Mumbai – The City that never sleeps.
I planned this trip over a telephonic call with my friend who lives in Mumbai. Paaro was also surprised when I told her that we are going to Mumbai because usually, I take much time in planning and researching before any trip. This city has so much to explore and as always we had limited time but we somehow managed to utilize most out of it.
Days required – 5-7 days
Nearby places to go – Lonavala, Khandala, Mahabaleshwar, Pune
Best time to visit – monsoon and during winter (October to February)
How to reach – Mumbai is easily accessible by air, road and rail route.
By air – Direct flights from many cities are available.
By road – visitors from nearby states and cities can reach Mumbai by state/private buses.
By train – Mumbai is connected to all major cities in India by rail route.
How we traveled – we took a train from Jaipur to reach here. After reaching the station, hire a prepaid taxi from taxi booth or book Ola/Uber.
Where to stay – Stay in or close to South Bombay (locals call it SoBo) in Colaba, Fort area, Churchgate, Mumbai Central or anywhere close. Mumbai being a costly city, be ready to spend those extra bucks from your pocket even for the budget hotels. Pro tip: There are some alleged red light areas in Mumbai, try not to book a hotel in those areas if you are a couple because I think you won’t be comfortable. Staying close to a local train station has its perks of cutting your travel cost considerably.
How to go around – Best and economic way is Mumbai local train. It’s an experience in itself. It is also the fastest way to travel long distances. It will not be difficult to figure out your ride if you have the local train map and know where you want to go. Just avoid office hours if you want a fun ride. BEST buses can be taken for shorter distances and they have a big network connecting to almost everywhere.
Ola/Uber and Kaali-Pili taxis also run here but the drivers are very annoying. Yes, those jokes about taxi wallas are true. You really have to find a taxi guy who agrees to take you aboard for your destination. They usually refuse to go to your destination.
Places to visit – Mumbai, as well as Nashik, has so many tourist attractions that it is impossible to cover them in a week. Also, there are also many places around Mumbai which need a trip of their own. It is difficult and tricky to select what to cover and what to miss.
- Elephanta Caves
- Taj hotel
Iconic Taj Hotel - Prince of Wales Museum
- Nariman Point/Marine Drive
- Girgaum Chaupatty
- Siddhivinayak temple
- Mahalaxmi temple
- Juhu Beach
Juhu Beach - Band Stand
- Tarapore Aquarium
- Maratha Mandir
Nashik
- Sula Vineyards
- Trimbakeshwar temple
- Pandavlini caves
Where to eat –
Merwan Bakery (opposite Grant road station(east)) – Mawa cake, Irani chai, Bun Maska pav
Kyani and Co.(marine lines) – Irani chai, Bun Maska pav
Olympia Coffee House(opposite Leopold Cafe)- keema pav
Sharma Ji and Badshah (Chowpatti) – Bhelpuri
Bademiya (near Gateway of India) – Kebabs, Rolls
Sarvi (Mohd Ali Road) – kebabs
Noor Mohammadi (Mohd Ali Road) – Chicken
Do try Mumbai daily snacks – Vadapav, Bhelpuri, Sevpuri, Bombay sandwich at Juhu beach and Girgaum Chowpatti and if you are a non-vegetarian, Mohd. Ali Road is food heaven for you.
Itinerary –
We had a fun time while in Mumbai in 5 days. We might have missed a few things but we tried to make the most of it. I can’t wait to share it all with you people. Read it on.
We took the Jaipur-Mumbai train which dropped us Mumbai central station which was near to our hotel. Trains coming from some regions arrive at Bandra Terminus or Lokmanya Tilak Terminus from where taxis can be hired to get to your location easily. Some trains will bring you to the Chhatrapati Maharaj Shivaji Terminus (commonly known as VT/CST) which is in SoBo.
Day 1
We left early in the morning from the hotel to try the very famous Merwan & Co. Bakery in Grant road area. These traditional Parsi eateries in SoBo are well acclaimed among the locals and are as old as Mumbai is and it shows in their ambience. After having breakfast at Merwan, we headed to the Gateway of India with my school friend Gagan who agreed to be our guide for the day.
The iconic Taj Hotel and the whole arena of the Gateway of India start giving you historical vibes as soon as you enter its premises. Another piece of history awaits at the Prince of Wales Museum in the vicinity.
However, nothing here was as historical as the Elephanta caves which date back to 2nd century BC, primarily sculptured with Lord Shiva and some Buddhist stupa mounds. Being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is now well maintained but most of the relics are not in very good shape due to damages done in old times. Located at an island about 10km offshore Mumbai, these caves can be accessed by ferries running to and fro from the Gateway. It takes 1.5 hours to reach the island. You can board to upper deck by paying Rs.10 and enjoy the ocean view. There is a toy train at the first entry point (Fare Rs.10) of the island that takes you to the village entry from where one has to walk to the caves. One can always walk through right from the start. It will be good if you have a hat for this trip to protect from the intense sun on some days of the year. For better understanding, you can hire a guide to explore the caves or you can visit on our own and read about it beforehand or later.
Ferry fares: Rs 150-175 (Return fare)
Village entry ticket: Rs 10 (for all)
Caves Entry Ticket: Indians – Rs.10; Foreigners: Rs 250 (Foreigners)
It is better to visit here first in the morning and leaving the rest of SoBo for later. Spend a good 3-4 hours for this and come back by 3:30 PM to the Gateway. Small cafe/restaurants are there on the island, but eat only if you are starving otherwise save it for the lunch on the mainland. Have lunch at Leopold cafe (costly but very famous among foreigners and Indians) or Olympia (just opposite to Leopold and very economic).
From here, we took a cab for Nariman Point. Remember Munna Bhai, sitting sadly and then Circuit comes to tell him that he has topped the medical examination? This is that very spot this scene was shot with numerous others in Bollywood. This place connects directly to the sea and is usually closed by late evening because of high tides for security purpose. And an evening spent here can make anyone’s day complete. Nariman Point is one of the ends of the famous Queen’s necklace or Marine Drive. A stretch of almost 3km twinkling with lights, take a stroll with your beloved or just sit and enjoy the waves hitting the shore. The misty breeze flowing through your hair will make you forget the tiring day in a jiffy. Girgaum Chaupatty is another end of this necklace and is so lively till late at night. There is a small beach, however, we found it very dirty and one would not dare to go close to the waves. Although, you can enjoy an evening snack or a wholesome dinner at Chaupatty. We ate at Sharmajee’s and had a Kolkata pan as dessert. Another dinner option can be “Bademiya” famous for its chicken delicacies close to Gateway.
After spending some time at Chowpatty, we booked a cab for our hotel at 10:30 pm. It was late but we didn’t realize it as still there was traffic around and people were reaching Chowpatty for late-night snacks.
Day 2
Mumbai Darshan Bus tours are very good for a day trip in Mumbai and it covers most of the iconic places to give you the satisfaction of having seen it all. So, win-win for the travelers with a tight time schedule (though it doesn’t sound to be a good idea it did the trick for us).
The tour starts with the Gateway (yes, we went there again). Fortunate enough, we got the opportunity of clicking pictures here this time), then they provide some time for Prince of Wales Museum(tickets needed), ferry ride(which we skipped). The bus then takes you showing the places like Siddhivinayak Temple, Mahalaxmi temple, Juhu Beach, R City Mall, Red Carpet Wax Museum(tickets needed). And many attractions were seen from the bus because of the time restriction (bungalows of movie stars, Ambani’s Antilla, Sachin’s bungalow, Worli Sea Link, Police Headquarters, High Court, Marine Drive, Band Stand). This tour is to cover most of Mumbai in less time but if anyone has time, they can opt to visit these places at their own pace.
Must visit places- Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Juhu Beach, Band Stand, Worli Sea Link and Siddhivinayak Temple.
Day 3
We first went to visit Tarapore Aquarium which is near Churni Road station (Rs.60 per person entry fee). Most of the Mumbaikars and tourists haven’t heard about the place. It’s the oldest aquarium of India inaugurated by 1st President of India. Still undergoing renovation, it’s a small aquarium but it’s worth a visit. Take care of the timings, the place is open till 8 pm but tickets are available only before 5 pm.
From there we went to Maratha Mandir near Mumbai Central station and watched DDLJ (yes, I am Shahrukh’s fan and this is one of the main reason for this Mumbai tour). We had lunch nearby and took local to Bandra (we took suggestions and information of how one can travel in a local train safely from our friend Gagan. If you are new in Mumbai, and want to avoid this adventure ride then better hire a taxi). Outside the station, cabs/taxi will take you to Band Stand for approx. Rs.50. Bandstand has the residence of many movie stars including Shahrukh Khan (the 2nd reason for this trip). We stopped near “Mannat”. I have seen this bungalow in photographs and TV and here I was standing in front of its gate. Please read my separate blog about this experience. We spent the evening near Band Stand and called it a day slightly early as we had to travel to Nashik the next day.
Day 4
Today we had planned to visit Sula Vineyards in Nashik which is 180 km from Mumbai. You have many options to go there. Most common and comfortable one is to hire a cab which will cost you Rs4000-5000. You can also self-drive there. Take a bus but it takes much time.
We took the train (Tapovan Express) which suited us best as it starts from CST at 6 am and reach Nashik by 10 am. In the evening, again this train departs from Nashik at 6 pm giving sufficient time to visit the city.
We had booked a local cab in Nashik in advance for the city tour. The driver took us to Sula Vineyards which opens for visitors at 11 am. They have wine tasting tours starting from 11.30 am to 6.30 pm every hour. 30 min tour includes an educational tour about winemaking and tasting their 6 wines for Rs.375.
After Sula tour, we visited the famous Trimbakeshwar temple which is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Waiting time for Darshan can extend up to 1-2 hours depending on the crowd/occasion. Mobile phones/camera/leather belts are not allowed inside. They have baggage counter outside the temple to store the belongings.
Next, we stopped at the Pandavlini caves that were similar to caves in Elephanta. Located on a hilltop, the trek to the caves will drench you in sweat. But it’s worth your time and energy as the view from the top is eye soothing.
There was much more to explore in Nashik but we had to board our train to Mumbai.
Day 5
It was our last day in Mumbai. We decided to make it easy for us and went on shopping. We visited the Colaba Causeway market which has antiques, garments, artificial jewellery, etc. You can also visit Linking Road market and Fashion Street if you are more into shopping stuff.
Few tips for fellow travelers –
- Best time to visit Sula is mid-January to mid-march which is harvest time. At that time, we can see grapes in their fields and grape stomping is included in the tour.
- Remember that the last ferry for Elephanta Caves is around 2-3 pm from Gateway of India and around 5 pm back from Caves. Get an early morning ferry so that you don’t get sweaty in the afternoon and there is less crowd on the island. After 2 PM, they offer a ride in the sea on their ferry for around half an hour for a lesser price.
- Elephanta Caves are closed on Monday.
- If you are visiting Mumbai in Monsoon then it is better you don’t plan an itinerary. Rain here continues for hours and happens unexpectedly. But do plan an outing to Lonavala/Khandala/Mahabaleshwar that time.
- Always carry an umbrella, water bottle, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
- Ask for help if you want to travel on the local train. Avoid it during morning and evening rush hours.
- You can book Carnival bus service online. They have AC buses. Charges are nominal (Rs.350 per person). Entry charges are not included but you can pay them in advance so that you don’t have to stand in a queue for tickets but that is optional. There is a fixed time for visiting each attraction but it is more than sufficient. They have to follow a strict itinerary and timings so that all attractions can be covered in scheduled time.
Ratings (it is subjective and my personal opinion)
Destination overall rating 7/10 – mixed feeling on this as my intention for trip was different(I just visited Mumbai for DDLJ and Mannat).
Travel Expense 5/10 – yes, the city is expansive, no doubt on this.
Travel ease 8/10- Mumbai is a well-connected city and if you can travel in a local train then it is very economic to travel here.
Food 8/10 – you can get anything here and there is so much to try here that it is not possible to eat at all the eateries I have mentioned above.