Day Trips from Mumbai?

cristinb · Feb 26th, 2008, 03:51

I'll be spending a week in Mumbai next month, before heading to Goa. Does anyone know of any good day trips from the city, or even a quick overnight trip? Can the Ajanta and/or Ellora caves be done in a short time period? Are they worth it?

machadinha · Feb 26th, 2008, 03:59

Try this: http://www.outlooktraveller.com/bookdetail.aspx?id=7

My usual disclaimer: I've never used the series, but it comes well-recommended by those who have.

Alternatively, I'm sure browsing around this site some will give you more tips than you can handle. Try the Mumbai and Maharashtra sub-forums for starters; this thread has been moved into the latter.

As for

Quote:

Originally Posted by cristinb

Can the Ajanta and/or Ellora caves be done in a short time period? Are they worth it?

Are you kidding? I've never visited but would sure like to, and they're world heritage sites and the highlight of many a trip I believe. (Time involved I can't tell you about.)

Try http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/a...india/map.html for some up-and-close views.

kristinm · Feb 26th, 2008, 04:19

We spent 6 days in Mumbai and before we arrived there I was thinking it was too much and looking for a day trip, people kept saying it was too much time & seemed horrified that we were staying longer than a day or so - but as it turned out we didn't even get to do everything we wanted to in Mumbai & will definitely return!!

The first thing is that nothing in Mumbai opens until about 11.00am, so no point rushing out early. After a leisurely breakfast, a good browse through the papers and a stop for a morning juice at Modern juice stand we would set off....

It takes so long to get anywhere in Mumbai traffic that your sightseeing is really limited to one or maybe two things in a day, especially if, like us you like to take it easy, have nice long meals and lots of chai and juice stops & smaple the street food and generally hang out a bit as well. It is an exhausting city - so rushing around would be a nightmare. Having the time to do one major thing a day and then the rest of the day watching the amazing streetlife (of ALL classes) go by, browse the fabulous shops and bookshops or see a movie (Western or Bollywood) is a real luxury and Mumbai really rewards this approach IMO.

We spent one whole day doing a tour with Amin... he took us to several places, Banganga tank, the Jain temple on Malabar Hill, Victoria terminus etc etc etc - well worth it.

We spent a very long morning in Crawford market (just fighting your way down the street takes forever!), and another at Chor Bizarre, an evening at Chowpatty, walked around Colaba a lot - down to the docks etc, walked from Colaba to the colonial areas & just looked at the buildings... hung around Fort and went to the Yazdani bakery and Brittania restaurant. Had a long lunch at Mahesh lunch home another day.....The Ghandi museum is great and the area it is in is really interesting to walk around. There was a street arts and culture festival happening when we were there near where we were staying. Near Wilson college we spend an entertaining hour or so drinking chai and lime sodas in a very chi chi tea cafe and just watching the glittering young wealthy Mumbaiikers sucking on hookahs and chattering in English/Hinglish.. eavesdropping here was like performing a cultural study of the Mumbai upper classes - and boy do they live charmed lives!

I must admit we did a lot of shopping as it was our last stop in India... so that took some time. We also had long lunches and dinners which often meant 40 minutes in a cab to get to and from the restaurant as well.. the Mumbai restaurants are sensational (see the thread on the Gastronomic tour of Mumbai). We also went to a movie one afternoon - a Sunday when everything was closed... no traffic on Sundays so good for sightseeing!

Anyway, my point is that although many seem to dislike Mumbai, we loved it and could easily have spent more time there...

Things we missed - Elephanta caves (I know!!! we just never got up early enough to catch the ferry - that is a full day if you go to the village and Shiva Lingam temple as well), Juhu, Bandra for the sunset and to gawk at the millionaires houses, we were going to take the Dhivari tour run by reality tours and never got to do that either - that's another full day, we also didn't get up to the park where the tigers and bush areas are, or the wedding card market, or go for a swim in one of the hotels, or watch a cricket match ....lots and lots of other things.

Check out this thread - I didn't find it until now... damn!! What are your 10 must do's in Mumbai?

machadinha · Feb 26th, 2008, 05:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristinm

Check out this thread - I didn't find it until now... damn!! What are your 10 must do's in Mumbai?

Aadil some time ago did this great write-up on what to do there: Mumbai. Where to stay, what to see

cristinb · Feb 27th, 2008, 01:17

Thanks for the info and links. I've spent time in Mumbai before, but mainly sticking to Andheri West and Bandra. I'd like to see some of the "proper" city. There are some good ideas that I've dug up from the links, now to narrow them down!

bijapuri · Feb 27th, 2008, 01:33

back to the question of day trips:

tops on my list is Janjira. Great sunsets and decent overnight accommodation if ya want to o'ernite. Take the ferry to Alibag, and either bus or taxi from there. Boats await you in Murud for a visit to the fort.

spicetrekker · Feb 29th, 2008, 18:03

I stay in Mumbai and do have done many weekends trips. Top of the heap for me is Kashid Beach. Other options include Malshej Ghat, Bhandardara, Igatpuri which are good choices in Monsoon; there are a few forts around Lonavala and Pune if you are interested in history; Ganpatipule is excellent but will require atleast 3 days to and fro. Overnight train from Mumabi will take you to Ganpatipule by 8.00 am in the morning

Fan of India · Feb 29th, 2008, 19:57

Matheran is another good option if you are looking at Hill stations. Just about 2-3 hours out of mumbai - and a decent place to be in during the summer months.

snonymous · Apr 21st, 2008, 13:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by cristinb

I'll be spending a week in Mumbai next month, before heading to Goa. Does anyone know of any good day trips from the city, or even a quick overnight trip?

To Cristin
So where did you go eventually?

To Kristin
Nice post.

cristinb · Apr 23rd, 2008, 01:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by snonymous

To Cristin
So where did you go eventually?

We actually ended up going back to our original plan of heading up to Udaipur. I will hopefully get the to take advantage of the good suggestions offered here during my future trips though. Thanks for all of the advice!

Feb 26th, 2008, 03:51	#1
cristinb Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 20	Day Trips from Mumbai? I'll be spending a week in Mumbai next month, before heading to Goa. Does anyone know of any good day trips from the city, or even a quick overnight trip? Can the Ajanta and/or Ellora caves be done in a short time period? Are they worth it?

Feb 26th, 2008, 04:19	#3
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,406	We spent 6 days in Mumbai and before we arrived there I was thinking it was too much and looking for a day trip, people kept saying it was too much time & seemed horrified that we were staying longer than a day or so - but as it turned out we didn't even get to do everything we wanted to in Mumbai & will definitely return!! The first thing is that nothing in Mumbai opens until about 11.00am, so no point rushing out early. After a leisurely breakfast, a good browse through the papers and a stop for a morning juice at Modern juice stand we would set off.... It takes so long to get anywhere in Mumbai traffic that your sightseeing is really limited to one or maybe two things in a day, especially if, like us you like to take it easy, have nice long meals and lots of chai and juice stops & smaple the street food and generally hang out a bit as well. It is an exhausting city - so rushing around would be a nightmare. Having the time to do one major thing a day and then the rest of the day watching the amazing streetlife (of ALL classes) go by, browse the fabulous shops and bookshops or see a movie (Western or Bollywood) is a real luxury and Mumbai really rewards this approach IMO. We spent one whole day doing a tour with Amin... he took us to several places, Banganga tank, the Jain temple on Malabar Hill, Victoria terminus etc etc etc - well worth it. We spent a very long morning in Crawford market (just fighting your way down the street takes forever!), and another at Chor Bizarre, an evening at Chowpatty, walked around Colaba a lot - down to the docks etc, walked from Colaba to the colonial areas & just looked at the buildings... hung around Fort and went to the Yazdani bakery and Brittania restaurant. Had a long lunch at Mahesh lunch home another day.....The Ghandi museum is great and the area it is in is really interesting to walk around. There was a street arts and culture festival happening when we were there near where we were staying. Near Wilson college we spend an entertaining hour or so drinking chai and lime sodas in a very chi chi tea cafe and just watching the glittering young wealthy Mumbaiikers sucking on hookahs and chattering in English/Hinglish.. eavesdropping here was like performing a cultural study of the Mumbai upper classes - and boy do they live charmed lives! I must admit we did a lot of shopping as it was our last stop in India... so that took some time. We also had long lunches and dinners which often meant 40 minutes in a cab to get to and from the restaurant as well.. the Mumbai restaurants are sensational (see the thread on the Gastronomic tour of Mumbai). We also went to a movie one afternoon - a Sunday when everything was closed... no traffic on Sundays so good for sightseeing! Anyway, my point is that although many seem to dislike Mumbai, we loved it and could easily have spent more time there... Things we missed - Elephanta caves (I know!!! we just never got up early enough to catch the ferry - that is a full day if you go to the village and Shiva Lingam temple as well), Juhu, Bandra for the sunset and to gawk at the millionaires houses, we were going to take the Dhivari tour run by reality tours and never got to do that either - that's another full day, we also didn't get up to the park where the tigers and bush areas are, or the wedding card market, or go for a swim in one of the hotels, or watch a cricket match ....lots and lots of other things. Check out this thread - I didn't find it until now... damn!! What are your 10 must do's in Mumbai? Last edited by machadinha : Feb 26th, 2008 at 05:50. Reason: fixed URL

Feb 27th, 2008, 01:33	#6
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	back to the question of day trips: tops on my list is Janjira. Great sunsets and decent overnight accommodation if ya want to o'ernite. Take the ferry to Alibag, and either bus or taxi from there. Boats await you in Murud for a visit to the fort. __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

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Feb 27th, 2008, 01:17	#5
cristinb Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 20	Thanks for the info and links. I've spent time in Mumbai before, but mainly sticking to Andheri West and Bandra. I'd like to see some of the "proper" city. There are some good ideas that I've dug up from the links, now to narrow them down!

Feb 29th, 2008, 18:03	#7
spicetrekker Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 284	I stay in Mumbai and do have done many weekends trips. Top of the heap for me is Kashid Beach. Other options include Malshej Ghat, Bhandardara, Igatpuri which are good choices in Monsoon; there are a few forts around Lonavala and Pune if you are interested in history; Ganpatipule is excellent but will require atleast 3 days to and fro. Overnight train from Mumabi will take you to Ganpatipule by 8.00 am in the morning

Feb 29th, 2008, 19:57	#8
Fan of India Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 85	Matheran is another good option if you are looking at Hill stations. Just about 2-3 hours out of mumbai - and a decent place to be in during the summer months.

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