The two all water routs towards the Orient, or better said South, Southeast, and East Asia were all around the continent of Africa.
The first route was going along the northern part of Africa, than through the northeastern part, down alongside the eastern part of the continent, and than making a turn to the east.
The second route, which was discovered because of the occupation of the Muslims of the waters of the first one and were requiring high taxes, was along side the whole of the western coast of Africa to its southernmost tip, and than making a turn towards northeast to its final destination.