Bioluminescent Swim Experience in West Cork with Storytelling

Overview

Available languages

English

2 hours

Mobile ticket

We’ll begin our evening with a bit of background, getting you acquainted with this amazing phenomenon. This will include the science and the lore that surrounds bioluminescence.

Then, as the night sets in, we'll head for a refreshing dip very close to the shore. Armed with, wetsuits, swim buoys and lights, we'll embrace the waters, hoping to be surrounded by the natural luminescence that has, over the years, become a part of West Cork's legacy. We stay in water that participants can stand in or is less than 10m away from the shoreline but participants do need to be able to swim.

But the night doesn't end with the dip. As we return to the sands, a fire pit awaits, casting its warm glow over the beach. It's here that we'll settle down, sipping on a comforting hot drink and sharing stories of the sea, of the land, and of the people who've called it home.

Additional Info

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Not recommended for travellers that cannot swim

Cancellation Policy

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

What To Expect

This is the only bioluminescence swim experience in Ireland. We have a maximum of eight participants each night and there are always two guides present. Participants normally say this experience is a highlight of their trip to Ireland.

What‘s Included

Goggles

Wetsuits in various sizes

Swim buoys with lights at a special wavelength.

Solo Stove Fire-pit

Warm Blankets

We have a warming herbal tea around the firepit along with a snack

Options

Bioluminescent Swim Experience in West Cork with Storytelling

Reviews

5.00

17 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Unforgettable night!!!
C8540VYsofiaf,,Dec 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My fiance and I attended this tour the day we got engaged - it was such a beautiful experience and way to end the night!!! Connor and Celine were so welcoming, knowledgeable, and kind :-) They stayed late with us to make sure our driver picked us up :-) We'll never forget this experience!!!! You won't regret booking it!!!
Magical other worldly experience
patricewhiteheather,,Oct 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was a truly magical evening with Celine and Conor. In the dark of night we all entered the ocean fully kitted out and saw the most amazing light show all around us. The cloudy sky meant the bioluminescence was amazing. Truly unforgettable. Then we gathered around a camp fire for tea and biscuits and stories and songs. Could not recommend it highly enough.
Fantastic
aneeln2025,,Sep 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a great experience with Connor and Celine. The bioluminescence was incredible and the hosts were really friendly and accommodating. I would recommend to anyone!
Magic night
Stephanie B,,Sep 5, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
The legends of Ireland that brought us to this magical land come together in an amazingly choreographed evening of nature, storytelling with a twist of science and excitement. This will remain in the story of my travels one of those unique experiences that I will remember in my minds eye. My family made a tremendous effort to join - totally worth it!!!
Single Most Unique Experience in Ireland with 2 of the Best People
Nicholas M,,Aug 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
There are times in life when you do something cool, even really cool, but rarely daringly cool…and that’s what Conor and Selene offer to travelers and locals alike with one of the wildest things my wife and I have ever experienced. Meet them down at the boat ramp, listen to the briefing, don the wetsuits, and get ready for one of the most insightfully Irish ecologies you’ll ever see. Sure, you’ll get to hear about and experience the bioluminescence, which in itself is epic (truly they are a stunning species in West Cork’s waters). Yet, what Conor and Selene complement this experience with really illuminates and refracts the true character of this beautiful country and its fascinating people, in itself another bioluminescent experience. In all my years of traveling, I’ve never been so taken with an experience that is definitely off the beaten path, and frankly gave me a little shining light in this world of great uncertainty. Travellers: If you’re already sold on this, great! If you’re on the fence, DO IT. Its impact on you will reverberate through the ages and dare you to pass along a similar torch that these two wonderful humans gave us.
Illuminating Experience
Steven M,,Aug 15, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Conor and Celine were wonderful hosts on this unique experience. Never did we expect to swim in the darkness off the coast of Ireland in a protected haven. It was amazing to see the water light up right before our eyes. Conor is a great storyteller as well, he told us stories before and after swimming as we sat around the fire pit. The setting was right next to and old church and graveyard adding to the experience.
A magical one-of-a-kind experience
elisabethgB7208QF,,Aug 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
What a wonderful experience!! This was a really magical experience - unlike anything else I've done and so hard to explain to anyone since! All really well organised and put together. The setting is so tranquil and atmospheric and I loved the storytelling around the fire both before and after. Definitely one of the best things I did while in Co. Cork
This was a really magical experience and I can't wait to do it again. There is nothing quite like it.
siveo2023,,Jul 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This is undeniably one of the best things you can do in West Cork. Connor and Celine created such an amazing experience for us all- there was a roaring fire going by the beach, really interesting (and funny) local folklore, songs and of course- the swim! The bioluminescence was breathtaking. Conor and Celine really know their stuff when it comes to night swimming and the whole experience was perfectly timed to witness the bioluminescence and see the starry nightsky too. Overall it is a really special experience in great company.
One of the most unique experiences possible!
saralV431QW,,Sep 16, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Conor and Celine were super friendly and knowledgeable. Very safety and fun focussed. The stories are a brilliant addition. I have recommended this tour to everyone I have spoken to since. Plus, Conor also very kindly answered some followup questions about the equipment he used. Which was super sound.
AMAZING SWIM EXPERIENCE!
D9577FBjeffreyf,,Sep 13, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I have traveled in many countries, and had the opportunity to experience many things. And this experience one of my all time favorites! To start, this is a small family-run excursion. And Conor and his family are amazing hosts. In the course of the evening you truly feel like you all become friends. There was no sense of being rushed through a tourist experience. It felt like you and your old friends decided to meet up for a brisk moonlight swim. The night of my swim there was a full moon, and that reduced our ability to observe the sparkling bioluminescence organisms. However, after the clouds moved in, the sea lit up with what looked like tiny glowing diamonds suspended in the inky water. It was so, so peaceful. After the swim there was a fire and hot tea waiting on shore. And we stood around the warm flames as Conor shared traditional Irish legends and local family folklore. This is an amazing travel experience. It really made me feel like less of a tourist and more a local.