For Shore
On your next cruise, get up close and personal with the world’s most fascinating creatures.
THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A SHORE excursion to really make your cruise memories magical: Taking in the scenery, enjoying the regional cuisine, and, of course, meeting the locals ... including the kind with fur, feathers, or fins.
Animal-encounter tours have taken the world of travel by storm, with an ever-increasing range of destinations to explore and creatures to experience. From swimming with stingrays in the Caribbean to walking with deer outside of Osaka, here are just some of the amazing animal-encounter experiences that could be waiting for you the next time you step onto shore.
Cuddle a Sloth on the Amazon
Brazil is one of those classic cruise destinations that will never go out of style, and there’s nowhere like the city of Manaus to start an animal adventure. Manaus is a real paradox. On one hand it’s Brazil’s cosmopolitan outpost on the Amazon, an unabashedly modern city with every convenience and comfort. On the other, it’s a gateway to river and jungle adventures you’ll never forget. This is more of a cruise-within-a-cruise than a shore excursion, as you travel by boat to meet exotic animals both on and in the river. Various establishments have been set up by local entrepreneurs to let you interact with the creatures of the Amazon, including spots where you can meet and greet free-swimming river dolphins in their natural habitat. Back on dry land — or at least back on one of the floating buildings that dot the river — there are many other creatures to encounter. You can meet an anaconda, the powerful giant serpent of the Amazon rain forest, or, if something friendly and fuzzy is more your speed, perhaps you’d prefer to cuddle with a baby sloth? These gentle denizens of the forest canopy provide a unique glimpse into an entirely different ecosystem.
Play with Penguins in Patagonia
Heading south, we come to the Straits of Magellan and the beautiful islands of southern Chile. One island in particular is home to our next animal encounter: Magdalena Island, just a short hop from Tierra del Fuego. This is the location of the Magdalena Island Penguin Reserve, one of the most important Magellanic penguin colonies in the region. This island has been dedicated as a nature reserve because of its vital role in the penguin’s life cycle. Every
spring, countless penguins return here to lay their eggs on the island’s shores and rear their young before taking to the seas again in autumn. Here, you can drink in the breathtaking scenery of this unspoiled island as you explore the area and meet the fascinating and adorable residents. The Magellanic penguin is a curious and friendly character; during their yearly stint on the island, boats that land here are met by crowds of these remarkable aquatic birds who seem just as interested in you as you will be in them. An hour spent roaming the beaches of Magdalena Island is an hour that’ll stay with you forever.
Terrific Tortoises in the Seychelles
The Indian Ocean offers numerous destinations for those looking to meet new species. Among the best of these are the Seychelles. As well as being an outstandingly beautiful destination, the Seychelles are blessed with a profusion of wildlife. There are no large land mam- mals native to these islands but you can meet all manner of fascinating birds, reptiles, and other creatures. If you’re keen on island-hopping, you could take a trip to meet the famous giant Aldabra tortoises. There are numerous colonies of wild Aldabra tortoises dotted around the Seychelles, as well as various smaller groups living in captivity. (It’s worth checking in advance, as not all locations allow contact with the tortoises.) Amazingly long-lived, the giant tortoise can survive quite happily for 120 years — just think, your new friend could be a centenarian. One Seychelles location that offers excellent opportunities to view and interact with wildlife is the tiny capital city of Victoria, the smallest capital in Africa. The botanic gardens in particular are host to all kinds of creatures, from Aldabra tortoises to a rare species of fruit bat. The surrounding region of Mahé boasts spectacular scenery and even more opportunities to see and meet with the local fauna.
Up Close with Caribbean Sea Creatures
If a Caribbean cruise is more to your taste, you’ll find a plethora of sensational animal encounters — especially with the marine life. As an example, the sea around the island of St. Lucia teems with wonderful creatures both large and small. One of the most popular animal encounters here is a whale- and dolphin-watching trip; as well as the playful and friendly striped dolphins and spinner dolphins that inhabit these waters, you might be lucky enough to glimpse the more elusive whales: pilot, humpback, and sperm whales are regularly seen in these waters.
If an even closer encounter is what you’re looking for, you could head to Antigua to experience the thrill of swimming with stingrays. These huge but friendly ocean creatures are happy to receive visitors to their home on the sandbars off the island’s coast and will even