Song of India: Chennai to Mumbai

Day 1 Chennai (Madras), India

Today you arrive in Chennai (formerly known as Madras), India and check into your included hotel. Chennai, the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is India’s fourth largest city and is an important center of Tamil culture, known for traditional Bharatanatyan dance, music and “Kollywood” cinema.

Chennai was established by the British in the 17th century and developed into a thriving commercial center and naval base. The British built Fort St. George, which today is the legislative and administrative seat for the state. Its museum offers an intriguing glimpse into colonial life. The fort also encompasses the Church of St. Mary, the oldest Anglican church in India and the oldest church east of the Suez Canal.

Day 2 Chennai (Madras), India

This morning is at your leisure. Enjoy a relaxed breakfast in your hotel, take a walk on Marina beach (one of the world’s longest beaches), shop for saris and one-of-a-kind hand-woven fabrics, or visit one of the sites associated with St. Thomas, an apostle of Jesus Christ. Legend has it that he made a missionary voyage to India and ultimately died on St. Thomas Mount. He is said to be buried on the site of St. Thomas Basilica. There are many beautiful temples and mosques to visit as well, such as the ornately carved Kapaleeswarar Temple, which dates from the 8th century.

Prior to embarkation, enjoy a highlight tour of Chennai, as we drive through its historic neighborhoods en route to the Spirit of Oceanus.

Day 3 Pondicherry, India

Once the largest French colony in India, Pondicherry retains a bit of its Gallic flavor in the city’s European layout and in the patisseries and Mediterranean-style houses that line its boulevards. Here you can enjoy a flaky croissant and café au lait in a place where the majority of the people speak Tamil. Explore the Pondicherry Museum, which houses sculptures from Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagara temples, as well as Buddha images from Pondicherry/ Kirmampakkam, and bronzes from the Chola, Vijayanagara and Nayaka periods.

Day 4 At Sea

Your next stop is Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). Your Exploration Leaders will provide you with a fascinating introduction to a land whose rich culture and complex history you’ll be experiencing for the next two days.

Day 5 Galle, Sri Lanka

Galle is one of the best examples of a European-built fortified city in south Asia, reflecting both European architectural styles and south Asian traditions. Built by the Portuguese in 1640, the Galle Fort, which you’ll be exploring today, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest remaining European fortress in Asia. Yet another European structure worth seeing is St. Mary’s Cathedral, founded by Jesuit priests. Enjoy strolling its ramparts, cobblestoned streets, with galleries and fascinating historical remnants.

A more recent import to Sri Lanka is the Indonesian art of batik. During the past several decades batik-making has become firmly entrenched here and the Sri Lankans have put their own unique stamp on its design motifs and colors. You’ll have an opportunity to see their handiwork up close as you tour a batik factory. The dresses, shirts, sarongs and beachwear they make are ideal for tropical climates.

Day 6 Colombo, Sri Lanka

It’s hard to believe that Sri Lanka was once known for coffee, not tea. But when a fungus killed off most of Sri Lanka’s coffee plants in the 1860s, an enterprising Scot named James Taylor sowed the first tea seeds on 19 acres of land, and created a burgeoning industry. Today you’ll travel through the tropical countryside to a Ceylonese tea plantation and learn how tea is cultivated, fired and brewed to perfection. Of course, you’ll also sample some of the finest tea in the world in this graceful and exotic setting.

While in Sri Lanka, you’ll have an opportunity to visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, home for about 60 orphaned or abandoned elephants. At Pinnawala, they’re cared for, fed and trained by naturalists so they can safely return to the wild. You may see some of the baby elephants being bottle-fed or having their daily bath at a nearby river. You might even get a chance to ride one!

Day 7 At Sea

Relax, share photos of your Sri Lankan adventures and get ready for a change in scenery as we sail to the Maldives.

Days 8-9 Male, Maldives

The Republic of Maldives is an island country comprising twenty-six atolls and 1,192 islands, only 25 of which are inhabited. All are covered with a thin layer of topsoil (approximately 6 inches deep) atop two feet of sandstone, sand, then fresh water. Because of the high concentrations of salt near the beaches, vegetation is fairly limited. The surrounding waters, however, teem with life. Barrier reefs composed of coral debris and living coral, serve as a buffer between the islands and the Indian Ocean, forming lagoons where marine life flourishes.

Suit up in your snorkeling gear and dive into the warm, crystalline waters. You’re likely to find powder blue surgeonfish, manta rays, sharks, dolphins, even a wreck or two. The Maldives are truly a diver’s utopia. (Zodiac landing or touring)

Day 10 At Sea

Time to slow down the pace and simply enjoy the blue skies, the ocean, and a comfortable deck chair.

Day 11 Tuticorin, India

Explore Indian culture at its most vibrant on a walking tour of Tuticorin, one of the oldest seaports in the world. Known as the “Pearl City,” Tuticorin developed from a small fishing village into a thriving port under Portuguese rule in the 16th century and continued to grow under Dutch and the British occupation. It has been a pearl-diving and maritime trade center for more than a century.

As you wander around this lively coastal city, you’ll encounter Our Lady of Snows Basilica, where in 1542 St. Francis Xavier catechized the Paravas, the region’s indigenous people.

Day 12 Trivandrum, India

With a tradition dating back to 1000 B.C., Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) was founded as a trading center for spices, sandalwood and ivory. Its name means “City of Lord Anantha” in Sanskrit and Malayalam, but Mahatma Ghandi referred to it as the “Evergreen City of India,” for its undulating verdant hills.

Day 13 Cochin, India

Once heralded as the ”Queen of the Arabian Sea,” Kochi (Cochin) was an important spice-trading center as early as the 14th century and was well known in the ancient world. In the early 16th century the Portuguese established in Kochi the first European colonial settlement in India. The city was later occupied by the Dutch, the Mysore and the British.

Day 14 Mangalore, India

An important trading port with ties to the Persian Gulf dating back to the 14th century, Mangalore has been occupied by numerous dynasties and colonial powers including the Portuguese, the British and Myesore sultans.

Day 15 Marmagao (Goa), India

Marmagao was colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Today, this charming city, with its brown-tile roofs, beaches and parks, is a popular holiday destination. Explore Goa’s heritage, which is one of great diversity and harmonious coexistence between the Roman Catholic minority and Hindu majority, on your tour of “The Churches and Convents of Goa,” a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 16 At Sea

The last full day of your voyage. Whether you’re heading home with a camera full of memories or you’re preparing for the next exciting voyage of this chapter one, today is a perfect time to enjoy a sunny day at sea and the camaraderie of your fellow passengers.

Day 17 Mumbai, India

Disembark or continue your journey with the next voyage from Mumbai to Muscat.