Bayous

candid America tips

 

Why the
Bayous
are special

The small, narrow, secluded, slow-moving coastal streams called Bayous cut through tranquil forests. The Cajun people who live in these waterways have a rich culture of music and food, and an interesting history.

Bayous
tips & insights

Cajun ancestry

The ancestors of the Cajuns were Acadians, people of French descent who lived in Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1755 the British began to kick them out and many eventually relocated to the remote Louisiana bayous.

Geography

The bayous stretch along the Gulf of Mexico west to east from Houston, Texas to Mobile, Alabama. The Louisiana bayous lie between those two states. You will generally find the most interesting bayous in Louisiana even though Houston is nicknamed the "Bayou City".

Creation

Bayous are created by river delta systems (in the case of Louisiana, the Mississippi's). They empty into the Gulf of Mexico.

Getting around

Though some roads now crisscross the bayous, the boat is still the most efficient means for many denizens to get around.

Tours from New Orleans

Tours from New Orleans are readily available. The waters are shallow, so the craft has to be a pontoon boat, airboat, or other shallow-bottomed vessel.

Farther west

While most New Orleans based tours go to bayous near that city, the ones farther west offer several advantages. You'll get a more authentic feeling of bayou life. The surroundings will be quieter (fewer motors running). Sometimes your vessel will be the only one in your neck of the woods.

Gators

The waters teem with alligators (locals call them "gators"). They can grow 15 feet or so in length. Though normally extremely circumspect, alligators will come very close to your boat because they have become habituated to receiving free handouts from the tour boat guides. Be sure the hand out isn't yours.

Cajun culture

Cajun music is folk, energetic and a treat. Visit a local nightspot that features it. The star of Cajun cuisine is the crawfish (looks like a tiny lobster). The area has many crawfish festivals and restaurants specializing in cooking that crustacean.

sponsored ad 

Explore my
candid country, region
and other travel guides
Click links for tips & insights

©2010 HQP / Hillman Quality Publications