COSTA RICA: No surprise that Central America's noted eco-friendly destination makes for terrific wildlife cruising, especially on expedition ships with a much more hands-on approach to the environment: passengers can kayak, snorkel and paddleboard among dolphins and the occasional whale. You can also try hooking marlin and bluefin tuna. Highlights on land include shore excursions to Corcovado National Park, with its monkeys and anteaters, and the sloths of Manuel Antonio National Park. Flocks of macaws flit through the trees of the country's cloud forest; harder-to-see creatures include ocelots, armadillos and dazzling hummingbirds. Volcanoes, beautiful beaches and butterfly-filled forest are other natural attractions. See visitcostarica.com.
ANTARCTICA: The world's most remote wildlife destination takes a bit of getting to â and often an encounter with seasickness â but it's well worth the Drake Passage crossing when you come across a vast penguin colony huddled at the lea of untouched, snow-capped mountains. Pick a cruise that offers Zodiac excursions or even kayaking among icebergs: creatures you might encounter are killer whales, sperm whales, elephant seals and, if you're lucky, elusive leopard seals. Many Antarctica cruises also visit the Falklands and South Georgia islands, which have epic numbers of nesting sea birds such as penguins, albatross, petrels and skuas. See antarcticatravelcentre.com.au.
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: You could hardly get a better wildlife experience than on the islands that helped Darwin develop his evolutionary theory. The Galapagos have been so long isolated â and now so well protected â that wildlife have little to fear. Visitors can get up close to giant iguanas, huge 100-year-old tortoises and blue-footed boobies. Birds you might not associate with the Galapagos include penguins and flamingos. If you take to the chilly waters, sea lions and seals will swim up for a look-see. Practically all cruises to this destination are accompanied by biology experts so you can learn more about the islands' extraordinary wildlife heritage. See ecuador.travel, galapagosislands.com.
AMAZON: Some smaller ocean-going vessels and many river-cruise ships visit various parts of the Amazon (and Rio Negro) in Ecuador, Brazil and Peru for an encounter with the world's most bio-diverse region. From a wildlife point of view, there's no better river cruise. Birdcalls sound through early morning mist on the mighty river, monkeys holler, parakeets flash in the trees and pink river dolphins follow in the ship's wake. Shore excursions by Zodiac take passengers into tributaries, where those adept with binoculars might spot sloths, macaws, toucans or an anaconda. You can also try your hand at catching a piranha. See visitperu.com, visitbrasil.com.
BORNEO: Expedition cruise vessels and some larger cruise ships sail to the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo. The rainforest is home to a half-dozen primate species, including orang-utans, and cruises offer shore excursions to Camp Leakey's rehabilitation centre for orang-utans. The meandering waterways of surrounding Tanjung Puting National Park can be explored by Zodiac; you might spot macaques, proboscis monkeys, flying foxes and a spectacular array of birds. The sea is abundant in species, too: turtles, dolphins and whales can be spotted while cruising. Cruise ships sometimes stop at the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahmanâ National Park for diving and snorkelling. See tourismmalaysia.
ALASKA: Whales frolic, bears roam and the scenery is never short of awesome on a cruise through Alaska's fabled Inside Passage. Many ports, such as Juneau, offer ways to enjoy the great outdoors, such as by sea kayaking among otters and seals. But you can often spot wildlife without leaving the deck, especially on smaller ships: kittiwakes and cormorants, bears and mountain goats, and surfacing killer whales carving their way gracefully through the water. At Seward, the SeaLifeâ Centre features injured wildlife undergoing rehabilitation. Many cruise lines also visit the Alaska Raptor Centre outside Sitka, with its falcons, hawks and eagles. See travelalaska.com.
ALASKA
Whales frolic, bears roam and the scenery is never short of awesome on a cruise through Alaska's fabled Inside Passage. Many ports, such as Juneau, offer ways to enjoy the great outdoors, such as by sea kayaking among otters and seals. But you can often spot wildlife without leaving the deck, especially on smaller ships: kittiwakes and cormorants, bears and mountain goats, and surfacing killer whales carving their way gracefully through the water. At Seward, the SeaLife Centre features injured wildlife undergoing rehabilitation. Many cruise lines also visit the Alaska Raptor Centre outside Sitka, with its falcons, hawks and eagles. See www.travelalaska.com.
BORNEO
Expedition cruise vessels and some larger cruise ships sail to the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo. The rainforest is home to a half-dozen primate species, including orang-utans, and cruises offer shore excursions to Camp Leakey's rehabilitation centre for orang-utans. The meandering waterways of surrounding Tanjung Puting National Park can be explored by Zodiac; you might spot macaques, proboscis monkeys, flying foxes and a spectacular array of birds. The sea is abundant in species, too: turtles, dolphins and whales can be spotted while cruising. Cruise ships sometimes stop at the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park for diving and snorkelling. See www.tourismmalaysia.
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
You could hardly get a better wildlife experience than on the islands that helped Darwin develop his evolutionary theory. The Galapagos have been so long isolated – and now so well protected – that wildlife have little to fear. Visitors can get up close to giant iguanas, huge 100-year-old tortoises and blue-footed boobies. Birds you might not associate with the Galapagos include penguins and flamingos. If you take to the chilly waters, sea lions and seals will swim up for a look-see. Practically all cruises to this destination are accompanied by biology experts so you can learn more about the islands' extraordinary wildlife heritage. See www.ecuador.travel, www.galapagosislands.com.
ANTARCTICA
The world's most remote wildlife destination takes a bit of getting to – and often an encounter with seasickness – but it's well worth the Drake Passage crossing when you come across a vast penguin colony huddled at the lea of untouched, snow-capped mountains. Pick a cruise that offers Zodiac excursions or even kayaking among icebergs: creatures you might encounter are killer whales, sperm whales, elephant seals and, if you're lucky, elusive leopard seals. Many Antarctica cruises also visit the Falklands and South Georgia islands, which have epic numbers of nesting sea birds such as penguins, albatross, petrels and skuas. See www.antarcticatravelcentre.com.au.
AMAZON
Some smaller ocean-going vessels and many river-cruise ships visit various parts of the Amazon (and Rio Negro) in Ecuador, Brazil and Peru for an encounter with the world's most bio-diverse region. From a wildlife point of view, there's no better river cruise. Birdcalls sound through early morning mist on the mighty river, monkeys holler, parakeets flash in the trees and pink river dolphins follow in the ship's wake. Shore excursions by Zodiac take passengers into tributaries, where those adept with binoculars might spot sloths, macaws, toucans or an anaconda. You can also try your hand at catching a piranha. See visitperu.com, visitbrasil.com.
COSTA RICA
No surprise that Central America's noted eco-friendly destination makes for terrific wildlife cruising, especially on expedition ships with a much more hands-on approach to the environment: passengers can kayak, snorkel and paddleboard among dolphins and the occasional whale. You can also try hooking marlin and bluefin tuna. Highlights on land include shore excursions to Corcovado National Park, with its monkeys and anteaters, and the sloths of Manuel Antonio National Park. Flocks of macaws flit through the trees of the country's cloud forest; harder-to-see creatures include ocelots, armadillos and dazzling hummingbirds. Volcanoes, beautiful beaches and butterfly-filled forest are other natural attractions. See www.visitcostarica.com.
