Are you looking for what to do in Mumbai?
- Gateway of India: One of the prominent monuments of the city, the Gateway of India is often the starting point of the city tour. Originally designed to be viewed by visitors approaching Mumbai in the colonial era, this grand structure of four turrets and yellow basalt stone, localities and foreigners both like to come and spend some time quiet time by the Gateway. Location: Colaba, South Mumbai.
- Haji Ali Dargah: Said to be a mosque as well as a tomb, Haji Ali is located in the middle of the ocean and is only accessible during low tide, when the narrow walkway is visible and safe to walk on. Devout pilgrims, every Thursday and Friday flock the mosque to receive blessings from the dead man who turned his life around after his visit to Mecca. Women are no longer allowed into the inner sanctum of the shrine. Location: Central Mumbai.
- Film City: Mumbai is home to the second largest movie producing entity all over the world, Bollywood. Schedule a trip to the Film City and experience firsthand how movies in India are made. Like LA is to Hollywood, Mumbai is to Bollywood. Location: Goregaon, Western Suburbs of Mumbai.
- Kala Ghoda Art Precinct: The Kala Ghoda (Black Horse) area gets its name from an erstwhile horse statue that was located there. The Kala Ghoda area is Mumbai’s cultural centre- shaped like that of a crescent, Kala Ghoda houses Mumbai’s best art galleries and museums. As you walk through the area, you’ll come across roadside galleries and various cultural niches. Location: Between the Fort and Colaba, South Mumbai.
- Juhu Beach: The quintessential movie beach if there ever was, any and every movie in the 80’s had at least one shot of the Juhu beach, either in a song or a romantic scene. One of the most popular beaches of the city, many film stars have houses overlooking this beach, making it a haven for their fans. The beach is also home to many types of street act like acrobats and dancing monkeys. Location: Juhu.
- Marine Drive & Chowpatty Beach: Marine Drive is a 3 km stretch that runs from Nariman Point to Malabar Hill. People are often seeing taking walks along the drive, taking the sights and sounds of the ocean. The beach on the north of Marine Drive is called the Chowpatty beach. Well known for the plethora of street food made available to the people, the beach becomes insanely crowded on holidays and weekends.
- Street food is a rite of passage in Mumbai, and what better place to fulfill this than Chowpatty. The chaat, bhel, pani puris and all sorts of street food conceivable is found at Chowpatty. You can’t go to Chowpatty and come back without tasting the lip smacking platter that is on offer. If you’re looking for a taste of Mumbai, Chowpatty is the place to be. Location: Central Mumbai.
- Elephanta Island & Caves: If you’ve heard of the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, the Elephanta Caves are a must. If you haven’t heard of the former, then the Elephanta Caves are a good start. Reachable by ferry boats, the Elephanta Caves comprises of seven caves hand carved out of rock, depicting the Hindu God of creation and destruction. When you visit the caves, you might as well walk up to Cannon Hill for a picnic, on top of the island. Be wary of unruly monkeys who will try and steal your food. Entry to the caves requires a minimal admission fee, but don’t plan a visit on a Monday since the Caves are closed then! Location: 10 km or 6 miles east of Mumbai.
- Mumbai High Court & Victoria Terminus: If you’re an architecture buff and would like to catch a glimpse of the architecture during the times of the British invasion, head over to the building of the Mumbai High Court and the main train terminus. The High Court, built with an English-Gothic influence symbolizes not only power but also justice, in all of its five sixty two feet height of grandeur.
- The Victoria Terminus on the other hand, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is reminiscent of the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. It’s the busiest train station in the country, serving as stops for both national as well as local travel. The terminus is often equated with the Grand Central Station in New York, in terms of the hustle-bustle and sheer number of people that frequent the place. Location: Fort, Mumbai.
- Markets & Bazaars: When it comes to shopping in Mumbai, you best get your haggling skills in top order. The most popular destination for street shopping for both locals and tourists is the Colaba Causeway, followed by Linking Road, Crawford Market and Chor Bazaar. A word of caution though, as adventurous as it seems and as good a time as you might have, keep an eye on your belongings, particularly your wallet. If you’re visiting Mumbai after or before the monsoon, be sure to hit the markets. Street shopping during the rains makes the entire experience a little tiresome. Location: Colaba Causeway & Linking Road are located at Bandra; Crawford Market is near Churchgate and Chor Bazaar is on Mutton Street.
- Dhobi Ghat: Dhobi Ghat is one place where not only the proverbial dirty laundry but the actual laundry too is aired. Dhobi Ghat (Washer-man’s Colony) is like a small community where washing clothes is a profession passed down as a legacy. Every day, dhobis collect dirty laundry all over from Mumbai and bring it back to this place where they wash each and every cloth, by hand. Watching thousands of dhobis standing in knee deep in water and washing chemicals to rid the cloth of any dirt can’t be classified as a treat, but it does definitely provide an insight into the city’s sustenance. Location: Mahalaxmi, Mumbai.
- Girgaum Chowpatty: Locally referred to as Chaupati, this is an extremely popular public beach adjoining with Marine Drive in Girgaon, Mumbai.
- Sanjay Gandhi National Park: Rich with flora and fauna, this forest is home to over a 1000 plant species, 38 species of reptiles, 9 species of amphibians, 40 species of mammals, 251 of birds, and a range of fishes.
- Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai: A peaceful shrine with historical value and archaeological importance. The temple is the worship place of the Hindus.
- Mahalakshmi Temple: A very famous temple in the city dedicated tom Mahalaxmi, who was the central deity of Devi Mahatmyam.
- Kanheri Caves: A beautiful horde of rock-cut monuments, one of the most ancient, decorating the outskirts of the city.
- Elephanta Island: This inland of Mumbai is proudly a Unesco World Heritage Site. The island is home to lavish cave temples with gorgeous carvings.
- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya: Formerly recognized as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India, the museum houses a bunch of activities and has rotating exhibits on display. It also features educational programmes.
Below we have a list of things to do in Mumbai and the places where you want to spend the best moments of your trip. At the same time, the city offers you the best neighborhoods to explore and new foods to try.
This list should help you in deciding and prioritizing what you should plan on your Mumbai getaway. Find a mix of must-see tourist spots, underrated local hangouts, and maybe even a few new experiences you can try out.
Make the most of your trip to Mumbai with confidence.
