Mumbai - What to Know Before You Go

Mumbai is India's largest financial center and the city of hopes and dreams. To learn more about Mumbai before you visit, we've put together this travel guide that includes everything you need to know about the city from its history and culture to its location in Maharashtra on the Arabian Sea.

In this article, we will also explore what makes Mumbai special, Mumbai vs Bombay, safety, and travel costs.

To get more information, keep reading or reach out to one of our professional travel advisors.

Market in Mumbai

Quick Facts

• Mumbai is located in Maharashtra and is an island city on the west coast of India.
• Mumbai is most famous for being one of India's largest and most crowded cities as well as being the home of Bollywood.
• Top attractions in Mumbai include the Gateway of India, Crawford Market, Kala Ghoda, Marine Drive, the Elephanta Caves, and Banganga Tank.
• To see all the top attractions in Mumbai, plan on spending around 2 days in the city.
• Mumbai is a safe and affordable destination to travel to.

Recommended Articles

18 Reasons Why India Should be Your Next Holiday Destination

How to Celebrate an Eco-Friendly Holi

What India Eats for Breakfast

11 Best Hotels in Jaipur

Top 15 Cooking Class in India — A Complete Guide with Schedule and Menus

Thai Curry vs Indian Curry -10 Major Differences

A Guide to Hindu Temples

The 10 Most Beautiful States to Visit in India

Where is Mumbai

Mumbai is located in the state of Maharashtra which is on the west coast of India bordering the Arabian Sea. Mumbai is around 1400 kilometers and a 25-hour drive from Delhi.

The city is made from seven separate islands that were joined together over time.

Mumbai is located near the Western Ghats which is a large mountain range that runs down the west coast of India. Most of the city is at sea level and the highest point is in Sanjay Gandhi National Park at a height of 450 meters.

Due to its location in west-central India, Mumbai experiences a tropical climate with humid and hot weather for most of the year.

China Highlights, Asia Highlights, and Global Highlights collaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.

Great Experience WOW! I’ve traveled Asia some & I must say Sharon & Asia Highlights made this trip so much more enjoyable and easy More Stephen Hollis, Aug 2023

Alisa has has been great to work with Alisa with Asia Highlights has has been great to work with. Very friendly and responsive. More Ana Rausch, Aug 2023

Using Sharon right now to book our… Using Sharon right now to book our upcoming trip to Thailand. She has booked everything that we asked for. Has answered all of my inquiries, which has been many! Looking forward to having a great girls trip in Thailand More Tracy, Aug 2023

Thailand, Singapore, Bali In Thailand, Tanny and Nori(Suparp), were both incredible! They were both fun, funny, and full of knowledge and made sure we got the full experience. They went the extra mile and always made sure we had cold bottled water and towels to cleanse our hands. In Singapore, Nicole was an absolute gem. She was so kind and knowledgeable and guided us in the right direction to make our day as enjoyable as possible. She helped us choose a top notch local lunch and coffee spot in China Town and taught us so much about the country! In Bali, Emon was an absolute joy. He was very knowledgeable and kind and absolutely made sure we were feeling comfortable and was willing to be flexible with us. He was fun to converse with and made our time traveling between destinations so enjoyable! I cannot recommend Asia Highlights enough! Accommodations, travel arrangements and guided tours were all a breeze. More Cassi Thunker, Jul 2023

Very supportive Very supportive ! I have received eticket for Sky Lattern Festival very fast More Chi?n Nguy?n Ng?c, Jul 2023

My experience in Chang Mai with Asia Highlights I greatly enjoyed my experience with Asia Highlights for a trip I booked to Thailand.All of my interests were catered too. My guide in Chang Mai Gemma was excellent.I truly felt the soul of Thailand culture and Buddhism. More Richard, Jul 2023

A pleasure to plan with Well, this has been a painless and pleasurable process to find such a wonderful company. I had specific dates and places to be and Sharon worked with me diligently to refine the schedule and costs to suit my travel needs and budget. She informed me of a special tour on the dates I am to be in Thailand and I added that to my previous plans. More Chris Williams, Jul 2023

Large multi-generational holiday in Thailand The holiday was wonderful. Our guides, Mr Monchai (Bangkok), and Ms Tipagorn (Tippy) (Chiang Mai) were exceptional. Travelling in a large multigenerational group with many children requires patience and our guides truly understood that. Mr Monchai and Ms Tippy shared their extensive knowledge of the many wonderful places we visited, and were flexible to take us to additional places along the way based on discussions. While everyday was busy, having them greet us with patience and a smile truly made this a memorable holiday. The hotels we stayed at were equally wonderful and went above and beyond to celebrate not only my parents 50th anniversary but also celebrate 2 milestone birthdays that occurred. We will cherish this holiday for many years to come. We hope to use Asia Highlights again. More CL, Jul 2023

I never used a travel agent in my life I never used a travel agent in my life, but Sharon for Asia Highlights did a phenomenal job helping planning and coordination a family vacation. The best part of working with Sharon was that she maintained an open line of communication and provided answers to my question well within 12-24 hours. Additionally, Sharon was flexible and customized our vacation to my families needs. Overall great experience. More Antione Barry, Jul 2023

Great company to plan a trip to Southeast Asia! Sharon Haung has been wonderful to work with! Very patient and accommodating. Responds immediately given time change and is prepared, prompt, and professional. More Debi Hinerfeld, Jul 2023

We took a 15 days trip (10 days Vietnam and 5 days Thailand … It was an amazing experience the guides and drivers were there awaiting for us at each airoport for a transfer to the hotels also on time for all the tours all the guides were so lovely , very experienced and spoke very good English , one of the days on tour in Thailand I lost my phone in a temple in Bangkok mr chai went out of his way in a middle of thousands of visitors and managed to find an bring it back to me I found that amazing , also while on a trip I contacted Jason li out tour organizer few time via whatup and he replied and helped on the spot I recommend asiahilights 150% The quality of the service hotels the guides the drivers outstanding From start to finish ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT ???? More SIMO el ghobar, Jun 2023

Wonderful Guides and Experience Our large group arrived in Bangkok with Tanni as our guide. She was wonderful! An absolute joy to spend time with. She is knowledgeable, kind, and extremely funny. I don’t know what we would have done without her! After Bangkok, we traveled to Chang Mai, where Indy was our tour guide. She was a delight! She is kind, knowledgeable, and so patient. Our trip to Thailand was an adventure of a lifetime and these two women helped make it memorable. I would definitely use Asia Highlights for any future travel in Asia. More Jessica Bennett, Jun 2023

Guide - Chai We travelled from Vietnam to Bangkok and were blessed to have a guide named Chai. He was a superb guide and it is a pity we couldn't bottle him and take him home. He was very knowledgeable and an absolute gentleman. He could not have done enough to facilitate us and imparted so much knowledge about the Temples, Buddism and the History of Thailand in general. Not only did he give us a great overview of the past and current ways of living in Thailand but I also feel I came away a much better person having interacting with him. I will carry many of his teachings with me for the rest of my life and know that having met him was a very special blessing in my life. More Customer, Jun 2023

Our guide Tanni was kind Our guide Tanni was kind, knowledgeable, funny and beyond accommodating for our group. We felt like we'd made a friend and it enhanced our trip in the most positive way. Everything was coordinated perfectly which is not easy to do in a large traveling group. Excellent experience! More Marissa Manson, Jun 2023

We are only on day 5 of our 15 day trip… Our first stop so far was in Hanoi where our guide Trong was just so awesome! He shared about his culture and family life which showing us sites through a city tour. He was so funny making lots of jokes and always made sure we were having fun while learning about everything! He checked on us frequently even when we were no longer with him since we then went on a cruise in Halong Bay! Halong Bay and the cruise on Paradise Elegance went way above anything I expected. The scenery was breathtaking, the ship was so beautiful and clean with such fresh, good food! And I can’t sing enough praise for the staff who took care of us- especially Anna and Belle! They went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed every aspect from eating meals with Anna to every other detail with Belle! I highly recommend Asian Highlights to help plan these extraordinary trips! This already has been a trip of a lifetime and we still have so much more to see all thanks to Cathy!! More Diane Creitz, Jun 2023

Tanni for the win! 14 of my closest friends and family descended upon Bangkok ready to see the town. Asia highlights and Tanni took us on a tour that changed our lives. We experienced so much everyday. Tanni was amazing! She did all the thinking for us, so we all could just be present and enjoy the moment. I can’t recommend this company, and especially Tanni enough. More Megan McGlynn, Jun 2023

This isn't my first trip with Asia… This isn't my first trip with Asia Highlights. They are great at helping me plan, working my requests into the itinerary, and booking it all. We travel with friends and just got back from a trip to Thailand and Vietnam. Albee did a great job with all the details and we had a wonderful time. We will use them for our next adventure! More Katie Potesta, Jun 2023

Amazing service Although we have not been our trip yet I wanted to still write a review based on customer service and the ease of booking. Alisa has been extremely prompt and responsive with planning our trip to Thailand. She has had great recommendations and guidance to add to our custom itinerary. Highly recommend using Asia highlights! -Alex More Alex, May 2023

I have never hear of this company… I have never hear of this company before , and after reading all these reviews ,I decided to give it a try . The professionalism and communicative skill received by one of the agent , Sharon of Asia Highlights , convince me that She was the right travel agent for my trip in Asia . Very quickly she communicated with me and got all the detail of my desire vacation . Sharon made me a great itinerary with great experiences that I am dreaming to experience and I am looking forward to it . Thanks Sharon for been so great and crafting me a dream vacation with great suggestions. More orge alvarez, May 2023

Coco Yang worked tirelessly to… From the moment I landed in Bangkok, Ms Noi Ying was there to welcome me and get me settled into my hotel. We enjoyed several days together touring Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. In Chiang Mai, Mr Ekachai took my son snd I on an amazing trip to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and to visit a community Lanna home, gardens and a hands-on cooking class preparing an authentic Thai meal. Lisa arranged a last-minute speedboat tour of 5 breathtaking islands in Phuket. From start to finish, the guides exceeded my expectations!! Thank you, Asia Highlight!! Debbie Woods More Debbie Woods, May 2023

Mumbai vs Bombay

The city of Mumbai was called Bombay until 1995. Today, the names Bombay and Mumbai are often used interchangeably even by those who live there.

Even though Bombay is still used, the name Bombay does have a negative connotation as this was what the city was called under British colonial rule. The city is believed to have been called Bombay because that was the British pronunciation of the original Portuguese name Bom Baia, meaning beautiful bay.

Even after British rule had ended, Mumbai kept the name Bombay until 1995 when the local Shiv Sena party took power. They viewed the name as a symbol of continued British influence and changed it to Mumbai to reflect the local Marathi culture.

The name Mumbai was chosen to honor Mumbadevi who is the patron goddess of the city. Some people also believe that Mumbai was actually the city's original name before it was colonized.

Changing the names of cities in India from their British colonial names back to their original Indian names is not unique to Mumbai. In fact, cities all over India have changed their names such as Calcutta to Kolkata and Cochin to Kochi.

What Makes Mumbai Special?

Mumbai is unique for many reasons. One major reason is that it is the largest city in India with a population of 21 million people and contains some of the country's wealthiest and poorest neighborhoods. It is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

Mumbai is also the home of Bollywood, India's largest film industry that produces most of the country's world-famous movies such as Dangal and 3 Idiots. This is the city where artists and performers come looking for work and fame.

Although Mumbai doesn't have as many monuments as some other Indian cities, it does contain three UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the Elephanta Caves, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Train Station, and a collection of Victorian and Art Deco Buildings.

8-Day Royal Rajasthan on Wheels TourDelhi - Jaipur - Udaipur - Jaisalme - Jodhpur - Agra

Mumbai History

Mumbai has a long history like many other places in India. The city was just a cluster of islands that were home to several fishing villages until the Portuguese colonized the area in 1498 as part of their bid to trade with Asia.

The Portuguese called the area Beautiful Bay (Bom Baia) and built many forts, towns, and churches to populate their trading post. In 1661, the Portuguese gave Mumbai to England as part of Catherine de Braganza's wedding dowry when she married Charles II.

Charles wasn't too interested in the Islands, however, and he loaned them to the British East India Trading Company for almost no cost beginning in 1668. It was the East India Company that really started building Mumbai and putting the city on the map.

The East India Company built docks, trading posts, and a fort that would eventually form the downtown Mumbai area. They also started the process of filling in the gaps between the seven islands with earth to join them into one large peninsula.

Mumbai was an important part of the Indian fight for independence. After the country achieved independence in 1947, Mumbai saw a rush of immigration from people looking for work and money. Still today, Mumbai is the place to go if you want to make it big as a movie star, artist, or businessman.

Top 7 Attractions in Mumbai

The best way to experience Mumbai is to explore the old and the new parts of the city. Below we have listed some of the top things to do in Mumbai.

10-Day Royal Rajasthan and Camel Festival Tour Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Pushkar - Jodhpur

Take a 2-Day Guided Tour of Mumbai

When visiting Mumbai, most travelers will only need 2 days to see the city's main attractions. Taking a guided tour of the city is a great way to see all the best spots at the best times.

Guided tours also offer visitors private transportation so that you won't have to worry about catching a taxi or taking an inner-city train.

On your guided tour, we recommend starting your day by heading to Colaba Causeway which is one of Mumbai's famous shopping districts and most important roads. Here you can get lunch at a modern and upscale restaurant.

After Colaba Causeway, head to Marine Drive and Kala Ghoda to get great views of the Arabian Sea, check out the Gateway of India, and see some of the city's local art. Afterward, head back to your hotel to rest.

Wake up the next morning and journey to Kala Ghoda for breakfast. Afterward, go to Mumbai's largest museum, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, to learn more about local history through beautiful exhibits.

After eating lunch, head to Banganga Tank to observe the locals taking part in religious practices and then go to Chor Bazaar for some shopping.

If you have extra time, take a half-day trip out to Elephanta Island or spend a morning at Crawford Market.

Mumbai Culture

Mumbai is one of the top places for Indians from other states and villages to go to when looking for work and opportunities. Mumbai has a local culture that stems from its regional location, but it is also a large melting pot of almost all Indian cultures.

Because Mumbai is located in the state of Maharashtra, Marathi is the official language of the city that is used by natives and government officials. Many immigrants speak other languages and the city has developed a dialect of Hindi that is to help with communication between the immigrant Hindi speakers and locals.

This Hindi dialect that is spoken in Mumbai is sometimes called Bombaiya Hindi and is strongly influenced by Bollywood.

Mumbai is truly one of the most diverse cities in the country and has residents that belong to almost every religion. Most people in Mumbai are Hindu but there are also large populations of Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs.

In comparison with many other cities in India, Mumbai has very liberal views and is tolerant of other cultures and immigrants. Mumbai is a very modern city with a lively arts district and music scene.

Mumbai also has a few unique and interesting festivals. One of the city's biggest celebrations is Ganesh Chaturthi which is a festival dedicated to the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom, Ganesh and takes place in August or September. Some other great festivals to check out in Mumbai include the Elephanta Festival, Banganga Festival, and Kala Ghoda Festival.

12-Day Family Holiday in India Delhi - Agra - Ranthambore National Park - Jaipur - Mumbai - Goa

When to Visit Mumbai

Mumbai has a tropical climate and experiences warm temperatures and humid weather all year round. The winter months, from November to February, are typically the most comfortable time to visit the city with average temperatures of around 25-28°C (77-82°F).

It is still possible to visit Mumbai in the spring, from March to May, although the temperatures will be hotter with an average of around 35°C (95°F). 

Mumbai experiences its monsoon season with heavy rains from June to October.

Mumbai Costs

Mumbai is quite an affordable place to visit. Compared to other Indian cities, travelers can expect the prices of accommodation, transportation, and food to all be slightly higher but still affordable when compared to western prices.

One of the more expensive aspects of visiting Mumbai is the price of accommodation and the cost of booking private transportation. If you want to travel more affordably, booking a guided tour of Mumbai is a good idea. Guided tours will include the price of accommodation, food, private transportation, and a private guide all in one upfront cost.

14-Day India, Nepal, and Bhutan Tour Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Kathmandu - Thimphu - Punakha - Paro

Mumbai Safety

Mumbai is one of the safest cities in India. Here, the chances of getting into a traffic accident are much higher than being the victim of a crime. However, travelers should still take precautions while visiting Mumbai and pickpockets can be a problem in tourist areas.

All tourist areas are frequently patrolled by police in order the keep crime low.

The traffic is pretty hectic in Mumbai and travelers should be especially careful when crossing the road. It is also a good idea to avoid using public transportation during rush hour as the crowds can sometimes be dangerous.

Women visiting Mumbai should try not to travel alone and should be extra careful in the city after dark.

How to Reach Mumbai

Mumbai is India's largest city and is very well connected to international and local transportation. There are three major ways to travel to Mumbai and they include by air, by train, by car, and by boat.

If you are traveling from Delhi to Mumbai, then the best option is by air because it is the quickest and most comfortable method.

By air:

When flying to Mumbai, you will likely land at the Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. This airport is currently undergoing major renovations and receives direct international flights from major cities all over the world including New York, London, Frankfurt, Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

You can also fly to Mumbai from most other Indian cities.

By train:

Mumbai is well connected to the Indian train system, and trains arrive in this city from all over the country. The city's main train station is Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

If you are traveling to Mumbai from the Indian states of Gujarat or Rajasthan, then taking a train can be a convenient option.

By boat:

Mumbai can also be reached by private car via highways 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 17. Road conditions near Mumbai are generally better than other areas of the country.

It is possible to drive from Mumbai to the local beach state of Goa, however, certain major cities are probably too far of a drive from Mumbai. A trip by car from Delhi to Mumbai is likely to take around 25 hours.

By car:

There are many travel companies that offer cruises from other major Asian destinations to Mumbai. Certain cruises from Singapore, Malaysia, and Dubai offer trips that stop in this bustling Indian city.

Recommended Tours

Best South Asia Tours to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan

Top South India Tours, Classic India Tour Packages

14-Day India Tour: Ideal for Western Families

12-Day Historical and Idyllic South India Tour

9-Day India Highlights and Food Tour

9-Day India Golden Triangle with Varanasi

7-Day India Golden Triangle Tour

Private India Tours, India Private Tour Packages

Explore Mumbai with Asia Highlights

Mumbai is a magnetic city that is full of energy, art, and dreams. If you would like to explore Mumbai but don't want to do all the planning, then we can help. At Asia Highlights, we specialize in creating tailor-made trips that meet the specific travel goals of each individual guest. Talk to one of our travel advisors to get professional advice about visiting Mumbai and other cities in India.