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Mumbai Destination Guide

Mumbai is a city of contrasts, from its cosmopolitan urban areas to the fishing villages where the inhabitants still make a living fishing. You haven’t really seen the city until you have seen the dabbawallas (local tiffin carriers) working, or tasted the much-favoured local Kanda Bhajia (onion fritters) and garam chai (spiced tea) from a roadside vendor. Mumbai is a group of seven islands, which are: Colaba, Mahim, Mazgaon, Parel, Worli, Girgaun and Dongri. Large areas of reclaimed swamp land have been added to the city, to make way for the growing population.

While Mumbai is dynamic and fascinating, it can also be rather mystifying, so be ready to go with the flow and accept all sorts of delays and diversions when visiting the city.

Use this Mumbai destination guide to plan what you want to see and do during your trip to Mumbai. A perfect way to see this fascinating city and its surrounds is by taking a local tour. And be sure to check out some general India travel information before you embark on your India adventure.
You can also check out all the local exciting things to see and do in these other great India destinations:
- Chennai
- Delhi & Agra
- Goa
- Jaipur
- Karnartaka
- Kerala
- Pune

Things to See & Do in Mumbai

Velneshwar (370 km from Mumbai)Top

The idyllic village of Velneshwar is located north of the Shastri River in the Konkan region. Its quiet, coconut palm fringed beach is perfect for swimming. The village has an ancient Shiva temple and hosts a Mahashivratri fair every March. Both private and state transport buses operate from Velneshwar to Pune and Mumbai.

Titwala (75 km from Mumbai)Top

Titwala is primarily a pilgrimage spot that has two sacred sites, the Mahaganesh Temple and the Shri Vithoba Temple. There is another temple at Ambarnath that dates back to the 11th century and has been constructed using the Hemadpanti method of architecture. Local trains from the city are the best way to reach Titwala.

Mani BhawanTop

Mani Bhavan is considered to be an important landmark for followers of Mahatma Gandhi. The erstwhile residence of the Mahatma, Mani Bhavan has been converted into a small museum. Located in a quiet lane, this two-storied building has a library of over 2000 books, a photo exhibition of the Mahatma’s life and memorabilia from his life.

Nehru Planetarium and the Nehru Science centreTop

The Nehru Planetarium is a popular destination with the city’s amateur astronomers. The Nehru Science Centre is located in a cylindrical building nearby, and is a functional science park that has permanent exhibitions on life’s many intricacies.

Victoria Gardens or the Rani Jijamata UdyanTop

The Victoria Gardens or the Rani Jijimata Udyan was created in 1861 and is home to many endangered and rare species of birds and animals. Named after the mother of the Maratha king Shivaji, it also houses the Mumbai Zoo. There are also a vast variety of trees in the garden, some of which are very old. The Albert Museum is located in the garden and houses the archaeological finds of the area, including a large stone elephant located at the entrance that was found in the year 1864 at Ghararpuri or Elephanta Island.

Marine Drive, the Queen's necklaceTop

The city’s most distinctive seafront curves from skyscrapers at Nariman Point all the way to lush green villas on Malabar Hill, and provides one of the most enduring images of the city. This stretch of road is also referred to as the Queen’s Necklace for how it looks in the dark, with its street lights glimmering like pearls and curving along its bay.

Contact Details of Foreign Embassies and ConsulatesTop

Australia 16th Floor, Maker Tower "E", Cuffe Parade (9am-5pm; tel 022/2218 1071)
Canada 41/42 Maker Chambers VI, Nariman Point (9am-5.30pm; tel 022/2287 6027)
China 1st floor, 11 M.L. Dahanukar Marg (10am-4.30pm; tel 022/2282 2662)
Denmark L & T House, Narottam Moraji Marg, Ballard Estate (10am-12.45pm; tel 022/2261 4462)
Germany 10th Floor, Hoechst House, Nariman Point (9-11am; tel 022/2283 2422)
Republic of Ireland Royal Bombay Yacht Club Chambers, Apollo Bunder (10am-noon; tel 022/2202 4607)
Netherlands "International" Building, New Marine Lines, Cross Road, 1 Churchgate (9am-5pm; tel 022/2201 6750)
Norway Navroji Mansion, 31 Nathelal Parekh Marg (10am-1pm; tel 022/2284 2042)
Philippines 61 Sakhar Bhavan, Nariman Point (10am-1pm; tel 022/2202 4792)
Singapore 9th Floor, 94 Sakhar Bhavan, Nariman Point (9am-noon; tel 022/2204 3205)
South Africa Gandhi Mansion, 20 Altamount Rd (9am-noon; tel 022/23893725)
Spain Ador House, 3rd floor, 6 K Dubash Marg, Kala Ghoda (10.30am-1pm; tel 022/2287 4797)
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka House, 34 Homi Modi St, Fort (9.30am-11.30am; tel 022/2204 5861)
Sweden 85 Sayani Rd, Subash Gupta Bhawan, Prabhadevi (9.30am-12.30pm; tel 022/2288 4563)
Switzerland Maker Chamber IV, 10th floor, Nariman Point (8am-11am; tel 022/2204 3003)
Thailand Malabar View, 4th floor, Dr Purandure Marg, Chowpatty Sea Face (9am-noon; tel 022/2363 1404)
United Kingdom 2nd Floor, Maker Chamber IV, Nariman Point (8am-11.30am; tel 022/2283 0517)
United States of America Lincoln House, 78 Bhulabhai Desai Rd (7am-11am; tel 022/2363 3611).

Mumbai General InformationTop

Area: 468 km².
Population: 12,691,836
Best months to visit: November to February
STD Code: 022
Rain Fall: 212cms (annual)
Temperature: 20 degrees celcius - 35 degrees celcius
State: Maharashtra
Literacy: 77%
Population: Approximately 17 million
Religion: Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, Christian, Parsi, Budhist, and others.
Language: Marathi, Hindi, English, and other migrant languages from various parts of India. English is the administrative language, and is understood by most people.

Tourist InformationTop

Mumbai Police HQ
The main police station in Colaba (tel 022/285 6817) is on the west side of Colaba Causeway.

Govt. of India Tourist Office
123, Maharishi Karve Road, Churchgate.
Tel: 2 2033144/45
Fax: 2 2014496
Tel: 2 2181123

Mumbai Post and GPO
The GPO (Mon–Sat 9 am–8 pm, Sun 9 am–4 pm) is off Nagar Chowk, around the corner from VT Station. The poste restante counter (Mon–Sat 9 am–6 pm, Sun 9 am–3 pm) is known to be very reliable, though they trash letters after four weeks. The parcel office (10 am–4:30 pm) is not as efficient and is located behind the main building, on the first floor. For packing help, there are lots of packing-wallahs on the pavement outside. The most efficient way to send mail in Mumbai is by Speed Post and private couriers.

Transport Information
Domestic Airport Counter
Tel: 2 6149200, 2 6116466 Ext: 354
International Airport Counter
Tel: 2 8325331, 2 8366700 Ext: 2 3253/3608
Mumbai Central Railway Station,
Tel: 2 3086288

Mumbai ClimateTop

Mumbai has a warm and humid climate almost all year round. The city experiences cooler temperatures between November and February, with the heat and humidity beginning in March and lasting till June, when the annual southwest monsoon starts. In the rainy season, the city experiences torrential rains, which often lead to flooded roads and streets. On average, rainfall is around 180cms in the city. The monsoon ends in September and with its exit, the city once again becomes hot and humid in October.

Most of the year, Mumbai's climate is warm and humid. Between November and February, the skies are clear,and the temperature is cooler. From March the temperature becomes warm and humid till mid June, the beginning of monsoon. During monsoon there are torrential rains, sometimes causing the flooding of major roads and streets of Mumbai. The average rainfall which is brought by the south-west monsoon winds in Mumbai is ,180 cms. Monsoon ends by the end of September. October is comparatively hot and humid.

Health CareTop

Emergency Numbers
For all Emergency Services, dial 100
General Ambulance Services, dial 101
Cardiac Emergencies, dial 105

Hospitals
The best hospital is the private Bombay Hospital (tel 022/2206 7676), in New Marine Lines. Breach Candy Hospital (tel 022/2 363 3651) on Bhulabhai Desai Road, is recommended by most foreign embassies. Hinduja Hospital, Holy Family and Holy Spirit are also good hospitals. There are private GPs and MDs available throughout the city.

Aarey milk colony and Chhota KashmirTop

Located in the western suburbs, the milk colony at Aarey is known to be one of the world’s most modern milk colonies. Built by the Maharashtran government, Aarey Milk Colony allows visitors to view the pasteurising, milk bottling and other processes happening here. The gardens of Aarey Milk Colony are a huge attraction and offer a variety of picnic spots. The Chhota Kashmir (mini Kashmir) area is dotted with several varieties of colourful trees and is the choice location for Bollywood song sequences.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Borivli)Top

More commonly known as Borivili National Park, this natural oasis of the city is a wonderful contrast to the city’s urban sprawl. The park is inside city limits and serves as a much-needed natural oxygen generator for the cities of Mumbai and Thane.

The park functions as an outdoor museum and works to preserve and nurture the local fauna and flora. There are over 1,000 plant species, 40 mammal species, 251 bird species, water and migratory birds, 38 reptile species, 9 amphibian species and a huge variety of insects, fish and other forms of life to be found here.

Kanheri CavesTop

The 109 Buddhist Kanheri Caves are located in the National Park and offer evidence of Buddhist monastic settlements in the area from the 2nd to 9th centuries AD. In contrast to the artistic caves at Elephanta, the Kanheri Caves, where the Buddhist monks practiced asceticism, are monastic and austere. These caves are possibly the only witness of the advent of the Buddhist religion to the Western regions of India. There is also a collection of Viharas and Chaityas here.

Beaches in MumbaiTop

Mumbai’s most lively beach and the one that showcases the spirit of the city is Juhu Beach. Located in the western suburbs, Juhu is like a non-stop carnival, with a variety of food stalls and a variety of performances, and camel and pony rides. Juhu beach stretches on for 5 kilometres and is usually rather crowded on weekends. Another famous beach in Mumbai is Chowpatty Beach, which also has a carnival atmosphere and is lively and festive. You may even get picked to star in a Bollywood movie here!

Other beaches such as Marve, Gorai and Manori are popular destinations for fun seekers. Marve still is a small fishing village and has beautiful bungalows, tucked away on low hills that offer beautiful views of the sunset and sunrise. The beaches at Manori and Gorai are usually more crowded and are well known for their all-night parties. Madh Island has some large bungalows and is usually favoured by industrialists for weekend parties as well as for shootings of TV shows.

A bit further south is Erangal beach, which is a clean and peaceful beach and mostly inhabited by local fishermen. A Portuguese fort dating back to the seventeenth century is located at Erangal’s southern tip. Kihim and Mandwa beaches are located around 12 miles beyond Alibaug and are easily reachable from Mumbai by road. Both beaches are clean and beautiful, with views of the Gateway of India on clear days.

Gateway of IndiaTop

The Gateway is a grand archway that was built to celebrate the arrival of England’s King George V and Queen Mary in India for the historic Delhi Durbar that was held in 1911. The Gateway is also significant as it is the location from where the last battalion of British troops left the country, once India gained its Independence.

Elephanta IslandTop

Located about nine kilometres from Mumbai, Elephanta Island is famous for its exquisite Shiva Temple, atop a hill and made of stone. Elephanta Island is best accessed via a short ferry ride from the Gateway of India.

Prince of Wales MuseumTop

Regarded as the country’s most distinguished museum, the Prince of Wales Museum is located in a heritage building surrounded by green lawns and is set away from all the noise and pollution of downtown Mumbai, close to the Gateway of India. The museum holds a vast collection of exquisite miniature paintings along with a remarkable collection of art, china, rare coins, sculptures and weaponry.

Chhattrapati Shivaji TerminusTop

More famously known as the Victoria Terminus, for Queen Victoria of England who was the Empress of India, the terminus is a striking structure and has become one of the iconic buildings of the city. Designed by architect Frederick William Stevenson and constructed in 1888, the railway terminus has a series of sculptures of animals and birds on its facade.

Flora FountainTop

Located at the centre of Mumbai’s commercial district, this five-point intersection is one of the most popular landmarks of the city. Flora Fountain was built as a way to remember Henry Bartle Edward Frere, a former governor.

Murud - Janjira (165 km from Mumbai)Top

The former capital city of the reigning Siddis of Jangira, the town is easily reachable by road from Mumbai. Surrounded by the sea on all four sides, the 300-year-old fort is in ruins, although its 40 feet tall walls still remain intact. This was the only impenetrable fort along the entire 720 kilometres of Maharashtra’s coastline and is still considered an architectural marvel. Today Murud is famous for its beautiful beach fringed with betel and coconut palms. Atop a hill, there is a shrine to Lord Dattatrya, representing the trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara.

Matheran (100 km from Mumbai)Top

Matheran offers a truly unique experience, from the narrow gauge tiny toy train, which is one of the last mini trains left in the world, to its delightful old world charm. Matheran is a car-free, eco-friendly hill station, located 803 metres above sea level. Its salubrious climate and clean air attracts visitors all year round. Visit Heart Point at night and you will be able to see Mumbai’s twinkling lights in the distance. Other attractions in Matheran are Louise Point and Porcupine Point, Charlotte Lake that has panthers, Paymaster Park and the caves. Shop for leather and cane in the main bazaar. For longer visits, there is a varied range of hotel accommodation available in Matheran.

BasseinTop

Bassein has been a shipbuilding hub since the 17th century and was also the spot where the Marathas attacked the Portuguese in the year 1739 AD. The old ruins of its fort still exist among the palm and brushwood groves. One hour away is the Vajreshwari temple, the Akoli hot springs, and the Ganeshpliri with the Sadgurunatyanand Maharaj Samadhi Mandir. The old capital of the Konkan region from 1500 BC to 1300 AD, the Nalasopara Village, said to be the birthplace of Gautama Buddha’s birthplace in his previous life, is 10 kilometres from Bassein. Many Buddhist relics have been discovered in the area.

Karnala Bird Sanctuary (60 km from Mumbai)Top

The Bird Sanctuary at Karnala is in new Mumbai, en route to Goa. The sanctuary was established in 1971 and has 140 species of birds. Several types of migratory birds visit the sanctuary in winter, mostly from breeding grounds in the Himalayas. Birds also come here from the peninsular regions of India and from the Western Ghats.

The hillstations of Lonavala and KhandalaTop

Lonavla and Khandala are easily the two most popular destinations from Mumbai. These charming hill stations are located in the Sahyadri Hills, between Pune and Mumbai, which are both 200 kilometres away. The main attractions of these hill stations are the crisp, clean air, the frothy waterfalls during the monsoons, and the beautiful views of the mountains and plains below. Lonavla and Khandala are both well connected to Mumbai and Pune.

Mahabaleshwar (320 km from Mumbai)Top

Formerly the summer capital of Bombay Presidency in British times, Mahabaleshwar is located on a plateau atop a mountain and is often surrounded by a gentle morning mist. Several spots here such as the Elphinstone point, Babbington point, Bombay point and Kate’s point offer a scenic panorama of the plains spread out below. Close by are Chinaman’s and Dhobi, the Lingamala waterfalls, and Veena Lake, which is a focal point for Mahabaleshwar’s fishing and boating activities. Shivaji’s Fort Pratapgad, which was constructed to oversee the passes of Rodtondi, Poladpur and Par, is located 24 kilometres from Mahabaleshwar on the summit of a hill.

On the way to Mahabaleshwar is Panchgani (Five Hills), which is a throwback to the British Raj in its architecture and quaint way of life. You’ll find beautiful British architecture styled buildings, Parsi designed bungalows and several boarding schools in Panchgani. There are lots of wooded pathways to explore in Panchgani, a beautiful sight in any season with the Krishna River meandering just some hundred metres away. Nearby is the Kamalgad Fort, which is easily reachable on foot or on horseback.

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