ATCHAFALAYA & ALLIGATORS AIRBOATS , Go on a high-speed romp through America’s largest swamp. Gators are just a few of the colorful locals you’ll meet cruising through the bayous. By Mark Sanders "N ow, you may want to put on your ear mu s for this…" And with those fateful words, they’re o! Airboats, as symbolic of Cajun Country as crawfish and zydeco, jet through the shallows of the Atchafalaya Basin and beyond at speeds approaching 40 miles per hour. They’re loud and proud, and riding on one is a must-do for anyone looking for an authentic south Louisiana experience. Just climbing aboard an airboat is enough to get your heart racing. These are flat-bottomed boats powered by a massive propeller, capable of speeding across open water and, just as easily, sneaking into canals only a few inches deep. Riding on one of these bad boys is like embarking on a high-speed adventure through a nature documentary. Some of the top airboat tour companies include McGee’s Landing in Henderson, where you’ll also find a restaurant, cabin rentals and camping and Atchafalaya Basin Landing & Marina, which o ers airboat tours, waterfront cabins and Cajun nightlife at Turtle’s Bar. The Atchafalaya Basin (pronounced “ah-CHA-fa-lie-ah”), named for a Native American word meaning “long river,” is a remote wilderness of shaggy 10 #OnlyLouisiana
Louisiana Travel Guide 2017: Page 10
