Mumbai Travel Guide: Travel and tourist information, things to do and see in Mumbai

Situated on a peninsula, halfway up the west coast of India, Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is India's economic powerhouse, home to more millionaires than any other city on the Indian sub-continent.

As well as being the country's financial capital, Mumbai is also an important port, handling a third of all international trade, and a base for many of India's largest companies. However, amongst this wealth and the Bollywood lifestyle, extreme poverty exists; almost half of the population live in slums. At last count the population was 15 million, and growing rapidly.

Like many Indian cities, the streets of Mumbai are congested with cattle, carts and motor vehicles and the air is thick with smog and the sound of horns, but despite this the city has much to offer and those en route to Goa should take time to discover Mumbai's colourful and fascinating history and its vibrant, energetic and friendly people. At worst, the experience will make Goa's beaches seem even more peaceful.

Mumbai-Bombay is pleasant during the winter (November-March) and hot during summer. The temperature is on the rise from the month of March until the monsoons break out in mid-June, which goes on until September. October offers a relief from humidity and heat.

The Gateway of India is the main attraction of Mumbai city. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary for the Delhi Durbar in 1911. Situated at the Apollo Bunder, the gateway holds greater historical significance as the last of the British troops that left India by sea, marched through its portals.

The monument is complete with four turrets and intricate latticework carved into the yellow basalt stone. You can also go for a short cruise through Mumbai's natural harbour in one of the little motor launches that are stationed here.

Mani Bhawan is one of the important places to visit in Mumbai. Presently functioning as a Gandhi memorial, it used to be the Mumbai residence of Mahatma Gandhi. It is from this famous house No. 19, called Mani Bhawan, that Gandhiji was arrested in 1932.

This two storied building houses a reference library with over 2000 books, a photo feature on the Mahatma's life, some memorabilia, an old Gandhiji's charkha and a film and recording archive. A minimum entry fee is required to get into the Mani Bhawan.

The Prince of Wales museum is another major attraction of Mumbai. Built in the year 1914, it is surrounded by a beautiful landscape forming an ideal getaway for the people of Mumbai. The museum houses art, sculpture, rare coins, and old firearms and a priceless collection of miniature paintings. The Prince of Wales museum is regarded as one of the best museums in the country.

The Hanging Gardens makes another must see site in Mumbai. The park was built during the early 1880s over Mumbai's main reservoir at the top of the Malabar Hills.

The fast-paced life has given rise to hordes of "fast-food outlets" on almost every road, offering lip-smacking choices of Mumbai's very own pau bhaji, bhel puri and kababs.

The seat of the Hindi film industry, known locally as Bollywood, it produces the largest number of films in the world. Mumbai caters to the adventurous and the romantic through its sporting activities, nightclubs, pubs, theatres, beaches and restaurants.

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Population: 1.080.264.400
Languages: Hindi 30%, English, Bengali, Gujarati, Kashmiri, M
Currency: Indian rupee
Currency code: INR
Local Times:
India - Delhi - New Delhi

India - Maharashtra - Mumbai

India - Uttar Pradesh - Agra

Country Dialling Code: +91
Voltage: 230V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 Parallel circular prongs

2 parallel circular prongs with an earth connector

India is a nation of diversity and is dubbed the world's most multidimensional country. The country is graced with the snow-capped Himalayas in the north and sun drenched coastal villages in the south and a variety of tranquil temples to feisty festivals, lantern-lit villages and modern cities in-between. Love it or loathe it, India promises to intrigue the visitor at the very least. Stretching from desert dunes and scattered slums to the rich embroidery of ancient, jewelled palaces, and the majestic domes of forgotten empires, India is an unforgettable destination.

The subcontinent of India lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China and Nepal. To the north it is bordered by the world's highest mountain chain, where foothill valleys cover the northernmost of the country's 26 states. Further south, plateaus, tropical rain forests and sandy deserts are bordered by palm fringed beaches .

Side by side with the country's staggering topographical variations is its cultural diversity, the result of the coexistence of a number of religions as well as local tradition. Thus, the towering temples of south India, easily identifiable by their ornately sculptured surface, are associated with a great many crafts and performing arts of the region.

In the desert of Kutch, Gujarat, on the other hand, a scattering of villages pit themselves against the awesome forces of nature, resulting in Spartan lifestyles made vibrant by a profusion of jewelry and ornamental embroidery used to adorn apparel and household linen. In the extreme north is the high altitude desert of Ladakh. Local culture is visibly shaped by the faith - Buddhism -as well as by the harsh terrain. Yet another facet of Indian culture is observed in the colorful tribal lifestyles of the north eastern states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur with their folk culture.

In the central Indian states of Orissa and Madhya Pradesh tribal village life has resulted in a variety of artistically executed handicrafts.

India's mountains provide heli skiing, river running, mountaineering and trekking. Its beaches provide lazy sun-bathing as well as wind surfing and snorkeling, and its jungles provide shooting wildlife -with a camera.

Modern India is home alike to the tribal with his anachronistic lifestyle and to the sophisticated urban jetsetter. It is a land where temple elephants exist amicably with the microchip. Its ancient monuments are the backdrop for the world's largest democracy where atomic energy is generated and industrial development has brought the country within the world's top ten nations. Today, fishermen along the country's coastline fashion simple fishing boats in a centuries old tradition while, a few miles away. motor vehicles glide off conveyor belts in state-of-the-art factories.

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