WHERE TO STAY IN MUMBAI FOR TOURISTS

If you are interested in where to stay in Mumbai, you may also be interested in where to stay in New Delhi, where to stay in Jaipur and where to stay in Goa.

South Mumbai, the best area to stay in Mumbai

South Mumbai is by far the best place for tourists to stay in due to the amount of brilliant and fascinating attractions, which are generally close in proximity. One of the most iconic sites in the area and one of the most popular is the Gateway of India, which commemorates the visit of King George V and Queen Mary in 1924 and was also the same place when the British left the country back in 1947.

This huge basalt arch is known as the ‘Taj Mahal of Mumabi’ and is around 26 metres high that overlooks the Arabian Sea, which used to greet anyone that came to the city by boat as this would be the place that you would moor at. The Gateway of India is where you can jump on a boat that goes to the nearby island of Elephanta, which is famous for its rock sculptures of Shiva. Close to the Gateway is another famous landmark, which is the impressively enormous Taj Mahal Hotel and was built over a hundred years ago.

This six-storey building is one of the oldest in India and contains almost 600 rooms, 1,500 staff and claims to have the best customer service in the country. However, just coming to see its beauty is enough to satisfy anyone’s needs and many people choose to see it on the water so that you can get a true understanding off the size and look of this wonderful piece of architecture. Other things to see and do include Marine Drive Chowpatty, which is the city’s most famous beach though isn’t a great one to relax on but is fun to visit regardless.

There are a number of temples and churches to visit like Mahalaxmi, Mumbadevi and St Thomas Cathedral being some of the more popular ones but the prettiest one is Jain Temple as it is beautifully decorated by various sculptures and carved engravings. The Victoria Terminus is a cathedral-like train station and is where India’s very first steam engine departed from back in 1887. The building mixes gothic spires, neoclassical sculptures, stone carvings, vaulted roofs and arches as well as serving roughly 3 million commuters every day. There are a number of museums to check out and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is one of the most impressive with wonderful examples of Indo-saracenic architecture as well as collections of sculptures from ancient and medieval India. T

he Jehangir Art Gallery is nearby the museum and this art gallery showcases artwork from local artists up to internationally renowned personnel that have come from Mumbai. South Mumbai has a mind-blowing range of markets and shopping arcades but the main ones to check out include Colaba Causeway, Crawford Market, Fashion Street and Manish Market. These markets cover anything from electronics to clothes and jewellery to food and most things can be bargained for.

For eating, the markets that have been previously said are excellent for restaurants though the majority are Indian based there are also other cuisines on offer like Japanese, Mediterranean, seafood, Chinese and European. Colaba Causeway has many sports bars, music venues, pubs and clubs, which serve cheap drinks and are extremely popular. There are many hotels and hostels around the train station as well as the markets, which are generally quite cheap and are clean with good customer service.

Other neighbourhoods to stay in Mumbai

Juhu

Juhu is another good place to stay in as it is most famous for the long and lengthy beach that sits along the shore and even though it isn’t the cleanest of beaches, it is still a great place to come and see due to the amount of things going on. There are also numerous places of religion located in the neighbourhood including churches and temples with the most popular one being ISKCON temple as it is set over four acres and is one of the most visually stunning buildings that attracts thousands of people every day. Juhu is one of the wealthiest areas of the city and you will see lots of brand new mansions that are mainly owned by Bollywood celebrities. Juhu is home to many restaurants, bars and hotels, though most of them tend to be more expensive than most neighbourhoods in Mumbai.

Bandra

This suburb is another decent area to stay in due to the amount of thing to do and see, which is located along the seafront in the west of the city and is also home to many Bollywood celebrities like Juhu. There are various religious places including churches and temples as well as remains of a Fort, which was built back in 1640 by the Portuguese. There are gardens, parks, movie theatres, shops, malls, entertainment complexes as well as chances to meet original Bandra natives too. Bandra is blessed with a vast amount of hotels, restaurants, clubs and pubs, which appeal to all sorts of budgets.