MY 10 FAVORITE PLACES TO SEE IN MUMBAI, INDIA!

Last Updated on January 11, 2022 by asoulwindow

I have many favourite places to see in Mumbai. Having stayed in Mumbai for 7 years, I spent many weekends exploring the city. Many of my local friends have told me that they don’t understand Mumbai the way I do. In fact, when I was still living in Mumbai, my visiting friends often requested me to show them the city  through my eyes. I enjoyed taking them to my favourite places. Now that I have shifted to Delhi, I still keep getting messages from friends and readers, requesting me to suggest best places to see in Mumbai. It is tough to write this blog because I love each and every place in Mumbai.

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Peace and tranquility at Banganga tank, Malabar Hills, Mumbai

South Mumbai: South Mumbai is my absolute favourite place to see in Mumbai. Some of my must do activities to do in So Bo (as the cool kids call it) are: Watching sunsets at Marine drive, admiring art deco heritage buildings, bingeing on Aram Vada pao and jumbo sugarcane juice, watching movies in heritage theatres, boozing at Mondegar, Leopold and Gokul, checking out the latest

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Fort area in South Mumbai near VT aka CST Station at 5 a.m.

exhibitions in Jehangir Art Gallery, taking a ferry ride to Elephanta Caves from Gateway of India, buying second hand books near Fashion Street, exploring parks of salubrious Malabar Hills, sitting peacefully by the quaint Banganga Tank and of course attending the annual Kala Ghoda Arts Festival.  I used to spend most of my weekends here, just enjoying the many faces of this side of Mumbai. I am sure I have skipped some of the places in So Bo, because there are so many things I enjoyed doing here. I feel like writing a separate blog on So Bo.

Masjid: Near CST aka VT station, it is my annual haunt during the Ramadan period. I am a vegetarian still enjoy hunting for vegetarian dishes during the Ramadan period in Mohammed Ali Road, Masjid area. On regular days also, the area intrigues me. I have spent many days exploring the many heritage buildings, mosques and temples in the area. Not to forget, my personal bonding with the slum kids near Masjid station.

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Grafitti art outside the walls of people’s homes in Chapel Road, Bandra. Near Lilavati Hospital

Bandra: Breezy, arty and very chic, Bandra refreshes me every time I go there. Whether it is exploring the classy cafes or just enjoying a simple sweet corn on Bandstand promenade, Bandra has something for everyone. The views of Bandra Worli Sea Link are the highlight. The star houses are another attraction. I still remember the madness I witnessed when I saw Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan waving to his fans from his house Mannat on his birthday. The graffiti,heritage buildings and crosses add charm to the Chapel road.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Kanheri Caves: The ancient Kanheri Caves within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park awes me every time I am there. The SGNP is the place where I spent many mornings practising photography in my initial days. Needless to say, the SGNP is ethereal in monsoons. It is easily accessed via Kandivali and Borivali.

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Heritage Homes, Khotachiwadi, Mumbai

Santa Cruz: I love getting down at this and explore its quaint streets. I loved spending many evenings watching plays and spotting celebrities at the iconic Prithvi theatre. Before and after the play, I made it a point to stroll along the adjacent Juhu Beach. On two occasions, I waited for hours to see Mr. Amitabh Bachchan appear before his fans outside his house in Juhu.

Powai: I discovered Powai Lake and IIT Powai while I was learning photography. We were taken to the IIT campus to polish our skills. It was refreshing for me to discover a sprawling green expanse in a metropolis which is perennially space crunched. The lake had occupied my attention for a long time when I was there. And oh, also the warning board, “Don’t roam around in night. There are leopards around.”

Khotachiwadi: The old heritage houses near the fort area fascinated me. I made many visits just walking in the quaint lanes of this colony. What is special about this place is that all the homes are made up of wood. Many of the original houses have disappeared. Yet, many still stand strong, giving us a glimpse of the past.

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Flamingoes at Sewri, Mumbai

Bhaucha Dhakka: I would often board the first local train from my home in Navi Mumbai to Dockyard Road. Starting at 4 a.m., I would reach Bhaucha Dhakka by 5-6 a.m. The many fishermen would congregate here to sell the fish. The chaotic movement and the sheer quantity of marine life sold on streets amazed me.

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Early morning at Bhaucha Dhakka, Mumbai

Sewri: Sewri was my favourite haunt for watching the migratory Flamingoes every February. I would join a photography group and would welcome the faraway guests every winter along with other enthusiasts. The other places I found great for flamingo watching are Nerul and Sagar Vihar in Vashi, Navi Mumbai.

Vipassana Centre, Boriwali: The calm one experiences here is rare in a chaotic city like Mumbai. If I arrived here by ferry, the sights would catch my attention. Via road, the salt pans had my eyes peeled on the way. I can spend hours here, just doing nothing.

You too can enjoy these places the next time you are in Mumbai. Of course, there are many more places in Mumbai which are close to my heart. Maybe a sequel to this blog will follow soon.

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Ramadan Festivity, Mohammed Ali Road, Mumbai

Places to stay in Mumbai: Renaissance Hotel in Powai is an excellent choice for the well-heeled. Not only is its food famous but it also enjoys a great location. Situated opposite the serene Powai Lake, it is a calm haven away from the chaos of Mumbai.

Feeling nostalgic about Mumbai like me? Or just want to discover these places? Book your flight with Indian Airlines and make it happen!

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GUDI PADWA – THE GRAND CARNIVAL OF MUMBAI CALLED SHOBHA YATRA!

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Attending Shobha Yatra during Gudi Padwa in Dombiwali is another favourite activity to do in Mumbai. Not including in the list because it is an annual event.

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Me eating Pao Bhaji at Churchgate Station at 5 a.m.

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26 thoughts on “MY 10 FAVORITE PLACES TO SEE IN MUMBAI, INDIA!”

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  6. Mumbai is always so much fun. I love South Mumbai too and Bandra and Lokhandwala and Santa Cruz too…And then, those hidden heritage lanes . Glad you shared your list, I see a lot of these covered here. 😀

  7. Wow..its nice to see some beautiful graffiti art in Bandra Streets. There is so much to see and do in Mumbai. Often we go to nearby places and use Mumbai more like a transit city. Thanks for compiling this guide that pays attention to the attractions of Mumbai

  8. siddharthandshruti

    Thanks for sharing. We love the art deco and the heritage buildings in Mumbai. It is like a peek into the past. Also, where is the graffiti from? Looks really cool. Was it a part of the railway station painting project?

  9. I can’t wait to visit Mumbai and experience the vibrancy and life of the city.

    To feel your excitement as you wrote, makes it sound even more wonderful!

    Thanks for sharing your own perspective

  10. ravenoustravellers

    Love your pictures! So colourful. We didn’t get to visit Mumbai on our list trip to India but desperate to get there at some point – didn’t realise there were so many things to do, thanks for all the tips. The ancient Kanheri Caves sound awesome!

  11. Setting foot on Mumbai soil or even reading about it is enough to set the adrenalin rushing. There is something in this city that quickens your pace. Having stayed in the city for long stretches, I can surely understand your sentiments. I would like to add Chapel Road, in Bandra West to this list. A small narrow quaint street where the anglo-Indian stay. An area which has been used in many movies including the old Nana Patekar movie Ankush.

  12. It’s kind of crazy how much stuff there is to do in Mumbai! I’d definitely be interested in checking out So Bo and some cafes in Bandra. The caves sound fascinating as well. Great roundup here, thanks for sharing!

  13. I lived in Mumbai for 6 months and its a city I love! Coming to your list, I’ve roamed all over Bandra, been to Sanjay Gandhi National Park & Kanheri Caves, visited IIT Powai, went over to Gorai beach from Borivali (skipped Vipassanna)… There is so much more to do in Mumbai! Travelling by Mumbai local is a experience by itself!!!

  14. I havent visited India yet but Mumbai sounds great. I would love to go to Sewri and see the flamingos, it looks like a great sight.The Sanjai Ghandi National Park is also somewhere I would love to go as I love visiting national parks.

  15. I would love to visit Mumbai. I have only visited the North of India with a guide who was from Mumbai and who praised it so much. There seem to be so many amazing things to see in Mumbai and it looks so different from the image I got from visiting The North of India 3 times. The Heritage houses look so pretty and I’d love to exploer the Santa Cruz area.

  16. I always seek out advise from people who have lived in a place prior to visiting. You obviously have a lot of love and a lot of knowledge of Mumbai. I’ve never been, but if I ever go, I’ll be sure to refer back to your blog before I go!

  17. Mumbai is so big, there is so much to see. From your list Bandra sounded most interesting to me. I’m getting into street art and I’m sure Mumbai has some pretty unique street art to photograph!

  18. I have never been to India but everytime I see photos of India, I am really in awe of the vivid colors and the rich culture. I do love Indian food though, and my husband does too! The temples and mosques in India are so beautiful!

  19. I’ve never been to Mumbai but I’d love to visit one day. We’d like to check out the heritage buildings, mosques and temples. We’re not vegetarians but it’d be neat to try out the different vegetarian options. Have never seen pat of flamingos either, that must be quite a sight!

  20. Great work capturing so many places in Mumbai.. When I read this it makes me think of a city I have never been to although I have been to almost all of these places so many times in real life.. That shows some very impressive storytelling .. Makes me see the city from a tourist’s eyes.. In my list a few places that I would have included would be Kamla Nehru Park, Siddhi Vinayak temple, Mount Mary Church, Haji Ali dargah and maybe one of the malls like Phoenix or Atria

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