Lot of tourist come to India to visit fascinating beaches, backwaters, wild life and historical places. Even though many tourists actually arrive in Mumbai or travel through Mumbai at one point during their journey, the majority misses the charm of Mumbai and is just overwhelmed by its crowds and the noise. This one-day guide wants to provide you with insider tips, given by a real Mumbaikar so that you can enjoy your one or two day stay in Mumbai.
The best way to get around Mumbai is by taxi, it is cheap and you can relax during the journey since you don't have to worry about how to get on and off the train or catching the right bus. Most Mumbaikars also use a taxi to run their day to day errands. An air-conditioned taxi for a complete day should cost you about 1,500 Rupees, which is about 27 USD. If possible try to get an ambassador taxi. It may appear old fashioned but it is very comfortable and one of the things typical for Mumbai. You can ask the hotel manager to help you find one for you.
Gateway of India
As a starting point for your journey you can visit the Gateway of India, a monument built at the very end of the British Raj, overlooking the Arabian Sea. You can enjoy the view you have over the sea and if you want you can go for a boat ride there, something many Mumbaikars do, and admire the Gateway and the Taj Hotel from the sea. The Gateway of India can be romantic spot to be at during sunset or sunrise when the sea is bathed in orange and red. Afterwards you can have a stroll through Colaba the place most tourists stay at. This place offers a lot of coffee shops, souvenir shops and quite some restaurants.
Bombay Store is one of the best-organized souvenir shops. It is situated just between Colaba and Crawford Market. It offers an incredible range of handicraft products, stationary, textiles and ayurvedic cosmetics from all over India. The staff is very helpful and friendly. If you are at the end of you trip and still have some money left or you forgot to buy souvenirs, this shop is certainly a good place to go to. However, it may be slightly more costly than other Indian establishments.
Crawford Market
Nevertheless, if you want to find out how most Indians shop, it's a good idea to visit Crawford Market. There you can find a big cloth market and even though it is packed most of the times, don't let the masses scare you because there are some really nice shopping opportunities. You can get all kinds of cloth there either in order to get a dress or a shirt done or you can buy shawls or scarves from there for a bargain price. Close by is the historic Jama mosque, which was built during the Mughal era.
If you need some time to relax from your shopping adventure at Crawford Market or need some time to unwind, Chowpatti Beach is the place to be. Even though it is not recommendable to swim there, you can hang out at the beach and try one of the famous Indian snacks or drinks there. Close to Chowpatti there is one of Mumbai's famous vegetarian restaurants, it is called Sukh Sagor and offers the best Idli Sambars, a savoury rice cake that is served along with coconut chutney. You can also have various fruit juices at their fruit juice parlour. If you are a meat lover and still have the energy to explore a different part of Mumbai, Jaffer Bhai's Delhi Darbar is the perfect choice. Being famous for its Biryani, a spicy but not hot meat and rice dish, it is located near Grand Road and a highly frequented venue.
The best way to get around Mumbai is by taxi, it is cheap and you can relax during the journey since you don't have to worry about how to get on and off the train or catching the right bus. Most Mumbaikars also use a taxi to run their day to day errands. An air-conditioned taxi for a complete day should cost you about 1,500 Rupees, which is about 27 USD. If possible try to get an ambassador taxi. It may appear old fashioned but it is very comfortable and one of the things typical for Mumbai. You can ask the hotel manager to help you find one for you.
Gateway of India
As a starting point for your journey you can visit the Gateway of India, a monument built at the very end of the British Raj, overlooking the Arabian Sea. You can enjoy the view you have over the sea and if you want you can go for a boat ride there, something many Mumbaikars do, and admire the Gateway and the Taj Hotel from the sea. The Gateway of India can be romantic spot to be at during sunset or sunrise when the sea is bathed in orange and red. Afterwards you can have a stroll through Colaba the place most tourists stay at. This place offers a lot of coffee shops, souvenir shops and quite some restaurants.
Bombay Store is one of the best-organized souvenir shops. It is situated just between Colaba and Crawford Market. It offers an incredible range of handicraft products, stationary, textiles and ayurvedic cosmetics from all over India. The staff is very helpful and friendly. If you are at the end of you trip and still have some money left or you forgot to buy souvenirs, this shop is certainly a good place to go to. However, it may be slightly more costly than other Indian establishments.
Crawford Market
Nevertheless, if you want to find out how most Indians shop, it's a good idea to visit Crawford Market. There you can find a big cloth market and even though it is packed most of the times, don't let the masses scare you because there are some really nice shopping opportunities. You can get all kinds of cloth there either in order to get a dress or a shirt done or you can buy shawls or scarves from there for a bargain price. Close by is the historic Jama mosque, which was built during the Mughal era.
If you need some time to relax from your shopping adventure at Crawford Market or need some time to unwind, Chowpatti Beach is the place to be. Even though it is not recommendable to swim there, you can hang out at the beach and try one of the famous Indian snacks or drinks there. Close to Chowpatti there is one of Mumbai's famous vegetarian restaurants, it is called Sukh Sagor and offers the best Idli Sambars, a savoury rice cake that is served along with coconut chutney. You can also have various fruit juices at their fruit juice parlour. If you are a meat lover and still have the energy to explore a different part of Mumbai, Jaffer Bhai's Delhi Darbar is the perfect choice. Being famous for its Biryani, a spicy but not hot meat and rice dish, it is located near Grand Road and a highly frequented venue.