Best places to visit in mumbai, India

Gateway of India

The Gateway of India is the main attraction of Mumbai city. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary for the Delhi Durbar in 1911. Situated at the Apollo Bunder, the gateway holds greater historical significance as the last of the British troops that left India by sea, marched through its portals.

Flora Fountain

Running along the shoreline of Backbay, extending from Nariman Point around by Chowpatty beach upto Malabar Hills, is the most popular strolling pavement of Mumbai, built on land reclaimed during 1920. One of the most popular spots for evening outs is Chowpatty beach which also is famous for its junk food. The lively atmosphere during Ganesh Chaturthi Festival is worth a visit. One of the most fascinating landmark of Mumbai is the VT or Victoria Terminus designed by F.W. Stevens in Italian Gothic. In 1853 the first train ran from here to Thane.

Marine Dr, Mumbai, Maharashtra

On Marine Drive also lies the Taraporewala Aquarium which houses fresh water as well as saltwater fishes. A fantastic view of Mumbai can be seen from the Hanging Gardens and Kamala Nehru Park, set on the top of Malabar. The famous Mahalaxmi Temple, is the oldest temple in Mumbai, dedicated to the Goddess of Wealth which lies some distance away from Malabar Hills.

Chowpatty Beach

Mumbai's famous beach is no place for a sun bathe or a dip. In fact, there's not much going on at Chowpatty at all during the day, but in the evening it develops a magical fairground atmosphere as locals come to stroll among the contortionists, masseurs, transvestites, balloon sellers, gamblers, fortune tellers, magicians, drug dealers, nut vendors, ferris wheels and shooting galleries. In the middle of all this mayhem is a small Koli fishing community.

Elephanta Caves

Mumbai's major tourist attractions are the rock-cut temples on peaceful Elephanta Island, 10km ( 6miles ) north-east of the Gateway of India. Thought to have been carved between 450 and 750 AD, the temples survived Portuguese vandalism (one cave was reputedly used by a Portuguese battalion as a shooting gallery) and remain equal in size, beauty and power to the caves at Ajanta and Ellora.

Haji Ali Dargah Shariff

Situated at the end of a long causeway poking into the Arabian Sea, is a whitewashed fairytale mosque containing the tomb of the Muslim Saint Haji Ali. The saint is believed to have been a wealthy local businessman who renounced the material world and meditated on a nearby headland following a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Chor Bazaar, Kamathipura, Mumbai, Maharashtra

No visit to Mumbai is complete without a foray into the bazaars of Kalbadevi, north of Crawford Market. The narrow lanes of this predominantly Muslim area are hemmed in by laundry-draped chawls , and a seething mass of people bring Mumbai's traffic to a standstill. It's in complete contrast to the relative space, orderliness and modernity of South Mumbai.