Cruises
arriving into India generally
dock at three ports - Mumbai,
Goa and Cochin. There are two
ways in which one can participate
in a pre / post Cruise Tour.
1. Disembark
at a port, do a sightseeing
tour and return to embark
on the ship for the onward
sailing.
2. Disembark
at a port, fly to one of the
other port destinations, do
a sightseeing tour and then
rejoin the ship at the new
port of call.
GOA
Disembark
from the ship. You will be
met at the Pier and escorted
by an English speaking guide
to your deluxe vehicle departing
for a tour of Goa .Variously
known as " Pearl of the
Orient" and a "Tourist
Paradise", the state
of Goa is located on the western
coast of India in the coastal
belt known as Konkan. The
magnificent scenic beauty
and the architectural splendors
of its temples, churches and
old houses have made Goa a
firm favorite with travellers
around the world. But then,
Goa is much more than just
beaches and sea. It has a
soul which lies in the interiors
and hinterland away from the
coast. Visit to
Ancestral Goa in Loutolim
village where Goa is showcased
in miniature and also visit
to Menezes Braganza's Mansion.
BRAGANZA
HOUSE: The Portuguese
ruled Goa for 450 years and
left the shores of this state
in 1961 but it is impossible
to miss their influence all
around - from a sizeable Christian
population to Portuguese architecture.
The landscape of Goa is dotted
with heritage houses, villas
and mansions reminiscent of
the Portuguese era as well
as some unique examples of
clever blend of the Indian
and Portuguese styles. The
Braganza House is one such
classic example.
Later
visit to Spice Plantation
which is quite interesting:
THE
SPICE PLANTATIONS of Goa are quite popular as
a tourist attraction. On a
typical excursion to the spice
plantations, one starts by
exploring the fields and the
farms. It is an astonishing
sight to see men climbing
on tall trees while maintaining
a balance, and at the same
time, plucking betel nut fruits
from those swaying trees.
Some major spices produced
at these plantations are black
pepper, cardamom, nutmeg,
vanilla, cinnamon, cloves,
chillies, coriander, cashew
and betel nut palm. Apart
from these spices, many tropical
fruits like Custard apples,
Papaya, Bananas, Pineapples,
Citrus fruits, etc are also
grown.
Lunch
at the Spice Plantation
After lunch,
visit "Old Goa"
- famous for beautiful Churches
like Bascilla of Bom Jesus,
Church of St. Francis Assissi
, Se Cathedral and Panjim
city.
Return to
ship stopping briefly for
photo stop at scenic spots.
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MUMBAI
DAY
1 : Disembark from
the ship. You will be met
at the Pier and escorted by
an English speaking guide
to your deluxe vehicle departing
for an excursion of Elephanta
Caves by motorboat.
THE
ELEPHANTA CAVES: The Elephanta Caves are a
great tourist attraction in
the vicinity of the large
Mumbai metropolis. These
caves house rock cut temples
dating back to the 5th century
BC. The Elephanta Island was
so named by the Portuguese,
after the statue of an elephant
near the landing area of the
island. These rocks cut temples,
created by carving out rock,
are dedicated to Shiva Mahadeva
and are rich in sculptural
content. The entire temple
is akin to a huge sculpture,
through whose corridors and
chambers one can walk. The
colossal 20 feet high image
of the three-headed Shiva
Trimurthy is a magnificent
one and considered to be a
masterpiece of Indian art.
Return to
the Pier to board the ship
for overnight.
DAY
2 - Disembark from
the ship to enjoy a day tour
of Old Mumbai (now called
Mumbai) visiting:
GATEWAY OF
INDIA:This 26m high Triple-Arch
Gateway grandeur was built
in 1911 to commemorate the
visit of George V and Queen
Mary to India. The Gateway
of India overlooks the Arabian
Sea, adjoining the famous
Taj Mahal Hotel and ferries
take tourists from here to
nearby Elephanta Caves and
Alibaug.
PRINCE
OF WALES MUSEUM
Built in
the Indo-Saracenic style,
this building houses one of
the finest collections of
Indian art in the world. Designed
by George Wittet and completed
in 1914, it marked the visit
of the Prince of Wales to
the city. The museum has three
main sections - art, archeology
and natural history.
MANI
BHAWAN ( GANDHI MUSEUM )
This bungalow
on Laburnum Road was Mahatma
Gandhi's Mumbai residence
from 1917-1934. It is now
converted into a museum in
his memory. Besides the plain
spartan room, there are pictures
of events from his life, a
research library, and a mini
theatre showing films on Gandhi
and India's struggle for independence.
FLORA
FOUNTAIN (Drive past):
This famous fountain is situated
in the heart of the city where
five roads meet. It is named
after Flora - the Roman Godess
of Flowers, Spring and Fertility.
It was erected in 1869 to
honor Sir Bartle Frere for
dismantling the Fort and shaping
much of modern Mumbai.
Time
for Lunch (Optional)
VICTORIA
TERMINUS (Drive past): Headquarters of Central Railways,
it was designed by William
Stevens in 1887 to coincide
with Queen Victoria's Golden
Jubilee celebrations. The
city's most impressive Gothic
structure makes a striking
sight with its cathedral-like
spires, arches, & stained
glass windows.
MARINE
DRIVE (Drive Past): Built in 1920 on reclaimed
land, this beautiful promenade
stretches in crescent shape
with the Arabian Sea on one
side and modern day high rirses
on the other! When lit up
at night the entire drive
gleams like the "Queen's
Necklace". Horse driven
" Victoria" carriage
rides are available.
HANGING
GARDENS: Built in
1880 and renovated in 1921.
It is landscaped on top of
three reservoirs which stores
30 million gallons of water
to supply to the city.
DHOBI
GHAT: Literally,
Dhobi means "Washerman"
and Ghat means "Laundry".
A sight unique to Mumbai,
one can see rows upon rows
of concrete pens fitted with
a flogging stone where hundreds
of "dhobis" and
their families together do
their rinsing and washing
in a profession which is hereditary.
CRAWFORD
MARKET: One of Mumbai's
most famous markets, it is
named after Arthur Crawford,
the first Municipal Commissioner.
It houses wholesale market
for fruits, vegetables and
poultry. Completed in 1869,
this Norman and Gothic architectural
marvel was the first building
in the city to be lit with
electricity.
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COCHIN
Disembark
from the ship. You will be
met at the Pier and escorted
by an English speaking guide
to your private vehicle for
a tour of Cochin city.
COCHIN: Cochin or Cochin, the commercial
hub of Kerala, is a town of
great historical importance.
It has a fine natural harbor
around which the city has
grown. The city has seen arrival
of Moors, Turks, French, Dutch,
Portugese and British over
the years for trading with
the West. Attracted by trade
and its liberal laws, many
foreigners have made this
their home. After the fall
of Jerusalem, many Jewish
refugees sought sanctuary
in this lush trading post.
You begin
your tour by witnessing the
traditional Kerala Dance Program
of Kathakali.
KATHAKALI
DANCE: Kathakali
is the most well known dance
drama from the south Indian
state of Kerala. The word
Kathakali literally means
"Story-Play". It
is known for its large, elaborate
makeup and costumes. The elaborate
costumes of Kathakali have
become the most recognized
icon for Kerala and performed
in a text that is Sanskritised
Malyalam. The themes of the
Kathakali are religious in
nature and typically deal
with the Mahabarat, the Ramayana
and the ancient scriptures
known as the Puranas.
After the
dance program, continue with
sightseeing visiting:
FORT Cochin,
This sepia-tinted part of
the city is on the peninsular
land bit that juts out of
Ernakulum . Narrow winding
streets, old weather-beaten
cottages and a tiny Jewish
community characterize old
Cochin. Tranquil and picturesque,
facing the sea on one side,
backed up against a maze of
lagoons on the other, Fort
Cochin oozes charm.
THE
ST. FRANCIS CHURCH: The St. Francis Church may
be the oldest European church
on Indian soil. The Portuguese
Franciscans built it in wood
in 1503, but it now stands
in stone after having been
rebuilt some years later.
SANTA
CRUZ BASILICA & CHINESE
FISHING NETS: The
pastel interiors of the Santa
Cruz Basilica are lovely and
the grand exterior is impressive.
Along the water's edge, huge
Chinese fishing nets rest
on their cantilevered stands.
The technique came from Emperor
Kublai Khan’s court
in China and till date serves
the purpose of fishing.
THE
MATTANCHERRY PALACE: Also known as "Dutch
Palace", the Mattancherry
Palace with its medieval charm
is situated at Palace Road.
The entrance to the Mattancherry
Palace compound is through
two arches which are typically
Portuguese in character and
a flight of steps through
a portico on the south gives
access to a suite of public
rooms on the upper level of
the palace. The Palace with
two floors built around a
central courtyard follows
the traditional Kerala style
of architecture known as 'nalukettus'.
THE
SYNAGOGUE AND JEW TOWN: The Synagogue and Jew Town
in Mattancherry is home for
the 20 odd Jewish families
who still live in Kerala.
Mostly old timers, they chose
to stay on even after the
creation of Israel and the
immigration by most of their
younger generation to the
Promised Land. The Synagogue
dates back to the 17th century
and has pretty patterned floor
tiles that were brought in
from China. The thick aroma
of spices hangs in the air
and the street is dotted with
tiny stalls selling curios.(No
photography allowed at the
Synagogue)
Drive
to Wellington Island for refreshments
and then return to the ship.
OR
RICE
BOAT CRUISE
Disembark
from your ship and drive to
Alleppey ( 2 hours). Board
a typical Kerala Rice Boat
called "Kettuvalam".
Take a relaxing cruise through
the "backwaters"
- a maze of canals meandering
through coconut-lined villages
on either side. As you relax
and sip a beer, lunch is prepared
and served to you on board.
Watch the saga of everyday
Kerala village life on the
banks as you pass by schools,
markets and fields with myriad
activities.
Later in
the afternoon, return to Alleppey
and drive to Cochin harbour
in time to board your ship.
