Mumbai Travel Forum

Hi! I'll be travelling to Mumbai for a few days on my trip through India. Although I am of Indian origin, I grew up in the States and am American. I will be travelling to different cities, but will be in Mumbai Jan 3- 6th. Anyone care to meet up? I'd love to meet some locals or fellow tourists to explore the sights with! I'll be staying at a nice hotel at Juhu beach.

Recommendations for restaurants, pubs, clubs, shopping, all appreciated!!

Thanks,
Reenu
reenus@gmail.com

oops - got the date wrong in the body of the message -- should have been 31st - Jan 3rd.

If you are on your own, just visit the Gateway of India and you will also get a nice view from the top if you go to any of the higher floors of the Taj Mahal Hotel. If you want to visit the Elephanta island for the famous caves then take a boat from the Gateway and it will take you about an hour to get there. The tickets can be bought in front of the Gateway from one of the booths selling them. There is a free guide inside the caves complex from morning to afternoon (just inquire with the security guard for his/her whereabouts). After you get back from the islands you can carry on walking towards the Regal Theatre and see the Museum as well as the other places for art like the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Jehangir Art Gallery for some interesting art exhibitions. Then carry on towards the other side of the University of Mumbai buildings and see the Rajabai Clock Tower, Library and Convocation Hall. Also see the High Court of Mumbai buildings. Then if you look across there will be a game of cricket going on in one of the famous playing grounds (maidans) called the Oval Maidan. Across the street is the Eros theatre and opposite that is the Churchgate railway station and in front of that is the Western Railway Headquarters as well as the Tourism office. You can then walk down to the Marine Drive promenade and take a long walk towards Chowpatty beach for a snack of Bhelpuri, Pav Bhaji and also some Kulfi and Rabdi.

There are some other nice places to see near the CST station (which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site besides the Elephanta caves) like the General Post Office, Flora Fountain and Hutatma Chowk (Martyr's Square) and the St. Thomas' Cathedral, which is very beautiful with a lot of nice sculptures inside it. The whole D. N. Road is lined with old heritage buildings which are really worth seeing if you like architecture. Nearby is the Bombay Stock Exchange building and also the Jewish David Elaiyahoo Synagogue and the David Sassoon Library as well as the Elphinstone College buildings opposite it. The Town Hall building with the Horniman Circle and gardens is also worth seeing behind the cathedral. You can visit Mani Bhavan ( the house in which Mahatma Gandhi lived in Mumbai ) which is now a museum devoted to his work and life as the father of the nation. Nearby is the F. D. Alpaiwalla Museum which has a lot of Iranian artifacts housed in the Khareghat Colony Hall and if you climb the steps leading up to the Parsi Towers of Silence and Hanging Gardens from the outside, then you will be able to get a good view of the Queen's Necklace from above. On the way down, you can visit a very elaborately carved Jain temple and then come down towards the Banganga Tank where you will find a lot of old Shiva temples associated with the Ramayana epic. Further down the road you will find the Governor of Maharashtra's bungalow before reaching Chowpatty beach. You may carry on towards the Mahalakshmi temple and the Haji Ali shrine in the middle of the sea followed by a trip to see the Dhobi Ghat which is from the bridge over Mahalakshmi station.

If you are interested in shopping, then depending on what you want to shop for there are many specific markets like Zaveri Bazaar for gold and silver jewellery, Mangaldas Market for clothes, Chor Bazaar for antiques (and not so old stuff too!!!), Bandra Linking Road for lots of designer shops. Lots of other shopping arcades and malls have recently opened up in many areas so you can just walk into one for a quick look and buy whatever catches your fancy. There is a small shop called Avante just opposite the Regal Cinema at Colaba where you will get the best bargains in handicrafts, souvenirs, etc at very reasonable and cheap prices. Also nearby on the Phirozsha Mehta Road, there is a shop called Bombay Store which has a lot of handicrafts and good Indian teas as well for sale in attractive packaging which is another excellent gift idea.

Hope this helps and you enjoy your trip to Mumbai.

Cheers,
Aadil.

Hi Reena! I too am a newbie (to VT) but not of Indian origin (you could probably tell by my curious white glow). As well I am from California (go figure) and will be traveling to Mumbai Dec 30 - Jan 4. My trip actually begins there and will stretch to just over three weeks, ending in Goa for Sabado Gordo Feb 16-18.
During this time I plan to absorb the experience of India on as human a level as possible (i.e. travel on the ground via train or bus vs fly over everything and everyone). I am also planning to video blog the trip for the folks back home :) I have a handful of friends in Mumbai (late 20 somethings)and I am sure they wouldn't mind including you in whatever we all will be doing, although part of my time there will include striking out on my own at times. Game? Let me know, it would be a pleasure sharing Mumbai with you.

Cheers for now!

MJM

hey reenu. check out these places

AURUS - the best restaurant and bar in bombay. overlooks the beach. sublime. juhu tara rd, opposite hotel ajanta.

CHINA HOUSE - at the grand hyatt, santa cruz. coolest bar in town right now, always good.

ZENZI - coolest place in bombay. ecelectic creative friendly crowd. waterfield rd, bandra.

plenty more..mail me at belal@codacane.com if you need any more advice.

good luck and have a great time!

You can check out the places to party in mumbai
http://indiareadyreckoner.blogspot.com/2007/12/places-to-party-in-mumbai-bombay-on-new.html

Mumbai Meetings & Happenings
http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=1910