Booking choice: The large airboat tour with hotel pickup, from $90 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
A search for a swamp tour near New Orleans returns two products that look alike on a booking page. An airboat is a flat boat pushed by a big caged fan. A swamp boat on the Honey Island tour is a small quiet boat that glides.
They differ in noise, speed, length and where they are even allowed to go.
The quick answer
Pick an airboat such as the large airboat tour for speed and a short, lively ride. Pick the Honey Island swamp tour for a quiet boat, with a 1.5-hour shuttle each way. Honey Island is not an airboat tour.
What is the difference between an airboat and a swamp boat?
An airboat pushes itself with a big fan above the water and skims shallows. A swamp boat uses a quiet motor and sits lower, so it is slower.
The large airboat tour has a guide hunting for gators and a driver adding bursts of speed. The Honey Island tour uses a boat that is small and quiet, and the listing says live commentary and wildlife encounters. Different trip, different mood.
Why are there no airboats on Honey Island Swamp tours?
The state rules do not allow it. The Louisiana ecotour rules list the use of airboats as prohibited on WMA ecotours.
Those rules cover the Maurepas Swamp and Pearl River wildlife management areas, where Wild Louisiana Guide licensees run commercial ecotours. Honey Island sits in that Pearl River area, so its tours run on quiet boats. If you want an airboat, you head for the Marrero, Lafitte or Luling docks instead.
Not an airboat: a small quiet boat in a protected wetland, with a French Quarter shuttle.
Check dates for the Honey Island swamp tourWhich is louder and faster?
The airboat, by a wide margin. Operators list speeds of 35 to 45 mph and supply ear protection.
The bayou van ride says its boat reaches 45 mph, and the Oak Alley combo with the small boat lists 35. Ear protection is part of the Lafitte and private-swamp tours, and guests wear yellow ear defenders in photos. On a quiet boat you talk normally and hear the guide without effort.
Which shows you more wildlife?
Both find gators. The airboat covers more water and reaches tight channels. The quiet boat can stop and back up for a long look.
A Honey Island guest wrote that the captain "would stop and even back up if we spotted something we wanted to see". On the small boat from the six-passenger adventure, a guest wrote "we could go into more secluded areas of the bayou".
How long is each trip?
An airboat tour is about 1 hour 40 minutes on the water. Honey Island is a 5-hour trip with a 1.5-hour shuttle each way.
The Honey Island tour leaves from 317 N Rampart St, with pickups at 8:00, 10:15, 1:15 and 3:30 for tours at 9:30, 12:15, 2:45 and 5:00. A guest warned that the pickup time is a couple of hours before the tour. The airboat tours are a half day, with the shuttle shorter than Honey Island's.
| What differs | Airboat tour | Honey Island swamp tour |
|---|---|---|
| Boat | Fan-driven, fast | Small, quiet |
| Time on the water | About 1 h 40 (listing) | About 2 h (listing title) |
| Shuttle from the city | Roughly 30 to 45 min | 1.5 h each way |
| Ear protection | Supplied or recommended | Not needed |
| Where | Marrero, Lafitte, Luling | Slidell, Honey Island |
What about the Jean Lafitte pontoon boat?
It is a third option: a shaded, restroom-equipped pontoon, not an airboat, and the swamp tour closest to downtown.
A pontoon cruise leaves from Marrero. It suits guests who want shade and a toilet on board over speed. It is not listed on this site, and the Barataria Preserve itself visitor center and most trails closed in February 2026 for about two years of repairs.
Who should pick which?
Pick the airboat if you want speed, a short day and a guide who chases gators. Pick the quiet boat if noise bothers you or you travel with a hearing-sensitive guest.
- Airboat, no car: the large airboat tour.
- Quiet boat: the Honey Island swamp tour, rated 4.9 from 7,180 guests.
- Your own small boat: the six-passenger adventure.
A small quiet boat in a protected wetland, with the French Quarter shuttle included.
Explore the Honey Island swamp tourCan you do both?
Yes, on different days. Each takes most of a morning or afternoon.
Pairing them on one day is not realistic, since Honey Island alone is 5 hours. Start with the price guide to set a budget, then decide how much noise you can handle. The kids and clothing guide covers who should skip the airboat.
Frequently asked questions
Is an airboat the same as a swamp boat?
No. An airboat is pushed by a fan and runs fast and loud. The Honey Island swamp boat is small and quiet.
Are there airboats in Honey Island Swamp?
No. Louisiana rules list the use of airboats as prohibited on the Pearl River WMA ecotours.
Which is better for kids?
A quiet boat suits noise-sensitive young kids. An airboat suits children who are tall enough and ready for ear defenders.
How long is the Honey Island trip?
About 5 hours, with a 1.5-hour shuttle each way and about two hours on the water.
Ready to book
Choose your airboat tour
Every option here can be cancelled for a full refund; the deadline is on each listing. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Large Airboat Swamp Tour with Hotel Pickup
- About 4 hours 15 minutes door to door, with pickup windows from 8:00 am (a 3:00 pm slot in season)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off by air-conditioned coach
- About 2 hours at the swamp on an airboat with a professional guide
Honey Island Swamp Tour with Transport
A small, quiet boat in a protected wetland, with no airboat noise
Premium Six-Passenger Airboat Adventure
Six guests at most on your own boat, with transport as an extra
