Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), the city of dreams, is India's financial capital and home of the Bollywood movie industry. It’s full of dreamers and hard-workers, starlets and gangsters, stray dogs and exotic birds, artists and servants, fisher folk and millionaires and lots of lots people. It is also know as a city that never sleeps, always on the move, vibrant and happening.
Best time to Visit Mumbai
Ideal Time: Winter
November to February (Winter) is the best time to visit as the weather gets moderately cool. Mumbai's winter does not require sweaters, you can very much carry one with regular clothes. December and January being the best months with the grandeur during Christmas and New Year is worth watching.
Check the weather before you plan: Monsoon
June to October (Rainy) During rainy season, Mumbai receives copious rainfall that sometimes city comes to halt and government has to declare the holidays. The showers are unpredictable and usually, July and August are the wettest month. If you still want to enjoy the greenery and magic of nature, you can go during the rainy season as well in the month of September and October. September is also a month of Ganesh Chaturthi which is the trademark festival of Mumbai. If you like trekking, this could be a good time to visit. The gushing waterfalls and green hills make for a beautiful break from urban cityscapes.
Strictly No: Summer
March to May (Summer) to be strictly avoided as temperature during this season rises more than 35 degrees Celsius and does not dip below 25 degrees Celsius. Mumbai experiences a coastal climate, the humidity is high, and it causes a great deal of sweating which makes local sightseeing unpleasant.
How to reach
Mumbai is very well connected with any other major cities of the world. Unlike many other cities, Mumbai airport is in the city heart and you can reach in less than 30 mins from your hotel.
Where to Stay
Mumbai's population is close to 1.84 Crores with an area of 600 km square whereas the population of Australia is about 2.5 Crores with 7.7 million km square. You can imagine the number of people living here and how will be the traffic. Thus, choosing the right area for your stay in Mumbai is important to ease your local transportation and make the best out of your trip. Below are the areas;
1. Near Airport
2. Bandra West
3. Fort
4. Colaba
Summary of 4-day Itinerary:
Below is the ideal 4-day itinerary covering most the the places to visit in Mumbai. Consideration is you are reaching to Mumbai on Day 1 before noon and leaving by late night flight on Day 4.
Day 1: Haji Ali Dargah, Bandstand Promenade, Hill and Linking Road Shopping
Day 2: Gate Way of India, Elephanta Caves, Colaba Causeway, Fort, Marine Drive
Day 3: Pagoda, National Park, Dharavi Slum
Day 4: Essel World / Adlabs Imagica
Day 1: Bandra West
Upon your arrival in Mumbai, check into the hotel. Start your trip with witnessing the historical and one of the most prestigious Islamic symbols situated in South Mumbai, Haji Ali Dargah. It has been standing tall for around 400 years. The interesting things is the pathway of the Haji Ali Dargah which has never been damaged or become unsafe for the people to reach the Dargah even though it is situated in the middle of the Sea. You can also take blessings from Mahalaxmi Temple, one of the most famous temples of Mumbai and nearby to Dargah.
Later, drive through the Mumbai's first sea link, Bandra-Worli Sea Link to reach Bandstand Promenade. It is a long rocky walkaway by the sea. It has gained its popularity as a romantic hotspot nowadays and one of the top romantic things to do in Mumbai for couples. You can also take a view of Mumbai's first sea link (Bandra-Worli). Few enthusiastic would definitely wants to a take a photo with Bollywood's Superstar, King Khan, Shah Rukh Khan's home Mannat, which is just across the street.
Later, first move to nearby Hill Road and then to the Linking Road for shopping (3 km away from each other). These two places fascinates many for its street shopping experiences. One of the best places for road side shopping in Mumbai for latest trends clothings, accessories, shoes and many more. It's a busy area. Expect crowds and chaos as stallholders compete for shoppers, and shoppers compete for discounted items. Bargain hard. As a rule, don't pay any more than half the quoted price, and its often possible pay less than this.
After loads of shopping, now its time for some drinks and dinner. You can pay a visit to nearby top restaurants like Jlwa, Bastian, 145 Bandra, Oheka, Kaitlyn's Beer Garden. If you are looking for some crazy party places then start a pub crawl in Bandra Kula Complex (BKC), one of the most prominent commercial hub of India. Few of the best options are; BKC DIVE, Capital Social, Hitchki, Butterfly High.
Day 2: Elephanta Caves, Colaba Causeway, Fort and Marine Drive
Early morning, proceed towards the Gateway of India. Have some morning photo session with the iconic and world famous building, Taj Hotel.
Then there is Elephanta Caves, located on an island about 10 kilometers away from the shores of Mumbai. On-board the early 9 am ferry to beat the crowd. It will cost you around Rs. 250 for return journey. Total 2 hours of ferry ride (prefer upper deck) is one of the most amazing things to do in Mumbai. These caves comprise of temples carved from solid rock dating back to the 7th century. The main attraction is the three-headed bust of Lord Shiva, famously known as ‘Trimurti’.
While returning, you can on-board on any ferry. Try to reach by lunch time at Gate Way of India. Head over to the nearby Leopold Cafe on Colaba Causeway for lunch. Possibly Mumbai's most famous restaurant, it has been in business since 1871. This cafe is in the midst of Colaba Causeway Shopping, one more street side shopping destination in Mumbai. It has elite class shopping stores, small medium shops and street stalls on footpath selling branded clothings, accessories and much more at reasonable rates.
Next stop is Mumbai's Fort neighborhood. This is the first part of the city to be developed by the British. This neighborhood has some of the most magnificent Gothic style buildings in the world. These include Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Railway Station, the Municipal Corporation building, Bombay High Court, Rajabai Clock Tower, Elphinstone College and 100 other such buildings. There are numerous companies (Bombay Heritage Walks) offer guided walking tours or you ride to your next tourist attraction with 30-min taxi ride in this area.
If you are a museum guy, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum and Jehangir Art Gallery are must visit (before 7 pm) or if you are more of a shopping person, include Chor Bazzar near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Railway Station in your trip. Market selling mostly second-hand or first copy goods, and also famous for antique and vintage items.
Last stop for the day, Marine Drive aka Queen's Necklace. Among all the tourist attractions in Mumbai, this is the topmost and treat for all kinds of travelers. It is also one of the places people visit late at night till 1-2 am just to take a leisurely stroll by the sea. Being shielded by palm trees all around and lights encasing the coast, craft the spectacular view in the night. The sound of the waves, a view of the Mumbai skyline and the starry sky easily make Marine Drive one of the most romantic spots in the city.
Girgaon Chowpatty and Nariman Point are two ends of the 3.5 km stretch of Marine Drive. If you are hungry, start from the Girgaon end which is one of the best known public beaches of Mumbai. Here you can give a treat to your taste buds with some of the well know authentic dishes of Mumbai like Pav-Bhaji, ice gola, chat items, kulfi, etc.
Day 3: Pagoda, National Park, Dharavi Slum
Start your day with early morning visit to Global Vipassana Pagoda. This Buddhist temple is a lovely and quite spiritual place. The vibrant colors make it more attractive. This monument is a tribute to the philosophies of Lord Gautama Budda and is considered as a landmark of peace and the abode of tranquility.
Next attraction for the day is, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, nature at its best in the middle of the concrete jungle. This park may not be as large or exotic as some of the other national parks in India, its accessibility makes it very appealing for both residents and tourists. It offers some spectacular treks and nature trails that you can embark on.
You can rent out a cycle at the entrance and go cycling inside the park. Deep inside the park, are the beautiful ancient Buddhist caves, Kanheri Caves which are over 2,000 years old. These caves provide a rich Buddhist history – from the carvings on the wall to the beautiful statues and tombs that still stand there. Total distance from entrance to the caves is around 7 km, so overall cycling will be around 15 km. If you start by 8-9 am you can finish the trail and come out of park by 12-1 pm (Park is closed on Mondays).
Next attraction for the day is Dharavi Slum, known to many as ‘one of the largest slums in Asia’. One of the amazing fact about this slum is, it houses about one million of Mumbai’s inhabitants and its industries have an annual turnover of approximately US$ 665 million. Do not venture to explore it on yourself. Pre-book the 2.5 hours guided tour in afternoon (between 3 -4 pm). Do bring extra money for shopping, as you can buy everything from leather goods to fabric at great prices, made by Dharavi businesses.
Day 4: Essel World / Adlabs Imagica
One of the most famous and popular amusement parks in the country. EsselWorld and Water Kingdom together make one of Asia's largest amusement parks. They expand over an area of 64 acres and are frequented by locals and non-locals from all age groups, especially kids. It got famous all over the country with its advertisement and slogan "Essel World mein rahunga main, ghar nahi nahi nahi jaunga main".
Combined Ticket for Essel World and Water Kingdom will cost you around Rs. 1400 and individual for Essel World at Rs. 885 and Water Kingdom at Rs. 1035 . They do have lots of offer on online booking, so check before booking. They also offer basic ticket of Rs.290 (200 redeemable on food) to Essel World for aged people who are not taking any rides. Thus, you can take your grandparent along with you. Try to reach before 10 am to beat the crowd and cover all the rides if you are planning both the parks in one day. Park closes at 6.30 PM.
Adlabs Imagica is the recent addition to theme parks in and nearby to Mumbai. It is 80 km away towards Pune from Bandra, whereas Essel World is hardly 20 km and very much in the heart of city.
Attractions not included in the Itinerary:
1. Crawford Market: This is more of a wholesale market for local people
2. Juhu Chowpatty: Considering the Mumbai's population, you could have imagined the crowd and cleanliness of the beaches which are hardly few kms away from the residential areas. Girgaon Chowpatty is already included in the itinerary and it is very much similar and much better than the hyped Juhu Chowpatty.
3. Hanging Garden: Very small gardens overlooking the Arbain sea
4. Mumbai Film City: Mostly for kids
Now, if you are looking for one day trips or picnic spots near the city but away from the usual hustle and bustle, Mumbai has lot to offer. Luckily, the city does end, and in the surrounding area – outside the urban mass of apartments and suburbs and slums – you can easily escape Mumbai for the day to find some peace and refreshing, clean air along the way. Blog coming soon for 1 day trips and 2 day weekend gateaways from Mumbai.
Things to take care when travelling in Mumbai:
Uber and similar taxi services are the best options for tourist. Daily millions of people travel by local (suburban train) and buses in Mumbai and it is difficult for you to cope up. If you want to experience the suburban trains, do it on Sunday or non-office hours (12 pm - 4 pm).
If you are from a country like Singapore where traffic rules are more stringent, you will find it difficult here as they are very less followed
Bargaining is very much required in street shopping
Confirm the facts with Google if you don't trust the local guy
Be aware of pick-pocketing