Rachel Thomas/Stuff
When choosing animal excursions, look at how well animals are treated – whether they have food and water supply and shelter from the heat. These horses in Santorini were tied up in the shade with no accessible water.
There was a moment after walking through a line of donkey’s asses, upon sighting the piles of poo ahead, when it occurred to me this might be karma.
Earlier that day, I’d done what was titled ‘beach trails on horseback’ except minutes in I realized my visions of cantering along remote beaches was incredibly ill-informed.
Rachel Thomas/Stuff
Miserable mules on the Santorini donkey trail.
In reality, we would spend the next two hours trudging though dusty roads, mashed together in a tight, specific order, and being yelled at to kick and whip the animals to keep them moving. I spent most of the journey worrying about the welfare of my horse – which at one point ate poo from the rocky shoreline.
Many cruise liners are moving away from excursions that involve animal encounters for welfare reasons, but it’s still very much an evolving area. (The experience above was organized as part of a maiden voyage on Resilient Lady and Virgin has since canned this shore excursion based on sailor feedback).
READ MORE:
* Why your monkey encounter in Bali was a bad idea
* Virgin Voyages’ new cruise ship, Resilient Lady, sets itself apart as a mermaid in a sea of fish
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Rachel Thomas/Stuff
Rachel Thomas preparing to board Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady.
The point is, you can’t rely on your ship to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to helping you pick a shore excursion you’ll love. Here’s what to weigh up:
Animal encounters: As a general rule, it pays to choose observation over action but beyond that there is still plenty to watch out for. As I found out, what might be a fairly safe activity back home quite likely runs differently in poorer countries, even if it is part of the developed world.
World Animal Protection
An undercover investigation has found most tourism venues in the Indonesian islands fail to meet animals’ basic needs.
Anything that allows you to get up close with a wild animal or restricts its movement is likely to be problematic. Look for natural behavior, whether the animal has shelter, food and water available and whether whips are involved.
And it goes without saying but if you find yourself on the Santorini donkey trail, walk.
Rachel Thomas/Stuff
For anything that involves animals, look for natural behavior, whether the animal has shelter, food and water available and whether whips are involved.
Travel times: When you’re in a place for mother hours, every moment counts.
Getting out of town to a remote fishing village is appealing, but remember in places with limited infrastructure, a simple car accident can be the difference between a leisurely lunch or staring at the back of a seat for hours.
Cost: You’re on holiday, fair enough, if you want to splash out. But it pays to research a little bit about where you’re going so you know what to expect and how accessible key attractions are.
On the party island of Mykonos, most people will have no issue experiencing the cobbled maze-like village, windmills and iconic sunset bars on foot as they are well within walking distance of the port. So, if sightseeing is your main aim, you can happily tick these off independently.
Rachel Thomas/Stuff
The charm of Mykonos is easily accessible for most on foot, something worth considering before forking out on a shore excursion.
Don’t do what I did and pay NZ$200pp for an excursion that includes two cocktails, a shared platter and a couple of five minute bus rides.
Weather: If you’re going to Southeast Asia in monsoon season, a sunset hike may not be the most fun, likewise in the heat of summer if you’re used to operating in cooler climates.
The writer traveled to Santorini and Mykonos on Resilient Lady, courtesy of Virgin Voyages.
Rachel Thomas/Stuff
Weigh up the weather and the cost before heading out on shore excursions.
