Mumbai. Where to stay, what to see

lb_uk · Dec 10th, 2007, 01:09

At the finish of our 3 weeks in Feb visiting the south, My son and I want to spend a bit of time in Mumbai before our flight home.
(After 3 weeks with his father he'll probably want his own room and personal space, so looking for rooms between INR1200-1500)
Advice on which area to stay in for a bit of last minute prezzie shopping, restaurants etc.please
Our train (the Konkan Express) gets into CST station at 6am, so time to wander, what to do, where to stay?
I've found suggestions on IM but many are a year or so old. Is the Benazeer Hotel still ok?
Our flight home leaves about 14.30 so what time do we need to leave for the airport. I'm assuming we need to be there 3 hours before as in the UK.
After reading through IM, I've so far managed to organise our itinery, book trains etc., so a big thankyou to you IM members.

Mehndi Masala · Dec 10th, 2007, 01:45

Wow! That's a loaded one! We cheated a bit and had (IMHO) the world's greatest driver so we just said Colaba (touristy cheap and cute gift street..beware...extreame tout traffic) and then lunch at Leopolds but there is a kick butt little Italian place too where we had awsome lamb cobinara (sp). So we just said "we need this, cheap, and this is one of the sights we want to see" and we were there!

Can't comment on hotels as we stayed in a 5 star biz/lux hotel.

Can you give us a better idea of what you are looking for in site seeing or gift shopping??

Kim

lb_uk · Dec 10th, 2007, 19:16

Hi Kim
Thanks for the reply, I appears from reading IM posts that Coloba or Fort areas are popular. I haven't got anything specific in mind to see, just walk about and see what we see approach, although any recommendations would be welcome.
I will be looking for small gifts to take home so won't require shopping mall type stores, I believe there is a market around here somewhere.
Thanks

aadil · Dec 13th, 2007, 11:54

Benazeer Hotel is fine but sometimes the room may not be vacant in the morning but you can always check with them on arrival. There is the Residency Hotel next to it as well but at a slightly higher price and with better facilities and most likely to be full up too.

The Colaba area is nice for the small souvenirs that you may be looking for and there is a nice shop that has fixed prices and good stuff called Avante which is located just opposite the Regal Cinema theater. The roadside stalls may offer similar looking stuff but the quality is not the same and they also rip you off on the prices so be careful when you buy anything from these small roadside stalls.

You mention that the train comes in at 6 in the morning and you have a flight to catch at 14:30 so that leaves you with very little time to go to the airport before the normal three hour period so I don't think you will be able to do anything after you arrive in Mumbai except for checking into a hotel to freshen up and leave for the airport. The travel time from the CST area to the International airport will be about two hours at the time you will be going so please do not delay.

Cheers,
Aadil.

lb_uk · Dec 14th, 2007, 02:29

Aadil
Thankyou for the advice.
Apologies I may have misled you, we arrive about 06.00 on the Friday and fly out on the Saturday. We arrive at LOKMANYA TILAK, is this far from the hotel and any idea how much a taxi would be. I like the look of the Residency Hotel so I'll try and pre-book it. If its close to Colada it should give us time shop and visit Gateway to India. Any suggestions for an evening out, walking, restaurant etc. in this area.
You suggest 2 hours for the journey to the airport, what would this cost by taxi.
Thank you for your help

aadil · Dec 18th, 2007, 00:43

If you arrive at LTT then it will be a long journey that costs quite a lot to get to the Fort or Colaba area and it will be about Rs250 to 300 for the journey. If you need any more tips about places to see and things to do in Mumbai then read on!!!

Mumbai is a nice city to explore on your own and there's no need for a guide as such. If you want to meet backpackers then the Colaba area is full of them and there are many places like the Leopold's Cafe and Mondegar Cafe where you will find a lot of the travellers enjoying some fantastic breakfast early in the morning or some beers at lunch or dinner. You might just be lucky to be asked if you wish to act as an extra in a Bollywood movie too!!!

If you are on your own, just visit the Gateway of India and you will also get a nice view from the top if you go to any of the higher floors of the Taj Mahal Hotel. If you want to visit the Elephanta island for the famous caves then take a boat from the Gateway and it will take you about an hour to get there. The tickets can be bought in front of the Gateway from one of the booths selling them. There is a free guide inside the caves complex from morning to afternoon (just inquire with the security guard for his/her whereabouts). After you get back from the islands you can carry on walking towards the Regal Theatre and see the Museum as well as the other places for art like the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Jehangir Art Gallery for some interesting art exhibitions. Then carry on towards the other side of the University of Mumbai buildings and see the Rajabai Clock Tower, Library and Convocation Hall. Also see the High Court of Mumbai buildings. Then if you look across there will be a game of cricket going on in one of the famous playing grounds (maidans) called the Oval Maidan. Across the street is the Eros theatre and opposite that is the Churchgate railway station and in front of that is the Western Railway Headquarters as well as the Tourism office. You can then walk down to the Marine Drive promenade and take a long walk towards Chowpatty beach for a snack of Bhelpuri, Pav Bhaji and also some Indian ice cream called Kulfi and another sweet dish called Rabdi. There are some other nice places to see in between like the Flora Fountain and Hutatma Chowk (Martyr's Square) and the St. Thomas' Cathedral, which is very beautiful with a lot of nice sculptures inside it. Nearby is the Bombay Stock Exchange building and also the Jewish David Elaiyahoo Synagogue and the David Sassoon Library as well as the Elphinstone College buildings opposite it. The Town Hall building with the Horniman Circle and gardens is also worth seeing behind the cathedral. You can visit Mani Bhavan ( the house in which Mahatma Gandhi lived in Mumbai ) which is now a museum devoted to his work and life as the father of the nation. Nearby is the F. D. Alpaiwalla Museum which has a lot of Iranian artifacts housed in the Khareghat Colony Hall and if you climb the steps leading up to the Parsi Towers of Silence and Hanging Gardens from the outside, then you will be able to get a good view of the Queen's Necklace from above. On the way down, you can visit a very elaborately carved Jain temple and then come down towards the Governor of Maharashtra's bungalow before reaching Chowpatty beach. You may carry on towards the Mahalakshmi temple and the Haji Ali shrine in the middle of the sea followed by a trip to see the Dhobi Ghat which is from the bridge over Mahalakshmi station.

If you are interested in shopping, then depending on what you want to shop for there are many specific markets like Zaveri Bazaar for gold and silver jewellery, Mangaldas Market for clothes, Chor Bazaar for antiques (and not so old stuff too!!!), Bandra Linking Road for lots of designer shops. Lots of other shopping arcades and malls have recently opened up in many areas so you can just walk into one for a quick look and buy whatever catches your fancy. There is a small shop called Avante just opposite the Regal Cinema at Colaba where you will get the best bargains in handicrafts, souvenirs, etc at very reasonable and cheap prices. Also nearby on the Phirozsha Mehta Road, there is a shop called Bombay Store which has a lot of handicrafts and good Indian teas as well for sale in attractive packaging which is another excellent gift idea.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Aadil.

gohome · Dec 18th, 2007, 04:33

I agree, lots to do in Mumbai just by walking around. Cabs are cheap if you run out of leg power, no more than Rs20 in most directions. Also I did a lot of last minute shopping at Bombay Store and Fab India. No hassel with bargining and the quality was very nice.

Can I suggest lunch at Britania - a great Parsi restaurant in the Kala Godah area. You much have the Chicken Berry Rice, I am still dreaming of it.

pontesnm · Dec 18th, 2007, 05:08

I believe the berries in Chicken Berry Rice are also called Zehreshk in Farsi (or dried barberries). Is this correct?

gohome · Dec 18th, 2007, 05:21

I don't know, but all I dream about is this wonderful dish. It is full of caramelised onions, sweet tasting. The chicken is a bit spicy and the berries add a wonderful tang - sweet, hot and tangy - what a combination.

lb_uk · Dec 21st, 2007, 18:05

Thankyou all for the advice and info. Looks like I haven't allowed enough time in Mumbai, but gives us a reason to return. Definitely will look out for the chicken berry rice, just my sort of dish. February is only 6 weeks away and thanks to IM nearly everything is sorted. Had no trouble with booking our trains (8 so far) just hope it goes well when we arrive.
Happy holidays to you all.

aadil · Dec 22nd, 2007, 11:44

A Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year 2008 to you too!!!

Cheers,
Aadil.

alouise · Oct 6th, 2008, 10:47

Not to everyone's taste, but are day tours still being run from India gate..... eg. Juju beach -Kanheri caves ?

New-South-Welshman · Oct 6th, 2008, 11:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by alouise

Not to everyone's taste, but are day tours still being run from India gate..... eg. Juju beach -Kanheri caves ?

Never noticed it the two times I was there. If it's for you though, ask your concierge or pick up the travel magazines in the foyer and they should help you out.

snonymous · Oct 6th, 2008, 14:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by alouise

Not to everyone's taste, but are day tours still being run from India gate..... eg. Juju beach -Kanheri caves ?

As you are from Sydney, I would suggest you avoid Juhu beach which will be most disappointing, unless you want to see the crowds and mess. Kanheri caves are worth a visit, they are located inside a dense jungle within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park at Borivili. You could rent a car with driver for a half day to full day trip there and enjoy some of the jungle trails as well inside the sanctuary. Guides are available for the caves at the ticket counter at the caves. You will need comfortable walking shoes if you intend going all the way to the top of the caves area [well worth it but start early before it gets too warm].

New-South-Welshman · Oct 6th, 2008, 15:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by snonymous

As you are from Sydney, I would suggest you avoid Juhu beach which will be most disappointing, unless you want to see the crowds and mess.

Juhu beach isn't that bad, even though Sydneysiders are spoilt with the best beaches in the world. If you don't care to go to the beach, the best way to enjoy it over a few cocktails at Vie Lounge overlooking the beach.

Dec 10th, 2007, 01:09	#1
lb_uk Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UK Posts: 12	Mumbai. Where to stay, what to see At the finish of our 3 weeks in Feb visiting the south, My son and I want to spend a bit of time in Mumbai before our flight home. (After 3 weeks with his father he'll probably want his own room and personal space, so looking for rooms between INR1200-1500) Advice on which area to stay in for a bit of last minute prezzie shopping, restaurants etc.please Our train (the Konkan Express) gets into CST station at 6am, so time to wander, what to do, where to stay? I've found suggestions on IM but many are a year or so old. Is the Benazeer Hotel still ok? Our flight home leaves about 14.30 so what time do we need to leave for the airport. I'm assuming we need to be there 3 hours before as in the UK. After reading through IM, I've so far managed to organise our itinery, book trains etc., so a big thankyou to you IM members.

Dec 10th, 2007, 01:45	#2
Mehndi Masala Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 222	Wow! That's a loaded one! We cheated a bit and had (IMHO) the world's greatest driver so we just said Colaba (touristy cheap and cute gift street..beware...extreame tout traffic) and then lunch at Leopolds but there is a kick butt little Italian place too where we had awsome lamb cobinara (sp). So we just said "we need this, cheap, and this is one of the sights we want to see" and we were there! Can't comment on hotels as we stayed in a 5 star biz/lux hotel. Can you give us a better idea of what you are looking for in site seeing or gift shopping?? Kim __________________ Time flies like an arrow.......... Fruit flies like a banana! Mumbai/New Delhi/Agra pix on facebook! http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?i...id=5503760 15 (there are 5 more just go back to the photo albums!) Old Blog from my India Adventure! http://winnipeghenna.blogspot.com/

Dec 13th, 2007, 11:54	#4
aadil Aircraft Service Engineer, Astronomer & Traveller Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Mumbai, India. (Lat 18.967 N, Long 72.833 E, Alt 11 m) Posts: 1,903	Benazeer Hotel is fine but sometimes the room may not be vacant in the morning but you can always check with them on arrival. There is the Residency Hotel next to it as well but at a slightly higher price and with better facilities and most likely to be full up too. The Colaba area is nice for the small souvenirs that you may be looking for and there is a nice shop that has fixed prices and good stuff called Avante which is located just opposite the Regal Cinema theater. The roadside stalls may offer similar looking stuff but the quality is not the same and they also rip you off on the prices so be careful when you buy anything from these small roadside stalls. You mention that the train comes in at 6 in the morning and you have a flight to catch at 14:30 so that leaves you with very little time to go to the airport before the normal three hour period so I don't think you will be able to do anything after you arrive in Mumbai except for checking into a hotel to freshen up and leave for the airport. The travel time from the CST area to the International airport will be about two hours at the time you will be going so please do not delay. Cheers, Aadil. __________________ Climb high; climb far; Your goal, the sky, Your aim, the stars!!!

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Dec 10th, 2007, 19:16	#3
lb_uk Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UK Posts: 12	Hi Kim Thanks for the reply, I appears from reading IM posts that Coloba or Fort areas are popular. I haven't got anything specific in mind to see, just walk about and see what we see approach, although any recommendations would be welcome. I will be looking for small gifts to take home so won't require shopping mall type stores, I believe there is a market around here somewhere. Thanks

Dec 14th, 2007, 02:29	#5
lb_uk Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UK Posts: 12	Aadil Thankyou for the advice. Apologies I may have misled you, we arrive about 06.00 on the Friday and fly out on the Saturday. We arrive at LOKMANYA TILAK, is this far from the hotel and any idea how much a taxi would be. I like the look of the Residency Hotel so I'll try and pre-book it. If its close to Colada it should give us time shop and visit Gateway to India. Any suggestions for an evening out, walking, restaurant etc. in this area. You suggest 2 hours for the journey to the airport, what would this cost by taxi. Thank you for your help

Dec 18th, 2007, 00:43	#6
aadil Aircraft Service Engineer, Astronomer & Traveller Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Mumbai, India. (Lat 18.967 N, Long 72.833 E, Alt 11 m) Posts: 1,903	If you arrive at LTT then it will be a long journey that costs quite a lot to get to the Fort or Colaba area and it will be about Rs250 to 300 for the journey. If you need any more tips about places to see and things to do in Mumbai then read on!!! Mumbai is a nice city to explore on your own and there's no need for a guide as such. If you want to meet backpackers then the Colaba area is full of them and there are many places like the Leopold's Cafe and Mondegar Cafe where you will find a lot of the travellers enjoying some fantastic breakfast early in the morning or some beers at lunch or dinner. You might just be lucky to be asked if you wish to act as an extra in a Bollywood movie too!!! If you are on your own, just visit the Gateway of India and you will also get a nice view from the top if you go to any of the higher floors of the Taj Mahal Hotel. If you want to visit the Elephanta island for the famous caves then take a boat from the Gateway and it will take you about an hour to get there. The tickets can be bought in front of the Gateway from one of the booths selling them. There is a free guide inside the caves complex from morning to afternoon (just inquire with the security guard for his/her whereabouts). After you get back from the islands you can carry on walking towards the Regal Theatre and see the Museum as well as the other places for art like the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Jehangir Art Gallery for some interesting art exhibitions. Then carry on towards the other side of the University of Mumbai buildings and see the Rajabai Clock Tower, Library and Convocation Hall. Also see the High Court of Mumbai buildings. Then if you look across there will be a game of cricket going on in one of the famous playing grounds (maidans) called the Oval Maidan. Across the street is the Eros theatre and opposite that is the Churchgate railway station and in front of that is the Western Railway Headquarters as well as the Tourism office. You can then walk down to the Marine Drive promenade and take a long walk towards Chowpatty beach for a snack of Bhelpuri, Pav Bhaji and also some Indian ice cream called Kulfi and another sweet dish called Rabdi. There are some other nice places to see in between like the Flora Fountain and Hutatma Chowk (Martyr's Square) and the St. Thomas' Cathedral, which is very beautiful with a lot of nice sculptures inside it. Nearby is the Bombay Stock Exchange building and also the Jewish David Elaiyahoo Synagogue and the David Sassoon Library as well as the Elphinstone College buildings opposite it. The Town Hall building with the Horniman Circle and gardens is also worth seeing behind the cathedral. You can visit Mani Bhavan ( the house in which Mahatma Gandhi lived in Mumbai ) which is now a museum devoted to his work and life as the father of the nation. Nearby is the F. D. Alpaiwalla Museum which has a lot of Iranian artifacts housed in the Khareghat Colony Hall and if you climb the steps leading up to the Parsi Towers of Silence and Hanging Gardens from the outside, then you will be able to get a good view of the Queen's Necklace from above. On the way down, you can visit a very elaborately carved Jain temple and then come down towards the Governor of Maharashtra's bungalow before reaching Chowpatty beach. You may carry on towards the Mahalakshmi temple and the Haji Ali shrine in the middle of the sea followed by a trip to see the Dhobi Ghat which is from the bridge over Mahalakshmi station. If you are interested in shopping, then depending on what you want to shop for there are many specific markets like Zaveri Bazaar for gold and silver jewellery, Mangaldas Market for clothes, Chor Bazaar for antiques (and not so old stuff too!!!), Bandra Linking Road for lots of designer shops. Lots of other shopping arcades and malls have recently opened up in many areas so you can just walk into one for a quick look and buy whatever catches your fancy. There is a small shop called Avante just opposite the Regal Cinema at Colaba where you will get the best bargains in handicrafts, souvenirs, etc at very reasonable and cheap prices. Also nearby on the Phirozsha Mehta Road, there is a shop called Bombay Store which has a lot of handicrafts and good Indian teas as well for sale in attractive packaging which is another excellent gift idea. Hope this helps. Cheers, Aadil.

Dec 18th, 2007, 04:33	#7
gohome Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 71	I agree, lots to do in Mumbai just by walking around. Cabs are cheap if you run out of leg power, no more than Rs20 in most directions. Also I did a lot of last minute shopping at Bombay Store and Fab India. No hassel with bargining and the quality was very nice. Can I suggest lunch at Britania - a great Parsi restaurant in the Kala Godah area. You much have the Chicken Berry Rice, I am still dreaming of it.

Dec 18th, 2007, 05:08	#8
pontesnm Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Bardez/Mumbai/New Jersey (USA) Posts: 292	I believe the berries in Chicken Berry Rice are also called Zehreshk in Farsi (or dried barberries). Is this correct?

Dec 18th, 2007, 05:21	#9
gohome Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 71	I don't know, but all I dream about is this wonderful dish. It is full of caramelised onions, sweet tasting. The chicken is a bit spicy and the berries add a wonderful tang - sweet, hot and tangy - what a combination.

Dec 21st, 2007, 18:05	#10
lb_uk Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UK Posts: 12	Thankyou all for the advice and info. Looks like I haven't allowed enough time in Mumbai, but gives us a reason to return. Definitely will look out for the chicken berry rice, just my sort of dish. February is only 6 weeks away and thanks to IM nearly everything is sorted. Had no trouble with booking our trains (8 so far) just hope it goes well when we arrive. Happy holidays to you all.

Dec 22nd, 2007, 11:44	#11
aadil Aircraft Service Engineer, Astronomer & Traveller Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Mumbai, India. (Lat 18.967 N, Long 72.833 E, Alt 11 m) Posts: 1,903	A Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year 2008 to you too!!! Cheers, Aadil.

Oct 6th, 2008, 10:47	#12
alouise Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: sydney Posts: 178	Not to everyone's taste, but are day tours still being run from India gate..... eg. Juju beach -Kanheri caves ?

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