How to expand to the far east?

I play as Venice in the mid-1500s, and the goal of the game is to control the trade from the Far East and back home. Actual land control of key tradeposts and perhaps a colony would be really sweet. I need a place to build and repair ships anyhow.
So far, my plan has been to gain access to the Gulf of Aden by trying to wrestle land from the Mamluks. So far, they haven't provided me with a CB, but I'm starting to realize I don't have an idea how to progress after that.
I am beginning to discover Indonesia – no other European nations have capitalized on the region yet.
I've read of other players who extend their colony range by going all the way around Africa, but I've never been interested in Africa, and I have no colonists at the moment – and besides, my colony range is lousy.
So the question is: how do I – a small European trade nation – gain land control in the Far East?
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How can I get free land in Russia?
The Law on the Far Eastern Hectare, or the Federal Law of May 1, 2016, No. 119 FL, is a law by Russian President Vladimir Putin to give 1 hectare (2.5 acres) of free land in the Russian Far East to Russian citizens and foreign nationals as long as they live there for five years.Is Russia considered Far East?
The Far East is the easternmost part of Russia. The macro-region borders two oceans, the Pacific and the Arctic, and five countries (China, Japan, Mongolia, the United States and the DPRK).Do people live in lavrentiya Russia?
Population: 1,459 (2010 Census); 1,333 (2002 Census); 3,012 (1989 Census). Lavrentiya is the only district administrative center in the whole autonomous okrug that does not have urban status; it accounts for 30.2% of the district's total population.Can you homestead in Siberia?
According to the new bill, from June 1, 2016 onward all residents of 9 \u201cpilot\u201d regions of the Far East and Siberia could claim their hectare of land. From October 1, 2016 \u2013 all other residents of the Far Eastern Federal District can apply for the land plots.Did NATO promise Russia never to expand to the east? | DW News
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Images: Harsh Mehta, Nout Gons, veeterzy, Mads Thomsen