The Louisiana Bayou

One of the main things I wanted to do in New Orleans, besides visiting the French Quarter and tasting the Cajun & Creole cuisine, was to see the backcountry swamps of the Louisiana Bayou. Every time I’ve seen a movie featuring the intriguing swamps that house the large Cypress trees, lush foliage, and diverse wildlife, I’ve wanted to visit. Today I finally got to experience it in person.

Thanks to Cajun Encounters Tours my family was able to take a boat tour of the swamps of the famous Honey Island, and get an up-close look at life in the bayou. Our terrific boat operator, Adam, swiftly guided us down the river in search of alligator sightings. We began the journey knowing the alligators don’t usually come out of brumation (similar to hibernation) until late March, and our visit was a week or so early.  We kept our fingers crossed and cameras ready for any glimpse of alligator we might get.

Our first stop along the river was