Learning On Board: What You Can Learn From Our Guides
As every seasoned traveler knows, the guides who escort you on your cruise truly make the difference in terms of the quality of your experience. We hand pick every one of ours, another way in which we differentiate our cruises to provide our guests with the absolute best on-board and off-board experience. Almost every day, after your on-shore excursions, you are treated to a fascinating presentation from your host guides, letting you learn interesting trivia and factoids you might otherwise miss as you travel to Peru’s Amazon or Vietnam and Cambodia’s Mekong. Here’s what you can learn about our destinations while on board…
Aria Amazon Presentations on Board
All About the Amazon River’s Fish
This presentation focuses on the diversity of fish species that exist in the Peruvian Amazon and the role of them in the maintenance of biodiversity, such as seed dispersal, biological control and decomposition of organic matter. Find out how fish are critical for the inhabitants of the Pacaya Samiria Reserve as a source of animal protein and how local communities coordinate to balance economic needs with fish stock conservation efforts.
Peruvian Amazon Flora and Fauna
This presentation highlights the role that Amazon wildlife serve as pollinators, seed dispersers, predators, and even for tourism. Learn as well about the fragility of the flora and fauna in the Amazon due to hunting pressure and deforestation due to local economic needs. Discover the critical role played by the Pacaya Samiria Reserve in the conservation of natural resources and the support of Aqua Expeditions for Amazon River conservation initiatives and management of natural resources.
Amazon Natives: Preserving Traditional Ways of Life
Find out how the local Amazon populations have organized themselves to better manage the Amazon’s natural resources including protecting wildlife and their habitats as well as working to their quality of life and local traditions. Learn how the Pacaya Samiria Reserve and Aqua Expeditions collaborate with organized groups for the sale of natural products and handicrafts which support local economies.
Spotlight on Amazon Palm Trees
In this presentation, our guests learn about the great diversity of palm species in the Amazon region which serves as a source of food not only for Amazon animals but also for the Amazon villager. Villagers not only take advantage of the fruits of these palms for their daily diets, such as “water hole” or “moriche palm”, but also use the fibers of these palms for making their homes and create beautiful artistic crafts out of these plants which when sold, help support local artisans.
Wildlife Conservation: Preserving the Taricaya Turtle
Learn about Aqua Expedition’s wildlife conservation projects working on the protection and conservation of the “Taricaya” or “Yellow Spotted River Turtle”. Find out about how we built our own artificial beach incubation site for turtle nests where, after three months, small hatchlings are born which are then released by our own passengers into the Pacaya Samiria Reserve, thus supporting the recovery of this endangered Amazon species.
Endangered Species of the Amazon
This presentation shows how global demand for products utilizing natural materials (fine woods, exotic animals) and climate change threatens the great biological diversity found in the continental Amazon as new patterns emerge showing more frequent and prolonged floods and droughts. Learn about how specific species are being impacted and the projects Aqua Expeditions is supporting which help protect endangered Amazon flora and fauna.
Aqua Mekong Presentations on Board
Cambodian History: Religions, Kingdoms and Khmer Resilience
Source: Worldstatesmen.com
The history of Cambodia is both complex and fascinating, featuring an ever shifting panorama of south east asian control with changes in leadership, religious influences and the evolution from a feudal to more modernized economy – still a work in progress. Learn about the Khmer Empire and the Angkorian Period or the “ Golden Age” during the 9th – 13th Century, the Mon and Cham peoples and battle to control the Mekong basin in the 15th century, the Indochinese Union in the 19th century, independence in 1953 and the horrors of the Khmer Rouge ascendance between 1975 and 1979.
Vietnam: My Beloved Country
Source: khmerkromngo.org
Similar to Cambodia, retrace the history of Vietnam on a journey highlighting the importance of Chinese influences in Vietnam followed by control by the French Empire, making Vietnam a French colony for nearly a century which was then followed by Japanese occupation. Political upheaval and Communist insurrection put an end to the monarchy after World War II when the country was proclaimed a republic. Learn about the conical hat, Vietnam’s zig zag canals, the importance of the rice crop to its economy and other fascinating trivia about this interesting destination of 92 million inhabitants with 54 different ethnic populations.
Weddings in Vietnam : A Unique Journey
Source: https://uk.pinterest.com/tramngoctran/vietnamese-tea-ceremony/
While on one of our luxury Mekong River boat cruises, have some fun learning about the cultural traditions of weddings in Vietnam. Where and how do grooms propose? What’s a typical wedding dowry? What happens at the engagement party and what NOT to do at the wedding reception. Get the scoop!
