Sri Lanka, Maldives & Seychelles aboard Le Champlain

Description

PONANT invites you to discover idyllic islands and atolls, following an itinerary in the Indian Ocean. From Sri Lanka to the Seychelles via the Maldives, set sail for an 13-day cruise aboard Le Champlain.

You will board Le Champlain in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital located at the crossroads of the sea trade between Europe and Asia. You will be able to admire the fortifications of the old town of Galle, testimony to its Portuguese and Dutch heritage and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Your ship will then set sail to the Maldives. Those island specks scattered across the warm, blue waters of the Indian Ocean, transport you to a marvellous and infinitely beautiful world. The archipelago counts some 1,200 islets and 19 atolls protected by coral reefs, offering travellers their transparent waters, home to millions of brightly coloured fish.

At the heart of the archipelago, discover Baa Atoll. This exceptional site, listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2011, is a perfectly preserved tropical paradise. The fifty-odd islets that make up the atoll offer visitors long stretches of white sand and beaches with crystal-clear water, lined with palm trees.

You will then chart a course for the magnificent Seychelles. In Praslin, don’t miss the chance to visit the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve. There you will find sea coconuts, gigantic endemic fruits with a very evocative shape, nicknamed the “love nut”.

Le Champlain will then sail for the island of La Digue, a veritable post card of the Seychelles: palm trees, granite rocks, white sand and crystal-clear waters.

Finally you will reach Victoria on the island of Mahé, where your fabulous trip in the Indian Ocean ends.

Trip Name

Sri Lanka, Maldives & Seychelles aboard Le Champlain

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Luxury Length: 127 metres Passenger Capacity: 92 cabins Built: 2017/2018 Featuring innovative and environmentally-friendly equipment, elegantly designed cabins, spacious suites with large windows, and lounge areas that open onto the outside, this new limited-capacity yacht boasting just 92 cabins and suites will offer you a truly unique cruising experience. As the first ship in a new series, Le Champlain will embody the unique atmosphere that is the cruise line’s hallmark: a subtle blend of refinement, intimacy and comfort. Aboard this ship that flies the French flag, you will experience the incomparable pleasure of an intimate cruise, with the possibility of exploring an ever-increasing range of destinations in an ethnic-chic ambiance with luxury service. Experience a luxurious setting where the accent is on authenticity and passion for travel. RESTAURANTS As it is an essential part of French culture, gastronomy will naturally have pride of place aboard this new ship. Through its two restaurants, Le Champlain will invite you on a journey to elegance and epicureanism. In a relaxed atmosphere, a first dining area located on Deck 3 and able to seat 70 will serve grilled meats daily, along with a variety of salads and desserts. To the back of Deck 4, you will find a 260 m² panoramic restaurant which can accommodate all of our passengers in a single sitting. Designed differently to that on our other ships, this dining area, which opens onto the outside, will have a buffet of salads, desserts and cheeses at your disposal. Our discreet and attentive crew will provide table service for hot meals. PUBLIC AREAS Like Le Boréal and its sisterships, Le Champlain has many common areas that are designed and equipped to meet all of your needs while preserving the intimacy of each passenger. A 140 m² reception area includes: A reception/concierge desk, An excursions desk, The ship’s administrative services, The sales office, manned by our Guest Relations Officer, Our 50 m² boutique which sells clothing, jewellery, beauty products, postcards and various accessories, Toilets accessible to passengers with reduced mobility. A new hydraulic platform with adjustable height provides: Easier boarding than on any other cruise ship, Easier Zodiac embarkation and disembarkation for expeditions, Easier access to the sea for swimming and practising various water sports such as kayaking or paddle-boarding. A pool deck offering: A pool with a panoramic view, equipped with a counter-current swimming system, A pleasant solarium, An outdoor bar and lounge with armchairs and sofas. A 200 m² main lounge which can accommodate all of our passengers to share convivial moments and to host activities organised during the day or evening. Lastly, a theatre that seats 188, equipped with: The latest sound and lighting technology, A LED wall as the stage backdrop, for the projection of high-resolution images and videos.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Day 1 COLOMBO

A former trading post along the Silk Route, the old quarter of Colombo offers you the fabulous sight of its picturesque streets. The city was known to Arab, Persian and Chinese traders as early as the 8th century and this former village, nestled between two dunes, was a trading post on the mythical Spice Route. Today the economic capital of Sri Lanka, the city offers picture-postcard scenery with its beaches stretching languorously along the south-western coast of the country. Here the sand dazzles you and the sea invites you to dream...

Day 2 - Day 2 GALLE

Discover Galle, one of Sri Lanka’s oldest cities. Thanks to its commercial port, from which were exported spices and precious stones, Galle was once the country’s most major city. Colonised by the Portuguese and later by the Dutch, today it still bears traces of this colonial past. When your ship calls here, have a wander around the old town and its fortifications, which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage. Built by the Portuguese at the end of the 16th century, they are perfectly preserved. To learn more about daily and rural life in Sri Lanka, do not miss the visit to the Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Art Museum in Koggala, not far from Galle.

Day 3 - Day 3 AT SEA

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Day 4 - Days 5 - 6 RASDHOO ATOLL

Rasdhoo is one of the smallest atolls in the Maldives. Once occupied by Buddhist communities, the atoll is made up of five islands, two of which are uninhabited. Sitting at the heart of a stunning lagoon protected by a coral reef, this atoll is truly a paradise for lovers of the underwater world. It is an ideal location for scuba diving and snorkelling, offering the possibility of observing species that are emblematic of the Maldives, such as hammerhead sharks, rays, and turtles.

Day 5 - Day 6 BAA ATOLL

At the heart of the Indian Ocean, discover Baa Atoll in the Maldives. This exceptional site, listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2011, is a perfectly preserved tropical paradise. The fifty-odd islets that make up the atoll offer visitors long stretches of white sand and beaches with crystal-clear water, lined with palm trees. While snorkelling or scuba diving, you will have the chance to observe the magnificence of the marine life, which includes coral, whale sharks, manta rays and sea turtles.

Day 6 - Days 7 - 10 AT SEA

Day 7 - Day 11 PRASLIN ISLAND

Situated some forty kilometres away from Victoria, Praslin is the second largest island in the Seychelles. Its idyllic beaches where granite rocks nestle in immaculate sand correspond perfectly to how we imagine the Seychelles to be. They invite visitors to dive into the turquoise waters, which are ideal for snorkelling. In the centre of the island, hidden in the heart of a stunning tropical rainforest, lies the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In this veritable plant sanctuary, several endemic species of palm trees can be observed, as well as the famous sea coconut, which can weigh up to 20 kg and is sometimes called “coco fesse” because its shape calls to mind a pair of buttocks.

Day 8 - Day 12 LA DIGUE ISLAND

La Digue Island is a veritable concentration of all the beauty of the Seychelles. Located 6 km south-east of Praslin, this small piece of land that looks like paradise is the third-largest island in the Seychelles, despite its modest size (5 km by 3 km)! Turquoise waters just asking you to swim in them, lush vegetation sheltering giant tortoises, beaches of fine sand fringed with coconut trees and surrounded with those emblematic large granite rocks with their pink highlights like at the famous Anse Source d’Argent: the perfect picture postcard… Authentic and preserved, the island follows a peaceful rhythm, with the only means of transport along its little roads being bikes or traditional oxcarts.

Day 9 - Day 13 VICTORIA, MAHÉ

Discover Mahé, the main island of the Seychelles and also the largest of the archipelago, home to the capital, Victoria. Mahé has almost 70 beaches of fine sand, framed by the emblematic granite rocks, and whose crystal clear waters are renowned for their rich underwater life. The island is also famous for its splendid mountain panoramas accessible on hikes, such as the Morne Seychellois, which is 905 metres high and overlooks the Indian Ocean. Mahé is also an island full of history where fine colonial properties rub shoulders with Creole houses - and don’t forget the marvellous Botanical Gardens in Victoria.

Day 10 - Please Note:

Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

A cruise between the treasures of Sri Lanka, and the magnificent seabeds and spectacular beaches of the Seychelles and the Maldives.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the old town of Galle and its Site fortifications, Baa atoll biosphere reserve and the Vallée de Mai nature reserve in Praslin.
Anse Source d’Argent, the most famous beach of La Digue, surrounded by large blocks of granite and edged with coconut palms.
The stunning underwater world of the Maldives and its rich ecosystem, home to corals, manta rays, sharks, tortoises and more.
Possibility of diving (PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent) with an experienced instructor on board.
Before your cruise: possibility to discover Colombo.