India & Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean offers cruising along the coasts of Arabia, India, Sri Lanka and on to Singapore or exploring the coral atolls of the Maldives and Seychelles. The size of the region and the vast distances cruised make for more relaxed cruising with many days at sea. Geographically diverse from desert to mountains and tropical rainforest, the area also offers guaranteed sunshine and great beaches.

Arabia and India

Most cruises in the region are passing through on repositioning or world cruises. Many cruises can be joined at an Egyptian or Mediterranean port and will sail through Red Sea along the coast of Arabia, calling at Salalah or Muscat in Oman, or modern Dubai in the Persian Gulf, then down the west coast of India to bustling Mumbai. From Mumbai cruises continue south to the canals & lagoons of Cochin, the beaches of Goa to Colombo in Sri Lanka. 

Sri Lanka and East India 

After exploring the temples, tea plantations and Elephant Orphanage of Sri Lanka, some cruises continue around the coast of India to Madras and its Dravidian temples. Others sail southeast across the Indian Ocean to the west coast of Thailand, Malaysia or Singapore and may call at the Andaman Islands (great snorkelling) on the way.

Maldives and Seychelles

In the Southern Indian Ocean, a few cruises will sail from India out to the 2000 coral islands of the Maldives and back again. Many are world voyages on their way to South Africa, although increasing numbers are semi-regular voyages between Arabia and South Africa or the Far East. Most cruises to the Seychelles and Maldives will also visit Madagascar and perhaps Mauritius or Reunion en route.

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