Peruvian Amazon

The Sunsets: You know how dusk sometimes gets a bit psychedelic? Well, while on the Amazon, get ready to groove to a palette of tropical tangerine, magical magenta, and deep purple as nature’s nightly show is reflected in the river in the most magnificent way.

Fishing for Piranha: If you’d love to tell your friends you tried something a little offbeat, take your river guide up on his offer to cast a line for the Amazon’s most carnivorous fish. Just don’t try to unhook it yourself after you catch one!

Wildlife in the Trees: The banks of the Amazon River and its many tributaries teem with birds of every feather as well as mammals and reptiles — great and small. There are adorable capuchin monkeys and wee tree frogs, lazy three-toed sloths, and rare pink dolphins. There are plenty of snakes, too, including boas and anacondas.

Indigenous Villages: Some cruise companies make it a point to visit local villages along their river routes and encourage passengers to bring school supplies and toiletries (soaps and shampoos) to leave with the community.

Birders: Spotting everything from a black-faced ibis to a white-faced whistling duck is a snap — Peru has more than 1,700 species of birds.

Bring Bug Spray: Regularly throughout the day and with a vengeance as the sun sets, the mosquitoes and other flying pests of the Amazon jungle will swarm, bite, and, very possibly, make you miserable.