Leg 6: Sri Lanka & Islands of the Indian Ocean

Sri Lanka, once known as Ceylon, is an island nation of 22 million people located off the southeast coast of India.  Zuiderdam docks in Colombo, the capital and largest city, for our days visit. 

We pushed through the barrage of taxi and Tuk Tuk drivers at the port gate, who were tenaciously offering tours.  Anticipating this from previous visits here, we had pre-arranged a private, 4-hour Tuk Tuk tour via Viator.com. Our driver, Obama, was waiting for us at the Kingsbury Hotel at 9am and took us around the entire city; old and new. 

A Tuk Tuk ride is a wonderful experience; adventurous, stinky, noisy, and exhilarating, especially amongst the tight quarters of trucks, motorcycles carrying 4 people, scooters carrying cages of chickens, etc.  What better way to soak in the sights, sounds and smells of this boisterous city.

This video will give you a glimpse of our navigation through the marketplace:

Along the way, we drank fresh coconuts, enjoyed coffee tastings (Arabica, Robusto, and a local favorite, ginger coffee) as well as Ceylon tea tastings (white, golden red, soursop, mango and spice).  And no market visit would be complete without a stop at a spice vendor.  Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka, and one of the many spice exports. 

Locals with monkeys on a leash, snake charmers…yes, they are a real thing at tourist spots here.  

The smog of the city hangs in the morning air, as the temperatures reach almost 90.  Traffic lanes are merely a suggestion to the wide variety of moving vehicles and horns are tooted liberally and often.

Popular sites on our route included the Old Parliament Building, Independence Square, Viharamahadevi Park, Clock Tower, the floating Pettah Market, the Lotus Tower, Beira Lake, the Manning Market, the lighthouse, the maritime museum and many more.  

There are many temples, shrines and mosques throughout the city, providing sanctuary in this bustling city.  Buddhists form the majority here, but Muslims, Christians and Hindus also call Colombo their home. Below, is the Sri Kaileswaram Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Colombo:

The Gangaramaya Temple contains the most eclectic museum collections within.  Our guide explained that the treasure trove of antique items are gifts and offerings sent from all over the world.  Innumerable numbers of Buddha statues, old watches, coins, cameras, china, furniture, elephant tusks and even old cars are on display.

The Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, built in 1909, is a stunning architectural spectacle:

Obama took us to a local restaurant called the Curry Pot for an authentic Sri Lankan lunch of rice, curry chicken, Chinese potatoes, a cilantro/coconut/lime salad and cooked mango.  Silverware was optional and had to be requested, as locals commonly eat with their right hands.  Obama was fasting for Ramadan, so he waited outside. 

In 2019, a land reclamation project was completed on the shores of Colombo, funded by the Chinese.  Since then, the continuation of The Port City Colombo Project has been underway since and continues to take shape.  A series of new facilities are planned, including a central park, an artificial beach, a sports training center, a marina and a footbridge.

We asked Obama to drop us off at the Ministry of Crab Restaurant, where we enjoyed a coconut crème brulee and refreshments before heading back to the commercial port gate on foot. 

Zuiderdam sails just over 400 miles to reach The Maldives island group, consisting of 1,192 low-lying coral islands grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls.  It spans a territory of roughly 35,000 square miles, but a land area of only 115 square miles.   Our ship will anchor just off of Malé, which is the largest island and its capital.

First-time visitors are surprised to learn that the urban density in Malé is greater than 60,000 people per square mile!  And therefore, most tourists head to one of the many nearby atolls for the idyllic island serenity they seek.   

A group of us took a 15-minute speedboat ride to the Adaaran Prestige Vadoo Resort Island, complete with blinding-white sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons, overwater bungalows and manicured grounds.

Our day pass provided us with several hours of exploring, swimming in their pool, snorkeling their reef and lounging in the shade. It was an indulgent day of luxury and an all-inclusive experience.

Another 1,260 miles south brings us across the equator and to Mahé, the largest island in the Seychelles.   Unlike the low-lying coral atolls of the Maldives, many of the 115 Seychelle islands are made of granite, with towering peaks and lush forests.  

The town of Victoria has charming markets and colonial style buildings.  Adding to the ambience are the languages of French, Creole and English heard everywhere we go. 

We joined a group of fellow snorkelers to tour the island, it’s beaches and waters. 

Unfortunately, a recent cyclone had left the waters pretty murky for snorkeling, but we sure enjoyed the drive, learning more about this laid-back island nation.

As well as it’s laid-back tortoises!

Two days at sea gains Zuiderdam another 1,000 nautical miles to Port Louis, Mauritius.  Home to 147,000 people, it’s a melting pot of Indian, African, Chinese and French influences, reflected in its cuisine, architecture and culture. Mauritius was also home to the now extinct Dodo bird, and whose image appears on everything from the national flag to their locally brewed beer label.

Located on the islands’ northwest side, Port Louis is the capital and largest city but appeared to be a deserted town on a Sunday morning. 

Even the local park was void of people, except for a curious green gecko and the entire tree canopy was filled with fruit bats and squawking birds.

Until we came upon the din of the Central Market, where an old two-story building housing hundreds of vendors sold everything from linens, woven baskets, housewares upstairs; produce and spices downstairs.  

If you couldn’t find what you were looking for there, the next 4 blocks of storefronts in any direction would fill in the gaps.  Shoes, apparel, appliances, textiles, etc.   Authentic local shopping in full force. 

By afternoon, the Caudan Waterfront, a modern shopping plaza with hotels, boutiques and eateries had become the hotspot.  Locals and Zuiderdam passengers alike milled about. 

Mauritius was a short, but pleasant stop!

La Possession, Reunion Island     While only 134 miles separate Mauritius and Reunion Islands, they have vastly different personalities. 

This French overseas territory is 39 miles long by 28 miles wide.  Within are beaches on the west coast, an active volcano in the south and rugged mountains and forests in the middle. 

Nine of us piled into 2 vehicles for a 5-hour outing to see its dramatic landscapes and rugged terrain, dodging the intermittent rain.  Last week’s cyclone here washed out some of the roads to our north, so we headed south. 

Quaint beach towns were quiet on this wet day, but that didn’t curb our enthusiasm as we strolled the boardwalks, poked into shops and took photos of the dramatic coastline. 

Just as the rain went from drizzle to pouring, we pulled into Ete Indien Restaurant for a nice meal.  Most ordered the specialty of the house, “Bol Renversé”,  a local favorite that is a unique fusion of Chinese and Creole cuisine. Bol Renversé translates to “Upside-Down Bowl,” is a delicious combination of stir-fried vegetables, meat or seafood, and rice, served in an inverted bowl presentation, topped with a fried egg.

Despite the rain, we made one more stop before returning to the port, Le Zinc Pub.   It was St. Patrick’s Day after all!   

Zuiderdam now pushes on towards the African coastline… Stay tuned!