Delhi Tourism

Mumbai is located on India's central-western coast along the Arabian Sea. The city developed for 150 years in isolation from its hinterland and still seems to belong in a different world to the huge, predominantly Hindu state of Maharashtra, which encompasses a 500km (310mi) coastal strip, a portion of the Western Ghats and a significant part of the Deccan plateau. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India, and houses important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, and the corporate headquarters of many Indian companies. Owing to the immense business opportunities available in Mumbai and the relatively high standard of living, it has attracted migrants from all over India and South Asia, making the city a potpourri of various communities and cultures. Within Mumbai is located Bollywood, the epicentre of the country's Hindi film and television industry, producing the world's highest number of films annually. Mumbai is also one of the rare cities to accommodate a National Park within its municipal limits

Sightseeing in Mumbai

Marine Drive
Built in the 1920s, Marine Drive runs along the shoreline of the Arabian Sea from Nariman Point to the foot of Malabar Hill. It is Mumbai’s most famous thoroughfare and a favourite spot for watching the sunset. Lined on the landward side by a crescent of crumbling Art Deco buildings, it is lit up at night prompting travel agents to dub it the Queen’s Necklace. At the top end of Marine Drive is Chowpatty Beach, the only beach in the central part of Mumbai. Though not ideal for sunbathing or swimming, it is a popular, though hectic place to spend an afternoon, surrounded by beach traders, entertainers and beggars. It is the best place to watch the annual Ganesh Chaturthi Festival (during August/September) when vast models of Lord Ganesha are immersed into the sea.

The Gateway of India
This 26 metres high stone archway is the first landmark of Bombay a visitor sees when arriving by ship. Designed by Writtet in the 16th century Gujarat style, it was built to commen/morate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Indfia in 1911. This crypto-Moresque archway welcomed numerous viceroys, governors and top civil servants as they disembarked by launch from their p&O steamers. An equestrain staue of Chhatrapatin Shivaji and statue of Swami Vivekhanda have been installed here.

Elephanta Island
9 Nautical miles across the sea from the Gateway of India lies Elephanta, also known as Gharapuri. Visit this green island for the wonders of the 7th century; the painstakingly hewn rock-cut cave temple, dedicated to Shiva. The Maheshamurti panel in which Shiva is shown as a creator, protector and destroyer is a sight that should be enjoyed at least once in a lifetime. regular excursions to Elephanta start every day from the Gateway of India. Make sure you visit the Chalukya restaurant run by MTDC.Elephanta Island makes Mumbai an obligatory stop. The island, reachable within an hour by boat, has old rock-cut Hindu temples, shrines and caves that date back from the 6th century. The whole island is dedicated to the Hindu Lord Siva. The Elephanta Caves have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You can catch a boat at the Gateway of India.

Prince of Wales Museum
Prince of Wales museum is a distinctive Raj-era building on the Mahatma Gandhi Road. The museum houses a superb collection of paintings and sculpture. The collection is so vast that one needs a full day to see everything and several visits to get into the details of each and everything. The foundation stone was laid in 1905 by the future King George v, then Prince of Wales. The design of the museum was carried out by George Wittet-the architect of Gateway of India.

Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Victoria Terminus is now known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and is a masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture. This solid structure was designed in 1878 by F.W. Stevens and the costs were over 1,6 million rupees. This building is the Headquarters of the Central Railway and has 14 platforms. From here, you can catch the local train for Mumbai central as well as the harbour line. This is the place from which Asia's first train was departed on 6th April, 1853. Nowadays, the commuters can also use the extensive subway system that has been created to facilitate the transport of all the people leaving and arriving in Mumbai.

Colaba
The southernmost peninsula, known as Colaba, is where most travellers gravitate to as it has a good range of hotels and restaurants and two of the city's best landmarks, the Gateway to India and the Taj Mahal Hotel. The Gateway to India was built in 1911 to commemorate the visit to India of King George V and Queen Mary.

Shopping in Mumbai
Shopping is one of the many enjoyable things in Mumbai. Without any doubt, you can spend hours exploring shops, bazaars, markets and stalls. Nowadays, the big fancy international shopping malls are common sense in India as well. The World Trade Center at Cuffe Parade and the shopping mall at Nehru Center are two well-known shopping paradises and you can buy everything, ranging from the latest fashion in Bombay, handicrafts, consumer or electronical equipments, paintings, engineering innovations etc. Both of them also serve as exhibition centres.