Meera Dattani explores India’s liveliest city
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Forget New York – this is the city that never sleeps. Mumbai is a sprawling, densely populated metropolis where tuk-tuks and cows share streets with honking taxis and sports cars, and a photo opportunity awaits at every turn. It’s busy but rewarding, and those who bypass it miss one of India’s best urban experiences.
As a major transport hub, it’s easy to add Mumbai to India itineraries with clients often already flying into or out of it. For some, the restaurant scene in stylish Bandra will appeal, for others, the Victorian Gothic architecture of downtown Colaba.
Mumbai by night has universal appeal. Marine Drive lights up and crowds head to the beaches of Juhu and Chowpatty for chai, samosas and sunset.
Daily direct flights from the UK to Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji airport are operated by Virgin Atlantic and Air India, and twice a day by British Airways and Jet Airways. Add-on Mumbai packages and day tours are offered by numerous companies such as Cox & Kings, Insight Vacations, and Intrepid Travel’s Urban Adventures.
Where to stay
For early departures, the 392-room Leela Mumbai is five minutes from the airport, set in 11 acres of landscaped gardens. Luxury hotel brand ITC Hotels has two five-star properties, ITC Maratha and ITC Grand Central.
They both offer My City Welcome Breaks to encourage short stays and themed Welcome Breaks – gourmet options include a meet-and-greet with the chef and spa-themed stays include treatments in their Kaya Kalp spa.
A classic choice is the 560-room Taj Mahal Palace, a historic property dating back to 1903, by the Gateway of India. Its restaurants include Wasabi, which flies in fresh sushi from Japan, while Masala Craft serves ‘tiffin’ lunchboxes, a taste of the traditional meals transported daily across the city to workers by the ‘dabbawallahs’.
Another gourmet choice is The Oberoi on Marine Drive – its three restaurants include Ziya by Michelin-starred chef Vineet Bhatia.
For style-conscious clients, suggest Vivanta by Taj President, renowned for its stylish Wink bar, or Taj Lands End in trendy Bandra, a neighbourhood full of cafes, shops, bars, and the homes of Bollywood stars.
For something different, Gordon’s House in downtown Colaba is the former home of trader, art collector and pioneer Arthur Gordon, dating back to the early 1900s.
What to do
A common first stop is the Gateway of India, built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911. It’s from here that boats depart for Elephanta Island, famous for the rock art caves.
The Regal Circle area is a good showcase for Mumbai’s heritage buildings such as the Prince of Wales Museum and the National Gallery of Modern Art.
Other sights include the Gothic Victorian architecture of Churchgate and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus stations, Rajabai Clock Tower and Mumbai’s oldest museum, Dr Bhau Daji Lad.
Other sights include Mani Bhavan, where Mahatma Ghandi once lived, Parsi Towers of Silence and Malabar Hill.
Combine sights with experiences on Urban Adventures’ Mumbai Highlights tour, which also shows visitors how to catch local taxis and buses.
Do Something Different’s new Private Mumbai Full Day City Tour includes a visit to Dhobi Ghat, the world’s largest outdoor laundrette. It also offers tours of Dharavi, Asia’s most populous slum.
At the opposite extreme is glitzy Mumbai, India’s film capital. Kuoni’s full-day Bollywood Tour and Do Something Different’s Private Bollywood Tour take visitors to sets, locations and studios while Urban Adventures’ Bollywood Treats includes a cinema trip with movie-mad locals.
For art lovers, consider Oberoi Experiences’ Art Kaleidoscope of Mumbai tour, which visits smaller art galleries as well as Jehangir Art Gallery and National Gallery for Modern Art. The brand’s chef-led Spice Trail tour visits Lal Bagh spice market and Crawford market and Urban Adventures’ Mumbai Masala trip delves into Mumbai’s gullies (lanes) in search of delicious dishes with a local street food expert.
Cox & Kings offers the chance to follow a day in the life of a city lunchbox courier with its Dabbawallahs of Mumbai tour.
Moving on
It’s possible to go almost everywhere in India from Mumbai. Rajasthan is popular with first-time visitors, and direct flights connect the city to key hubs. Also consider a city and beach combination with Kerala or Goa.
Nick Wilson, destination manager for Hayes & Jarvis, says: “Mumbai is the perfect place to immerse the senses, but two hours by air away from the hustle and bustle is Kerala, with its tranquil backwaters and beaches.”
The operator offers a twin centre with three nights at the five-star Grand Hyatt Mumbai or Trident Bandra Kurla and a week at Kerala’s four-star Travancore Heritage.
For repeat visitors, suggest neighbouring state Gujarat, birthplace of Gandhi, the Kutch desert and lively Ahmedabad.
Wild Frontiers offers small group and tailor-made tours with a Mumbai add-on, and Cox & Kings’ Colours of Gujarat also combines with their Mumbai add-on. Kolkata, former capital of the British Raj, entices many with its art, colonial architecture and cafe culture, with the likes of Kuoni and Audley Travel offering tailor-made twin-centre city breaks.
For something different, consider the luxurious Deccan Odyssey train journeys. Maharashtra Splendour starts and ends in Mumbai and includes Goa; Indian Odyssey travels from Mumbai to Delhi via Rajasthan, while Jewels of the Deccan takes in Mumbai and the Deccan plateau including the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Photo credit: Deccan Odyssey Luxury Train, courtesy of Cox and Kings
Sample product
Cox & Kings’ 11-day Indian Odyssey trip includes seven nights on the Deccan Odyssey train, a pre-night in Delhi and post-night in Mumbai, from £3,695 including flights, full-board on the train, transfers and excursions. An additional night in Mumbai costs from £250.
Insight Vacations’ 11-day Colours of Rajasthan visits Ranthambore National Park, Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur, and costs from £3,375 including flights, transfers, four-star-plus B&B accommodation, 10 meals, sightseeing and tour director. A two-night Fascinating Mumbai itinerary costs from £625 with breakfast, transfers, guide and sightseeing.
