THE SPICE OF LIFE

THE SPICE OF LIFE

If variety is the spice of life, a holiday to India and Sri Lanka lifts the lid on the whole spice rack. This vast part of the world is a feast for the senses, a delectable, diverse, delicious locale, where vivid colours, heady scents and a cacophony of sounds surround and surprise you. There’s nowhere on earth quite like here; multi-cultural, historical, modern and overwhelming in a way that will leave you feeling like you’ve had the adventure of a lifetime in a place where few are fortunate enough to wander.

You could spend years exploring all on offer, from the grand palaces of India to the beaches of Goa and jungles of Sri Lanka. But who has all the time in the world with which to play? An ebb and flow of unspoilt beaches one day and frenetic, friendly cities the next, a cruise here is effortless and unforgettable.

C O C H I N

Bohemian Cochin is the cultural capital of India and visitors have been welcomed portside here for over 600 years, ever since the spice trade put the then Portuguese settlement on the map. Over time, the city has only gotten more charming, an amalgamation of influences meaning Chinese fishing nets suspended against sunset skies, India’s oldest synagogue giving a nod to Jewish culture and colonial buildings standing as regal reminders of Portuguese and Dutch occupation.

Cochin offers much to its guests, but its star attraction are the backwaters, meandering canals and lagoons shaded with coconut palms and with a shoreline scattered with tiny communities. Most excursions board in Alleppey and navigate the waterways that cut through lush paddy fields and jungle vegetation, often calling at historic Fort Kochi to visit St. Francis Church, India’s oldest European church and the burial place of explorer Vasco da Gama.

With the swaying palms and rice paddies of Cochin rolling by, you’ll get an idea of rural India away from the excitement of the cities, where life is slow and steady against spectacular scenery. It’s a part of any India and Sri Lanka cruise itinerary that isn’t forgotten in a hurry. In fact, for many, Cochin is the highlight of a holiday.

G O A

Back in the day, Goa held reputation as a hippy enclave awash with tie-dye trousers and yogis. But India’s smallest state has more to it than that. Nestled in the south of the country, Goa’s 40-plus miles of coast are its lifeline. They welcome sunseekers with perfect sands at the likes of Calangute and Cansaulim, and appeal to bargain hunters with famous beachside flea markets at Anjuna. Life here is lived by the beach and who doesn’t long for that?

If even paradise can’t persuade you to sit still for long, excursions from the port in Mormugao to the capital, Panjim City, will walk you through the intriguing Portuguese Latin Quarters, where red-roofed houses date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. For a capital city, Panjim sure is laidback and you can lose hours just meandering and snapping shots of its churches and chapels. Don’t worry if natural beauty is more your thing; Goa’s spice plantations blanket acre upon acre in nutmeg, cinnamon and bay trees. After all, they don’t call India ‘the land of spices’ for nothing.

C O L O M B O

Back at the beginning of the year, Sri Lanka was named the world’s top travel destination for 2019 by Lonely Planet. Fast forward to Easter and tragedy struck. But Sri Lanka has bounced back spectacularly, emerging stronger than ever and with a lust for life that reminds us why we’re so desperate to visit a place Marco Polo described as ‘the most beautiful island in the world’. With the FCO advisory lifted, there has never been a better time to beat the crowds and visit Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo blends Portuguese, Dutch, English and Indian influences to create a cultural hotchpotch that’s intoxicating. The Pettah bazaar is a hive of activity and the pavements around it see fresh fruit stalls stacked high beside street food stands, not to mention Sea Street, a mile-long stretch of jewellers where all that glitters is gold. Jeep safaris put you closer to the local wildlife in Udawalawe National Park and the calm waters of Bentota beach beckon the sun-starved.

There’s an air of mystery to Sri Lanka, the land of elephants and leopards, ancient ruins, bold colour and fragrant spices. Colombo is where past meets present, old and new contrasted at every turn, reminding you that there’s more to the destination than beautiful – almost deserted – beaches.

M U M B A I ( B O M B A Y )

Welcome to Mumbai, birthplace of Bollywood and labyrinthine land of temples. Mumbai is beautiful chaos, its streets packed to the rafters with some of the friendliest people in the world. City tours throw you into the hustle and bustle of street markets like the Chor Bazaar and navigate hypnotic traffic to take you to the ornate Gateway of India or the humbling Gandhi Museum. Elsewhere, excursions out of the city promise an opportunity to delve into the carved Elephanta Caves complex or take in India’s most fabled mausoleum, the Taj Mahal.

Many cruise lines earmark Mumbai for their overnight stays on India itineraries, meaning more time to venture past landmarks that are unmissable but by no means all the destination has to offer. Known as the lungs of the city, Sanjay Gandhi National Park is a breath of fresh air just 90 minutes from the manic metropolis. The sprawling tropical forest is home to leopards, monkeys and many exotic flora, but the Kanheri Caves are the real star. Built for monks over the course of 1,000 years, the 109 monastic buildings carved into a ravine side are mesmerising and less-visited than the better-known caves of Elephanta.