him,' Pride said. Private Eye is rated a $15 chance in Kingsford Smith Cup betting and is the same price in Stradbroke Handicap markets.
