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Mumbai Travel Guide - Mumbai Tourist Attractions

Mumbai, India


The linear island city of Mumbai projects itself like a finger into the Arabian Sea on the West Coast of India, and is linked to the mainland by several bridges, and the only city to be called `megalopolis’ and the `maximum city’. This is the richest and most populous city of India as from the time trading possibilities blossomed, the city just became bigger, literally and metaphorically. The dreamers and escape artists landed here to become a part of the millions who chop vegetables or play cards in local trains or tend to hide behind the rocks at Bandstand for some romance. Get set to explore the city where big dreams lie on the Mumbai Holiday Package!

Tourist Attractions:

Travellers would be enamoured by The Gateway of India, the city’s famous seaside landmark with its elegant arches and minarets lit up at night as though it is the heart of the tourist buzz! Boats leave from here, ferrying citizens down the coast or across to the Elephanta Island or caves, which is strewn with shrines, temples and caves, wherein the Panchamukhi Shiva or the Lord of the Five Faces, resides with each face representing one aspect of his divinity. Right behind the Gateway, the wonderful building of the Taj Hotel adds to the grandeur.  This is the place to take an exciting ride on the quaint horse-drawn `Victoria’. Colaba as named for the word Koli, this upmarket residential area is most attractive for the Colaba Causeway (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg) with happening bars and the road lined up with vendor stall kiosks selling knick-knacks and the Sassoon Docks, the first wet dock in India, known for its interesting fish auctions! In South Mumbai, The Fountain-Kala Ghoda stretch is phenomenal interpretation of Victorian neo-Gothic buildings, characterized by height and grandeur! The Wellington Fountain is surrounded by some heritage facades and the National Gallery of Modern Art. The Kala Ghoda area encompasses the Jehangir Art Gallery, David Sassoon Library, Elphinstone College, The Army and Navy Building, The Bombay University and the High Court.  The Prince of Wales Museum is a huge, regal building lined with Gujrati architecture, displaying some wonderful ancient sculpture and miniatures.

The Fort area has the Town Hall; Mumbai’s oldest surviving colonial buildings constructively inspired by a Greek temple, and hosts the Asiatic Society and The Mumbai Stock Exchange. The large and spacious St. Tomas Cathedral is designed stained glass windows and marble memorials of British stalwarts and gave the bustling Churchgate Station its name. Further on there is the beautiful Flora Fountain followed by the Mumbai Devi Temple. The twinkling lights of the sweeping seaside arc of Marine Drive (now Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Marg), have been given the elegant sobriquet of `the Queen’s necklace’. The Nariman Point takes in a lot of art deco-style buildings and hosts the Chowpatty Beach which ends around Malabar Hill, a favourite meeting spot for couples, families, and vendors, the place singing alive due to the chaotic chatting and the sea breeze, till late hours of the night. Have a hot cup of tea or cool lime soda to refresh your nerves on the Mumbai Holiday Package!

The posh Malabar Hill has reincarnated from a world of gracious wooded bungalows to skyscraper apartments, and at the top of the hill the pleasantly crowded Hanging Gardens or Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens. In the adjacent Doongerwadi district, is the out-of-bounds Parsi Tower of Silence? Tourists may like to visit Banganga, close to Malabar Hill, a serene pool with shrines around it and moving on ahead to the Walkeshwar Temple and the Mahalakshmi Temple.  The religious white mosque of Haji Ali is a `dargah’ which appears to float in the sea and draws huge crowds to pay their respect to this marvel!

The once-upon-a-time Portuguese enclave of Bandra is rich suburb with a cosmopolitan populace accompanied with churches like Mount Mary’s Basilica and a Parsi fire temple, surrounded by the posh Pali Hill, a hub of film stars’ residences. For reveling in the sea, Bandstand and Carter Road make the grade in this area.  The Juhu Beach is another bustling locale with plenty of noise and funfare for both adults and children, hosting the famous Prithvi Theatre and some luxury hotels The Film City at Dadasaheb Phalke Nagar, is a complex of studios, recording rooms, and venues such as lakes, forts, and courtrooms. The unique Sanjay Gandhi National Park between Mumbai and Thane is the only one which lies within the city limits of a metropolis, and has leopards, sambar, cheetal and woodland and aquatic birds. Gorai Island has Mumbai’s huge modern enchantment for families known as Essel World which has a bewildering amusement park and water kingdom and a rock-and-roll paradise offering rides, water rides and slides, cars, mazes, bowling, and an ice skating rink, and dotted with refreshment counters and eateries.  Awaken your enthusiastic skills on the Mumbai Holiday Package!

Shopping:

A peculiar and splendid souvenir would be the `serrated glasses’ in which the famous `cutting chai’- a social ritual in which a glass of tea is shared by two people, is served, or the many-tiered tiffin boxes that Mumbai dabbawallas deliver, available at any glass and utensil  store. Linking Road in Bandra and Fashion Street near Churchgate can get the tourists reasonably priced `branded’ deisgnerware. For gold, Zaveri Bazaar holds renowned jewellers shops. Antiques are sprawled all over the legendary Chor Bazaar, where Queen Victoria’s lost violin was found. Great leather goods and accessories can be found in the Oberoi Shopping Arcade and at Dharavi.  Inorbit is acclaimed amongst a row of malls on Link Road in Malad West, besides   the inhouse open air or indoor malls at every residential and commercial locality.

Cuisine:

Mumbai offers hazardless zunkabhakar stalls, fussy 5-stars, the swift professionalism of Kamat Restaurant, and the unhurried ambience of Baristas, besides a vast array of outlets serving a menu from all over India and International varieties. Amongst the local popularities, there is the deified vada pav at Vaidya’s, nocturnal non-vegetarian rolls at Bade Miyan, Shiv Sagar at Juhu or the Bollywood- wannabe favourite  Urban Tadka at Andheri West. The Colaba Causeway is marked with Café Leopold, overflowing with foreign tourists and drinks, Café Mondegar with Mario Miranda on the walls and a jukebox as famous as the draught beer and Olympia, an old joint for inexpensive authentic Chillia Muslim fare. Samovar at Kala Ghoda is place to discuss art over chai and pakoras. Mangalorean seafood may be relished at Apoorva and Mahesh Lunch Home and Trishna Restaurant are renowned for serving mouth-watering neer dosas and crabs, respectively. Britannia, a quiet Parsi joint serves the most delicious berry pulao and caramel custard. Indigo near the Gateway has a wide spread of Continental choices.   Paradise at Colaba is complete with Parsi, Chinese and Continental delicacies.

Climate:

Mumbai has a tropical and the ideal time to escape to this town is between October to March, when the heat is moderate and the cold is sunny and pleasant.  Heavy showers starting May onwards and lasting till August-September may deprive the tourists from exploring outdoor venues due to clogging of roads, but there is plenty to indulge and taste the aura of this city, even if confined indoors!  Recommended for a visit throughout the year!

Bring back a large avenue of memories and dare to dream when you return from the Mumbai Holiday Package!