you should be able to see where it is as it is now showing in both the Goa and India discussion forums. Have a look at a couple of threads on Mumbai already on the page for some ideas - although I am sure others will chip in with suggestions for an evening in Mumbai. I added to your thread title but of course feel free to change it again

Bombay is too big to have a real centre. Most tourists go to Colaba, but this is a long way from the airport, and can take over an hour in traffic. With such a short time, you would be better off taking a taxi to Juhu, a beach near the airport. It's busy in the evenings with picnicking local families, very colourful. There are hotels and restaurnants.

If you're in the Colaba area try:-

Ling's Pavilion for Chinese food - behind the Taj on the road from Gateway to Colaba Causeway.
The Khyber for Indian food - on MG Road near Prince of Wales Museum.

You must go into the old wing of the Taj for a look. Also in the evening, go up to the cocktail bar on 16th floor (I think) of the new wing, just for a drink and to see the view.
p.s. If you go on the boat trip to Elephanta Caves buy a luxury ticket - this includes a free guide.
The touts on the island will tell you "there are no guides." The guide is usually to be found inside the area after the ticket office.

Before getting on the boat - buy some sandwiches in the cake shop of the Taj Hotel.

thanks Max
OH had already suggested the Raj for a drink- I wasn't too sure incase we needed a mortgage taken out for it!
Thanks for the restaurant suggestions- with 2 nights only we don't really have time to find our feet.

Boats leaving Gateway to India for Elephanta Island.


The Dhobi Ghats (public laundry.)

We will be in Mumbai for 3 nights in late September. any ideas about city tours and/or day trips? Any suggestions would be very welcome as this is our forst trip to India.

Regards Phil

Hi Phil
Take a look here for some suggestions

Thought Iwould add my experiences in Mumbai, myself and my wife Alex went for 4 nights in early April 2007 before going to Goa.

We arrived in the early hours of the morning and got though customs and had our cases reasonably quickly. We then had to change some money to pay for a taxi into town you don't get a very good rate at the airport so only changed a £20 note. Got a ticket for a pre paid taxi, 390R, eventually found the taxi, by number on the reg plate, and once we had swatted numerous mozzies out the car took the 45 min journey to our hotel, Chateau Windsor at Churchgate. I have placed a review of this hotel in the "Hotel Reviews".

We had been used to Goa & Kerala but Mumbai is very different, it has pavements and traffic lights. To cut a long story short things we enjoyed were: -

Restaurants
Delhi Darbar & Dabusa (I think) both in the Coloba area.
Tea Centre, near hotel, good for breakfast and fabulous range of teas.

Night Club & Bar
Not just Jazz by the Bay, club with live jazz music at Churchgat on corner of Marine Parade.
Indigo, expensive bar near Dabusa (950R for beer & gin/tonic)
Mocha, near hotel, great range of coffees.

Sights
Elephanta Island
Ghandi's House, now a museam.
Victoria Rail Station.
Gateway of India.

Shopping
Sheetal (ask a taxi) great for Indian designer clothes and for something a little different.
Fancy Rug & jewellery shop (near Delhi Darber at Coloba) ended up buying a lovely Kashmir rug.

Not so good things: -

Poverty, kids sleeping on the streets etc
Traffic, unbelievable.
Smell in certain areas.
The price of drinks is very expensive compared to Goa etc.
The exchange rate given compared to Goa.

However the good things easily outweigh the bad and I would recommend Mumbai to anyone it's a very lively city with a great buzz about it and we certainly enjoyed our time there.

great info- thanks

Can anyone advise where to go if we visit Juhu beach for 4-5 hours. On our return in December we have about 8 hours to kill and just wondered if anyone can tell me how long it will take to get there from the airport and if it is safe as it will be in the evening. Can anyone recommend a restaurant or hotel where we can go for a meal.
Thanks

Cant help with the beach but why not give Breach Candy Swimming Club a try It's a members only club but you can get a days membership if you are a foreign passport holder for about 200 rps. They have an indoor pool and a very large outdoor one in the shape of India. Its in the Malabar Hill area not too far from the Colobra part of the city Mabey some other posters could have more details, it's years since I visited it but when I was in Mumbai a couple of years ago I spoke to someone who had visited recently and said it was first class Alan

At Juhu Beach, you may just about spot the odd Bollywood star There are several very nice places to eat around Juhu Beach, and if you like the more upmarket variety - try the Four Seasons or the JW Marriott, which has a pretty decently priced and great spread for brunch on the weekends. Other restaurants serving chinese, Indian, Indian-chinese dot the road to the beach. Juhu beach is about 3 kms from the airport and on a clear day (no traffic), will take you about 1/2 hour to 1 hour depending on traffic. Other hotels that serve good food are the Sea Princess, and the Ramada Inn.
Most Indians prefer to munch on snacks dished out by the stalls on the beach - Pav Bhaiji is a hot favuorite - its really a mash of vegetables, simmered on a griddle, served with dollops of butter and toasted bread. Yummy, but not for the first-timers to Indian street food. hope this helps. Beer is not freely available at these stalls / shacks like in Goa, as the licences are pretty strict in Mumbai. But there are always beer bars around, and lots of shops (for some reason called wine shops) that will sell beer at retail prices. You can buy chilled pints or cans or bottles and the owner will obligingly open the bottles for you to drink from - no glasses though!

Have booked a trip, south Goa to Mombai, a flight there and a train back with two nights in a hotel there, have looked at some tourist info on the web, but has anyone any suggestions as to what sights to see in the city

Depends on what you really like to do and where you hotel is located. If its shopping, then you can get some great stuff in South Mumbai - leather work - jackets, bags, handbags, Indian artifacts - shops like Cottage Industries near the Gateway of India, or Khadi Bhandar, near the Flora Fountain area (new name: Hutatma Chowk) or the Bombay Store in the same area, but on Sir PM Road. Other things to buy are silks - saris, materials, shirts from a row of shops on what used to be called Queens Road.
Things to see are the Gateway of India, the Elephanta Caves, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum (once called the Prince of Wales Museum), the Mahalaxmi temple, Haji Ali.
There are tours that cover all of Mumbai in a day - these commence from the Gateway of India, and you can choose a full day tour or a half-day tour. Suggest that you avoid places like the Hanging Gardens - tho the view is very nice, the gardens are not, or beaches - these beaches are not really meant for swimming.

Help please - we need a hotel in Mumbai for 4 nights from 9th January and are happy to pay approx £40 per night for a double room. Any recommendations or comments on what we can expect on this budget.

We are considering Hotel Apollo in the Colaba area, anyone been here? It is not in the reviews section so I am guessing not.

Any other suggestions welcomed.

Many Thanks

brilliant price for the area. I've asked for it to be added to our reviews. In the meantime perhaps members might recognise it from this

Can anyone advise as to the best/quickest method of getting from the domestic terminal at Mumbai airport to the area of the Victoria train Terminus in Mumbai? Is it possible to do this trip by train? approximate costs and jurney times would be helpfull.

A taxi would cost around Rs300 and take up to an hour, depedning on traffic. In theory you can catch a suburban train from Santa Cruz station for just a few rupees, but these are so overcrowded that it is impossible to do so if you carrying any luggage at all.

)

2509Martin wrote:

Can anyone advise as to the best/quickest method of getting from the domestic terminal at Mumbai airport to the area of the Victoria train Terminus in Mumbai? Is it possible to do this trip by train? approximate costs and jurney times would be helpfull.

Train options:
1. Slow train from Ville Parle station (thats the closest railway station to the domestic terminal), about ten minutes away by tuk tuk approximately Rs. 15 to Rs. 20 by meter. Then book first class ticket to Victoria Terminus - this is called the harbour line. First class ticket is approx Rs. 75 to Rs. 100 per person, and First Class is not as crowded as the rest of the train unless you are travelling during office hours of 8am to 10am or 5pm to 7pm
2. Slow train from Ville Parle station (thats the closest railway station to the domestic terminal), about ten minutes away by tuk tuk approximately Rs. 15 to Rs. 20 by meter. Then book first class ticket to Churchgate - this is called the Western Line. First class ticket is approx Rs. 75 to Rs. 100 per person, and First Class is not as crowded as the rest of the train unless you are travelling during office hours of 8am to 10am or 5pm to 7pm. Then yellow taxi from Churhcgate to Victoria Terminus - about Rs. 30 to Rs. 40 by meter.
Other options
1. Taxi from domestic terminal to Victoria Terminus (affectionately called VT, but official name CST or Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) for Rs. 300 - about one hour or so, depending on traffic
2. Bus - BEST bus - the red buses, not for the unitiated.
3. Take the inter-terminus bus transfer to international airport from domestic airport. Then, there usually is a transfer by bus from international airport to Nariman Point (CBD of Mumbai). Taxi from Nariman Point to VT is approximately Rs. 50 to Rs. 75