MUMBAI-Sleepless city

TAJ HOTEL & GATE OF INDIA

Mumbai is the commercial and financial capital of India. The city is always active. It never sleeps. It was originally a cluster of seven islands which have been linked through successive reclamations. The name Mumbai is derived from “Mumbadevi” the Goddess of earlier inhabitants of these islands. The city is considered as gateway to India

GATE OF INDIA

Best time to visit: November  to February.

Main attractions: Gateway of India, Elephanta caves( 9 Kms from Gateway of India by boat), Chhatrapathy Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya ( Known as Prince of Wales Museum), Victoria gardens (Veermata Jeejabhai Bhonsele Udyan), Nehru Planetarium and Nehru Science centre, Film city, Marine drive, Nariman point, Bandra-Worli Sea link or Rajiv Ghandi sea link, Juhu beach, Indira Priyadharsini Park.

BOATS TO  ELEPHANTA CAVES

How to reach:

By Air: Reaching Mumbai by air is easy. Several international and domestic flights are available to Mumbai. Mumbai International Air port is 30Kms away from centre of the city. The airport is Chatrapati Shvaji International Airport formerly known as Sahar Air port. Domestic terminal named Santa Cruz is at a distance of 4Kms from here. Both the International and domestic air ports have facilities like tourist offices, restaurants, duty free shops, car rentals, pre-paid taxies ,money exchange and hotel bookings.

By Rail: The city is connected massively by rail. Super fast luxury and passenger trains connect the city with all prominent towns of India like Delhi, Culcutta, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Cochin.

By Road: Mumbai is well connected by road with rest of India. All kinds of buses like luxury, semi-luxury and ordinary buses are plying between Mumbai and other towns in Maharashtra and adjacent states.

Entrance to CST

Accommodation

Large number of hotels is in Mumbai with comfortable rooms to suit your budget. MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) also provide accommodation on reasonable rates. For details of MTDC visit www.maharashtratourism.gov.in .Some state governments have their own guest houses in Mumbai. These guest houses are also available for stay. For booking rooms in these guest houses you can visit concerned websites.

Prince Wales Museum

Things to remember 

Pre-paid taxis are available in Aerodromes and railway stations. Don’t hire taxis from outside. Service of Autoriksha is not available within the city limit of Mumbai.(CST, Mumbai central, Church gate, Dadar etc.) However it is available in northern areas like Andheri, Sion and new Mumbai (Eastern part).

Airport authorities operate buses between international and domestic airports for their passengers.

Travel by suburban railway is cheaper and time saving. Avoid travel during rush time ie., from 8 to 10.30 hrs in morning and 4 to 7 hrs in evening.

 MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) do not conducts sightseeing trips in Mumbai. So tourists are forced to depend on private tour operators. Try to choose best of them. Avoid tour operators like “MUMBAI DARSHAN”.

For visiting Elephanta caves no need of tour operators. Boats are available from Gate of India on payment of required charges.