TURQUOISE WATERS & MYSTICAL EAST

Day 1-2: Phuket, Thailand, You arrive the next day and spend 1 night in a luxury hotel. This beautiful island is known as the ‘Pearl of Thailand’ and o ers pristine beaches, lush vegetation, traditional villages and seaviews of huge limestone pillars looking out over the turquoise waters of Phang-Nga Bay. Private transfer on day 2 to the port and embarkation on board the Silver Shadow.

Day 3-4: Cruise days at sea.

Day 5: Trincomalee, Sri Lanka; 07:00-14:00 hours. Trincomalee has one of the largest natural harbours in the world. That is why several European countries once fought over Trincomalee, which was already one of the most visited places of Hinduism. Near Trincomalee there are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One is the old town of Polonnaruwa from the 12th century with its impressive ruins and statues. The second is Sirigiya with its lion’s rock, a giant rock with up to 1200 steps worth climbing.

Day 6-7: Colombo, Sri Lanka; 12:00-18:00 hours next day. The capital of Sri Lanka o ers good museums, parks and beautiful Buddhist temples that are all worth a visit. It is a fascinating fusion of colours and cultures.

Day 8-9: Cochin, India; 15:30-18:00 hours next day. Cochin is one of the largest and oldest ports on the west coast. The streets behind the docks of the historic districts of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry are dotted with old merchant houses, godowns and open courtyards full of betelnuts, ginger, peppercorns and tea. During the second millennium this old city exported spices, co ee and coconut (the bre made from coconut hulls).

Day 10: New Mangalore, India; 09:00-18:00 hours. New port of Mangalore, founded in 1974, is the main port of Karnataka. Mangalore is named after the goddess Mangaladevi. It is a panorama of palm- fringed beaches, lush green elds and enchanting forests. The city is sheltered by the rising western ghats in the east and the mighty Arabian Sea that bustles along the western coasts.

Day 11: Mormugao, India; 08:00-18:00 hours. As the gateway to Goa, Mormugao is a legendary city surrounded by beaches, fascinating heritage sites and ramparts. Mormugao was an important location for the spread of Christianity, with important missionaries who landed here, among them St Francis Xavier, whose last resting place is in Old Goa.

Day 12-13: Mumbai, India; arrival 13:00 hours. It is often said that visitors nd Mumbai fantastic or even terrible. It is a hectic and chaotic city with over 13 million citizens. You can marvel at a variety of street scenes, from bazars to exclusive shops, exuberant wealth to extreme poverty, mystical sanctuaries and places where no morality seems to prevail. What it scores high with everywhere is the culinary o erings that are o ered until the wee hours, both in very exclusive restaurants and food stalls on the street. On day 14 end of your cruise.