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Maharashtra

Mumbai

Colonial architecture, street food and Bollywood energy

CityHeritage

Best time to visit Mumbai

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to February
  • Shoulder: March and September to October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: April to August

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Mumbai season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Best weather all year - dry and mild, ideal for walking Colaba and the Fort district.

Summer March to May Shoulder

Hot, humid and sticky before the rains - the most draining time to sightsee on foot.

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

Heavy rain floods streets and stalls local trains - dramatic but genuinely disruptive.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Ganpati energy fills September; October settles into pleasant post-monsoon weather.

What Mumbai is actually like

Big anonymous metro - Colaba/Bandra hostels fill with a young backpacker and expat crowd

Things to do in Mumbai

The local places worth your time in and around Mumbai, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Gateway of India

    Heritage · in town

    1924 arch on the Apollo Bunder waterfront with the Taj behind; free, always crowded, Elephanta ferries leave beside it

  • Elephanta Caves

    Heritage · 11 km out

    Rock cut Shiva caves on an island, the six metre Trimurti at the back; one hour ferry from the Gateway, shut Mondays

  • Marine Drive

    Walk · 3 km out

    Three km seafront curve from Nariman Point to Chowpatty; walk it after 6 pm when the lamps make the Queen's Necklace

  • Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

    Museum · 1 km out

    The old Prince of Wales museum, Indus seals to Gandhara heads under a Gothic dome; open 10 am to 6 pm, ticketed

  • Haji Ali Dargah

    Shrine · 6 km out

    Marble tomb on an islet reached by a causeway the sea covers at high tide; check the tide before you walk out

  • Crawford Market

    Market · 2 km out

    Lockwood Kipling designed the friezes over the door; come early for fruit and spice, and bargain, prices start high

  • Mohammed Ali Road

    Food · 3 km out

    Kebab and mithai street under the JJ flyover; best after dark, and mobbed every single night through Ramzan

  • Kanheri Caves

    Heritage · 34 km out

    109 Buddhist caves cut into a basalt ridge inside Sanjay Gandhi park; auto from Borivali station plus a park ticket

Getting to Mumbai

Fly into Mumbai (BOM) or overnight train from anywhere in the country

Practical ways in: flighttrainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Mid-range
How busy
Busy at its peak
Solo travel
Easy solo
Altitude
0 m
State
Maharashtra
Coordinates
19.0760, 72.8777

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Mumbai?

November to February is peak season in Mumbai. March and September to October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to August. Ganpati energy fills September; October settles into pleasant post-monsoon weather.

How many days do you need in Mumbai?

2 days is the usual stay. Big anonymous metro - Colaba/Bandra hostels fill with a young backpacker and expat crowd.

How do you get to Mumbai?

Fly into Mumbai (BOM) or overnight train from anywhere in the country. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.

Is Mumbai expensive, and does it get crowded?

Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs busy at the busiest time of year. Easy solo.

Is there a festival in Mumbai?

Aug/Sep: Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganpati Visarjan) - huge processions. Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.

What are the best things to do in Mumbai?

Gateway of India, Elephanta Caves, Marine Drive, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Haji Ali Dargah and Crawford Market, and more. 1924 arch on the Apollo Bunder waterfront with the Taj behind; free, always crowded, Elephanta ferries leave beside it.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Maharashtra

All 50 destinations in Maharashtra