By day, enjoy exploring the best of Patagonia, the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands. By night, relax in luxury with a lovely meal and the water all around you.

Cruising on a small ship is the best way to get you “close enough, quietly enough and slowly enough” to connect with the best destinations in South America, says Viva Expeditions founder Rachel Williams.

Speaking about the travel agency’s small ship cruising options taking you to the continent’s most awe-inspiring locations – including the likes of Patagonia, the Amazon and the Galapagos Islands – Williams says it’s the “opposite” of the experience you’d expect on a larger cruise.

“There’s no crowds, no rush – it’s like the place has come to you. I think of it as being able to access areas that would otherwise be inaccessible,” she said.

While by day, you might be out exploring the paradisiacal natural setting, watching exotic wildlife like pink dolphins, tortoises and iguanas, or enjoying water sports, by evening you get to enjoy all the trappings of your luxuriously appointed small ship.

“You get to come back onboard, sit up on the sky deck enjoying a lovely meal with the ocean all around – it really is fabulous.”

Watch the full interview with Rachel Williams above.