Honey Island Swamp Tours — Local services in Slidell

Unethical and Unsafe!

I recently participated in a swamp tour that included an encounter with Louisiana's most iconic reptile — the American alligator. While the scenery was undeniably beautiful and the guides were somewhat knowledgeable, one significant aspect of this tour deeply troubled me: the feeding of wild alligators as part of the experience.

Feeding alligators may seem exciting or harmless, but it is neither. It's hazardous — not just for the tourists on the boat but for the surrounding community that shares these waterways.

Alligators are naturally docile animals. Contrary to popular belief, they prefer to avoid humans and are not aggressive unless provoked or conditioned otherwise. In their undisturbed state, they pose little threat to people who live near or use the waterways. Unfortunately, when humans feed alligators — especially for entertainment purposes — this behavior drastically changes. Under normal circumstances, you would not need to sit away from the rail to avoid being attacked by a gator.

Feeding wild alligators trains them to associate people with food. Over time, this creates serious safety issues. Gators lose their natural fear of humans, becoming bolder and more likely to approach docks, boats, swimmers, and even backyards. Feeding alligators has already led to numerous incidents in which "friendly" gators, expecting food, got too close — sometimes with tragic consequences.

Additionally, it's important to note that in many states, including parts of Louisiana, like Jefferson Parish, feeding wild alligators is illegal. There's a good reason for that. It's not just about protecting tourists; it's about protecting the alligators themselves. When gators become too habituated to people, they often have to be relocated or euthanized for public safety. Swamp tours that continue this practice prioritize profits over long-term ecological and community well-being. They may justify it as educational, but in truth, they're creating unnatural and unsustainable behaviors in wildlife.

Their as-advertised "native professionals" thoughtfully and purposefully contribute to making the otherwise safe waterways dangerous for local kayakers and canoers to venture into. They also are endangering their customers. It is not normal to have to fear an alligator jumping onto your watercraft.

If you're planning a swamp tour, choose one that respects the natural behaviors of wild animals, such as Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours. Had I known that Dr. Wagner's Swamp Tours lacked the ethics of protecting human and animal life, we would've stuck to Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours. They are a company that focuses on observation from a respectful distance without baiting or feeding. Their tours are not only safer but far more ethical and informative in...

No alligators this time (not terribly surprising since it had been so cold that week and was still only about 69 degrees) but a fun experience nonetheless. We covered a lot of the beautiful honey island swamp and I loved tucking back into some smaller bayous. We live in New Orleans and take visiting family on swamp tours frequently, so we try to check out different places and tour companies each time. This wasn't our first time in honey island, but it WAS our first time with honey island swamp tours. I definitely recommend honey island over some of the other swamps/ bayous to the west of New Orleans- it's beautiful here and you truly get that "swamp" feel instead of just a big river. I like the smaller boats because you can always see and it feels more private. My only disappointment this time was that our captain's microphone was broken and we could barely hear a word he said. We did tell him we were having a super hard time hearing (we were at the front of the boat) and asked him to speak up but he sort of shrugged and just... didn't. We've been on a lot of tours with different companies so I was able to tell my sister and brother in law some fun facts but it would have been great to hear what the captain was saying, they usually all give you something new or a different personal experience. We'd definitely come back to honey island swamp tours again though, hopefully they fix that microphone. :) oh side note- this company ONLY takes cash or check so be prepared...

This was our first time in New orlenas and we were encouraged by multiple people in other states to specifically use honey island swamp tours. While out we ran into several other tour companies on the river, but again we were told specifically to use honey island over all the rest out there and I'm talking states away. That should tell you something, this company has a strong name and reputation all over! Captain Chris was our captain/guide, he was knowledgeable, funny, relaxed and kept a good energy while showing us around. I have done air boat tours in the everglades and was expecting that on this tour, it's not the same. The swamp tour is in a covered boat that Captain Chris maneuvered amazingly, he could stop on a dime! My kids had never been on a boat before and I hadn't even thought about them getting sick but they did mostly ok, my oldest slept most of the ride. The wildlife wasn't super active when we went, the weather was cool and it was mid-day, so it just wasn't the right time of year. That being said we saw some alligators, snakes, birds, a large family of raccoons, and so many turtles. The swamps are not what I expected it was very clean, smelled so fresh. The camps alongside the river were really neat to see and Captain Chris explained anything and everything. My only suggestion would be to bring cash for tips...