Written by Ljupka Andonovska (Stamp My Passport)

I think that bioluminescence is the most mesmerizing natural light given to us by nature. "Stress" has never looked so ethereal and heavenly beautiful. But lets start from the beginning.

We, as humans, have always perceived Earth as our home and humanity as such has always made the same mistake of early presumption, that we all know and recognize every single thing which exists, breathes and thrives on this planet. We act as the omniscient species that know everything. But there is so much more, which we can't even begin to understand, living organisms that appear more alien than anything our imagination was able to create. Even here, on this planet of ours, which nature decided to spray in blue and green hues, at some instances, we can feel and experience the most outlandish-like moment, a concept we have always stereotyped and connected only with the far, unknown and outer space. So, as mother nature likes to play with the abstract theme of "stress", into the physical world which surrounds us, at more than few locations on Earth, there is a phenomenon known as Bioluminescence - It's a phenomenon caused by marine phytoplankton in sea and ocean water, which when under "stress" or agitated by touch, strike or similar, it glows in a neon-blue color at night, making the view for the bystanders, spectacular.

One of the most famous spots to see this beauty is the Vaadhoo Island, part of the Maldives atolls. Still, it is confirmed to appear all over the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Those who have seen this and walked along the coast of this island, say that it looks like someone put the stars from heaven down on earth to illuminate the ground we walk on, as the very footsteps which are imprinted in the sand, are colored in neon blue. For others it is the most romantic gesture by nature ever created, and also perfect for honeymooners who visit this island. For others it is simply a chance to feel like they are on some other planet in the universe, as the occurrence itself is not common for us humans to link to the possibilities of what we think our planet is capable of.

It is definitely a must for the travel junkies, and for those who have their bucket lists ready: this is a very important one to add and highlight!

Here is a more scientific explanation by National Geographic for those who are more curious about it:

"The biological light, or bioluminescence, in the waves is the product of marine microbes called phytoplankton. "Various species of phytoplankton are known to bioluminesce, and their lights can be seen in oceans all around the world. I've been across the Atlantic and Pacific, and I've never seen a spot that wasn't bioluminescent or a night that [bioluminescence] couldn't be seen. The glowing blue water is easily visible from the air—something pilots use to their advantage. Aircraft carrier-based jet pilots "often follow the trail of luminescence left in the wake of their ship to find their way back after a night mission, " - marine biologist and bioluminescence expert Woodland Hastings of Harvard University. Red tides—often rusty-hued in daylight—can occur all over the world and are caused by large-scale algae blooms. Some red tides, contain phytoplankton that emit bursts of light when agitated. The study authors propose that, as dinoflagellates (Dinoflagellates—the subjects of the recent study—are single-celled organisms, but some of them are big enough that you can actually see them with the naked eye) float, movement in the surrounding water sends electrical impulses around a proton-filled compartment inside the microorganisms. The electrical pulses open the voltage-sensitive proton channels, triggering a series of chemical reactions, which ultimately activate a protein called luciferase that produces the neon blue light. Similar phytoplankton are found in lakes, but they aren't bioluminescent. That's one of the enigmas about bioluminescence: Why has it never evolved in fresh water? Some dinoflagellates can produce toxins that are harmful to fish, humans, and other creatures. Scientists think bioluminescence may also be a form of defense for the life-forms. Much like a rattlesnake's tail, the light could act as "a signal that alerts a predator that it might be a bad idea to eat this prey. According to another idea, called the "burglar alarm" theory, bioluminescent phytoplankton use their light to hopefully attract the attention of secondary predators, which might attack any creature trying to consume the marine microbes.
Harvard's Hastings, who has spent his life studying marine bioluminescence, encourages people to go out to a beach at night to witness the living light show for themselves. Pictures, he says, can't truly capture the experience.
Bioluminescence is also evident in a large number of organisms that live at depths where sunlight never penetrates, mostly using it as warnings for predators, others as cloaking device, etc."

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'Glowing Blue Waves Explained', Published March 19, 2012, National Geographic, Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/03/pictures/120319-glowing-waves-ocean-blue-bioluminescent-plankton-science/

Some of the most common places to witness this natural phenomenon: