India’s pulsing, beating heart, Mumbai is not only home to Bollywood.
Mumbai is India’s city of dreams – home to super-billionaires, movie-stars, slum-dwellers and everyone in between. With most of them trying to pack their way onto the crowded local trains every day. Mumbai is full of rags-to-riches stories, and tales of many who don’t make it, too.
My favourite city in India, Mumbai is a place that gets left off far too many a first-trip-to-India itinerary. But giving this city a miss is something of a sin. Packed full of beautiful architecture, shopping-a-plenty, luxury seafront hotels and lip smacking food of both the street-stall and michelin starred variety, you can find anything you dream of here.
But above all, prepare to be welcomed by the friendly 20 Million + Mumbaikars who call this city home.
Read my MumbaiTravel Guide to find out:
… and much more
The urban coastal sprawl of Mumbai deserves more time than you might think. Our Mumbai Travel guide covers Mumbai Travel essentials, where to stay, things to do and much more.
Dharavi – rightly or wrongly – is one of Mumbai’s most famous areas, and for many visitors to the big city, a Dharavi slum tour is on the bucket list.
India, and her biggest city at that, may not seem like the obvious choice for sustainable travel, or for sustainable hotels. Finding sustainable hotels in Mumbai might sound like an unlikely prospect.
Winter months between November and February are the most popular time to visit Mumbai – temperatures are cooler with winter sun, and the humidity is lower.
Monsoon between July and September is to be avoided as parts of Mumbai are prone to flooding and the Monsoon can be torrential here. The only reason to come during these months is to see the wonderful Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations (August or Septmeber).
You’ll hear people complain about the Mumbai traffic, and they’re not wrong! Allow time to get anywhere in this sprawling city.
South of Dadar, tuk-tuks (auto rickshaws) are not allowed, so grab a cab or an Uber or Ola.
For longer distances the Mumbai local trains are the most efficient way to get around, but brace yourself: They’re not for the faint of spirit. AVOID rush hour times and ladies travel in the womens’ compartment.
Mumbai real estate is up there in the most expensive of the world, and it’s not just property that’ll set you back a pretty penny in this city. Hotels are much more expensive than other parts of India, and eating out costs more too.
Prepare to double your budget compared to many other parts of India.
All this means Mumbai is not the best place for budget travellers, but it is possible to make it work. Choose backpacker hostels over cheap hotels (which can be downright seedy) and treat your tastebuds to some of India’s best streetfood.
As with the rest of India, tap water is not safe to drink, but UV or Reverse Osmosis filtered water is fine. We use and trust Water to Go filter bottles which we travel with – buy one here.
We recommend sticking to hot food, served from busy stalls or restaurants. There are plenty of places to eat that are used to foreigners who prefer their curries a little less spicy.
Compared to many other parts of India, Mumbai is very safe for women and it’s a place you can (metaphorically) let your hair down a bit.
Don’t think about swimming (or even paddling) on Chowpatty beach – the water is not clean.
Mumbai has a hot, tropical climate and is warm and humid year-round.
Winter months have a pleasant coolness to them (late October – Feb) and are the perfect time to visit with sunny days and cool evenings.
Summer (March – June) is uncomfortably hot and sticky until the Monsoon breaks at some point in late June.
Monsoons hit Mumbai hard and you can expect lashings of rain (and the odd cyclone) between June and September, making it not the best time to visit. Mumbai is prone to flooding and transport (including flights) can be delayed.
One of the most famous hotels in the world, it doesn’t get much better than the Taj Palace, Colaba! Click here for rates & info.
Located right on the beach just north of Bandra (Western Suburbs) this is the perfect place for a city-beach break or time with the family. Click here for rates & Info.
This beautiful colonial house that once was home to David Sassoon, and comes with oodles of heritage character, design & is just steps from the Gateway of India. Click here for rates & info.
A beautiful family heritage homestay in South Bombay, just a few minutes walk from Chowpatty beach. Click here for rates & info.