Things to Do in Mumbai

Dating back to the 15th century, this white-marble mosque and shrine (dargah) is among Mumbai's most important sights for Muslim pilgrims. It was built to honor a Muslim saint, Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who was known for spreading knowledge of Islam. Today worshipers and tourists come from across India to pray and learn about the mosque.

 

One of Mumbai's most iconic structures, and a popular stop on many city tours, Haji Ali Mosque sits on an islet, a half-kilometer from the shore. It's a fine example of Indo-Islamic architecture, with towering pillars and domed cupolas, plus a main hall filled with mirror inlay work. Women were banned from the sanctum sanctorum from 2012 until 2016, when the Bombay High Court ruled the ban unconstitutional. Visits to the mosque are including on many half- or full-day Mumbai walking or biking tours. Some visitors also arrive as part of a multi-day excursion from New Delhi that also explores Agra and Jaipur.

 

 

The shrine is located at the tip of a jetty that goes out into the Haji Ali Bay, a five-minute walk from Mahalakshmi Temple. The nearest railway stations are Mumbai Central and Mahalakshmi, each of which is about 20 minutes’ walk, or 10 minutes away by taxi or auto rickshaw. Getting to the Gateway of India takes about 15 minutes by road.

 

The shrine is open from sunrise until late in the evening, though it can be difficult to reach during high tide, when water levels sometimes submerge the causeway that leads out to the shrine. There are often traditional Qawwali (South Asian devotional music) performances held Thursday and Friday evenings, so those are popular times to visit.

 

The highlight for many visitors to the shrine is the chance to witness a live qawwali performance. This traditional form of Sufi music originated in the northern reaches of the subcontinent and features a mix of instrumental performance (usually harmonium and drums, such as tabla or dholak), accompanied by rhythmic clapping and devotional singing.

In the ornate terraced home where Mahatma Gandhi stayed while on trips to Mumbai from 1917 to 1934, the touching Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum tells the story of Gandhi’s life as one of the 20th century’s most iconic figures who peacefully led India to independence from the British through his peaceful campaign of Civil Disobedience. 

The most moving part of any visit to the Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum is seeing Gandhi’s simple room on the second floor. This is the spot where Gandhi developed his philosophy of nonviolent protest. Furnished only with a small mattress, a book, some low tables, and his iconic spinning wheel (immortalized in the center of India’s national flag), leaders including Barack Obama and Martin Luther King have visited Gandhi’s room to pay their respects to the father of the Indian nation.

Set on a leafy avenue a few streets north of Chowpatty Beach in South Mumbai, as you wander the rooms of the Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum you’ll get to learn about Gandhi through dioramas, press clippings, documents, images, films, memorabilia, and letters he sent to a range of figures including Hitler and Roosevelt. 

You can also visit the library with its famous Mahatma Gandhi statue. Up the staircase, head to the photo gallery on the first floor to see photos from his childhood right up until his assassination in 1948.

Set within four acres, the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) Temple of Mumbai is dedicated to Lord Krishna and is located in the Juhu area of the city. The temple was established by Swami Prabhupada at the end of the 1970s, with the aim to spread the word of Krishna consciousness.

The interior is adorned with a variety of colorful and intricate paintings and statues, making it a captivating place to visit aesthetically as well as spiritually. A number of cultural, spiritual, and educational activities take place at the temple, which visitors can either participate in or simply observe. The ISKCON Temple, however, is mainly used by devotees and visitors as a place for prayer, chanting, and meditation, with many arriving daily from all over the world to chant the mahamantra and take part in the temple’s evening prayers and bhajans.

Occupying a former auditorium popularly known as Sir C. J. Hall, the National Gallery of Modern Art Mumbai opened to the public in 1996 and has since become the most notable modern art museum in India. Notable German art historian Herman Goetz curated the museum’s first exhibition — a collection of sculptures by prominent Indian and international artists — and today the collection some 17,000 works dating from 1850 onward. Highlights include works by lauded Indian painters Raja Ravi Varma, M. F. Husain and Tyeb Mehta.

As worthwhile as the permanent collection are the museum’s rotating exhibitions, which often highlight prominent Indian or international artists.

Deep in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the Kanheri Caves comprise 109 basalt grottos that were carved between the first century BC and the 10th century AD. The caves served as Buddhist monastic dwellings for many centuries, and some of the newer ones feature intricate carvings, pillars, and even rock-cut cisterns.

 

The Kanheri Caves are accessible by steep stone steps. The first cave visitors reach is Great Chaitya, featuring a large meditation hall full of intricate stone carvings and pillars. The two caves on both sides of Chaitya contain small stupas and more beautifully preserved carvings. The caves can be visited on a dedicated half-day excursion or as part of a larger tour of Mumbai-area attractions.

 

 

The caves are located in Sanjay Gandhi National Park on the northeastern outskirts of Mumbai, about an hour from the airport (depending on traffic). The nearest railway station is Borivali, with regular connections to the Andheri West commuter train station. Shuttles run from Borivali to the caves every hour.

 

The Kanheri Caves are open Tuesday through Sunday from 7:30am to 6pm, though the last entry is at 4pm. Travelers are welcome year-round, but the caves are best visited in the cooler, drier months (October to March). However, if travelers are in the area during the sweltering months of May and June, the caves do provide relief from the heat.

 

Many of the inscriptions on the cave walls are in the Brahmi script, which was likely at its peak at some point in the fourth and fifth centuries BC. Many of the myriad scripts used in India today descended from Brahmi, including Devanagari, which is used for writing Hindi and Sanskrit.

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park lies on the north suburban fringes of Mumbai and is said to be the largest park located within city limits in the world. It’s sprawled across more than 100 square-kilometers and is one of Asia's most visited national parks, with two million visitors flooding through each and every year.

Set against a backdrop of undulating greenery, with panoramic views of the hills, lakes, and valleys, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park is the ideal retreat from the hustle and bustle of Mumbai city life. The park is home to a number of endangered species of both flora and fauna. Among its many residents are wild leopards and tigers, migratory birds, nearly 40 species of reptile, plus some unique and fascinating flora.

Other attractions within the park include the Kanheri Caves (monastic structures dating back to between the 1st century BC and 9th century AD), a famous Jain Temple, and two lakes (Tulsi and Vihar), which provide water to the city of Mumbai.

The towering white dome of this famous temple stretches high into the sky of bustling Mumbai. Travelers to this popular religious destination will find an idol of Shree Siddhivinayak carved from a single stone, in addition to a number of other gods and religious artworks. 

Travelers and locals warn that long lines and major crowds are typical of this beautiful temple, but also say those in charge handle the large number tourists and worshipers like pros. Visitors looking for a peaceful, reflective experience should stop at the temple just before closing (around 8 pm) when a bit of quiet falls over Shree Siddhivinayak, and the city. 

Located in the heart of the historic district of Mumbai, the Jehangir Art Gallery is the most prestigious venue for Indian artists in the city—and a great stop on any museum or city walking tour. Internationally recognized as the center of contemporary Indian art, the gallery is frequented by artists and art lovers alike, and is considered an important point of cultural interest.

The gallery features four large exhibition halls and is equipped with the latest audiovisual technology for its various multimedia exhibitions. Those looking to refuel can stop by the gallery's 1970s-themed restaurant or visit the oldest licensed antique dealer in India, also located inside the gallery.

A visit to the gallery is best enjoyed as part of a heritage walking tour of Colaba, or combined with a Mumbai museums tour, with visits to the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Prince of Wales Museum included.

India’s film and television industry got the name “Bollywood,” derived from America’s Hollywood, as Bombay (Mumbai) became the center of Hindi cinema. It remains at the center of Indian culture and entertainment. Some of Bollywood’s most famous productions have come out Mumbai’s S.J. Studios, of one of its premier filming locations. Bollywood films are shot here 365 days a year, and by some of the industry’s top actors. On set tours show everything from hospitals to a police station and a cafe, all used as the backdrop for Bollywood productions. 

Visitors have the chance to get a peek into the present world of Bollywood, immersed in dancing or action scenes. There is also a portrait gallery of Bollywood stars, demonstrating its progression from black and white to the special effects of today. With eight full-sized sets open to guests, chances are high that you’ll see a filming taking place. 

One of Mumbai’s most ancient temples, Mumbadevi Temple also happens to be in based in one of the city’s liveliest spots. Surrounded by the bustling bazaars, flower shops, and cloth markets of South Mumbai’s Bhuleshwar district, Mumbadevi Temple remains serene. Worshipped by Mumbai’s native Koli fishermen for many centuries, Mumbadevi is the eight-armed Hindu goddess this temple was built for, and she is also the deity that Mumbai gets its name from. 

Thought to have been built in 1675, travelers are welcome at Mumbadevi Temple. Mornings and evenings are an especially beautiful times to visit the famous temple, as this is when devotees come to attend religious aartis, when candles are offered to the goddess. But the highlight of a visit to Mumbadevi must be seeing the great deity on her altar, replete with a silver crown, golden necklace, and garland made of brilliant marigolds. Look out for the stone idol of Annapurna seated on a peacock, and a particularly fearsome-looking sculpture of a wild tiger too. 

Right outside the temple is Zaveri Bazaar. Its liveliness can be quite a shock after enjoying the peacefulness of Mumbadevi Temple, but on this narrow street you can buy all kinds of Hindu religious objects including incense, saffron, and paintings of the gods. 

Stretching along the Arabian Sea from Nariman Point in the south to ritzy Malabar Hill in the north, Mumbai’s Marine Drive is an iconic palm-lined promenade that makes for an especially popular sunset stroll among couples, families and friends. Hugging the Mumbai coast, the two-mile-long boulevard’s nickname, Queen’s Necklace, makes perfect sense as day turns to night and the avenue’s lights shine like a string of glittering pearls along the bay.

As you stroll north past the wealthy Walkeshwar district, home to Mumbai celebrities and five-star hotels, you’ll come to Marine Drive’s famous Chowpatty Beach. This is a popular place to devour that famous Mumbai speciality — Bhelpuri — which is a beachside snack of puffed rice and vegetables slathered in tamarind sauce. The best time to visit Chowpatty Beach? Ganesh Chaturthi festival. This celebration happens every August or September, and thousands come to the shore to submerge huge Ganesh statues in the water. Marine Drive is also famous for its art deco buildings. In fact, the only place on the globe with more art deco builds along its beachfront is Miami. 

Located in a wealthy neighborhood in western Mumbai, Juhu Beach is a popular seven-kilometer stretch of sand surrounded by the Arabian Sea. One of the most famous beaches in India, Juhu is often used as the location for film shoots, and it’s not uncommon to find Bollywood stars jogging along its sands during the daytime.

It’s usually in the afternoons and evenings when Juhu Beach truly comes alive, when locals gather for street food, tourists come for the sunsets, and families make the most of the children's rides and amusements. While luxury hotels and restaurants can be found at its southern end, Juhu Beach is most famous for the wide range of local street food stalls set up along its shores. Here you can sample local favorites such as pani puri, bhel puri, and pav bhaji.

Visit Juhu Beach on a regular Mumbai city tour, or as part of a hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour, giving you the chance to take in the city’s key sights and attractions. To experience Juhu Beach after the sun goes down, opt for a private Mumbai by night tour, which includes dinner.

Insider’s Tip: The most pleasant time to visit Juhu Beach is usually between October and February. Having said that, India’s monsoon season between these months does turn the beach into a dramatic landscape, drawing in the crowds to watch nature’s show unfold.

Mumbai’s most exclusive neighborhood, Malabar Hill sits at the northern end of Marine Drive and is home to some of the most expensive real estate in the city. An eclectic mix of modern buildings and old colonial mansions, Malabar Hill is where Mumbai's rich and famous reside. 

Yet Malabar Hill is an area you wouldn’t visit unless you knew about it beforehand, or if you happened to extend a walk to the very end of Marine Drive; its exclusivity comes not only from accommodating Mumbai’s rich and elite then, but from having a location that is simply not on the way to anywhere else.

At the north end, in the crook of Malabar Hill, lies the infamous Chowpatty Beach, a long stretch of grey-white sand and a focal point in Mumbai for locals and tourists alike. While strolling up the hill, be sure to stop to admire the views of Marine Drive and take a photo or two. Malabar Hill is also home to a smattering of tourist attractions, including Banganga Tank, Walkeshwar Temple, and the Hanging Gardens.

Spanning hundreds of acres, Film City (now officially known as Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagri) has been a popular spot for Bollywood filmings since the state government built it back in the 1970s. The massive complex features everything from indoor studios to full-sized village recreations. More than 1000 sets can be used here at once.

 

Because Film City houses working studios, public visitors can't just show up and walk around—rather, you must be on an organized tour. Tours vary a bit depending on what parts of Film City are in use at any given time, but generally include the opportunity to see some of the sets and learn more about the industry in general. Often, visitors can even catch a glimpse of a filming in action. 

 

Film City is located in the suburb of Goregaon in the northwest of Mumbai, at the edge of the gargantuan Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Getting there from the touristy heart of the city involves quite a trek, so it’s best to take a taxi. Without traffic, it takes at least an hour to get there from the Gateway of India.

Much of Film City is outdoors, so weather plays a big role in when to go. Mumbai temperatures are consistently warm throughout the year, but December through March are the most ideal because they’re the least humid. July and August mark the peak of Mumbai’s notoriously torrential monsoon rains, and can make visiting Film City uncomfortable, if not impossible.

 

A portmanteau of Bombay and Hollywood, Bollywood refers to the Hindi-language film industry, accounting for nearly half of the Indian film industry's annual revenue. Most Bollywood films are considerably longer than Hollywood films, many lasting upwards of three hours, usually with an intermission in between. Nearly all feature some choreographed songs, often (but not always) used to drive a larger narrative.

One of the most famous churches in Mumbai and arguably all of India, Mount Mary Church is a Roman Catholic Basilica known for being the site of feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the subsequent Bandra Fair. The tall steeples sit on a hill overlooking the sea and draws in thousands of pilgrims and devotees of all faiths. Once a simple shrine, it is now a semi-Gothic structure with stone pillars and twin bell towers. It is unique to see such a central house of worship for Christianity in a country that has a large Hindu majority.

The church’s interior has a nave with teak-wood detailing and Mangalore tiles, as well as altars and a domed sanctuary. In one of the world’s busiest and most bustling cities, the church is a respite of peace and calm for many.

A popular day trip from Mumbai, the Karla Caves are carved out of a hillside situated in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra. These Buddhist shrines were developed thousands of years ago in ancient India and depict the Buddhist architecture and culture of that time.

The Karla Caves feature a collection of intricately carved chaityas (prayer halls) with the largest measuring 45 meters and dating all the way back to the 1st century BC. It has an exquisitely carved teak-wood roof and rows of pillars decorated with sculptures of human couples, elephants and horses. (Despite its Buddhist origins, the Karla Caves in fact contain very few representations of the Buddha.) A large window at the entrance of the main prayer hall deflects rays of sunlight towards the rear, impressively illuminating the stupa situated there. The smaller of the Karla Caves feature viharas (monasteries) created for the Buddhist monks, who used to gather here to live and pray.

Reaching the Karla Caves involves a walk up a steep flight of 350 steps from the base of the hill (or nearly 200 steps from the car park half way up the hill). The steps are usually lined with vendors selling religious paraphernalia plus snacks and drinks and there’s even a vegetarian restaurant in the car park.

Also known as the Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens, Mumbai's Hanging Gardens is a beautifully manicured park known for its extensive topiary, primarily carved into animal shapes. Due to the park’s location atop Malabar Hill, it's long been a popular spot to take in views of the Arabian Sea, particularly at sunset.

 

These gardens date back to the 1880s and sit atop a reservoir that supplies much of the municipal water supply to local residents. With an abundance of flowers, topiary, sprawling lawns, and whimsical features, including a house shaped like a boot, the gardens are among the top attractions in Mumbai and feature on many city tours.

 

 

The Hanging Gardens are located at the top of Malabar Hill, a 15-minute walk from Chowpatty Beach. If you're coming by car, take Walkeshwar Road or Ridge Road; if you’re taking public transportation, catch a train to Grant Road (on the Western Railways line) and either walk half an hour to the gardens or take a taxi, which cuts down the trip to about 10 minutes.

 

The gardens are open daily from early in the morning until a little after sunset, and are best visited either first thing in the day or after nightfall, when temperatures are coolest. Dawn and dusk can bring mosquitos, except during the dry months of December through February, which are ideal for watching sunsets over the sea from the gardens. Avoid June through August, which are known for their torrential monsoon rains and consequent mud.

 

Topiary, the art of pruning plants to create shapes, has been practiced around the world for thousands of years. It went through numerous revivals throughout the centuries, gaining favor in the 16th and 17th centuries before falling out of fashion again. These days, it's a rare site outside of historic houses and castles—and, of course, Disney theme parks.

One of Mumbai's most recognizable attractions, the triple-arched Gateway of India was built during the early 20th century in honor of the 1911 visit of King George V. Built of basalt and concrete, this monument was designed in the Indo-Saracenic style, which blends traditional Indian, Victorian, and Mughal architectural elements.

 

Standing 25 meters (83 feet) high, the Gateway of India is among the city's most popular attractions, and many sightseeing tours start here. It has strong associations with British power, and became part of a ceremony marking the end of colonial rule in 1948, when soldiers from the Somerset Light Infantry crossed through the Gateway. Today visitors and locals alike flock here to stroll and take in the scenery, particularly around sunset.

 

 

The Gateway of India is located in South Mumbai, just under 10 minutes’ drive south of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the city's southernmost railway station. It's easily accessible by road or on foot if you're already hanging out in the Colaba area, and ferries to and from Elephanta Island stop there. The Mumbai Airport is about an hour away by car.

 

The Gateway of India is a year-round destination, though Mumbai is best avoided during July and August, when heavy monsoon downpours can make the city challenging to navigate. Though it’s a good spot to people-watch during the day, the Gateway of India is most interesting around dusk, when families come out to take an evening stroll, and to buy kulfi (an Indian type of ice cream) and other snacks from street vendors.

 

Right in front of the Gateway of India stands Wellington Pier (formerly known as Apollo Bunder). It was once one of the most important points of entry into Mumbai, particularly during the Victorian era, though these days it is rarely used except for boats heading out to Elephanta Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is known for its rock-hewn cave temples.

Regal Circle sits at the entrance to the Colaba Causeway in central Mumbai. With a fountain at its center, and surrounded by famous landmarks such as the Regal Cinema, the Maharashtra police headquarters, and a number of museums and galleries, this bustling area is a popular place to visit.

The art-deco Regal Cinema is one of the most distinctive landmarks around the Regal Circle. This was built during the cinema boom of the 1930s, and today is a multi-site building with the cinema sharing its space with various shops. Opposite this old theater, the exquisite architecture of the Sahakari Bhandar building looms over, with the equally impressive police headquarters nearby.

There are a number of restaurants and art galleries surrounding Regal Circle, including the National Gallery of Modern Art. Roads from here also lead to popular attractions close by, such as the Gateway of India and the Colaba Causeway, which is popular with shoppers.

The landmarks surrounding Regal Circle are included in a number of Mumbai sightseeing tours. As all of the attractions are within walking distance, this area is best explored as part of a colonial-era heritage walking tour.

Did You Know? The first film to be aired at the Regal Cinema was the Laurel and Hardy film, The Devil's Brother, in 1933.

Dating back to 1785, Mahalakshmi Temple is among Mumbai's most popular Hindu places of worship, attracting pilgrims from around the world. While it's at its busiest during the annual nine-day celebration Navratri, dedicated to the goddess, a visit any time of year will give you a good introduction to Hindu beliefs and prayer.

 

Sometimes combined with a trip to the nearby Haji Ali Shrine, the Mahalakshmi Temple attracts more devotees than tourists, and people often come here to give offerings to the goddess in the form of jewelry, coconuts, and flowers. Inside the temple sit three idols to the Tridevi (triple goddess) in the forms of Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth), Kali (the goddess of destruction), and Saraswati (the goddess of music and education).

 

 

The Mahalakshmi Temple is located in the southern part of Mumbai, right on the coast and about a 10-minute drive or half-hour walk north of the Hanging Garden. The nearest railway station is Mumbai Central, a 20-minute walk or 10-minute taxi or auto-rickshaw ride inland. The train journey from Mumbai Central to the Churchgate station (near the Oval Maidan and Bombay High Court) takes about 10 minutes.

 

This temple is open early in the morning, just before sunrise, until well after dark. If you visit during the annual Navratri Festival, which is usually in September or October and honors the goddess Durga, be prepared for huge crowds (upwards of 100,000). If weather is your biggest concern, visit between December and February, when temperatures are mild by local standards. Mumbai is best avoided during the monsoon season (June through August).

Legend has it that the temple was constructed when a British engineer who was struggling to complete a seawall had a prophetic dream in which the goddess Mahalakshmi told him the whereabouts of a sacred idol and instructed him to build a temple in her honor. He did as instructed, and the seawall was finally built successfully.