tourism in maharashtra wikipedia

9 Top Maharashtra Tourist Destinations and Attractions

What to See and Do in Maharashtra

These top Maharashtra tourist places offer a diverse mix of ancient cave temples, forts, mountains, wineries, and beaches. Of course, there's cosmopolitan Mumbai as well.

Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra, is the financial capital of India and the home of India's Bollywood film industry. Also called India's "maximum city", Mumbai is known for its extreme standards of living, ​fast-paced lifestyle, and the making (or breaking) of dreams. Captivating examples of colonial British architecture can be found all over the city and make up many of Mumbai's top attractions , including the Gateway of India and Haji Ali. Mumbai also has a pulsating nightlife, with unforgettable bars , live music venues, national park , and traveler hangouts.

Ajanta and Ellora Caves

TripSavvy / Anna Haines

The Ajanta and Ellora Caves are located near Aurangabad in northern Maharashtra, around 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Mumbai. There are 34 caves at Ellora dating from between the 6th and 11th centuries AD, and 29 caves at Ajanta dating back to between the 2nd century BC and 6th century AD. While the Ajanta caves are rich in paintings and sculpture, the Ellora caves are renowned for their extraordinary architecture. The most incredible thing about all these caves is that they were crafted by hand, with only a hammer and chisel.

Konkan Coast

The Konkan Coast in Maharashtra offers a bounty of beautiful beaches, which are among the most pristine in the country.Delightfully off the tourist trail, they are devoid of much commercial development and many are practically deserted.

The closest hill station to Mumbai, Matheran was discovered in 1850 by the British during their occupation of India and subsequently developed into a popular summer retreat. At height of 800 meters (2,625 feet) above sea level, this serene place provides a cooling escape from searing temperatures. However, the most unique thing about it and what makes it so special, is that all vehicles are banned there -- even bicycles. It's a soothing place to relax away from any noise and pollution. Get there by taking the scenic toy train .

Nashik, approximately four hours northeast of Mumbai in Maharashtra, is a city of contrasts. On one hand, it's an ancient and sacred pilgrimage destination with a fascinating Old City and temples, such as Naroshankar and Kalaram. On the other, it's home to the biggest winery region in India. 

Tadoba National Park

Overlooked by tourism until recently because it was off the beaten track and lacked accommodations, these days Tadoba National Park and Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra is fast gaining a reputation as one of the best places to see a tiger in the wild in India.

Just two hours southeast of Mumbai, and halfway between Mumbai and Pune, Lonavala provides an eclectic blend of hills, history and adventure. Its a popular misty monsoon destination, and its lush surroundings have been the backdrop of many Bollywood movie song and dance scenes. Attractions include forts, lookouts, lakes, dams, and waterfalls (during the monsoon season).  Nirvana Adventures conducts paragliding in Kamshet, close to Lonavala. The ancient rock-cut Karla caves are also worth visiting.

Mahabaleshwar

For fresh strawberries (as well as mulberries, raspberries, and gooseberries) head to Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghat mountains (known as the Sahyadri mountains in Maharashtra). Strawberry season runs from November to March and you can feast on them at Mapro Gardens and Archie's Farm. Otherwise, go trekking, fishing, boating, horse riding, or take in the views at one of the many sightseeing points and lookouts (there are nearly 30 of them!).

The historical and cultural city of Kolhapur is a lesser-known tourist destination alongside the Panchganga River in southern Maharashtra. Yet, it certainly has plenty to offer! Its magnificent temples are one of the main attractions, with the Mahalaxmi Temple being the focus. The city has a long line of both Hindu and Muslim rulers, and has been the site of intense confrontations. Prior to India's Independence, from 1700 it was controlled by the Maratha Empire and the British. The new palace of the Maharaja of Kolhapur, built in 1884, has grandiose Indo-Saracenic architecture. It now houses the Shree Chhatrapati Shahu Museum, containing memorabilia of Kolhapur's rulers. Kolhapur also has a couple of interesting claims to fame: the famous Kolhapuri chappals (shoes) originated from there and the city is said to produce the best Kushti wrestlers.

16 Best Tourist Destinations in India

Top 18 Things to Do in Mumbai

22 Caves in India for History, Adventure and Spirituality

Guide to Popular Tourist Sites in India by Region

The Best Day Trips to Take From Mumbai

Top 12 Attractions and Places to Visit in Mumbai

12 Top Historical Places in India You Must Visit

20 Top Things to Do in Diverse India

Karla Caves in Maharashtra: The Complete Guide

Ajanta and Ellora Caves Essential Travel Guide

Top 9 Places to Visit in Nashik, Maharashtra

14 Famous Forts and Palaces in India that You Must See

One Week in Mumbai: The Perfect Itinerary

Gokarna Beach in Karnataka: The Complete Guide

Your Ultimate Trip to India: The Complete Guide

17 Top Tourist Places to Visit in Rajasthan

• 1 Districts
• 2.2 History
• 2.3 Culture and attitudes
• 2.4 Climate
• 3.1 By plane
• 3.2 By boat
• 3.3 By train
• 4.1.1 Air-conditioned taxis
• 4.1.2 Private taxis
• 4.1.3 Tourist traps
• 4.2 By auto-rickshaw
• 4.4 By train
• 4.5 By metro
• 4.6 By monorail
• 4.7 By ferry
• 6.1 Colonial buildings
• 6.2 Museums and galleries
• 6.3 Beaches
• 6.4 Zoos, parks and gardens
• 6.5 Markets and crowds
• 6.6 Modern buildings and malls
• 6.7 Religious places
• 7.1.1 Organised festivals and events
• 7.1.2 Religious festivals
• 10.1 What to buy
• 10.2 Bookshops
• 10.3 Tourist traps
• 10.4 Groceries
• 11.1.1 International Cuisine
• 11.2.1 Regional Indian
• 11.3 Street food stalls
• 11.4 Authentic Marathi cuisine
• 11.5 Udupi restaurants
• 11.6 Irani cafes
• 11.7 Thalis
• 11.8 Fast food chains
• 11.9 What to eat
• 11.10 Tipping
• 12.1 Pubs & bars
• 12.2 LGBT options
• 12.3 Coffee shops
• 14.1 Landlines
• 14.2 Pay phones
• 14.3 Mobile phones
• 14.4 Cybercafes
• 14.6 Postal services
• 15.1.1 Railways
• 15.1.2 Airport
• 15.1.3 Air Ambulance
• 16 Stay healthy
• 17.2 Newspapers
• 17.4 Hospitals
• 17.5 Diagnostic centres
• 17.6 24 hour chemists
• 17.7 Foreign missions

Mumbai ( Marathi : मुंबई Mumbaī , Hindi : मुम्बई Mumbaī ) ( state tourism office ), earlier known as Bombay , is the largest city in India and the capital of the state Maharashtra . A cosmopolitan metropolis, Mumbai was built on seven islands on the Konkan coastline which over time were joined to form the island city of Bombay. The island was in turn joined with the neighbouring island of Salsette to form Greater Bombay . The city has an estimated metropolitan population of 21 million (2011), making it one of the world's most populous cities.

Mumbai is undoubtedly the commercial capital of India and is one of the predominant port cities in the country. Mumbai's nature as the most eclectic and cosmopolitan Indian city is symbolised in the presence of Bollywood within the city, the centre of the globally-influential Hindi film and TV industries. It is also home to India's largest slum population and the iconic Gateway of India built on the waterfront of Mumbai Harbour during the British Raj.

The name Bombay comes from Bom Bahia ("the good bay" in Portuguese), a name given by explorer Francis Almeida. Mumbai is named after the goddess Mumbadevi of the Koli community.

Districts [ edit ]

Mumbai is a city built in successive waves of migrations. The neighbourhoods acquired their character from the communities that settled there first. These neighbourhoods are too numerous to list and there is no commonly accepted way to group these neighbourhoods into larger districts. But roughly, from the south to the north, this is how the city developed.

The term Old Mumbai is used here to refer to the peninsular portion of Mumbai, which was the city till the 1940s when it expanded to cover the suburbs in the north.

Understand [ edit ]

Mumbai is a bustling, diverse metropolis with a flair of its own. The entrepreneurial spirit and pulsing pace of life provide a sharp contrast to much of the rest of India.

Name [ edit ]

There has been much debate regarding the original name of the city. Some say the current name of the city Mumbai is the original name; and is an eponym derived from Mumbā , the name of the local Hindu goddess Mumbadevi, and āī , meaning "mother" in Marathi. Others claim Bombay was an anglicised version of Bom Bahia, a name given by the Portuguese to mean "Beautiful Bay" and later made popular by the British as the name of the Bombay state.

The name was officially changed from Bombay to Mumbai in 1995. Although Bombay and Mumbai are both used, people who explicitly use "Bombay" are generally non-Marathi speakers whereas "Mumbai" proponents primarily speak Marathi. In the West, Mumbai has become more commonly accepted in order to avoid controversy. The city is also fondly called āmcī Mumbaī (आमची मुंबई, "our Mumbai").

History [ edit ]

Though the seven islands that now make up the city have a long recorded history like any other place in India, their journey to form the city of Mumbai really started in 1498, when the Portuguese took them over from the Sultan of Gujarat. They built a settlement, forts, and churches (including the strange-looking Portuguese Church that stands to this day). However, they could not make much of their possession and the seven islands were handed over to England in 1661 as part of the dowry of Catherine de Braganza when she married Charles II of England. He wasn't very interested in the islands either, and he leased them to the British East India Company for £10 a year in 1668. The East India Company built the docks, the trading posts, and the fort that would form the nerve centre of the city. They also started off the long process of reclaiming land and joining the islands, an activity which went on until the 1960s.

The port attracted industries, and the entrepreneurial communities like the Parsis, Gujaratis and Marwaris (from Rajasthan) migrated and set up trading companies and factories in the late 19th century. Industries attracted migrant labour from different parts of the country. The successive waves of migration shaped the character of the city and its neighbourhoods.

The city that owes its existence to the efforts of the British was also the birthplace of the Indian National Congress, which played an overwhelmingly important role in the independence movement. The city whose mills were built by industrialists from across the country is the capital of Maharashtra state, which was carved on linguistic lines for Marathi speakers.

In the 1980s, high labour costs and unrest forced the closure of many textile mills and the city went into a decline from which it started recovering only in the late 1990s. The high population put a strain on the infrastructure. The rail and road network underwent a steady improvement over the 1990s, but because of the magnitude of the task, the roads seemed to be perennially under construction. Mumbai has now reinvented itself as a hub for the service industry.

In January 1993, in the wake of the destruction of the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya , a wave of riots swept the city, with over 1,000 people killed, the vast majority of whom were Muslims. Relations between the city's various ethnic groups have been tense ever since, with several terrorist outrages (see #Stay safe ) adding fuel to the fire.

Culture and attitudes [ edit ]

Mumbai is the most cosmopolitan city in India. In comparison with the rest of the country, the city is quite liberal. With a regular influx of immigrants from rest of India, the citizens, popularly known as 'Mumbaikers', have shown remarkable tolerance towards other cultures, making it a true cultural melting pot. However this tolerance has sometimes bowed under external pressures. Between the 60s and 80s, there was resentment about the non-Marathi speakers taking away jobs. The 1991 and 1993 riots between Hindus and Muslims did affect this spirit; however, the city managed to recover from these, once again proudly highlighting true 'spirit of Mumbai'.

Climate [ edit ]

Mumbai has three main seasons — summer, monsoon, and winter (milder summer). The best time to visit is during the winter between October and February. Humidity is also less during the winter, when the climate is pleasant; the minimum temperature is 17°C and the maximum is 30-31°C. Summer is from March to May, with highs in the low to mid 30s (roughly 80-90°F). It is hot and humid during this time. June to September is the monsoon season when the city is lashed by heavy rains. The city gets flooded two or three times and normal life gets disrupted during this season. Climate is humid pretty much throughout the year because the city rests on the coast.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

Mumbai has excellent connectivity with most of the major cities around the world, including New York , London , Dubai , Tel Aviv , Singapore , Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur to name a few. If you are flying from Europe it is generally cheaper to fly from London, and there are many frequent flights available. All domestic sectors are linked to Mumbai, making it the second busiest hub in the country next to Delhi.

Mumbai's 19.099748 72.87499 1 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport ( BOM  IATA ) is one of India's busiest airports and one of the main international gateways to the country. Many international airlines and low-cost carriers fly into Mumbai.

By boat [ edit ]

Thane Creek is bustling with ferries to central Mumbai from various cities on the southern and eastern side of the creek, such as Alibag . Ferries from Ferry Wharf also allow cheap access to islands and beaches in the vicinity of the city and Elephanta .

There are no scheduled international ferries to Mumbai, however cruise ships dock regularly.

By train [ edit ]

Hundreds of trains arrive daily from all over India, almost all major cities have a direct connection with Mumbai. Trains terminate at various different stations throughout the vast city, so make sure to note which station is relevant for your journey.

Main reservation offices are Churchgate, Mumbai Central and Bandra for the Western line and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Dadar on the Central line. There are unique ticket windows and quotas for foreign tourists. Bookings and tariffs on train tickets from anywhere in India from Mumbai can be found at the website of Indian Railways . Notice that while all trains are operated by Indian Railways, the Western and Central Lines function independently and reservations can only be made at certain stations.

The private luxury service Maharajas' Express has travel packages between Mumbai and Delhi . A high-speed railway from Ahmedabad is under construction and is planned to open in 2027.

By car [ edit ]

National highway numbers 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 17, and the Mumbai-Pune expressway radiate from the city providing links to all parts of the country. The road conditions are generally better than in the rest of India. Distances from various cities to Mumbai are:

• From other states : Ahmedabad (524 km (326 mi), 10 hr), Bangalore (982 km (610 mi)), Chennai (1,334 km (829 mi)), Kochi (1,427 km (887 mi)), Goa (583 km (362 mi), 11 hr), Hyderabad (711 km (442 mi), 14 hr), Mangalore (892 km (554 mi)), New Delhi (1,402 km (871 mi))
• From Maharashtra State : Amravati (669 km (416 mi)), Ahmednagar (254 km (158 mi)), Nagpur (824 km (512 mi)), Pune (151 km (94 mi), 2½-3 hr)

By bus [ edit ]

Mumbai is well served by buses from destinations inside India.

• Asiad Bus Service The bus terminal, popularly known as 'Asiad Bus Terminal' on Ambedkar Rd in Dadar east is another hub from where buses travel to Pune at regular frequency of 15 minutes to 1 hour. Buses vary in comfort from ordinary to luxury with airconditioning. Other routes available are Mumbai - Satara, Mumbai - Nasik. The easiest way to reach the terminal is to cross over using pedestrian foot bridge to Dadar East from the Dadar Terminus and walk straight all the way (less than 5 mins) to Ambedkar Rd.
• Private Buses There also exist numerous private bus operators who operate a large number of services from/to Mumbai from most major cities like Udaipur , Ajmer , Ahmedabad , Vadodara , Surat , Indore , Nashik , Aurangabad , Hyderabad , Belgaum , Hubli , Bangalore , Mangalore , Trichur and Goa . For Pune , buses depart every 10 minutes. Crawford Market, Dadar T.T., Sion, Chembur and Borivili are the main starting points. Some of the reliable private operators are - National,Neeta, Sharma, VRL, Konduskar, Dolphin, Paulo and Southern Travels.
• The comfortable air-conditioned blue cabs are available to Pune and Ahmednagar-Nashik from opposite Asiad Bus Terminal in Dadar and Lakhamsi Nappoo Rd near Dadar east railway station respectively.
• ST Buses ( MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) ), ☏ +91 22 2307 4272 (Mumbai Central), +91 22 2307 6622 (Mumbai Central), +91 22 2422 9905 (Parel), +91 22 2413 6835 (Dadar) . Operates services to Mumbai from various cities in Maharashtra. Mumbai Central is the most important Terminus in the city. All major cities in Maharashtra and nearby states are connected through Mumbai Central Terminus. The other important ST depots are at Parel, Nehru Nagar-Kurla, and Borivali. You can get buses for all over Maharashtra from these depots. But from Mumbai Central you would get buses any time as well as other State Transport buses. Quality varies.  

Get around [ edit ]

Most of Mumbai's inhabitants rely on public transport to and from their workplaces due to the lack of parking spaces, traffic bottlenecks and generally poor road conditions, especially in the monsoon. However, do ride in a taxi and auto at least once in the city. Feel real adventure in a vehicle that feels like it might fall apart at a speed over 30 kilometres per hour (19 mph) with a driver who thinks he's Schumacher.

For travelling using public transport, you can download the m-Indicator app for Android and iPhone . It contains useful information about bus and train routes, which can help you plan your commute.

By taxi [ edit ]

There are several types of taxis plying in Mumbai. You can hail a cab off the streets. Virtually all taxis have electronic meters which are somewhat tamper-proof. A taxi driver cannot refuse a fare as per law. If a driver does refuse, a threat to complain to the nearest cop usually does the trick. The minimum fare for 1 mi (1.6 km) or less is ₹28 (in 2022).

If you have extra pieces of luggage, the boot (trunk) of the taxi will not provide sufficient space, one large suitcase is all that will fit there. Hiring a taxi with a top carrier will be better. Top carriers can accommodate up to three large suitcases. Before starting the journey, ensure that the luggage is securely fastened to the carrier.

Generally, the only way to call for a standard taxi is to hail one on the street. This will not be a problem if you are within Old Mumbai or Bandra. It will be difficult to find a taxi in the suburbs as they have been out-competed by the cheaper auto-rickshaws there.

The maximum number of passengers allowed for a trip officially is four — three in the back seat and one in the front. Seat belts are not mandatory for taxi passengers and most standard black and yellow taxis will not even have them installed, though expect them in the branded ones.

Air-conditioned taxis [ edit ]

Air-conditioned taxis are premium public taxis and its fare is 20% higher than non-air-conditioned taxis. These taxis are really helpful for tourists and travellers who are not accustomed to the heat and pollution of Mumbai. All the rules of non-air-conditioned taxis apply to air-conditioned taxis too.

Since the fare of air-conditioned taxis is at a premium, the common folks usually do not prefer to travel by air-conditioned taxis and is primarily used by tourists or business travellers. For the lack of demand, the lack of supply is also expected. These taxis ply frequently but are not easily available in all locations. You can always expect them to be available at tourist hot spots like railway stations, airports, premium hotels, top tourist spots, etc. If you are not travelling through either of the above locations, and you need the air-conditioned comfort, but do not want to go look for a taxi, it is suggested that you move to the next section.

Private taxis [ edit ]

If you want a comfortable, air-conditioned ride at a small surcharge of 25 per cent over normal taxis it's best to travel by branded cab services that operate at government-approved tariffs. These services operate in modern fleets with well-trained drivers. You can get them at 30–60 minutes' notice, they are clean, air-conditioned, equipped with digital, tamper-proof meters, punctual, honest, and GPS-equipped-monitored, which makes them far secure at any time. If you're using a mobile phone, you receive an SMS with the driver's name, mobile number and car number 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. There is a 25% night surcharge (midnight-5AM). Some can be booked online.

Follow the queue system to board a taxi. Quite frequently, tourists and new visitors are mobbed by unscrupulous taxi drivers. Most drivers are honest, but the dishonest ones tend to cluster around railway stations and airports where they can more easily find suckers. Unless you are taking a prepaid taxi, always ask taxis to go by the meter. At the start of the journey, ensure that the meter is visible and shows the flag-down fare/meter reading.

Mumbai is also served by various transport network organisations. A lot of tourists and locals alike use services like Uber and Ola Cabs to commute in and around Mumbai. Make sure to read the tariffs in these before you pay. While most of these services do accept cash, a lot of them can also be linked to online wallet (UPI) services like Paytm; as such, overcharging is rarely a risk.

Tourist traps [ edit ]

One of the common scams is to charge the night fare rate during the daytime. You should be careful and read the heading before paying. In some cards, the night fare is red in colour and the daytime fare is black in colour.

The night charges are only applicable if you board the vehicle during the night hours (midnight to 5 AM). If you boarded the vehicle before midnight, and your journey is finishing after midnight, you are not liable to pay night charges. Similarly, if you board the vehicle before 5 AM and you finish after 5 AM, you are liable to pay night charges.

Sometimes, auto-rickshaw drivers charge the taxi fare and even show you a tariff card which is used for taxi fare computation.

You can download the m-indicator app which is available in Google Play Store and iTunes App Store. This app carries the latest taxi fares, auto fares, bus services details and local train timetables.

By auto-rickshaw [ edit ]

Auto-rickshaws are only allowed to operate beyond Bandra and Sion. They are not issued the licence for Old Mumbai. If you are not used to Indian roads, an auto-rickshaw ride can be heart-stopping, death-defying, laws-of-physics-bending.

Before departing, ensure that the meter is visible and shows the flag-down reading as 1.00 (on a mechanical meter). If the number is higher, insist that the driver flags it down once again. The minimum fare is ₹23 (in 2022). The meter remains at 1.00 for the first 1.6 km (0.99 mi) and every 0.10 movement indicates approx 200 m (i.e. 1.50 for every 0.2 km (0.12 mi)). Every auto driver is supposed to carry a valid RTO-approved meter tariff card. You can check this tariff card before paying. The meter also keeps ticking if you are waiting and/or are stuck in traffic. It's quite handy to have a copy of the meter card issued by The Mumbai Traffic Police. All of this applies to mechanical meters, not digital meters. Newer digital meters have started becoming common from 2012 onwards, and they show the exact fare, so there is no need to convert via the tariff card.

Auto-rickshaws are slower than cars and have terrible suspensions. Pregnant ladies are most strongly advised not to travel by auto-rickshaws since the combination of rash driving, poor suspensions, and horrible road conditions have quite often led to serious complications. The auto-rickshaw is a slow and uncomfortable vehicle and is not recommended for very long distances.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region around Mumbai is fast developing into a major conurbation. If you need to get to the surrounding cities of Thane , Navi Mumbai or Kalyan , bus services are available.

Buses run from 5AM to midnight. Selected routes run beyond these timings, but much less often. The average frequency between buses ranges from five to 30 min depending on the route. Fares are reasonable and buses can be travelled during peak hours, unlike trains which are far too crowded. Some trunk routes do get extremely crowded, however. Peak hours also have traffic snarls which may depend on the area traversed and the state of the roads.

Buses are numbered and the final destination is marked on the front in Marathi and on the side in English. Generally, buses around the city and trunk routes would be in the 1–199 series. Buses in the western suburbs would be the 200 series while those plying in the central and eastern suburbs would be in the 300 and 400 series. Services to Navi Mumbai are in the 500 series and buses to the Mira-Bhayander area are in the 700 series.

• Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport ( BEST ) provides efficient and comprehensive services connecting all places of the city and the suburbs. Some services also link the city with the extended suburbs like Navi Mumbai and Thane. Seats are almost always occupied. There are bus stops all over the city. There is usually a crowd and queue. You have to get in through the rear entrance and off at the front. Tickets are issued by a uniformed "conductor" after you get in. Special seats are marked for "Ladies", "Senior Citizens", "Handicapped", "Expectant Women", and "Women with infants". They can get in from the front. BEST has introduced the "Daily Pass" (Cost ₹50, valid on all BEST non-AC buses; Cost ₹60, valid on all BEST buses, including Air-conditioned bus routes). BEST has launched its app " BEST Prawas " for Android, which contains features like live tracking of buses and ETA of buses. You can also purchase BEST bus tickets and passes using the ridlr app for Android.
• TMT (Thane Municipal Transport) operates services in the Thane city and areas around it.
• The MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation), commonly known as ST, operates services from selected points in the city to the extended suburbs. From Dadar, services to Navi Mumbai and Panvel and from Borivali to Thane are the most prominent. Numerous other important routes are also covered in the MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region) by the MSRTC.
• NMMT (Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport) operates services in Navi Mumbai Area, and a few points around. They also have services from Mulund in Greater Mumbai.
• KDMT (Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Transport) operates in the Kalyan - Dombivli Area with a few connections to Navi Mumbai.

Another option is to book bus tickets online from Redbus or myticketbuddy [dead link] , both of which have a choice of a number of large private bus operators all over India.

Most people travel in Mumbai using the Mumbai Suburban Railway commonly referred to as "Locals". Mumbai has an extensive railway network, with three lines — the Western Line, the Central Line and the Harbour Line.

• Mumbai is a linear city and the Western Line   Western   travels from Churchgate to Dahanu Road via Mumbai's Western Suburbs. The Western line provides north–south connectivity.
• The Central Line   Central   travels from Mumbai CSMT to Ambernath via Mumbai's Central Suburbs and Thane , with some services running beyond to Karjat, Khopoli, and Kasara. The interchange point between the Western Line and the Central Line is Dadar.
• The Harbour Line   Harbour   has a common stretch between Mumbai CSMT and Vadala Road. The Harbour Line splits into two spurs, the main one running to Mumbai's Eastern Suburbs and Navi Mumbai, up to Panvel. The Interchange point of this line with the Central Main Line is at Kurla. The other spur of the Harbour Line runs up to Mahim on the Western Line and runs parallel up to Andheri. The interchange stations with the Western line are Bandra and Andheri.

Trains on all lines start operations after 4AM and close operations between midnight and 1AM. Second-class travel is very cheap. However, it is advisable to buy first-class tickets as the economy class is extremely crowded. First Class can be quite expensive and if four people are travelling together, a taxi might be better.

There would always be queues and it would be advisable to buy coupon booklets. Coupon booklet punching machines are available at all stations and the best thing is you will not have to stand in a huge line to buy a booklet. Another option is to buy a Smart card for Railways. It helps you maintain balance like any gift card with an option to refill it once it goes below the limit. Smart card outlets to buy tickets are available at all stations. They are touch screen based and you can simply follow the instructions to buy a ticket for the right path.

If you are a tourist, you can buy a 'Tourist Ticket'. It costs ₹275 and you can travel in first class compartments of all three lines during the entire day. Ensure the location of the first-class compartment before the train arrives. You may ask fellow passengers or the vendors at the various food stalls. An easier way to spot the location of the First class compartment is to check the station walls painted with red and yellow slant stripes.

Avoid using local trains during rush hour (first class or otherwise). Rush hour is 8:30–10:30AM towards CST and Churchgate and 5:30PM–8:30PM in the opposite direction. If you are travelling during rush hour, don't stand near the railway tracks as you will get swamped by frantic. Take no offence if you are pushed and shoved about, as passengers jostle for a spot. As you near your exit station, ensure that you are as close as possible to the train door, as experienced commuters, will begin the mad run to be first on, or off, the car before the car comes to a full stop. If you stand any chance of getting on/off before the train departs, you must be equally aggressive in your focus to exit/enter, remember no one will take offence if you make contact with others, as you wriggle by. Last, but not least, exiting/entering a train before it comes to a full stop is not something to be taken lightly, one misstep can send a person onto the rails with amazing ease! Leave the stunts to the experienced locals.

There are special coaches for women in both classes. These are designated by green and yellow slant stripes, spot these stripes on the station walls and you'll know where the ladies compartment is. These are generally less crowded and safer. But very late at night, it might actually be safer to travel by the general coach than the first-class women's coach, as the latter may be absolutely empty except for you. From 11:15PM-6:30PM the ladies compartment towards the northern end is open to the general public. Sometimes they have a cop guarding the coaches, but sometimes they won't. Use your judgement.

By metro [ edit ]

The Mumbai Metro connects the western suburbs to the eastern suburbs. Line 1 runs from Versova to Ghatkopar with interchange options available at Andheri (Western Line) And Ghatkopar (Central Line) Railway Station. The travel time is 20 minutes.

You can purchase Mumbai Metro tickets from your smartphone using the ridlr app.

By monorail [ edit ]

Mumbai has India's only monorail system, it has one line and eighteen stations throughout the city. The fare is between ₹5 and ₹11 depending on your destination station.

By ferry [ edit ]

These are a few intra-city ferry services:

• Gateway of India to Elephanta Caves Fast boats and Catamarans operated by private operators. These are moderately priced. This is only way to get to Elephanta Caves .
• Gorai (Borivali) to Gorai Beach Low-cost ferry connecting Gorai Beach/Esselworld.
• Marve Jetty (Malad) to Manori Jetty Cheap ferry (by BEST) connecting Manori and Gorai. Also services for Esselworld (Amusement Park).
• Versova (Andheri) to Madh Jetty Cheap ferry connecting Madh/Erangal/Aksa/Marve.

Travel agents and hotels can arrange private chauffeur-driven cars to provide services. Expensive by comparison with taxis, they are the most trusted, secure, and comfortable way to travel around the city. Driving in Mumbai can be difficult, because of poor driver discipline, but chauffeur-driven services are very reasonable. These can be arranged by travel companies or online from the countries of origin. Car rental agencies also have services in Mumbai.

Talk [ edit ]

Mumbai is India's melting pot — a confluence of people from various parts of India, but dominant are people from the west, then north, and followed by the south. Marathi is the state and city official language used by State Government agencies, municipal authorities, and the local police, and also the first language of most locals.

However, being one of India's largest cities and main commercial centre, Mumbai is now also home to migrants from other parts of India who do not speak Marathi. A local variant of Hindi , with strong Bollywood influence, called Mumbaiya Hindi (or Bambaiya Hindi ), serves as the "lingua franca". Although almost everyone can understand standard Hindi, you may get an interesting reply from some. Most educated locals will be well versed in Marathi, Hindi and English.

English is widely used in the corporate world and in banking and trading. In most places, you will be able to get by with Hindi and English, as most people you will encounter can communicate in broken English at the very least. However, expect to hear more regional languages including Gujarati .

See [ edit ]

There is a lot to see in Mumbai, but the typical "tourist" sights are concentrated in South Mumbai .

By Indian standards, Mumbai is a young city and much of the land comprising the city did not exist until it was claimed from the sea over three centuries ago. It is therefore, a pleasant surprise to find rock cut caves such as the Elephanta, Kanheri, and Mahakali within city limits.

Colonial buildings [ edit ]

The British built a magnificent city within the walls of Fort St. George, which lies at the southern extremity of the city. Some fine examples of the Gothic revival, Neo-classical style and Indo-Saracenic style are seen within this area. To get the best experience of the city centre, stroll around the wide streets of the area right from Churchgate to Colaba. These areas are all beautifully planned and have wide and clean pavements, unlike the rest of the city. Famous monuments to be seen in this area are the Gateway of India, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT, previously Victoria Terminus), the Municipal Corporation and Police Headquarters and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Vastu Sanghralaya (formerly, the Prince Of Wales Museum). The famous Taj Mahal Palace Hotel is opposite the Gateway of India. The Mumbai University buildings and the High Court are also excellent examples of colonial architecture in the city.

There are a lot of other modern structures to look at in this area. The area known as Marine Drive (right from Girgaon Chowpatty to NCPA) is home to a large number of buildings built in the Art Deco style. Mumbai is second only to Miami in the number of Art Deco buildings. some famous buildings in this style are the Eros and Regal cinemas. The Art Deco and Gothic buildings were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018.

Museums and galleries [ edit ]

Some of the India's most famous museums and art galleries are found here. The Kala Ghoda area in South Mumbai teems with them, particularly the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (Prince of Wales Museum), and the National Gallery of Modern Art . Once again, most of them are concentrated in South Mumbai. Also worth planning a visit is Jehangir Art Gallery, also at Kala Ghoda, displays changing exhibits by notable artists. The plaza next to the gallery also regularly displays exhibits of various artists.

In Nehru Complex in Worli is Nehru Centre Art Gallery at Worli is a gallery dedicated to young and promising talent along with established artists. Also within the complex is a permanent exposition, Discovery of India, which attempts to cover every aspect of artistic, intellectual and philosophical attainment of India through ages. The exposition spreads across 14 galleries and reflects true identity of the country. On the other end of the complex, Nehru Science Centre - which has a separate entrance from Mahalaxmi race course road, has a permanent exhibition on 'interactive and exciting' science related exhibits highlighting science principles in fun yet educational way.

Beaches [ edit ]

Mumbai isn't known for beaches because they have immensely filthy water! Mumbai has a few beaches, including one in the southern districts. But they aren't that great and the water off Mumbai's coast is extraordinarily dirty. The relatively better ones are in North Mumbai . However, they are a great place to see how the locals spend their Sunday evenings, with various food and game stalls.

There are other beaches to be found such as the Girgaon Chowpatty (the cleanest one) in South Mumbai, Juhu Beach in the Western Suburbs and Aksa Beach in North Mumbai. The currents don't seem strong, but particularly in the rains, lots of people die from drowning, so avoid getting in the water (especially at Aksa Beach). A word of advice to women: Mumbai beaches are not the kind you can wear swimsuits to, particularly two-pieces.

Zoos, parks and gardens [ edit ]

Mumbai has a justified reputation as a concrete jungle, but there are some nice pockets of greenery within the city. It is also one of the rare megacities to have an entire national park within its borders ( Sanjay Gandhi National Park [dead link] ). You will not visit Mumbai for them, but if you are already here, they make a nice escape from the din and bustle. It also houses the ancient Kanheri Caves crafted out of rocky cliffs, which dates back 2,400 years.

The city zoo (Jijamata Udyan) in Byculla is a colonial relic and it is surprisingly well-preserved. The animals may look rather emaciated, but the sheer diversity of trees on this lush zoo is worth a trip.

Some city parks are very well-maintained and combine history as well. The "Hanging Gardens" on Malabar Hill offers stunning vistas of the Marine Drive. Opposite the Hanging Gardens, there is another park which is known as Kamla Nehru Park, famous for the striking shoe-shaped structure which has been filmed in various Bollywood movies

Further in South Mumbai, the Mumbai Port Trust Garden, is another hidden gem. This is set off a small side street off the Colaba Causeway 2–3 km (1.2–1.9 mi) south of the main section. Attractive views of the port, the naval yards and sunset.

In North Central Mumbai, there is Mancherji Joshi Five Gardens. Mainly used by walkers in the morning, it is a mess in the evenings. But the gardens encircle some historic, art deco residences.

Markets and crowds [ edit ]

Mumbai is probably worth visiting just for its street markets, the hustle of vendors, and the madness of the crowds. Good places are Bandra, Khar and Andheri. If you came to Mumbai and didn't give visit to the highly dense and crowded markets, it means you didn't meet the real Mumbai.

Hawkers and street shoppers don't ask for any legal permission and then set their stalls at the places where they see maximum footfall. From electronics items to fresh food, you can get everything at railway platforms, subway and mains streets.

Modern buildings and malls [ edit ]

Once the British left, the zeal to wipe away the traces of colonial rule was, unfortunately, not matched by the enthusiasm to build a new city that matched the grandeur of the British-era buildings. Now, while the shabbiness of the socialist era is thankfully being replaced by architecture with an eye on aesthetics, the new malls, multiplexes, and office buildings that are coming up are indistinguishable from those anywhere else in the world. Still, they are worth a look, especially if you want to have a look at India's success story. Skyscrapers exceeding 60 stories now dominate the skyline.

For long, Inorbit Mall was the only mall offering a lot of variety for shoppers. Palladium, built within the High Street Phoenix, broke the monopoly of Inorbit Mall. From state of the art interiors to international brands, the Palladium has everything. The new Infiniti Mall (Infinity 2) in Malad also has lots of foreign brands and is one of the biggest malls in the suburbs. Nirmal Lifestyles Mall in Mulund and Metro Junction Mall in Kalyan are two of the largest malls in Mumbai. In the central suburbs, they are quite popular in the city.

Powai is a modern central Mumbai suburb with European looks. Powai houses the Indian Institute of Technology and is built around fabulous lake. Most of the construction is in a township format and is privately built. It houses twenty top of the line restaurants, two large convenience stores, a handful of coffee shops and entertainment areas. Initially built as an upmarket self-contained township, Powai has now grown into a business process outsourcing hub in Mumbai. The township reflects both characteristics; you will often find families shopping and twenty somethings hanging out in tables next to each other.

Religious places [ edit ]

Mumbai has temples, mosques, churches, Parsi agiaries, and even a few synagogues reflecting the diversity of its citizens. While these are naturally of interest if you are a believer, some, like the Portuguese church at Dadar are worth visiting just for their unique architecture.

Mahalaxmi temple is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, offering a scenic and serene view to the devotees and visitors.

Siddhivinayak temple of Mumbai is very famous. It is in Dadar and you can easily get a taxi to go to the temple from the Dadar railway station.

The city also boasts of Jewish places of worship predominantly in the area called Byculla, but also in South Mumbai. In this area the three prominent Jewish groups of Mumbai lived. They were Baghdadi Jews, Bene Israelis and the locals who had converted over a period of time and lived in the hinterland.

There are two very beautiful Hare Krishna (ISKCON) temples that are significant tourist attractions. One is in Hare Krishna land, Juhu, Andheri and the other in South Mumbai, near Gandhi's house. Both have Govinda's pure vegetarian restaurants at the premises. Most tourists appreciate the peaceful experience in the temple.

The Islamic Research Foundation of Zakir Naik is in South Central Mumbai near Dongri. Is popular with people of all faiths. It hosts a vast library of books from all world religions and is a great place to hangout and know about Islamic culture.

Mount Mary Church , also known as Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, is a Roman Catholic church located in Bandra West, Mumbai.

Haji Ali Dargah is one of the most visited places in Mumbai. The Dargah Sharief is built on a tiny islet 500 metres from the coast, in the middle of Worli Bay, in the vicinity of Worli. People from different religion and places visit this places. More than 80,000 people visit dargah every week.

One notable monument in Northwest Mumbai is the Global Vipassana Pagoda in Gorai. It is a meditation centre that can seat 8,000 people. Vipassana literally means mediation, and the centre runs 10-day meditation courses and 1 day mega courses on Sundays. The courses are free of cost but you would have to register for them in advance on their website.

Do [ edit ]

There is a lot to do in Mumbai, but lack of space means that for outdoorsy activities, you need to head north, often outside city limits. In North Munbai and Thane, you will find opportunities for water sports like H2O [dead link] at Girgaon Chowpatty. There are two golf courses in the city, the more famous one in Chembur [dead link] in the Harbour Suburbs.

Mumbai has a vibrant theatre scene with plays in many languages including English, Hindi, Gujarati, and Marathi. While South Mumbai has frequent performances, the best organised theatre effort is at Prithvi theatre, Juhu in the Western Suburbs. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy Indian classical music and dance. While not a patch on the Sabhas of Chennai, you will find frequent performances of Carnatic music in Shanmukhananda Hall, Matunga in North Central Mumbai.

Mumbai is also usually the first stop for Western pop and rock stars visiting India, which they usually do when they are over 50. The Rock scene is very good in Mumbai. These are very safe to go to and are recommended for rock fans. Most bands cover heavy metal acts like Pantera, Six feet under, and Slipknot. To try to find places with specific music tastes try asking students outside Mumbai's colleges. Western classical music performances are rarer. However most classical music performances along with other art forms are regularly performed at NCPA and Tata Theatre , both next to the narrow strip at Nariman Point.

• Chowpatty Jayenge Bhel Puri Khayenge ; as it says in the lyrics of one of the Bollywood movie song, go to beaches (specially in the evenings) and enjoy local favourite 'Bhel Puri' while the sun sets in the Arabian sea.
• Take a harbour cruise ; cruises from Gateway of India leave every 30 min daily except during the monsoon season (Jun-Sep).
• Dabba wallahs are a group of couriers in Mumbai who move two million household lunchboxes every day in a complicated system of delivery.
• Enjoy theatre & performances ; Mumbai offers unlimited opportunities to theatre lovers and there are regular shows in theatres across the city. Check newspapers on latest shows as well as performances at prominent halls such as Prithvi Theatre, NCPA, Tata Theatre.
• Get crowded , and try catching suburban trains at peak times. You are warned though.
• Join for heritage walks . organised by two architects, these walks take you around various historic and architecturally significant areas of the city. Walks are organised on the third Sunday of every month (with a break from June through August for the monsoons) and the route varies each time. The walks last around 2 hours. Discounted rates for students and the physically challenged.  
• Poonawallas Breeders Multimillion ; on the last Sunday of February, the glitterati of Mumbai dress up for the Ascot of Mumbai at the Mahalaxmi Race Course. With High Tea, amazing hats, and hundreds of ordinary punters staking their little all on the outside chance, this is the event to attend in Mumbai so try to cage a ticket if you happen to visit around then.
• Pub Hopping , The number and variety of Pubs in the city allow for an enthralling Pub Hopping opportunity.
• Taj private yacht ; if you can afford it, rent the Taj's private yacht (has two sun decks and three bedrooms) for a cruise around the Mumbai harbour.
• Take A Dip at Water World
• Take a morning walk on Juhu beach
• Watch the sunset at the Gateway of India

• Temples ; there are so many religious places around in the city (both old and new) that one can plan a day long itinerary on that. Start with Mahalkshmi Temple, Banganga Temple, Siddhi Vinayak, Afghan Church, Mahim Church, Haji Ali... the list will get really long.
• Visit Essel World
• Visit museums and art galleries
• Watch a Movie ; you are in the land of Bollywood. Expect whistles and clapping by crowd in admiration of their celebrities on the screen, except at multiplexes as this occurs at single-screen movie theatres. Most of the cinema halls run both 'popular and new' Bollywood as well as Hollywood movies and some even screen ones in regional languages. Some of the popular Hollywood screening cinema halls in South Mumbai are Eros opposite Churchgate, Metro on M.G.Road, Regal in Colaba, Sterling next to CST Station, and New Excelsior in Fort. With the rise of malls and multiplexes, the nearest cinema is unlikely to be more than a stone's throw away, even in the suburbs. Check out newspaper listing to get the list of latest screenings.
• Watch Cricket for Free ; cricket has a national games stature in India, and Mumbaikars revere that every day of the year. Azad Maidan (Azad ground) near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, ground opposite to Ruia College in Matunga and Shivaji Park in Dadar west are some of the best places to witness the cricket fever for free. You may be even lucky to witness ongoing game of cricket on some of the empty streets of Mumbai.

Festivals [ edit ]

While many religious festivals are celebrated by people in Mumbai, a few of these are essentially public and social occasions, where the traveller can participate.

Organised festivals and events [ edit ]

• Banganga Festival . (Jan) The musical festival is organised by Maharashtra Tourism (MTDC) annually at Banganga Tank on Malabar Hill.  
• Elephanta Festival . (March) Organised by Maharashtra Tourism, the festival of music and dance at Elephanta Caves has in the past seen performances by renowned artists like Alarmel Valli, Sanjeev Abhyankar, and Ananda Shankar and traditional Koli dances as well as traditional food. 7PM-10PM (Ferries start at 4PM)  
• Kala Ghoda Festival . The arts and crafts festival is held in the last week of Jan or first week of Feb annually in the historic precinct of Kala ghoda in Mumbai.  
• Mumbai Festival (Jan) Sample the vibrant culture of the city. The festival covers theater, sports, fashion, food, and shopping.
• Mumbai Wine Fest (Feb) Wine connoisseurs of the city gather to sample wines, enjoy the culinary delights while soaking in the cultural extravaganza put up at Kala Ghoda.

Religious festivals [ edit ]

• Christmas (Dec) This is characterised by midnight (nowadays held around 8-9PM on Christmas Eve due to restrictions on loud speakers) masses in churches and is usually followed by a number of private parties all across the city.
• Diwali (Oct/Nov) Festival of Lights. Start of New Year and opening of new accounts. Worshiping of Goddess Laxmi. Participate in the fireworks and view the bright lights.
• Ganesh Chaturthi (Aug/Sep) is one of Mumbai's most important and colourful festivals. During the 10 day celebration, Lord Ganesha is worshiped in millions of homes. See the colourful processions and participate in them, the biggest of which is on the last day of the celebrations where the largest idol is brought to Chowpatty for immersion in the wee-small hours of the morning and can vary depending on the crowd and pace of travel from Lal Bagh to the beach. The Lalbaug, Parel, Matunga and Dadar areas represent some of the best large scale decorations. On the last day of the festival, processions are carried out to bid bye to the loved deity in the sea. These presentations are colourful and carry a celebration fever. The best places to watch them are Girgaon and Dadar Chowpatty (beach) or the main roads such as Ambedkar Road from where the processions are carried out.
• Janmashtami (Jul/Aug) Birth Anniversary of Lord Krishna. Earthen pots full of curd are strung high up across the streets. Young men stand on top of one another to form a human pyramid and attempt to break the pots.
• Mt. Mary's Feast (Sep) The feast in honor of Our Lady of the Mount is celebrated with great solemnity at St. Mary's Church, Bandra. A week long Bandra fair is held during this time attracting huge crowds.
• Navratri (Sep/Oct) is a 10-day festival, where nine of the nights are spent in worship and entire Mumbai swings to the rhythm of Garba and Raas dances of Gujarati community.
• Ramadan-Eid Muslim festival marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Marked by feasting at many places. Non-Muslims can also join in.

Sports [ edit ]

Mumbai inherits the cricket fever justifiably and the metropolitan region has 3 of the finest cricket stadiums in India, namely Brabourne Stadium (Churchgate), Wankhede Stadium (Marine Lines) and DY Patil Stadium (Navi Mumbai). Several of international cricket matches and domestic championships such as Indian Premier League (IPL) have been played in these stadiums. Watch out for upcoming cricket stadium to join the cricket frenzy crowd. Apart from these, Ruia College, Shivaji Park, Azad Maidan, Marine Lines are some of the places where live cricket action can be seen for free. Alternatively if you are a football fan, you may want to visit Cooperage Football ground (Colaba) for a local league match. For swimming enthusiasists, Mahatma Gandhi Swimming Pool (Dadar W) is the place to visit. For horse racing, head straight to Mahalakshmi Race Course (Mahalakshmi). Powai hosts some of the finest Golf fields. For others there are many sport activities including Tennis, Table Tennis, Badminton which can be practised at various clubs. Gyms are plenty and can be easily found.

Learn [ edit ]

• Cricket - As cricket is like religion in India, many youngsters travel to Mumbai from different corners of India to get professional training in Cricket academies and educational institutes.
• Film & TV production - The craze of Bollywood attracts many people to try their luck in Mumbai. The city hosts many big film production houses and studios. Most of the big film producers and directors belong to this city and they have opened several training institutions to attract new talent.
• Indian classical music - The origins of Indian classical music are found in Vedas and the metropolitan city, Mumbai has been continuing the tradition. Most of the die- hard Indian classical music lovers operate training classes to pass on their talent to young generation.
• Indian cooking - Mumbai is real heaven for food lovers as one can get variety of food here. Food lovers not only love tasting variety of food but they also serve food to others by preserving their cooking talent. Many professional and amateur cook lovers offer free as well as paid classes to passionate learners.
• Yoga - Being highly busy city in India, the Mumbai people try to revive their life by taking part in different Yoga activities. In their rush schedule, Mumbaikars try to spend some time doing Yoga as they know role of these activities in their life.

Work [ edit ]

Nariman Point and Fort are the commercial hubs of the city and the most sought-after destinations. There is a significant expatriate population working in the banks and financial services industries. Bandra-Kurla Complex is another business district in Mumbai.

The advertising industry is a prominent industry in Mumbai. Many of the top advertising companies such as Lintas, O&M, Saatchi & Saatchi, Contract, and Trikaya Grey have their offices in the city.

A good idea to make quick money is to work part-time in a BPO or a call centre most of which are concentrated at Mindspace, Malad(W) and Hiranandani Gardens (Powai). Only suitable for English speakers.

Foreigners can also earn a quick buck as extras in Bollywood films. Bring a book as there is a lot of time spent sitting around, so it's not something to do for the money. Normally you won't have to look for them as they will be asking tourists near Leopold's or your hotel manager may ask you when you book in.

Buy [ edit ]

Visa, MasterCards and Indian RuPay cards are widely accepted in the city shops. Many shopping establishments also accept American Express, Diners and host of other cards. However, some of the small shops or family-run shops may not accept these cards and some handy cash can be of help here. ATMs are widely available and many debit cards accepted as well. If you have an Indian bank account or credit card, you may not need to carry too much of cash. If you are a foreigner, it is a good idea to carry some cash to avoid charges while using your credit or debit card.

Many stores and websites have started accepting payments using mobile wallets and Unified Payment Interface (UPI). Some of the popular payment apps are Paytm, Google Pay (formerly known as Tez), PhonePe, BHIM and Amazon Pay.

In general, costs in Mumbai are higher than the rest of India, though they are still much lower by Western standards.

The shopping experience in the city is a study in contrasts. At the lower end of the spectrum are street vendors. Existing at the borderline of legality, entire streets have been given over to these hawkers and in many places it is impossible to walk on the footpaths, because they have blocked the way. On the other hand, these vendors often give you a great bargain though you will have to haggle a lot and be careful about what to buy. There's nothing like taking a local along to shop for you.

• Family-run shops , Or one could do shopping at family-run shops, where the items are behind the counter and one has to ask the salesperson to get items from the list. The traditional way to buy sarees or jewellery is to go to a shop where you sit on a bedspread laid out on the floor and the salespeople bring out their wares one-by-one until you make a decision. Shops like Bharat Kshetra in Dadar have scaled this model up to such an extent that they have a two-storied complex where you can do the same.
• Shopping Malls , Mumbai has been experiencing a boom in malls in the past few years. You can combine your shopping, dining out, and watching movies all in one place.

What to buy [ edit ]

• Antiques & second hand items , Visit Chor Bazar for the best options and bargains
• Burlingtons , in the Taj is a tailor specializing in Indian outfits. Buy some material and get some clothes made up by a tailor. It's an incredibly cheap way to get quality made-to-measure clothes. Usually only takes a couple of days.
• Carpets, rugs and shawls
• Cotton clothes , Mumbai is great place to buy quality and cheaper cotton clothes. Amongst many notable shops and brands, Cottonworld is a place to look out for.
• Dhoop , (translates into Sunshine or Incense) A quaint, stylist store where you can find really interesting quality crafts and home accessories. On the corner of Union Park, Near Olive, Off Carter Road in Bandra.
• Indian musical instruments , Indian music has its own set of musical instruments such as Tabla, Harmonium, straight Flute that it relies upon. These can be brought at various music shops scattered across the city. Some well known shops are L.M.Furtado, Ghaisas & Bros.
• Khadi clothing , Khadi is an authentic Indian variety of home spun cotton. Mahatma Gandhi advocated the use of khadi as a form of satyagraha against the use of foreign goods and a form of rural self-employment for India during the pre-independence days. Check out the Khadi Gram Udyog Bhavan at 286, DN Road, Near the Mumbai GPO & Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus. It is run by the Khadi Gramudyog Vikas Samiti which is an umbrella organization started by the Mahatma himself which today has evolved into a government registered unit promoting the use of khadi. A good place to buy souvenirs including khadi Indian flags. These are similar in type to the ones used during the freedom struggle. It also houses other forms of fabrics like pure cotton wool, and silk. Some of the items make use of natural straw. Also offer a collection of handmade paper products.
• Kurties and tunics' , a must have in India. Linkin Laado has a wide range of classy kurties, fushion ethnic wear and exquisite dress materials in most sought after pure fabrics such as muls, cottons, maheshwari and chanderi silk in hand block prints and intrinsic chikankari work. The shop is at Link Square Mall, Shop No. F5, Opposite KFC, Above Croma, Linking Road, Bandra West.
• Leather jackets , go to the main road in Dharavi. You can fit yourself with a leather jacket (they stitch it for you) of leather you pick. Usually takes just one day to get it.
• Luxury retail , Mumbai has witnessed a massive boom in luxury retail. All the brands you can buy in any other major city are available there.
• Pashmina , cheap stuff is everywhere and decent shawls in every hue can be purchased at various markups in any hotel arcade. High-quality items in unusual colors and unique designs require more searching. The "pashminas" sold on Colaba Causeway are not anywhere close to pashmina.
• Sarees , the best place to buy them is Dadar (both east and west). The place is buzzing 12 months a year. On Sundays the crowd can be maddening for outsiders. Good shops to buy Sarees are Dadar Emporium, Lazaree, Roop Sangam. On N C Kelkar Road and Ranade Road you can buy almost everything a woman needs. Bargain hard.
• Traditional clothing & handicrafts , State government operated emporiums such as those for Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Jammu & Kashmir. sell state specific items of clothing and handicrafts. These are in places around South Mumbai or the shopping arcades of Five Star Hotels. There is also a Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Emporium near the Gateway of India beside the Tendulkar's restaurant. The items on display include embroidered clothing, carvings, paintings, sculptures etc. and are reasonably priced. Amongst the private labels, Fabindia is a must visit for its variety of kurtas [tunics], salwars, pyjamas, churidars & dupattas. They also offer bedspreads, cushion covers, decorative pillows, quilts, table linens, home furniture etc. Just like the government owned emporiums, Fabindia operates on a cottage industries model where products are hand crafted by artisans and sourced from villages across India. Good quality, smart colours, trendy designs but prices are a bit on the high side. Shops are found across Mumbai.

Bookshops [ edit ]

Mumbai has large number of organised bookshops. However it also has number of streetside second hand book shops or displays that give opportunity to come across rare collections. Many of these roadside book shops can be prominently found, among many, near Flora Fountain, Maheshwari Udyyan (former King's Circle) and Dadar west market.

If you are somewhere in the Western Suburbs, Granth on Juhu Road could be a good bet to find the book you are looking for.

The Crossword chain of book shops has an outlet in most malls around the city, as well as the main store in Kemp's Corner.

In a place without clearly displayed price tags (and sometimes even in places with), you will get charged about 3-4 times as much as a local if you seem like a tourist. Take a local with you if you're going to local markets to haggle. Haggling is much louder and ruder in India than elsewhere. Don't be afraid to haggle things down to 1/4 of the asking price. And most importantly remember that almost all stores that sell carpets, jewelry, handicrafts, etc. pay huge amounts of commission (25% up to even 50%!) to the cab drivers, hence avoid tourist taxis, cabs, etc. Another thing to remember is not to haggle just for the fun of it. The shopkeepers may take offence if you don't buy an item after they have agreed to your price. One of the places that you can trust is The World Trade Centre (in Cuffe Parade, near Hotel Taj President). Besides being the only World Trade Centre in Mumbai, this place has an amazing range of exquisite carpets, handicrafts, shawls, etc. with reputed government approved stores and state emporiums too. Ask for receipts everywhere, including bars, and check what you have been charged for. Don't ever accept a guide offer or escort of somebody from the street: You will certainly get conned. If some place (including taxis, restaurants, shops, etc.) claims it doesn't have change (this is highly unlikely), insist they get change from a neighbouring shop.

Groceries [ edit ]

In addition to the local grocery stores which can be found on most of the streets, there are new additions to the city in the form of new big and small supermarkets and hypermarkets where you can get all the food items you need. Some of them are Big Bazaar [dead link] , Hypercity , DMart, Spinach Local, Apna Bazaar.

Eat [ edit ]

The dining experience at an upscale restaurant in Mumbai is more or less the same as anywhere else in the world. You can find cuisine from the Middle East, Western Europe, North America and China easily. But to get a real flavour of what's unique to Mumbai, you will have to go a little lower down the scale and experience the street food and Irani cafes. Since March 2015, beef is banned in Maharashtra, and therefore in Mumbai. Therefore, it is uncommon to find beef served in restaurants. For individual restaurants and other places to eat, go to the individual district pages.

Don't leave Mumbai without trying:

• Alphonso Mangoes during summer season
• As many different kinds of chaat (Bhelpuri, Pav Bhaji etc.) as your stomach can handle
• Bread Maska (Bread & Butter) from an Irani Cafe
• Goan seafood
• Maharashtrian,Gujrati,Managlorean special and Kerala Thali
• Indian Chinese
• Indian sweets- milky, delicious concoctions (try the kulfi falooda at Badshah's in Crawford market)
• Particularly late-night at Bade Miyaan's behind the Taj near Colaba Causeway (also if the lights are off in order to avoid bribing the cops, do still try and approach it as it is likely to still be serving)
• Kingfisher Blue beer (not common in eateries, but only most "wine shops" (liquor stores)
• South Indian food from an Udupi restaurant
• Vada pav (the Indian veg burger): known to be the dish of Mumbai

Speciality restaurants [ edit ]

Popular search engines to find easily restaurants include Justdial , AskLaila and DizyLocal . The search engines shall provide the address, contact details, and user ratings (if available) of the specific eatery (if name is provided), or list of eatery catering to the specialty (e.g. Seafood, Pubs, Chinese Food, etc.) depending on the location suggested (e.g. Worli, Bandra, South Mumbai, etc.).

• Seafood , Apurva (Fort right off Horniman Circle). If you want to eat some authentic Indian (Konkan) sea food you must visit the Bharat Excellensea. It is next to the Horniman Circle and the Reserve Bank of India. It is becoming pretty expensive. In the slightly higher price range, Trishna (at Kala Ghoda in Fort) and Mahesh Lunch Home (also in Fort) are very popular among both locals and tourists.

North-Western

• Peshawari , Andheri, ( at Maratha Sheraton ). Its sister restaurant Bukhara in Delhi has been recognised as the best Indian restaurant around the world. Try tandoori jhinga, the kebab platter, sikandari raan (leg of lamb), and mangoes and ice cream (only during summers), Kebab Corner (Hotel Intercontinental), Copper Chimney (Worli) Khyber (Kala Ghoda), and Kareem's Malad Link Road in Malad W.

International Cuisine [ edit ]

• Chinese , India Jones, ( Hilton Towers Mumbai ), Mainland China (Saki Naka), Ling's Pavilion (Colaba), Golden Dragon (Taj Mahal Hotel), Great Wall (Renaissance), Spices (JW Marriott), China Gate (Bandra), China White (Bandra). Bandra offers a range of Chinese Restaurants. Royal China at VT (behind Sterling Cinema serves some of the best DimSum the city has to offer). The new CG83 at Kemps corner is brilliant and the signature restaurant of Nelson Wang. Also new is Henry Thams. The food is brilliant as are the prices, however the bar is much more popular than the restaurant.
• Combination Oriental , India Jones ( Hilton Towers Mumbai ), Pan Asian (at Maratha Sheraton), Seijo, and Soul Dish (Bandra), Joss (Kala Ghoda) has some of the best East Asian food in the country and at moderate prices (compared to hotels). San Qi at the Four Seasons (Worli) combines East Asian and South Asian cuisine quite well.
• Italian , Shatranj Nepoli ( Bandra, Union Park ), Little Italy (Juhu next to Maneckji Cooper school), Don Giovanni's (Juhu, opposite JW Marriott), Mezzo Mezzo (at the JW Marriott), Vetro (at The Oberoi, Mumbai), Celini (at the Grand Hyatt), Mangi Ferra (Juhu), Taxi(Colaba), Spaghetti Kitchen (Phoenix Mills, Parel).
• Japanese , Wasabi by Morimoto ( Taj Mahal Hotel, Colaba ) is Mumbai's best and most expensive restaurant, but Japanese food is on the menus of most Pan Asian restaurants like Tiffin (The Oberoi, Mumbai), Pan Asian (Maratha Sheraton), India Jones (Hilton Towers Mumbai), and Spices (JW Marriott), Origami (Atria Mall Worli). Also Japengo Cafe at CR2 Mall in Nariman Point serves up some sushi. Tetsuma, adjacent to Prive (probably best nightclub in town) serves an average sushi but other dishes are worth a try. Best to go there for a cocktail and a few starters. 'Tian cafe' at Juhu is also a good place for sushi.
• Lebanese Food , Picadilly, at Colaba Causeway, the only restaurant in the city serving Lebanese food. Alcohol is not served.
• Parsi , Their ancestors originating from Iran, the Parsis are a special community of people that one would associate Mumbai with. Parsi food is based on ancient Persian cooking. Go to Brittania at Ballard Estate or Jimmy Boy close to Horniman Circle.
• Sushi , Sushi Café (Santa Cruz West). A cosy little place. The decor, including the furniture, is all-white. You get chunks of white rice rolled with fresh fish and vegetables. They also do home delivery all over Mumbai. Sushi Café, Shop No. 1, Ground Floor, Sainara Building, corner of North Avenue and Linking Road, Santa Cruz (West), Tel: 98336–50503, www.sushicafemumbai.com.

International brands [ edit ]

• California Pizza Kitchen , 3 North Ave . Maker Maxity, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East).  
• Chili's , Central Avenue Road, Powai, Ventura Building, Hiranandani Business Park.
• Cinnabon , ( next to Basilico ), Pali Naka, Bandra (West).
• Ruby Tuesday , shop No. 20, 2nd Floor, Inorbit mall, Malad (West) or at Shop No. 31, CR 2 Mall, Nariman Point, Mumbai OR Nirmal Lifestyle, Lbs Marg, Mulund West.
• Starbucks Coffee , Behind Taj Hotel, Near Gateway of India.
• T.G.I.F , Palladium mall,Phoenix High Street,Lower Parel or Infiniti Mall,New Link Road,Oshiwara,Andheri(West).

Regional Indian [ edit ]

• Bengali , Oh! Calcutta at Tardeo
• Fusion , Zenzi (Waterfield Road, Bandra), Out of the Blue ( Pali Hill, Bandra).
• General Indian , Sheetal Bukhara, Great Punjab (both in Bandra). More in Bandra.
• Goan, Coastal , Goa Portuguesa (Mahim) near Hinduja Hospital. New and a must try is Casa Soul Fry (opposite Bombay University in town) which serves up Goan Cuisine.
• Goan Cuisine , Casa Soul Fry opposite to Bombay University in town
• Gujarati Thalis , Chetana at Kala Ghoda, Thacker's at Marine Drive, and Rajdhani (multiple locations)
• Kashmiri , Poush at Andheri
• Lounge , Olive (Bandra), Rain (Juhu), Indigo.
• Mumbai Street Food , To experience the tastes and flavors of typical Mumbai chaat, and yet not expose oneself to the dangers of unhygienic street food, check out Vitthal's Restaurant on one of the lanes opposite Sterling Cinema (C.S.T.), but make sure you have a strong stomach. Vithal Bhelwalla (not the Vithal restaurant which is copycat) near VT station (behind Macdonald's) is a safe option.
• Punjabi , Himalaya Restaurant in Sion(E), Preetam's Dhaba at Dadar(E) and Urban Tadka at Mulund
• Speciality Deli , Indigo Deli (Colaba), Gourmet Shoppe (The Oberoi Shopping Arcade), Moshe's (Cuffe Parade), Cafe Basilico.
• South Indian , Dakshin (Maratha Sheraton) and Woodlands (Juhu)
• 24X7 Coffee Shops , Trattoria (Taj President), Frangipani (Hilton Towers Mumbai), Vista (Taj Land's End, Bandra), Hornby's Pavilion (ITC Grand Central), Lotus Cafe (JW Marriott), basically all the big hotels have one. More coffee shops in Bandra.
• Vegetarian , Swati Snacks (Tardeo, opposite Bhatia Hospital) a gem of a restaurant, it does not take bookings and the waiting during peak meal times is usually 45 minutes every day of the week! Little Italy on Juhu Tara Road (Jugu), Andheri West opp. Fame Adlabs multiplex, Malad (above croma), New Yorkers on Marine Drive Opp chowpatty; Creame Center on Linking Road, Bandra near Shopper's Stop and also on Marine Drive opp chowpatty; Statua at Nariman point opp. Maker Chambers. Relish (Hotel Samrat — Churchgate). Excellent vegetarian cuisine from around the world.

Street food stalls [ edit ]

Songs have been written about Mumbai's street food and you will find that the hype is justified. You will find them at every street corner, but they are concentrated in beaches and around railway stations.

• Bhelpuri stalls , Selling what in the rest of India would be called chaat . In Mumbai itself, the term chaat is rarely used.
• Bhurji , Either Egg bhurji or Paneer bhurji, a mash of eggs and chopped tomato, onion, chili, and lots of oil. Eaten on the side with some pav. Try the Maker Chamber area (near Crossroads 2, Nariman Point).
• Chinese food stalls , You'll find them at many places, but they are particularly concentrated near Dadar railway station. They all have a typical Indian twist added to it, which is why it is frequently called "Indian Chinese". Although it is great tasting, the hygiene of these places leaves a lot to be desired.
• Rolls , Essentially different meat and cheese grilled and served with some Roti and spice, these are cheap and cheerful for anyone with a stomach that can handle it. They are known to be spicy so always ask them to make it mild. Try Ayubs (Kala Ghoda), Bade Miyan (behind Taj and near Colaba Causeway), Khao Gulli (Food Lane, near Mahim Hindu Gymkhana), or Kareems (Bandra). All are particularly busy after a night of heavy drinking.
• Sandwich stands , Uniquely developed in Mumbai, you won't find anything like it anywhere else in India or the world.
• Vada pav stands , Fried potato stuffed in yeasty bread. Developed to provide nourishment to mill-workers in Mumbai's burgeoning mills. Now they are found everywhere, particularly in the railway stations. This is a Mumbai specialty. In Vile Parle (West), try the one off S.V Road near Irla across from Goklibai School. One of the most popular ones are opposite Mithibai College which is about 15 mins walk from Vile Parle Station. Also try the one outside Grant Road Station and Churchgate Station.

Tip : cheap and tasty food stalls are concentrated around the city's colleges.

Street stall food in India is fantastic, and very cheap. However, do consider well what you are putting in your mouth. Almost certainly the water used is non-potable, street vendors don't seem to understand much about hygiene or hand-washing, and food safety standards are low, with flies buzzing over everything. Even locals steer clear of street food during the monsoons, when diseases run rampant. If the stall seems very clean, and if it clearly states that it is using Aquaguard or mineral water, go for it.

Authentic Marathi cuisine [ edit ]

Mumbai, being home to large ethnic Marathi community, has its share of notable restaurants that offer authentic Marathi cuisine. Most offer both snacks and regular dining. Some of the snacks to check out are Sabudana Wada, Batata Wada, Missal, Kanda Poha, Uppit (or Upma), Shira, Alu Wadi, Thalipith, Zunka Bhakari,ghavane (neer dosa) and many more. Two notable appetisers are Kokam Sarbat and Solkadhi which are best enjoyed during hot summers. People say that many of these authentic Marathi restaurants are finding it difficult to survive competitions with other modern or fast food typed restaurants, but you will find Gajali, Malvan Kinara, Sindhudurg and many more have retained their own charm and clientele.

Udupi restaurants [ edit ]

Mangalorians(and udupi) forms the highest tourist populations of Mumbai,and both the cities have almost same culture and architecture. "Udupi" restaurants (or "hotels") are everywhere. They bear the name of the town of Udupi in Karnataka, but do not be misled into thinking that they specialise in the cuisine of Udupi. They serve pretty much everything, and that is their specialty.

Usually strictly vegetarian, these restaurants were opened by migrants from the district of Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka (of which Udupi is a part), to satisfy the palates of other migrants from the district. Over time, they gained popularity as places to have South Indian food. As the tastes of their customers evolved, so to did their menus, so much that now you can find Mughlai, Indian Chinese, Bhelpuri, and other chaats in addition to South Indian stuff. Amazingly, some places serve imitations of pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches too!

They are fast food joints and sit-down restaurants combined. The reason to visit them is not to experience fine gourmet dining, but to have cheap, passably tasty and fairly hygienic food. There is no easy way to identify an Udupi restaurant; they are not a chain of restaurants and they may not have "Udupi" in their name, so you will have to ask.

Matunga(Central line) has the best south Indian fare in Mumbai. There are few restaurants which could well be heritage sites as they are more than 50 years old and still retain their old world charm(and furniture).

Irani cafes [ edit ]

Irani cafes are Persian styled cafes opened by 19th century Persian migrants from Iran. These cafes have a unique lazy atmosphere, display of day-to-day accessories including toothpastes behind the cashier, soaps and what nots(specially targeted at bachelor crowds) and furniture. Most of these cafes were at the corner of the road or building and were chosen spots by commuters to spend time. It was quite a usual sight to find people spending hours reading newspaper over a cup of tea for hours in these places. Sadly the new restaurants and fast food culture has almost removed these cafes from the maps, though few notables like Kyani & Co. and Olympia remain. The joints are best known for their "Irani Chai", "Bun-Maska/Maska Pav" (bread and butter) and Egg Omelette. Also are popular their assorted snacks, like Kheema-na-Patice, samosas, mava-na-cakes, etc. One of the best dish which is almost always on the menu is Kheema (prepared from ground meat) and pav (bread). Don't miss the Mawa Cake at Merwan & Co, a bustling Irani cafe next to Grant Road station and be there before 9AM when the delicious cakes tend to run out.

Thalis [ edit ]

If you order a thali (translated as "plate"), you get a complete meal arranged on your plate, with a roti or chappati, rice, and many different varieties of curries and curd. Ordering a thali is a popular option when you are hungry and in a hurry as it is usually served blazingly fast. Most mid-level restaurants have a thali on the menu, at least during lunch hours. Occasionally, they are "unlimited", which means that some of the items are all-you-can-eat. The waiters serve them at your table.

Of course, you find many varieties of them, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. There is the South Indian thali. The "North Indian" thali translates to Mughlai or Punjabi. Do try Gujarati or Rajasthani thalis if you can find them. They are sinfully filling and tasty. Rajdhani (At Crawford Market) serves up thalis in the Rajasthani style while Aram (near Mahim Church, Mahim), Ramanayak Udipi (At Matunga Station, east) serves up thalis in South Indian style and Shree Thakker Bhojanalaya (off Kalbadevi Road) do filling and fabulous Gujarati thalis.

Fast food chains [ edit ]

Western fast food chains like McDonalds, Subway, Pizza hut, Dominos, Kentucky Fried Chicken etc. have many outlets all over the city. But if you are a weary Westerner looking for the taste of the familiar, be warned that all of them have rather heavily Indianised their menus, so you will find the stuff there as exotic as you found Bambaiyya food. There are chains serving Indian food such as Jumbo King whose menu includes vada and lassi. Barista , Cafe Coffee Day [dead link] , and Smokin' Joe's are all Indian chains, although they don't serve Indian food. While Barista and Cafe Coffee Day, as their names suggest, serve coffee and pastries, Smokin' Joe's serves decent pizzas and is headquartered in Carmichael Rd, Mumbai. International coffee chains like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Aromas have outlets in Mumbai.

Naturals is a chain of ice cream stores that serves up tasty and unconventional flavours of ice creams. Try their tender coconut or the coffee walnut ice creams. Its main branch is in Juhu in the Western suburbs (hence the tagline - 'Ice cream of Juhu Scheme'), but it has franchises at many places including Marine Drive, Bandra, Nepean sea road, etc. Naturals is also famous for its seasonal "Sitaphal" or Custard Apple Ice-cream. Baskins-Robbins is an international ice cream chain having its presence throughout the city. Also there are a number of shops in malls amongst other places which serve Italian Gelato icecream.

Try the sumptuous creamy crepes and omelets at Crepe Station, Bandra. Its owned by a famous Bollywood actor, Dino Morea.

What to eat [ edit ]

Asking a local for suggestions is a fun way to try new things. Here are a few suggestions:

• Bhel Puri & sev puri , A classic Mumbai concoction, bhel-puri (or bhel for short) comprises mostly of puffed rice and assorted spices with a few chutneys. You can specify whether you want it spicy or bland and the vendor will make it for you. It is quite tasty and again ought to be had off the streets to get the real flavour. Most people like to flock to Juhu beach to try this out.
• Hapus (Alphonso) mangoes , A must try, if you happen to be in Mumbai in the summers.
• Indian-Chinese , Nothing like regular Chinese. For a typical Bambaiyya flavour, try the Chinese Bhelpuri! .
• Mewad ice cream , If you happen to be in Mumbai, it is recommended you avoid ice creams from the famous and expensive parlors and try out the cheap Mewad ice cream stalls. They are a lovely treat at their price and provide a lot of options. The vendors are found everywhere across the streets, but avoid those who appear unhygienic.
• Pani Puri , The vendor hands you a plate. Next he takes a puri (it looks like a golf ball, but brown in colour), makes a small hole in it, and dips the puri into two jars. These jars contain water, one tangy on a tamarind base and the other spicy on a mint base. He tops it off with some condiments and places the puri on your plate. You pick it with your hand and pop the whole thing into your mouth. To avoid stomach problems only buy from vendors using packaged water.
• Pav Bhaji , Part of the street food culture, this is mashed vegetables cooked in spices, topped with butter and served piping hot with pav. Widely available.
• Vada Pav , the vada is a mashed potato patty. Pav is a kind of bread that has its roots in Mumbai. (The word comes from the Portuguese word "pão", for bread). The potato patty is sandwiched in the bread. Liberal helpings of three kinds of chutneys are added to the sandwich to make a tasty snack. It is widely available on the streets and generally costs around ₹6 a piece. If you feel uncomfortable with the hygiene of a particular stall, avoid it. In that case eating at, Jumbo King Vada Pav outlets, found almost at all train stations in the city, is a hygienic and safer option.
• Variations of world cuisine such as Tandoori Chicken Pizzas, the Bombay Masala Pizza or McAloo Tikki burgers.

Tipping [ edit ]

Tipping is not expected, but would be appreciated. However, if a place includes service charges on the bill, you don't need to leave an extra tip. Note the difference between service tax and service charges. Service tax goes to Government and not to the staff.

Drink [ edit ]

Pubs & bars [ edit ].

A police crackdown (June 2012) on many popular bar and clubs is underway, so be cautious when visiting lower to mid range bars. Mumbai is one of the most liberal cities in India when it comes to attitudes to alcohol. Bars exist at virtually every street corner and many of them advertise themselves as "family" bars and restaurants, which indicates that they are primarily restaurants where one can also have a drink. Other places are primarily bars, some of them might be sleazy. In South Mumbai and in the Western Suburbs, you are likely to find many places where foreigners hang out.

Mumbai is much more accepting of women drinking than the rest of India. A woman ordering a drink is unlikely to raise eyebrows even in mid-range bars, though if you are alone, you might need to look out for your safety.

Nightlife in Mumbai spans the gamut from performances at five star hotels to discos. Dance bars which involve young, fully clothed women dancing mostly to Hindi film and pop music, have been shut down by the government for "corrupting the morals" of those who frequent those places. While the state high court has ruled that the crackdown was illegal, it will be a while before they open again as there are some technicalities involved to be sorted out.

In Mumbai, alcohol is much more easily available than many cities in India.

LGBT options [ edit ]

There is already a lively late night, if somewhat subterranean, scene for gays, as well as social and political networks. However, you need to do your homework before arriving, as LGBT gathering spaces and organizations are not published or available at local newsstands. However, Bombay Dost (Bombay Friends) the only magazine catering to the community, after 7 years of running was closed and relaunched in 2009. Much of Mumbai's LGBT scene is coordinated using social networking sites and groups. Use extreme caution; robberies, hustlers, and even police entrapment are not unheard of.

Coffee shops [ edit ]

There many coffee shops in and around Mumbai. Try the Cafe Coffee Day [dead link] and Barista chains. Also, three Starbucks stores were opened in Mumbai in late 2012, and more are likely to follow. These are the best around town and also serve some pretty neat coffee for cheap. There's the Cafe Mocha chain of coffee shops which also serve fruit flavoured hookas — South Asian smoking pipes. If a small coffee and cookies place is what you are looking for, try Theobroma , it has an outlet at Cusrow Baug in Colaba. Those looking for a more native form of coffee can try the filter coffee, a milky coffee with origins from South India, from any Udupi restaurant.

Sleep [ edit ]

It is very difficult to find good-budget hotels in Mumbai. If you are a tourist or a business traveller, you may have to stay in South Mumbai, which is where both the business district and the touristy areas are. Lack of space means that even the cheapest hotel charges stratospheric tariffs. The state of public transport and traffic means that it is not really a good choice to stay anywhere else. In any case, things aren't much better if you are looking for hotels close to the airport. You should be looking at the Western Suburbs in that case. There are many guest houses at Colaba, where you find most of the budget foreign travellers stay. Other budget hotels are found near railway stations, such as Dadar or Santacruz, but most of them are absolute dumps. One safe and economical place to stay in Mumbai is the YMCA. Reasonably priced accommodations are available at the Colaba, Bombay Central, Andheri and CBD Belapur Branches.

One inexpensive alternative is to live with a local family as a paying guest. A list of available families can be obtained from the Government of India tourist office (+91 22 2220 7433) opposite Churchgate    Western   .

On the other hand, if money is of no object, you can stay at the Taj in Colaba (the oldest in India), the Leela Kempinski, the ITC Grand Maratha, or the JW Marriott Mumbai, Renaissance Mumbai Hotel & Convention Centre.

Connect [ edit ]

Landlines [ edit ].

The area code for Mumbai is "22" (prefix "+91", if you are calling from outside India). Phone numbers are eight digits long, but on occasion you will find a seven digit number listed. That is probably an old listing. They made the changeover from seven to eight digits a few years back, when they allowed private service providers to offer telephone. Just prefix a "2" to the number and it should work just fine.

Pay phones [ edit ]

Phone booths can be found all over the city. Though they are coin operated, there is usually someone to run the place. (Typically the phones are attached to a roadside shop.) You need to keep putting ₹1 coins into the slot to extend the talk time, so keep a change of ₹1 coins handy with you. The person running the booth will usually have them. If you find a booth marked STD/ISD, you can call internationally or anywhere within the country. Fees will be charged according to the time spent and a meter runs to keep track of your time. You pay when you have finished your call. Often it is difficult to find one that is open early in the morning or late at night.

Mobile phones [ edit ]

Cell phone coverage in the city is excellent. There are many service providers offering a wide variety of plans. Among them are The MTNL [dead link] , Vodafone Idea (Vi), Airtel , Dolphin [dead link] , Reliance Jio, and Tata Indicom [dead link] . It might be a good idea to buy a cell phone and use one of those prepaid plans to get yourself connected while you are in the city.

All mobile numbers are 10 digits long and begin with a "9", "8" or "7". Do not dial the city prefix for mobile numbers. If you don't get through to a mobile number, try adding a "0" before you dial it.

Due to security threats, in order to purchase a SIM card you will need to provide formal identification.

Cybercafes [ edit ]

Cybercafes are found on virtually every street corner and the rates are quite low. They have probably not kept pace with advances in hardware or software, also data security could be an issue. As a precaution, change your password after you use it at a cybercafe or do private/incognito browsing.

WiFi [ edit ]

Finding WiFi will be difficult in many parts of Mumbai, however, nearly all railway stations have been upgraded with 'RailWire' WiFi powered by Google that lets you browse for 45 mins at 5-10 Mbit/s speeds. RailWire WiFi requires you to authenticate with your mobile number and OTP. WiFi is also available at most hotels and restaurants. Airport WiFi is provided by Vodafone Idea.

Postal services [ edit ]

The Indian Postal service's head office is housed at GPO, a magnificent colonial architecture on its own; next to the C.S.T. railway station. The other main branch office can be found at Dadar (E) on Ambedkar Rd.

Stay safe [ edit ]

Unlike other parts of the country, especially Delhi where rape is prevalent, crime is rare, except for possibly common crime like pickpocketing.

Violent crime in Mumbai is more or less like any other large Indian city.

It is best to err on the side of safety and act according to your local environment. Here are a few basic safety tips:

• Keep your money and credit cards safe at all times. Always carry some cash as many places won't take cards.
• Do not openly display ₹500 and ₹2,000 notes in public. The available currency notes are ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100, ₹500 and ₹2,000 and the available coins for tender are ₹1, ₹2, ₹5 and ₹10. Beware of someone giving you currency notes of any other denomination (though it is very unlikely; as they would have to be exchanged with the Reserve Bank of India; the central bank of India). The Indian government demonetised the old ₹500 and ₹1,000 currency notes in November 2016.
• Travelling in Mumbai is generally safe at any time of the day or night. The risks primarily run if you are not aware of the fares and fare calculations (only applicable to non-electronic and non-prepaid meters). If you travel alone, especially in night, then always see the meter by yourself and then pay the fare. If you are alone, sit in front so that you can see the meter.
• There have been cases where taxi drivers con people, mostly tourists, by taking longer routes, charging extra for luggage, tampering with the meter and fooling the passenger by exchanging ₹500 with a ₹100 note within fraction of seconds and making the passenger believe that he/she has handed over a ₹100 note. Thus, in order to avoid getting fooled, prefer app based taxi services like Ola and Uber for commuting.
• Beware of pickpockets on buses and trains. Do not put your wallet or other valuables in outside pockets of your bag, such that someone may be able to slip it out without your noticing.
• Also beware of mobile, chain, or bag snatchers who operate in densely populated places, such as railway stations, busy roads, and traffic signals.
• Women traveling by train, especially on off-peak routes should travel in the second class where at least a few co-passengers are also found.
• Women (especially Westerners) should avoid crowded places, you might well get groped. Cases of men pinching or touching women are common in crowded public places, including nicer nightspots. Create a scene if this does happen to you, there will be enough people around that will come to your defence. In general, in Mumbai, if you are ever worried about your safety, make a loud scene. It is an extremely crowded city, and somebody is always around and willing to help.
• Women should never ever take lifts from strangers. Western women tourists should note that if they visit a disco or pub in Mumbai or India, don't take lifts or even get too friendly with strangers. You will almost certainly get conned, if not worse. Many Indian men presume that if you're foreign you must be easy.
• Don't ever let an auto or taxi you are traveling in pick up any more people, or pull over before your final destination.
• Police can sometimes be almost as shady as criminals in Mumbai. At night, women should ensure if they are ever stopped by police, there needs to be a female police officer present or they are well within their rights in demanding the presence of a woman cop.
• Think twice about eating food that has not been thoroughly heated. This may be especially true if you're eating street food.

Emergency numbers [ edit ]

• Mumbai Police , ☏ 100 (Mumbai Police Control Room), 1090 (Police Infoline), +91 22 22026636 (D. G. Control) .  
• Mumbai Police , ☏ +91 22 22625020 (Mumbai Police Head Quarter), +91 22 28854643 (North Control), +91 22 25233588 (East Control), +91 22 26457900 (West Control), +91 22 23089855 (South Div.), +91 22 23750909 (Central Div) .  
• Traffic Police , ☏ +91 22 24937746 (Traffic Control), +91 22 30403040 (Traffic Helpline) .  

Railways [ edit ]

• Churchgate , ☏ +91 22 22017420 .  
• C.S.T , ☏ +91 22 22622685 .  
• Central Rly. C.S.T. , ☏ +91 22 22620173 .  
• Western Rly. Central , ☏ +91 22 23070197 .  

Airport [ edit ]

• Santacruz Airport , ☏ +91 22 26156600 .  
• Sahar Terminal (NIPTC) , ☏ +91 22 26829000 .  
• Air India Enquiry , ☏ +91 22 22796666 .  

Air Ambulance [ edit ]

• Domestic/International , ☏ +91 9821150889 .  
• Fire Station , ☏ 101, +91 22 23076111 , +91 22 23086181 , +91 22 2306112 , +91 22 2306113 .  
• Coast Guard , ☏ +91 22 24376133 , +91 22 24371932 .  

Stay healthy [ edit ]

As elsewhere in India, be careful with what you eat. Outside of major tourist hotels and restaurants, stay away from raw leafy vegetables, egg-based dressings like mayonnaise and minced meat are particularly risky. In short, stick to boiled, baked, fried or peeled goods.

Opinions on tap water vary, but most visitors choose to stick to the bottled stuff. Large bottles of water can be purchased at a very low cost. When buying water from street vendors, make sure the lid is sealed: there have been cases of bottles being filled with tap water and sold as new.

Smog can reach unhealthful levels, especially during the dry season. This, coupled with the summer heat and humidity can make spending time outdoors quite unpleasant.

Numerous fitness centres exist throughout the city. Many exercise facilities and spas offer 24-hour memberships for visitors and are a popular way to unwind after a long day of touring in Mumbai.

Cope [ edit ]

Maps [ edit ].

• City Map , Eicher has an excellent city-map of Mumbai with detailed listings. Familiarise yourself with it before you begin, or alternatively trace your route on it.
• BEST Route Map , Thanks to the density of bus routes in the city, the map is quite hard to decipher. Although bus routes are listed in the itinerary, you may have to find out about a few others if you plan to mix/match the order of the sights. People are very helpful in general. Check the BEST Route Finder for detailed information on the routes. The map is available at news stands. You can also download the BEST Prawas app on Android.

Newspapers [ edit ]

Local newspapers can be handy and reliable sources for day to day updates about the city. The city has number of newspapers and other publication that list local happenings. The Times of India has a supplement called Bombay Times . There are also other papers like The Asian Age , DNA , Indian Express , Hindustan Times and Free Press Journal . For the business updates, check Economic Times .

There are three very good local city tabloids called Mid-Day , Mumbai Mirror , and Afternoon . These papers are city focused and cover a lot of gossip, local news, and have plenty of entertainment listings. One could refer to these papers for any specific activity. In addition, Time Out now has an excellent Mumbai edition each month which can be picked up on street bookshops. It is a little more eclectic than the others listed here. All of these papers have information on arts, dance, eating out, food festivals, events, exhibitions, lectures, movies, theatre listings, concerts, seminars, and workshops.

There are also many local newspapers in regional languages such as Lok Satta (Marathi), Maharashtra Times (Marathi), Saamna (Marathi), Navakal (Marathi), Janmabhoomi (Gujarati), Mumbai Samachar (Gujarati) and Navbharat Times (Hindi) which cater to local and regional interests and tastes.

Radio [ edit ]

There are 12 radio stations in Mumbai, with nine broadcasting on the FM band, and three All India Radio stations broadcasting on the AM band. Mumbai also has access to commercial radio providers such as SiriusXM.

Hospitals [ edit ]

• Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals ( Bail Ghoda (Bull Horse) Hospital ), Parel , ☏ +91 22 24135285 , +91 22 24135434 , +91 22 24137518 . The Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is also headquartered here. Their ambulance rushes in answer to any call of distress to animals. ( updated Jun 2023 )

Diagnostic centres [ edit ]

• Soningra Polyclinic , B - Helal Bldg, Dr. Mascarenhas Rd, Mazgaon , ☏ +91 22 23715963 , +91 22 2749662 . Since 1984, catering the nation since last 25 years effectively and efficiently.  
• Wellspring , Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, Near A to Z Industrial Estate, Off Worli Naka, Lower Parel(W) . Another premier diagnostic laboratory owned by the Piramal group. Along with the above they have other centers as well throughout the city.  

24 hour chemists [ edit ]

• Parel Chemist , Opp. Wadia Maternity Hospital, Parel , ☏ +91 22 4131299 , +91 22 24129751 .  
• Mumbai Medico , Bhatia Hospital, Tardeo , ☏ +91 22 23086641 .  

Foreign missions [ edit ]

Go next [ edit ].

• Ambernath (55 km (34 mi) NE - take a train to here) — See the Lord Shiva Temple (16th century)
• Chiplun (290 km (180 mi) S, on Konkan railway route between Khed & Ratnagiri Stns) — Here are the Chiveli Vagheshwari Temple and the Pandavas Caves
• Ratnagiri (300 km (190 mi) S, 6-7 hr journey in train from Mumbai, same comfortable using a (A/c & Non A/c) bus) — Ratnadurga Sea Fort, Thebaw Pagoda Palace
• Rajapur (directions=350 km (220 mi) S, 8.5 hr) — Visit the Yeshwantgad, an island fortification
• Badlapur (50 km (31 mi) NE - to get in is by Local Trains (EMU), hourly) — Fort, Water Park
• Dombivli (30 km (19 mi) NE; 40 min in a fast train from CST to reach 'Kopar Stn.', by bus ~1 hr 30 min)
• Kalyan (60 km (37 mi) NE; by train towards Karjat or Kasara would reach Kalyan in around 45-55 min) - Visit the Fort
• Navi Mumbai — see the Belapur Fort ruins and watch cricket at DY Patil Stadium
• Thane (N 40 km (25 mi)) — also called Lake City due to the 30 lakes in and around the city
• Ferry Wharf, Mazagaon, Mora ( Uran ).
• Ferry Wharf, Mazagaon, Rewas (near Mandwa ). These are in budget range.
• Gateway of India, Rewas. Fast boats and Catamarans operated by private operators. Service approximately every two hours, suspended during the monsoon season, i.e. May-Oct. From Rewas, take a bus or car to Alibag .
• Matheran (102 km (63 mi), 1.5 hr) — can be reached both by road and by train. For train option, take a suburban train to Neral and take hour long toy train to reach Matheran top. Alternatively it can be climbed
• Lonavala (111.5 km (69.3 mi), 1.5 hr) — best reached by road. Suburban trains do not ply to Lonavala, and may need to exchange train at Karjat or take en route long-distance train
• Khandala (101 km (63 mi), 1.5 hr) — check Lonavala
• Dapoli | (200 km (120 mi) S - by bus) -is a popular hill station also beaches, historical temples, caves and forts scattered around
• Mahabaleshwar (242 km (150 mi), 7 hr) — best reached by road
• Lots of nearby destinations can be reached by short flights: Goa , Ahmedabad , Karachi and Rajkot , to name a few.

• UNESCO Creative Cities
• Previous Destinations of the month
• Has custom banner
• Huge city articles
• Huge cities with more than 10 districts
• Has mapframe
• Maps with non-default alignment
• Maps with non-default size
• Has map markers
• Articles with dead external links
• Move listings to districts
• Do listing with no coordinates
• Eat listing with no coordinates
• Has routebox
• North Konkan
• All destination articles
• Has Geo parameter
• Usable cities
• Usable articles
• City articles
• Cities with categories
• Pages with maps

Navigation menu

Tourism in Maharashtra

Maharashtra attracts tourists from other Indian states and foreign countries. [1] It was the second most visited Indian state by foreigners and fifth most visited state by domestic tourists in the country in 2021. [2] Aurangabad is the tourism capital of Maharashtra. [3]

Metropolitan Areas

Nature tourism, hill stations, religious tourism, hindu places of pilgrimage, other religions and sects, external links.

The city is the eastern equivalent of New York City and Los Angeles , the financial capital and entertainment ( Bollywood ) capital of the country. [4] Places of interest include: Gateway of India , The Bandra-Worli Sea Link , Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya , Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus , a humongous architectural stone structure built by the British more than 200 years ago, Downtown Mumbai - reminiscent of the 19th century British architecture . Girgaon Chowpatty beach, Madh Island beach and other beaches towards the south of Mumbai. Elephanta Caves , carved out of a giant stone on an island are a short ferry away into the Arabian Sea . Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai is one of the most popular temple of Ganesha in Mumbai. Along with being a religious place, it is a great attraction for tourists. Due to its cosmopolitan nature, Mumbai has proven a popular tourism destination most often visited by Indians.

The city is famous for its Nashik grape and Vineyards. It is known as "The Wine Capital of India" owing to 26 wineries being located here out of a total of 46 throughout India. Several wine festivals and wine tasting tours are held in this region. [ citation needed ] Nashik is also surrounded by various forts and hills and has an abundance of hiking trails.

A 108 feet tall statue of the first Jain Tirthankar Rishabhanatha was consecrated at Mangi Tungi in 2016, which is the tallest Jain statue in the world. The place has now become a major pilgrimage and tourist destination in the state. [ citation needed ]

The city also has a lot of religious and mythological significance. Lord Rama lived in Panchavati during his exile as mentioned in the epic Ramayana . It is famous for its numerous temples like Kalaram Temple , Trimbakeshwar Temple - one of the 12 Jyotirlingas . The river Godavari River , also known as the Ganga of the South, originates from the Brahmagiri Hills in Trimbakeshwar. The Nasik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha is one of the four Kumbh Melas held every 12 years in Nashik. [5]

Pune district has been at the center of History of Maharashtra for more than 400 years, beginning with the Deccan sultanates and followed by the Maratha Empire . The district has a number of mountain forts and buildings from these eras, in addition to shrines revered by Marathi Hindus (including five of the eight Ashtavinayaka Ganesha temples). Samadhis of the two most revered Marathi Bhakti saints ( Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram ) are in Alandi [6] and Dehu , respectively. The main temple of Khandoba , the family deity for most Marathi Hindus, is in Jejuri . [7]

The British designated Pune as the monsoon capital of the Bombay Presidency , and many buildings and parks from the era remain. Hill stations such as Lonavla and Khandala also date back to the Raj, and remain popular with residents of Pune and Mumbai for holidays. [8] The Western part of Pune district is dotted with the ruins of many mountain forts from Deccan Sultanate and the Maratha empire eras respectively. These forts and the surrounding hills with forests are popular with people interested in trekking, hiking and Heritage tourism . [9]

Bhigwan , a catchment area of the Ujjani Dam , is about from Pune on NH 9 , the Pune-Solapur highway. An area of about 18,000 hectares (69   sq   mi) has become a sanctuary for migratory birds .

In January 2021, the prison department of Maharashtra announced jail Tourism at the Yerawada jail where Indian independence activists like M.K Gandhi , Bal Gangadhar Tilak , Vallabhbhai Patel Subhashchandra Bose , Sarojini Naidu , Jawaharlal Nehru were imprisoned. The visitor number to the prison will initially be capped at 50 per day. [10]

This citys also known as Aurangabad, in the central part of Maharashtra and attracts tourists for its natural beauty. The Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves , that lie on the outskirts of Aurangabad are internationally renowned for man-made caves and intricate carvings in them. Ajanta and Ellora Caves are UNESCO World Heritage sites. [11] [12] Ellora is notable for having a unique monolithic vertically excavated building known as Kailasa temple, Ellora and Ajanta Caves is notably for Lord Buddha in stone. Ancient Buddhist life has been depicted in the delicate stonework. While Ajanta is completely Buddhist caves, Ellora caves belong to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. Summers are not advisable for touring as temperatures can reach up to and above 44 degrees C during the day. There are other famous places of interest like Bibi Ka Maqbara (The Taj Mahal of Deccan), Daulatabad Fort , Panchakki , Sunheri Mahal, etc. Aurangabad has good connectivity by air, road, and railways.

Aurangabad is the tourism capital of Maharashtra. [13]

With a tradition of producing the best Oranges , Nagpur city is known as the City of Oranges . Nagpur is also known as the second greenest city in India due to a number of trees in the city. The tourism in Nagpur is due to a large number of National Parks/Wildlife Sanctuaries surrounding Nagpur. All of these sanctuaries have Tiger as their major attractions. Two notable National Parks around Nagpur are Pench National Park around 60   km north of Nagpur, and Tadoba National Park around 180   km south of Nagpur. In recent years, Tadoba National Park gained much importance among wildlife enthusiasts nationally and internationally due to the high probability of sighting Tigers. The other wildlife sanctuaries include Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary around 110   km east of Nagpur, Melghat Tiger Reserve around 260   km west of Nagpur, Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary 60   km southeast of Nagpur, Bor Wildlife Sanctuary 60   km southwest of Nagpur, Kanha National Park 260   km northeast of Nagpur, Satpura National Park 270   km northwest of Nagpur.

Beside these Nagpur has much historical significance. Deekshabhoomi - the place where Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and lakhs of the so-called lower caste who deemed as untouchables by Hindu caste system , embraced Buddhism . Another important place to visit is Tekadi Ganesh mandir on Sitabuildi fort complex. The city has other places of tourist importance such as Maharajbagh zoo, and Futala lake Chowpati, Nagpur is well connected with all major cities of India by roadways and railways, and also have an international airport. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport (IATA: NAG, ICAO: VANP) is an international airport serving the city of Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. In 2005, it was named after B. R. Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.

Satara lies on the western part of Maharashtra . It is known for tourist places like Mahabaleshwar , Wai , Panchgani and rivers such as Koyna and Krishna . Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani are one of the famous tourist places in India. Krishna originates at Mahabaleswar near the Jor village in the extreme north of Wai district. The Kaas plateau is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in Satara. This plateau falls under the Sahyadri Sub Cluster of Western Ghats which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

Maharashtra has tremendous potential for Nature Tourism. Many private and public organizations have begun unique and innovative forms of nature tourism.

During the colonial rule , the British developed many hill stations throughout India and in Maharashtra to escape the heat during the summer months. [14] Most of these are located on the hills of the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats and close to the largest metropolitan areas in state, namely Mumbai and Pune. Chikhaldara and Toranmal are two places that are located on the Satpura range which runs east to west on the border between Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Popular colonial era hill stations in the state include

• Chikhaldara - in Satpura mountains
• Igatpuri - On Main Mumbai - Bhusawal railway line
• Karjat - On Main Mumbai - Pune railway line
• Khandala - On Main Mumbai - Pune railway line
• Lonavala - On Main Mumbai - Pune railway line
• Mahabaleshwar - Summer capital of Bombay presidency during the British Raj
• Matheran - linked to the main Mumbai - Pune railway line with a narrow gauge mountain train .
• Panchgani - Close neighbour of Mahabaleshwar with many colonial-era boarding schools.

Lavasa is a very recently developed township and is under private control.

Maharashtra boasts of a large number of popular and revered religious venues that are heavily frequented by locals as well as out-of-state visitors.

A number of temples such as Bhimashankar , Trimbakeshwar , Bhavani of Tuljapur , Shani Shingnapur , Jyotiba Temple , Ashtavinayaka Ganapati temples, Lord Pandurang temple at Pandharpur attract a huge number of Hindu devotees every year. Khandoba temple of God Khandoba at Jejuri in the Pune district attract pilgrims from all over the Maharashtra where worshipers shower each other with Bhandar (turmaric powder).< Saibaba temple at Shirdi is visited by an average of 25,000 pilgrims a day and during religious festivals, this number can reach up to 300,000.

• Vithoba temple, Pandharpur is the main center of worship for the Hindu deity Vithoba , believed to be a local form of god Krishna or Vishnu and his consort Rakhumai .Vithoba devotees called Varkaris start marching from the resting places of Varkari saints from different regions of Maharashtra but mainly from Dehu ,and Alandi to Pandharpur in huge processions to reach Pandharpur on Aashadhi ekadashi and Kartiki Ekadashi. Pandharpur and other places associated with the Warkari sect such as Sant Tukaram memorial at Dehu , and Samadhi of Sant Dnyaneshwar at Alandi remain popular throughout the year, and attract huge number of people from all over the state during religious observations. [15]

Marathi Hindu families have a family deity called Kuldevta that they visit after many auspicious events.Important ancient Kuldevta temples that attract pilgrims in the state include:

• Renukadevi at Mahur , considered a Shakti Peetha , is located in the Nanded district.
• Tuljapur -Temple of Goddess Bhavani
• Kolhapur -Temple of Goddess Mahalaxmi or Ambabai
• Ambajogai -Temple of Yogeshwari, one of the 3 1/2 Shaktipeethas in the state.
• Jejuri - Temple of Khandoba [16]

Many temples or shrines of 19th and 20th century saints are very popular with pilgrims.The important ones include:

• Shegaon , resting place of Gajanan Maharaj , the late 19th/early 20th-century religious figure
• Akkalkot , Temple / Matha dedicated to 19th century Swami Samarth .
• Shirdi , temple of Sai Baba - a hugely revered saint from late 19th/early 20th century with global following. [17]
• Gondavale ,samadhi of Gondavlekar Maharaj

Other places popular with devotees and pilgrims include:

• Mumbai , Temple of Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai
• Mumbai , Mahalakshmi temple in south Mumbai
• Shani Shingnapur , Temple of God Shani (Shanidev)
• Ashtavinayaka , 8 Abodes of Lord Ganesha
• Trimbakeshwar

• Mumbai, Haji Ali Dargah , a popular mosque built in the sea off the coast of Worli ,
• Mumbai, Mount Mary church in the suburb of Bandra
• Nanded , Hazur Sahib Nanded Gurudwara, the resting place of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh .The city also has many shrines dedicated to Sufi saints.
• Parbhani : The city of Parbhani, in the Marathwada region of the state, is well known for Sufi shrine of the great saint Shah Turabul Haq. The annual two week fair in the honour of the saint in February attracts around half a million pilgrims to the city. Because of its popularity within Maharashtra, it is often called as Ajmer Sharif of Maharashtra.
• The Statue of Ahimsa , a 108   ft idol of first Jain tirthankara Rishabhanatha carved in monolithic stone was consecrated at Mangi Tungi in February 2016. It is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest Jain idol in the world. [18] It has become a major pilgrimage and tourist destination.
• Pune, Osho International Meditation Resort. It attracts visitors from other parts of India and abroad.

Kumbhoj is the name of an ancient town located in Kolhapur district , Maharashtra . The town is about eight kilometers from Hatkanangale, about twenty seven kilometers from Kolhapur. The famous Jain pilgrimage centre where a 28-foot (8.5   m) -high statue of Bahubali is installed is 2 kilometres (1.2   mi) from the Kumbhoj city. [19]

Related Research Articles

Central Railway is one of the 19 zones of Indian Railways. Its headquarters is in Mumbai at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. It has the distinction of operating the first passenger railway line in India, which opened from Mumbai to Thane on 16 April 1853.

Daulatabad Fort originally Deogiri Fort , is a historic fortified citadel located in Daulatabad village near Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India. It was the capital of the Yadavas, for a brief time the capital of the Delhi Sultanate, and later a secondary capital of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate.

Osmanabad District , officially known as Dharashiv District , is an administrative district in the Marathwada region in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The district headquarter is located at Osmanabad. The District of Osmanabad derives its name from the last ruler of Hyderabad, the 7th Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, of which the region was a part till 1947. This region was earlier part of The Hyderabad State until Independence.This primarily rural district occupies an area of 7,569 km 2 (2,922 sq mi) of which 241.4 km 2 (93.2 sq mi) is urban and has a population of 1,657,576 of which 16.96% were urban.

Pandharpur is a Popular pilgrimage town, on the banks of Chandrabhagā River, near Solapur city in Solapur District, Maharashtra, India. Its administrative area is one of eleven tehsils in the District, and it is an electoral constituency of the state legislative assembly. The Vithoba temple attracts about a million Hindu pilgrims during the major yātrā (pilgrimage) in Ashadha (June–July).

Aurangabad district , officially known as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district , is one of the 36 districts of the state of Maharashtra in western India. It borders the districts of Nashik to the west, Jalgaon to the north, Jalna to the east, and Ahmednagar to the south. The city of Aurangabad houses the district's administrative headquarters. The district has an area of 10,100 km 2 , of which 37.55% is urban and the rest is rural. Aurangabad District is a major tourism region in Marathwada.

Buldhana is a City and a Municipal Council in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Established on 17 February 1893. It is the Administrative headquarters of the Buldhana District of Amravati division. It is the Second largest City in the district after Khamgaon and a popular place as a hill station because the city is surrounded by the mountainous area in the Ajanta range. Buldhana is around 552 km away from the state capital Mumbai. Buldhana has many religious, historical and tourist places around it like Balaji Temple in rajur ghat a replica of popular Balaji Temple of South India, is a famous religious and tourist place within city limits, Shri Gajanan Maharaj Temple in Shegaon around 75 km away, the World Famous Lonar Crater a National Geo-heritage monument created by meteorite impact is almost 100 km from city of Buldhana, Rajmata Jijau birthplace Sindkhed Raja is 90 km, Sailani Baba Dargah a major attraction of Buldhana just 25 km away from the city, The World Heritage Site Ajanta Caves is just 55 km away from the City and Dnyanganga Wildlife Sanctuary in Botha Forest is also just 20 km away from the city and many more tourist places are there around Buldhana City.

Jainism has been present in Maharashtra since ancient times. The famous Ellora Caves demonstrate that Jainism was part of a thriving religious culture in Maharashtra in premodern times.

Chalisgaon is third largest city and municipal council in Jalgaon district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located in the Khandesh division of the state. and is located about 100 km (62 mi) from Jalgaon and about 330 km (210 mi) from Maharashtra's capital Mumbai. A town where zero was invented and came into light in the ancient sanskrit scriptures. The mountains of Patnadevi jungle (forest) where rivers make an exceptional oxbow lake caused by precipitation patterns, it has transformed into a complete circle engulfing a whole mountain, folklores of the town still to this day talk about how that was a representation of Bhaskaracharya’s arrival on site and correlation with zero. It can be seen in the meteorological survey documents of Indian government, with clear satellite images of forest.

Kannad is a Taluka and a Municipal Council City in Aurangabad District in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Kannad has located 58 km from Aurangabad. It is located 24 km away from the Ellora Caves and Grishneshwar Temple. It is 45 Km from Daulatabad / Deogiri Fort.

Chandwad (IPA:Cāndavaḍa) is a town located in the Nashik district in Maharashtra. It is 250 km from Mumbai. The 11th-century Jain Caves, Renuka devi mandir, Chandreshwar temple and Rangmahal are in Chandwad.

The economy of the state of Maharashtra is the largest in India. Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra and often described as the New York of India or Manhattan of India , is the financial capital and the most populous city of India with an estimated city proper population of 12.5 million (1.25 crore). The city is the entertainment, fashion, and commercial centre of India. Mumbai hosts the largest urban economy of any city in India. is considered the financial capital of India with the headquarters of almost all major banks, financial institutions, insurance companies and mutual funds being based in the city. India's largest stock exchange Bombay Stock Exchange, the oldest in Asia, is also located in the city. More than 41% of the S&P CNX 500 conglomerates have corporate offices in Maharashtra.

Dulari Qureshi is an Indian academic, art historian and author. She has written more than 1,000 articles on art, culture and tourism development and its impacts on monuments. She is a retired professor and Director in the Department of Tourism Administration, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad. She is also the Cultural chairperson of the Ellora-Ajanta Aurangabad Festival. One of her significant contributions is the discovery of inscriptions at Pitalkhora near Aurangabad. Qureshi is the President of Indian Tourist Congress. She is from Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a very long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred area or shrine of importance to innate faith. Members of every major religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.

Religion in Maharashtra is characterised by the diversity of religious beliefs and practices.

Hazur Sahib Nanded railway station is a railway station serving Nanded city in Nanded district of Maharashtra state of India. It is under the Nanded railway division of South Central Railway zone of Indian Railways. It is located on the Secunderabad–Manmad line of Indian Railways. It is classified as an A1–category station, in terms of earnings. This Station connects Nanded with other major cities of Maharashtra and India like Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Miraj,Kolhapur, Dhanbad, Shirdi, Pandharpur, New Delhi, Howrah, Bangalore, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Vishakhapatnam, Jaipur, Vijaywada, Ahmedabad, Surat, Patna, Sri Ganganagar.

Tourism in Marathwada refers to tourism in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra state in India. Aurangabad is a regional headquarters in Marathwada, and the tourism capital of Maharashtra state. Out of the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Maharashtra, two are in the Marathwada region. There are also 110 monuments in Marathwada which are protected by Government of Maharashtra and recognized by Archaeological Survey of India.

Parbhani Junction railway station located in Parbhani. It is the main railway station of Parbhani City & District. The station comes under Nanded railway division. It is an A-1 Category Station. The station is situated on Secunderabad–Manmad section of South Central Railway zone. The city has good connectivity to major cities of Maharashtra such as Aurangabad, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Nanded, Nashik, Kolhapur, Shirdi, Pandharpur. It is also well connected to other Indian cities like New Delhi, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Secunderabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Surat, Ahmedabad, Okha, Amritsar, Agra, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Tirupati, Rameswaram. Sachkhand Express, Nagarsol-Narsapur Express, Devagiri Express, Marathwada Sampark Kranti Express, Hazur Sahib Nanded-Panvel Express, Tirupati Weekly Express, Rameswaram Weekly Express are some important trains passing through here and these trains connect this city with various cities mentioned above

Latur Road Junction railway station is a main railway station in Latur district, Maharashtra. It falls under the Secunderabad railway division in south central railway zone. Its code is LTRR . It serves Chakur city. The station consists of three platforms. Latur Road has rail connectivity with Latur, Osmanabad, Pune, Lonavala, Karjat, Panvel, Thane, Kalyan, Mumbai, Pandharpur, Miraj, Kolhapur, Parli Vaijnath, Purna, Hingoli, Washim, Akola, Wardha, Nagpur, Nanded, Nizamabad, Parbhani, Jalna, Aurangabad, Manmad, Nagarsol, Udgir, Bidar, Vikarabad, Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Warangal, Vijayawada, Kakinada, Tirupati & Bangalore.

• ↑ "India Tourism Statistics 2022" (PDF) . www.tourism.gov.in .
• ↑ "Aurangabad" . www.maharashtratourism.gov.in . Retrieved 2021-04-19 .
• ↑ "Mumbai, a land of opportunities" . The Times of India . 20 July 2011. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012.
• ↑ J. S. Mishra (2004). Mahakumbh, the Greatest Show on Earth . Har-Anand Publications. p.   17. ISBN   978-81-241-0993-9 .
• ↑ Glushkova, Irina. "6 Object of worship as a free choice." Objects of Worship in South Asian Religions: Forms, Practices, and Meanings 13 (2014).
• ↑ Feldhaus, Anne (2003). Connected places   : region, pilgrimage, and geographical imagination in India (1.   ed.). New York: Palgrave macmillan. p.   214. ISBN   978-1-4039-6323-9 .
• ↑ Incredible India, Maharashtra (PDF) .
• ↑ Kohli, M. S. (2002). Mountains of India   : tourism, adventure and pilgrimage . New Delhi: Indus Publ. Co. pp.   263–266. ISBN   9788173871351 .
• ↑ Kulkarni, Sushant (2021). "Explained: What is Maharashtra's jail tourism initiative launched from Pune's Yerawada Jail?" . The Indian Express . No.   January 28, 2021. Indian Express group . Retrieved 7 September 2021 .
• ↑ "Ellora Caves" . UNESCO World Heritage Centre . Retrieved 2021-04-20 .
• ↑ "Ajanta Caves" . UNESCO World Heritage Centre . Retrieved 2021-04-20 .
• ↑ Kennedy, Dane (1996). The Magic Mountains: Hill Stations and the British Raj . Berkeley: University of California Press . Retrieved 19 Aug 2014 .
• ↑ Patange, P., Srinithivihahshini, N.D. and Mahajan, D.M., 2013. "Pilgrimage and the environment: Challenges in a pilgrimage centre in Maharashtra, India". International Journal of Environmental Sciences , 3(6), pp. 2269–2277.
• ↑ Singh, K.; Bhanu, B.V. (2004). People of India . Mumbai: Anthropological Survey of India. p.   LIX. ISBN   9788179911013 . Archived from the original on 7 January 2017 . Retrieved 11 April 2018 .
• ↑ Shinde, Kiran (2018). "Governance and Management of Religious Tourism in India". International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage . 6 (1). doi : 10.21427/D7K42M .
• ↑ "Guinness Book to certify Mangi Tungi idol | Nashik News - Times of India" . The Times of India .
• ↑ Sangave, Vilas Adinath (1981), The Sacred Shravanabelagola (A Socio-Religious Study) , Bharatiya Jnanpith , p.   91
• ↑ "Haji ali" . Mumbai Mirror . 2008-08-07. Archived from the original on 2007-10-24 . Retrieved 2008-08-17 .

Kundalika River Rafting - River Rafting in Kundalika River in Maharashtra

• Official Website of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation

Tourist places in Maharashtra

Here are the top 123 places to visit in maharashtra in 2024:, 1. ajanta and ellora caves.

1 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 12 Tourist attractions

Ajanta and Ellora caves, considered to be one of the finest examples of ancient rock-cut caves, are located near Aurangabad in Maharashtra, India. Ajanta and Ellora caves complex is adorned with beautiful sculptures, paintings, and frescoes and include Buddhist monasteries, Hindu and Jain temples. T...

Best Time: June to March

2. Mahabaleshwar

2 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 31 Tourist attractions

Mahabaleshwar is a hill station located in the Western Ghats, in Satara district of Maharashtra. Apart from its strawberries, Mahabaleshwar is also well known for its numerous rivers, magnificent cascades and majestic peaks. It is among the most sought after weekend getaways from Pune & Mum...

Best Time: October to June

3. Panchgani

3 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 13 Tourist attractions

Deriving its name from the five hills surrounding it, Panchgani is a popular hill station near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra, famous for its various sunset and sunrise points and scenic valley view.

Best Time: September to May

4 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 5 Tourist attractions

Known as India's newest hill station, the Lavasa Corporation is constructing this private city. The city is a beautiful project, stylistically based on the Italian town Portofino. Spreading across 7 hills, covering an area of 25000 acres, Lavasa is a perfect blend of beauty and infrastructure.

Best Time: Throughout the year

Maharashtra Travel Packages

Compare quotes from upto 3 travel agents for free

Best of Maharashtra Package: Mumbai, Lonavala, Khandala & More

Mumbai & lonavala dream city package, matheran lonavala & alibaug tour package, shirdi, shani shignapur & jyotirlinga tour package, konkan dream tour package for 6 nights 7 days, tadoba tiger safari tour package.

5 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 24 Tourist attractions

Located at a distance of 122 Km from Nasik in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, Shirdi is the home of Sai Baba. It is believed that Sai Baba arrived at Shirdi in 1858 and spent 60 years of his life here until he attained salvation in 1918. Sai Baba is popularly known as the 'child of God', as ...

Best Time: July to March

6 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 11 Tourist attractions

Famous for white water rafting, Kolad is a thriving tiny village in the Raigad district in Maharashtra. Known for its cascading waterfalls, green meadows and picturesque backdrop of Sahyadris, Kolad is gaining traction as an adventure sports destination with provisions for rafting, rappelling, and k...

7. Bhandardara

7 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 7 Tourist attractions

Bhandardara, a hill station nestled in the Sahyadri ranges of Maharashtra, has all the nature's blessings a place can get. The lush greenery, the humble waterfalls and surrounded by high mountains makes for the perfect holiday spot for city dwellers.

8 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 114 Tourist attractions

Mumbai, the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra, is a spectacular paradox of chaos and hope, glamour and squalor, modernity and tradition. Famously known as the City of Dreams, Mumbai – formerly known as Bombay - Mumbai is a beautifully blended melting pot of cultures and lifestyles.

Best Time: October to February

9. Rajmachi

9 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra

Rajmachi is a small village situated in the Sahyadri mountain range of the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Rajmachi is famous for the historical fortress which has two fortified peaks - Shrivardhan and Manaranjan forts, located near two famous hills of Lonavala and Khandala.

Best Time: June to September

10. Lonavala

10 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 41 Tourist attractions

Situated in the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats close to Pune and Mumbai, Lonavala is the most visited hill station in Maharashtra and the place to be during monsoons. With lots of waterfalls, lakes and hills around, it is a popular destination for camping, trekking and other...

Best tourist destinations & places in Maharashtra

Top Hill Stations in Maharashtra

National Parks in Maharashtra

Beaches in Konkan For An Exciting Western India Getaway

Historical Places in Maharashtra For A Time-Travelling Experience

Treks in Maharashtra To Explore The Forests Of Western Ghats

Must Visit Picnic Spot in Maharashtra

11. Alibaug

11 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 29 Tourist attractions

Alibaug (also spelled as Alibag) is a small coastal town in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, known for its beaches, villas, and beautiful scenery. Alibag is very popular as a weekend getaway from the cities of Mumbai and Pune. 

Best Time: November to March

12. Khandala

12 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 22 Tourist attractions

Khandala is a popular hill station in Maharashtra, perched on the foothills of Sahyadri in the Western Ghats. Khandala provides for a perfect weekend respite for the Mumbai population, with its scenic valleys, grassy hills, serene lakes and misty waterfalls.

13. Tarkarli

13 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 20 Tourist attractions

Tarkarli is famous for its long and narrow stretch of beach, with its pristine water, white sand, and of course Singhudurg, Maharashtra's popular sea fort.

Best Time: October to March

14 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 7 Tourist attractions

A Beach town, popular for its white sand and blue seas situated in Konkan region of Maharashtra, Kashid is the perfect destination for a quiet weekend getaway from Mumbai.

15 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 39 Tourist attractions

Nasik is a religious Hindu city, host to the Kumbh Mela every 12 years. It also makes for a perfect wine tasting destination.

16. Aurangabad

16 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 37 Tourist attractions

Aurangabad, which was declared by the Government as the Tourism Capital of Maharashtra back in 2010, is a famous tourist hub which greets its visitors with a richly woven tapestry of sights and sounds. The city got its name for being the erstwhile capital of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th cent...

17 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 82 Tourist attractions

Pune is a bustling metropolis of Maharashtra, ranked number one in India in the ease of living. Often referred to as the Oxford of the East, it is a hub of diverse people and activities and is in rapidly growing into one of the top metropolitan cities in the country. Pune is a city that pe...

18. Ganpatipule

18 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 9 Tourist attractions

Beach town on the Konkan coastline, Ganpatipule has temples of Lord Ganesha as major attractions apart from the beautiful virgin beaches.

Best Time: November to February

19. Matheran

19 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 29 Tourist attractions

Nestled amidst the Sahyadri range on the Western Ghats, Matheran is a cosy little hill station that stands at an elevation of 2600 feet above sea level, and is just 100 kilometres away from Mumbai, making it the perfect weekend getaway. With its name literally translating to “overhead forest”, Mathe...

20 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 5 Tourist attractions

Raigad, is a historically rich district is situated in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Located at 2,851mts, it is surrounded by Mumbai Harbour, Thane, Pune, Ratnagiri and the Arabian Sea.

Best Tourist Attractions in Maharashtra

Marine Drive, Mumbai

Gateway of India

Ajanta Caves

Colaba Causeway

Tiger's Leap

21 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 7 Tourist attractions

Amboli lies in the Sahyadri hills in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. It is the last hill station of Maharashtra before the plains of Goa begin and is a relatively unexplored one.

22. Tadoba National Park

22 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 6 Tourist attractions

Famous for its natural heritage, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is definitely one of India's most exciting and best protected Tiger Reserve, with most visible tiger sightings in the state of Maharashtra

23. Kamshet

23 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 7 Tourist attractions

Kamshet is a picturesque hill station in Western Ghats, renowned for paragliding and flying schools. Surrounded by Western Ghats, this place is regularly featured in the top 10 must visit destinations of India for an adventurous junkie.

24. Durshet

24 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 7 Tourist attractions

Durshet is a little village found on the banks of the river Amba, nestled in the Sahyadri ranges of Maharashtra. Due to its proximity to Mumbai and Pune it serves as a weekend getaway for people to move away from the crowded cities.

Best Time: September to February

25. Bhimashankar

25 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 5 Tourist attractions

Bhimashankar, located about 100 km from Pune and 223 km from Mumbai, is a popular temple town. It is among one of the twelve traditional 'Jyotilingam' shrines of Lord Shiva in India.

26 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 37 Tourist attractions

Commonly associated with its delectable juicy varieties of oranges, Nagpur is also the winter capital of Maharashtra. With temples, lush green gardens, lakes and connectivity with main cities along with the rich cultural heritage enchant its visitors.

27 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 23 Tourist attractions

Malvan is a culturally and historically important town in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. It is well known historically for the Sindhudurg Fort of Chatrapati Shivajiraje. Culturally, it is famous for it's mouth-watering Malvani sea-food and sweets.Malvan is also known for its beaches that ar...

28. Kolhapur

28 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 30 Tourist attractions

Kolhapur is situated on the banks of the river Panchaganga in the south-west region of Maharashtra.  Situated 230 kilometres away from Pune, Kolhapur is one of the princely states and boasts of a rich legacy dating back to the times of the Marathas. Presently, Kolhapur is known for Kolhapu...

Best Time: July to February

29 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 11 Tourist attractions

Karjat, a quaint little village is the last station of Thane district in Maharashtra. The river Ulhas finds its origin in Karjat and trekking and historical spots make it a popular destination for trekkers and adventure enthusiasts.

30. Igatpuri

30 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 14 Tourist attractions

Igatpuri is a hill station and a city in the Western Ghats located in the Nashik district of Maharashtra, 130kms from Mumbai. Located on the Mumbai-Agra National Highway, Igatpuri is a heaven for nature lovers. It also has some of the highest peaks of the Sahyadri range. 

Best Time: July to September

31. Diveagar

31 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 20 Tourist attractions

Gleaming white sand, pristine blue water, swaying coconut palms and betel nut trees and gentle breeze producing a serene and calming effect, this is not a dream but the enchanting place called Diveagar.

32. Suryamal

32 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 2 Tourist attractions

Suryamal is the highest peak of the region, located in Thane district of Maharashtra. The small but beautiful hill is a popular place among people for the sheer breathtaking views that it can be seen from the hilltop.

33. Harihareshwar

33 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 8 Tourist attractions

Surrounded by four hills and with river Savitri flowing through the town, Harihareshwar is famous for its temple of Lord Harihareshwar and is a popular weekend beach destination especially for people in Mumbai and Pune.

34. Ratanwadi

34 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 3 Tourist attractions

Ratanwadi is a village near Bhandardara of the Kalsubai peak in Maharashtra. It houses the famous Ratangad fort and the popular Shiva temple called Amruteshwar. It is a famous trekking spot as it is far from the main town and has a rustic charm to it.

35 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 9 Tourist attractions

Manori beach, along with Gorai beach is a growing favourite among back packers and people who just want to cross over to the peace and quiet of the country side for a while.

36. Chiplun

36 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 11 Tourist attractions

In the quiet, far away from the city port district of Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, lies Chiplun, the city that offers you time among mango groves next to the beautiful lake, Vashishti. This town is most known for its white sand beaches and beautiful mango and cashew groves by the Vashishti river.

37. Chikhaldara

37 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 12 Tourist attractions

The scent of coffee enchants you as you enter the hill station city of Chikhaldara in the state of Maharashtra. Being the only coffee growing area in the region, Chikhaldara also boasts of beautiful lakes, breathtaking panoramic viewpoints and exotic wildlife.

38. Ratnagiri

38 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 29 Tourist attractions

Situated in pretty surroundings, Ratnagiri is blessed with hills, sea shores, creeks, beautiful rivers, hot water springs, forests and water falls and offers a rejuvenating experience to travelers.

39 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 8 Tourist attractions

Best known as the gateway of Konkan coast, Panvel is the most crowded locality of Raigad District of Maharashtra. Located at a distance of 40kms from Mumbai metropolitan region, Panvel is highly populated. It is known for the forts in Raigad and Khopoli; and also the Karnala fort which is a popular ...

40. Murud Janjira

40 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 7 Tourist attractions

Murud is known for it widespread sandy beaches adorned with majestic forts and outlined by palms and coconut trees, creating a perfect holiday scenery.

41 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 14 Tourist attractions

Dapoli, situated 215km away from Mumbai is popular tourist destination that serves the needs of all kinds of travelers. It is known as mini-Mahabaleshwar of Maharashtra owing to its cool climate throughout the year. It is located in the Ratnagiri district and is a famous Konkan hill station.

42. Malshej Ghat

42 out of 123 Places to visit in Maharashtra 4 Tourist attractions

Malshej Ghat is a mountain pass and a popular hill station, nestled in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. With its numerous lakes, waterfalls, mountains, and verdant flora and fauna, Malshej Ghat is popular among hikers, trekkers and nature lovers.

Top Hotel Collections

Beach Resorts

FAQs on Maharashtra

What is not so good about maharashtra goa, what are the top places to visit in maharashtra goa, who should visit maharashtra goa, what is the best time to visit maharashtra goa, what is the local food in maharashtra goa, related posts.

Food & Drink

Maharashtrian Cuisine - 20 Dishes of Maharashtra That Will Give You Hunger Pangs

Hill Stations

16 Famous Festivals of Maharashtra You Should Witness!

Art & Culture

Culture of Maharashtra - A Guide to the Vibrant Marathi Culture!

Traditional Dresses of Maharashtra - Cultural Clothes of Maharashtra

Wildlife & Nature

Beaches & Islands

Airports in Maharashtra - 12 Maharashtra Airports

Nearby States

Get the best offers on Travel Packages

Compare package quotes from top travel agents

• India (+91)

*Final prices will be shared by our partner agents based on your requirements.

Log in to your account

Welcome to holidify.

Forget Password?

Share this page

Login/Signup

Or Login/Signup With

By proceeding, you agree to MTDC Privacy Policy , User Agreement and T&Cs

Login With Password

For Account

OTP has been sent to

Time Remaining : 05:00

RESET Password

We will send you a reset OTP on your registered E-mail ID or Mobile Number

Create New Password

Must be atleast 8 characters in length and should contain at least one alphabet (one letter must be capital), one number and one special character @$!%*#?&

Password Changed Successfully

To prevent misuse, don’t share your password with anyone.

Congratulations

Account created successfully

Password must be atleast 8 characters in length and should contain at least one alphabet (one letter must be capital), one number and one special character @$!%*#?&

Category : Tourism in Maharashtra

Subcategories.

This category has the following 17 subcategories, out of 17 total.

• Tourism in Mumbai ‎ (6 C)
• Tourism in Pune ‎ (6 C)
• Airports in Maharashtra ‎ (13 C, 2 F)
• Amusement parks in Maharashtra ‎ (2 C)
• Beaches of Maharashtra ‎ (9 C, 64 F)
• Caves of Maharashtra ‎ (17 C, 31 F)
• Deccan Odyssey ‎ (1 C, 24 F)
• Entertainment venues in Maharashtra ‎ (6 C, 3 F)
• Festivals of Maharashtra ‎ (22 C, 153 F)
• Hotels in Maharashtra ‎ (5 C, 39 F)
• Information boards in Maharashtra ‎ (3 C, 13 F)
• Museums in Maharashtra ‎ (11 C, 21 F)
• Resorts in Maharashtra ‎ (5 C, 13 F)
• Temples in Maharashtra ‎ (7 C, 4 F)
• Trekking in Maharashtra ‎ (1 C, 36 F)
• Visitor attractions in Maharashtra ‎ (19 C)
• Waterfalls in Maharashtra ‎ (19 C, 151 F)

Media in category "Tourism in Maharashtra"

The following 15 files are in this category, out of 15 total.

• Drive in Spectacular Dhule City.ogv 4 min 29 s, 640 × 360; 54.44 MB

• Spectacular Dhule City.ogv 4 min 29 s, 640 × 360; 36.41 MB

• Economy of Maharashtra
• Tourism in India by state or territory
• Categories requiring permanent diffusion
• Uses of Wikidata Infobox
• Uses of Wikidata Infobox with no image

Navigation menu