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Costa neoClassica charts new Indian Ocean route dotted with overnight port stays

Costa neoClassica charts new Indian Ocean route dotted with overnight port stays
Costa neoClassica will sail a new Indian Ocean itinerary from mid-December to early March, with departures from Male or Mumbai. The two-week cruises visit destinations in the Maldives, Sri Lanka and India. Seven-day segments are avaialble.

The 'Colors of India, between Yin and Yang' itinerary includes leisurely stops and overnight stays that give travelers the possibility of taking more than one excursion in the same location.

Starting from the Maldives, Costa neoClassica will stay two days at Male, where passengers will be able to take sailing excursions to Paradise Island Resort, an venue dedicated to well-being, beauty and relaxation.

The next stop is Sri Lanka, where, at Colombo, travelers can visit attractions such as the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, a 25-hectare park, set aside for the care of more than 60 elephants.

From Colombo the ship heads to India, where the first stop is Goa, known for its spectacular beaches and Portuguese colonial architecture. This territory, visited every year by hundreds of thousands of Indian and foreign tourists, is considered one of the 21 hotspots of biodiversity in the world. Excursions include a tour of the old city and of the capital, Panjim, and a visit to the Basilica de Bom Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Costa neoClassica will then head to Mumbai for a two-day stop. Passengers will be able to visit attractions like Banganga Tank, an immense, river-fed basin where the faithful go to pray.

Heading back down the Indian coast, the cruise will continue to New Mangalore before arriving at Cochin, one of India's main ports. A two-day stay affords excursions such as a visit by tuk-tuk to the village of Kumbalangi and a houseboat ride in the Kerala Backwaters, amid the tropical canals of the Cochin hinterland, a vast system of lagoons rich in mangroves.

Costa neoClassica will then return to Male.