A Mumbai city tour is the perfect way to explore the intricate history and impressive architecture of this vibrant and bustling city. Mumbai is one of the most heavily populated cities in the world and lies on the east coast of India. Sitting on a naturally deep harbour, Mumbai has a history of colonisation and upheaval and was only renamed from Bombay in 1996.
The Maharashtra capital is the richest city in India and is not only so in monetary terms, but also in terms of culture as it has some of the most stunning architecture to be found the world over.
Mumbai city tours – guided or not
There are a number of guided tours that you can take for your Mumbai city tour, one of the best of which being the Bombay Beat tour. This begins with a traditional Indian breakfast and then takes guests on a tour of Mumbai’s bustling downtown, on the way to which you can take in the ornate, carved figures that perch on top of Gothic and Victorian buildings.
An ideal way to immerse yourself in the local culture, this Mumbai city tour takes you past the Bombay High Court, Gateway of India, Taj Mahal Palace and the Rajabhai Clock Tower.
If you’re a woman travelling in Mumbai, then a great and safe way to get around is via the Viira Cabs taxi service. This is a Green Fleet service for women, by women and provides a safe transport system for women in Mumbai. More significantly, the service provides jobs for women from poor economic backgrounds, which ensures that if you use them, you too are contributing to a poor family’s fortunes.
If you don’t fancy a walking tour and don’t qualify for Viira Cabs (or simply don’t want to use them), then why not consider biking your way around a Mumbai city tour. Guided bike tours are available in the early morning, before the rushing metropolis really wakes up. This three-hour tour takes you around some of the more interesting aspects of the city such as the Bombay Panjrapole, where over 400 cows are housed. The cow is a sacred animal in India and many of the city people come here to feed the animals throughout the day.
You can also visit the CST Station, where award-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire was filmed, Sassoon Dock, which is the main fish loading and trading centre in the city and where the original inhabitants of Mumbai ‘Kolis’ work and Mumbadevi Temple, the Hindu temple for which the city was named.
It’s also worthwhile taking a gentle ride along Marine Drive, a 3km walkway by the Arabian Sea which is beautiful and peaceful in the morning hours. The bike tours start at 06:15am, avoids the main busy roads and costs Rs 900 per person.
Markets on your Mumbai city tour
Mumbai is a thriving city with a huge diversity of goods on offer to buy, from designer bags to hand-made crafts and incense. However, for the green traveller, it’s best to get away from the usual tourist traps and avoid the designer shops and explore the cultural opportunity that is the markets.
The Colaba Causeway Market is geared towards tourists and you can find a plethora of different products here. However, its tourist status doesn’t make it any less worth a visit and you will be able to find everything from crystals to books and jewellery here. The market is open daily from morning until night and it’s an ideal opportunity to get a feel for the real Mumbai.
In the heart of Muslim Mumbai, on Mutton Street, between S V Patel and Moulana Shaukat Ali Roads, you will find Chor Bazaar, a fascinating market with more than 150 years of history behind it. The name means ‘thieves market’, which was derived from its original name of Shor Bazaar, or ‘noisy market’ which was mispronounced by British colonisers. Chor Bazaar is open daily except for Friday from 11:00am until 19:30pm and you can find antiques, bronzes, vintage items and more here.
For more authentic Indian shopping, try Crawford Market, also open daily morning until night except on Sundays. Here you can buy fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers and animals such as birds, fish and other pets in a dedicated section of the market. This old-style market is situated in a historical colonial building and is located at Lokmanya Tilak Marg, Fort area, south Mumbai.
Fashion Street is worth a visit too – here you will see the youngsters of Mumbai shopping for the latest Western fashions and fake brand names on a street quite literally lined with fashion. Fashion Street is open every day until night-time and sells clothing, shoes and belts.
Where to stay and eat in Mumbai
Mumbai has plenty of options to choose from when it comes to places to stay and eat, such as the Orchid Hotel, which has been described by About.com as one of the ten eco friendliest hotels in India. The Orchid is Asia’s first certified eco-friendly five star hotel and is a luxury hotel close to the airport with 372 rooms.
Food-wise, the Orchid offers a ’10 minute menu’ so you can plan your day without having to factor in waiting around for food and a roof-top barbecue ‘Mostly Grills’ which serves modern fusion food and provides views over the airport runway. Further to this, ‘South of Vindhyas‘, is considered by many to be the best restaurant in Mumbai and showcases the cuisine and culture of South India.
At the Hotel Orritel you will find Kaansa, the hotel’s eco-friendly restaurant which is named for the bronze utensils that were used in ancient Indian cooking. The restaurant offers demonstrations by the chef of baking naan over a tandoor and offers a good range of North Indian cuisine.
There are other, less expensive options available than those above of course, so if you’re on a budget then it’s probably worth doing some reading before you leave home. Mumbai is a city which is rich with fascinating history and architecture, crammed with bustling activity from morning until night and rich in culture and colour – definitely worth a visit.
Photo credit: el_malino