India’s economic capital Mumbai can be considered the most cosmopolitan city. Home to over 20 million people, the city of dreams has everything. From beaches to old architectural buildings, busy and crowded streets to lively nightlife, home of the biggest slums to fancy restaurants, hotels and fancy living spaces of Bollywood superstars Mumbai has it all. This full of life city is one of the best representations of India. The city provides a variety of experiences and is famous globally. This popularity brings tourists from all around the world. For a tourist the city of Mumbai has a lot to offer, there are several places to visit and have a good time. The list can be long and can create confusion regarding where to visit. This list will help you choose the best places to visit in Mumbai.
Best Place to Visit in Mumbai
Gateway of India
It will be a waste if you come to Mumbai and don’t visit The Gateway of India. Standing tall on the banks of the Arabian Sea at the Apollo Bunder, Colaba, the Gateway of India is one of the most famous and best places to visit in Mumbai. The 26-meter basalt archway was built in 1911 as a gesture of welcoming for King George V and Queen Mary when they visited India. It is also a combination of architectural styles of Roman triumphal arches with Muslim and Hindu designs. There are many things you can do while visiting this great piece of architecture like renting a ferry and experiencing the beauty of the monument from the sea. You can try out local snacks like bhelpuri from the food vendors near the monument. You can take a walk around the place to explore various markets.
Marine Drive
Without visiting the iconic Marine Drive your visit to Mumbai is incomplete. The long C- shaped stretch of 3.6 km with epic views of the coast is something you cannot miss. The road on the other side is with gorgeous buildings that just adds to the overall beauty of the place. After riding along the road you can walk around the Marine Drive promenade. People from all over India come here to experience this beautiful place. Sunset is also the best time to visit Marine Drive, stroll around and eat local street food from the nearby vendors. Marine drive surely tops the list of the best places to visit in Mumbai.
Also, know about the five unique resorts near Mumbai here.
Haji Ali Dargah
Haji Ali Dargah is one of the most popular religious Shrine in Mumbai. The great landmark floats in the middle of the sea. This Indo-Islamic Pilgrim site was built in the 19th century and serves as the tomb of Saint Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. The mosque is visited by thousands of pilgrims from all over the world, people from all faiths are allowed inside the dargah so it can be a great place to visit and experience the spirituality of the dargah along with the beautiful panoramic view of the seawater.
Elephanta caves
The Elephanta Caves, also known as the Gharapurichi Leni, is located on Elephanta Island in Mumbai. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site and attracts a lot of people every year. There are a total of seven caves where you can see the excellent craftsmanship of ancient India. Moreover, The caves are dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and depict Buddhist architecture. The journey to get to the caves is beautiful itself, after reaching you can eat in the restaurant canteen. The Elephanta Caves is a great place to visit with your family if you are interested in ancient architecture and culture.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is a historic railway station and serves as the headquarters of the Central railway. It was built in 1888, during the British colonial period it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the top places to visit by tourists. To visit the whole place you will require a whole day, it has a huge collection of 70,000 items. Some of the precious items are miniature paintings, antique Asian coins, jewelled swords etc. It is operated by Central Railway and has 19 platforms in total.
Dharavi Slum
This is the largest slum in Asia, it is situated near Mahim and Bandra and it’s not a place for only underprivileged people to live. Dharavi slum produces around $509 million to $1 b$1 billion largely contributes to the economy of Mumbai. Dharavi is the home to all kinds of people doing different jobs to make their living from tea and vegetable vendors, bakeries, barbershops and other businesses. With an area of little more than 2.1 square km, there are over 800,00 which makes it one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Many foreigners and travellers see this unbelievable place and how it works in real life.
Siddhivinayak Temple
The Siddhivinayak temple is a Hindu temple indicated to Lord Shri Ganesh which was built in 1801, the temple attracts many devotees every year. Everybody comes to the temple from Bollywood celebrities to politicians. It is no doubt one of the most popular places in Mumbai to visit.
The initial structure of the Siddhivinayak temple was a small 3.6 m x 3.6 m square block with an arched shikhara; later it gained popularity when prominent people visited the Mandir regularly. If you are going there with your family be careful with the kids as the crowd visiting the temple will be massive. The cultural experience you will find here is like no other.
Red Carpet Wax Museum
The city of dreams has a museum that exhibits life-like wax figures of celebrities and known people from all over the world. These figures are of people from many fields like art, science, politics, sports, entertainment etc. Located in Amrut Nagar, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai, it is a popular place for people to visit and take selfies with their favourite celebrities.
Worli Surface
The Worli Surface is Mumbai’s other esplanade. It is one of the most popular places in Mumbai to experience monsoons and get a remarkable view of the sea where the waves hit the road. The Worli Bandra sea link is also famous as Rajiv Gandhi Sagar Setu.
A beautiful Worli seafront is a place for the rich and famous people of Mumbai to live. The beautiful scenery of the place attracts a lot of people especially young couples and it is also a great place to shoot Indian movies. It is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Mumbai. It is a place for jogging and walks in the morning.
Shri Mahalaxmi Temple
The Shri Mahalakshmi Temple came into existence in 1831 by Dhakji Dadaji, a Hindu merchant. This is a beautiful temple that attracts devotees from various places daily. On Diwali and Navratri the temple comes to life with a great crowd of celebrating worshippers. The architecture of them is unique and portrays culture to its fullest and therefore it is also one of the best places tovisit in Mumbai. It is located in Bhulabhai Desai Marg, Mahalaxmi West, Cumballa Hill.
Powai Lake
The Powai Lake is an artificial lake in the Powai valley in the northern suburb of Mumbai. It got its name after the Framaji Kavasji Powai Estate. It is a beautiful lake and one of the most famous places in Mumbai attracting a lot of people to visit it. Powai is a quiet and peaceful place to come and experience nature at its best. Around the lake there are various luxurious resorts and hotels, IIM Mumbai is also near it. It is a great escape from the hustle of life for some moment. You can take a boat ride through the lake or you can sit and appreciate the beauty of nature. It has rich Hiranandani gardens which add to its beauty.
Kanheri Caves
This cave is inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali East and it attracts a lot of tourists from everywhere due to its isolated location and design. There is a seasonal waterfall that gets its water source when it rains. The stupa at the front serves as a great starting point and it increases the interest of people visiting it.
The Kanheri Caves are over a huge area. Each cave serving as a room for the Buddhists monks. The huge hall was utilised as a dedicated place for mass religious gatherings. The Kanheri Caves was a prominent place with the main purpose to serve as a Buddhist centre of education. Now it is a great place for archaeologists to study the past.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is located at 159-169, Mahatma Gandhi Road. The museum is one of the top art and history museums in India. The place is also famous as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India. The museum provides a great opportunity for curious minds to visit, learn and experience the brilliant craftsmanship from the past. The building is a grade 1 UNESCO World Heritage site. The management of the Indian Heritage Society tries to promote rich culture through education and training.
Taraporewala Aquarium
It is India’s oldest aquarium and has a variety of marine and freshwater fish. It has a beautifully modified oceanarium that gives you the experience of walking under the sea with sea fishes and animals floating above you only separated by a layer of glass. This place serves as a perfect place that blends education with entertainment. This place is very famous with kids and is one of the best places to visit in Mumbai. They can touch some of the fish and they can also see whales. It is located in Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road, Marine Drive, Mumbai.
Juhu Beach
Juhu Beach is hands down one of the most famous places to visit if you are in Mumbai. Nothing can beat the experience of watching a crimson sun, beautiful orange sky and a breezy beach. Moreover, It is a place where many celebrities house and you can spot a lot of them in these areas. The plethora of Street food in Juhu beach attracts many food lovers to come and enjoy tasty street food with a great view of the beach. The place has a lot of crowds during the weekends. There are horses, donkeys to give rides, dancing monkeys and toy sellers. People come to visit Juhu beach to escape the daily hassle of the city of Mumbai.
Goregaon Film City
It is pretty obvious that in a country where movies have an integral part in the culture and the love for cinema is so high, a place like Goregaon Film is naturally expected to be famous. It is a well-equipped film city with studios, artificial lakes, mountains, gardens, cities, villages etc. and qualifies as one of the best places to visit in Mumbai.
This place is located inside Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagri Main gate, Post Aarey Milk colony. It is one of the biggest film centres in the world. It comes with enormous open space providing visitors with a great place to wander around. The tour of the Film City shows different Iconic clippings from the Bollywood motion picture, acts, light and sound experience etc.
Shivaji Park
It is very popular among the local people. Many people from Mumbai as well as around the world visit this place. Located in Dadar West, Shivaji Park is the largest park and one of the best places to visit in Mumbai. The park has a great historical and cultural value due to numerous political gatherings that it has hosted in the past both from pre and post-independence periods. It is a recreational place which serves sports like Cricket, Tennis, Football etc. The park is also open 24 hours from Monday to Sunday. It offers a great place for the localities to visit, play sports, jog or walk around the park enjoying its beauty.
Whether you are a foreigner or an Indian, whether with friends or family or even as a couple, Mumbai is for everyone. The city I’d dream of will not disappoint you. There is a lot to discover and a lot to enjoy. So next time to plan to come to Mumbai, make sure to visit all the places on the list.
