India Part 2: Mumbai
Mumbai is a bustling city, with plenty of different areas each with their own charm. We would recommend staying in Colaba if you want to be near the main sites, Bandra for shopping (and the Bollywood stars!) or Fort to be in the middle of the art scene. As this was our first time in the city, and our trip was so short, we picked a hotel on the edge of Colaba, near Fort so that we could get the best of the sites and the arts.
This post follows on from India: Part 1 so although we’ll pick up from a late morning flight from Udaipur to Mumbai, this could be seen as a stand alone 2-day itinerary for Mumbai as well.
Day 6-8: Mumbai (2 nights)
Once you’ve freshened up after checking into your hotel, head out to explore Colaba and most importantly, get some food! After a few recommendations from colleagues, we went to Trishna, an Indian seafood restaurant which has high ratings. It’s a little upscale which is also reflected in their prices. We weren’t particularly impressed by the food (although the crab, which we didn’t have, comes highly recommended) so instead we’d suggest going to Chowpatty beach for some street food and a great atmosphere. You can then take a stroll down Marine drive and stop by K Rustoms Ice Cream to get a wafer ice cream - it’s always packed with locals in the evenings - before heading back for the night.
Next morning, start your adventure at 9am. Your first stop will be Dhobi Ghat, the world's largest open air laundromat. This was probably my most memorable part of our India trip; it was fascinating to see what at first glance seems so chaotic but is actually extremely organised. You’ll walk through the various areas, some with large washing machines, some for ironing and head into the middle section, which is something of a courtyard.
It’s incredible to watch the Dhobi’s (the term given to the workers) almost whipping the clothes clean within these huge sink-like basins. Take a closer look at the clothes that are hanging, you’ll notice a tagged code on each item that keeps every single order accounted for. You’ll also see that they don’t use and pegs to hang, that’s because they just get lost. So instead, the washing line consists of two intertwined ropes and the Dhobi’s are able to insert the clothes at every twist, ensuring they don’t fall. Don’t forget to climb up some of the various ladders to get to a roof top so you can see the vast display of the clothes drying. Trust us, this view is incredible. Soak in the atmosphere, and see what you can spot: the linen from hotel rooms, the laundry of those who don’t have space for a washing machine, and the police officer’s uniform.
4:30am - 10pm
No admission fee
Spend 20 minutes
After exploring the various alleyways here, the next stop will be the fish market at Sassoon Dock.
Note: Apparently photography isn’t allowed here (we got a few sneaky ones) so it’s probably best not to take your camera in. Also, be prepared for the extreme smell of fish - it really is overpowering! It’s an early morning market and by mid-morning they’ll be done so don’t get there too late.
The fish market dates back to 1875. You can see the boats that brought the fish in (there are large fridge containers in the boat) and brightly coloured sari-clad women sorting through all the stock and auctioning them off before the morning’s over. It’s an extremely vibrant and chaotic market so be sure to take it all in while also dodging all the wheelbarrows and containers!
4:30am - 4pm (but make sure to visit before 11am before the auctions are up)
No admission fee
Spend 15 minutes
At this point, you might need a quick pick-me-up. Ask your driver to take you to Jitendra’s, known by many as the best Chaiwalla in the area. He’s just on the footpath on Football Galli and makes the most amazing ‘cutting chai’ (a small glass of chai) with the typical spices, fresh ginger and lemongrass.
If you’re in Mumbai on a Sunday, you can then go to the Oval Maiden cricket ground which is open to the public only on Sundays. There will be literally hundreds of mini cricket games going on and if you fancy it (like Siraj did) you can ask to play for a few minutes with one of them - it will definitely be a great experience to remember!
If you’ve seen the movies then you know Indian train stations are likely to be packed. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is no different (except on Sundays) but the architecture is also incredible, so this should be your next stop. The station was built over 10 years from 1878 in a Victorian-Gothic style, designed by British architect F. W. Stevens. Spend 10-15 minutes getting lost in the hustle and bustle before making your way to Crawford Market for a bit of shopping. It’s a huge wholesale market within a British colonial building that pretty much sells everything from fruit to pets.
Before the next site, ask your driver to take you to Swati Snacks for a quick lunch - a street food style sit down place (with AC!). It’s a great place to try a bunch of different traditional snacks. We especially liked the pani puri here.
12pm - 10:45pm
After lunch, go to the Lalbaug, a spice market like no other, extremely colourful in both smell and sight but also to your ears! You’ll see huge pieces of machinery grinding all the spices then and there. Locals come here to select all their spices for home and get them ground to their own liking. Don’t be afraid to ask to try some of the spices, it’s worth the burn!
9am - 9pm. Closed on Mondays
No admission fee
Spend 15 minutes
Next go to Haji Ali Dargah, known as a ‘floating mosque’ off the coast of Worli. It was built in the 1800s and includes the tomb of a man known as Saint Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari who, as legend says, died while on pilgrimage to Makkah and by miracle, his casket somehow floated back to this area.
Note: The mosque is open to all visitors but is much busier on Thursdays and Fridays from pilgrims. There is no access by car so you need to walk along the pier to get there, and will pass lots of market stalls and also see many beggars. Also note the mosque is currently under renovation so there is a lot of scaffolding up. There are separate entrances for men and women once you get past the main gate.
5:30am - 10pm
No admission fee
Spend 20 minutes
Once you’ve got back to the mainland, you’ll see a rush at Haji Ali Juice Centre. Make sure you try the custard apple cream, it’s a revelation!
5am - 2am
Your final stop will be the Gateway of India and Taj Palace Hotel which are opposite each other. Start at the Gateway because there is always a huge line at the security checkpoint.
This huge arch monument was completed in 1924 to commemorate the royal visit of King George V in 1911. Years later it was used as a largely symbolic entrance for senior officials.
Open 24/7 (although when we went one evening, it closed at 10pm)
No admission fee
Spend 15 minutes
Finally turn towards the Taj Palace Hotel. It was built by JN Tata and opened in 1903 with an architectural mix of Islamic and European styles. There are two parts to the hotel, the Taj Palace and the Tower (the latter opened in 1973). It’s worth having a stroll around in the public areas of the hotel. We’d also recommend coming back later at night for some dessert at the restaurant, their almond cake is spectacular.
Open 24/7
No entrance fee
After this insanely busy day, head back to your hotel for a break and once you’re ready to venture out again, get an uber to Bandra. If you’re a Bollywood fan, head to Mannat Bandstand - Shah Rukh Khan’s house. Apparently he comes out to wave at fans on his balcony, so hang around a bit and you might be lucky enough to see him! It’s also a nice area to walk along the Bandstand Promenade.
There is a lot of shopping in Bandra so if that’s your thing, there are tonnes of malls, and more interestingly, boutique shops in the area. But if you’re more of a foodie, head back to Colaba for dinner at Bademiya, a well known kebab stall (now with table seating).
Note: Be sure to go before 9pm to ensure you get their famous seekh kebab! There will likely be at least a half hour wait so be prepared for a queue.
On the next day, before your early evening flight to Kerala (or back home), if you are into the art and fashion scene, we’d suggest exploring Kala Ghoda, an area in Fort. It’s home to a great art trail, a map of which we happened to come across (see photos). Funnily enough the map makers have also created an easy to use app of various cities in India giving great tips on what to do and see - click here to access this.
Our top 3 places not to miss are Kulture Shop, Chumak and Nicobar, but there are plenty more that we didn’t get a chance to visit on the fold out map (see photo). We got some great art prints from Kulture Shop and highly recommend spending the time to flip through their vast collection!
Before catching your flight head to Zen Cafe for an extremely spicy pasta!
Overall, we loved Mumbai. It was a perfect mix of culture, history and incredible food - everything we hoped it would be. We rarely like going to the same place twice but Mumbai is definitely a place we both agreed that we’d like to visit again, with more time hopefully. If you’re the type of people who enjoy shopping, we’d recommend staying for at least 3-4 days to get to both the sites and shops.
