©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd # Mumbai% (Bombay) 022 / POP 21.1 MILLION Includes ¨ Why Go? History ............. 40 Mumbai is big. It’s full of dreamers and hard-labourers, star- Sights ...............41 lets and gangsters, stray dogs and exotic birds, artists and Activities ............56 servants, fisherfolk and crorepatis (millionaires) – and lots Courses .............57 of people. It has India’s most prolific film industry, some of Asia’s biggest slums (as well as the world’s most expensive Tours ................57 home) and the largest tropical forest in an urban zone. Mum- Sleeping .............59 bai is India’s financial powerhouse, fashion epicentre and a Eating ...............63 pulse point of religious tension. It’s even evolved its own lan- Drinking & Nightlife ....67 guage, Bambaiyya Hindi, which is a mix of…everything. Entertainment. .70 If Mumbai is your introduction to India, prepare your- self. The city isn’t a threatening place but its furious energy, Shopping ............72 limited public transport and punishing pollution makes it challenging for visitors. The heart of the city contains some of the grandest colonial-era architecture on the planet but explore a little more and you’ll uncover unique bazaars, hid- Best Places to den temples, hipster enclaves and India’s premier restau- Eat rants and nightlife. ¨ Peshawri (p67) ¨ Revival (p64) When to Go ¨ Dakshinayan (p66) Mumbai (Bombay) ¨ Koh (p65) °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 32/800 ¨ La Folie (p64) 24/600 20/68 16/400 Best Places to 0/32 Stay 8/200 ¨ Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai -20/-4 0 (p60) J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨ Residency Hotel (p61) Dec & Jan The Aug & Sep Mum- Oct–Apr There’s ¨ Abode Bombay (p60) very best, least bai goes crazy for very little rain, sticky weather. Ganesh during post-monsoon; ¨ Sea Shore Hotel (p59) its most exciting the best time of ¨ Juhu Residency (p62) festival, Ganesh year for festivals. Chaturthi. :::::: :::::: 39 :::::: :::::: e# 05km 02.5 miles Mumbai :::::: :::::: Highlights :::::: 1 Marvelling at :::::::: the magnificence of ::::::::: Mumbai’s colonial- ::::::::f# Gorai Borivali £# era architecture: ::: k : MU ee Chhatrapati Shivaji r Ferry ::C :: Sanjay Gandhi i Terminus (p43), M r National Park ::o: Gorai Kandivali £# BAI ( n #÷ High Court (p47) and Island::: ::a M : : Gateway of India f#:: (p42) B y Malad £# O Marve w Tulsi 2 Investigating the M H Jetty Lake BAY) s labyrinthine lanes and s e r stalls in Mumbai’s p x ancient E bazaar k HI e e r rn district (p73) £# gh C Goregaon e t d a s 3 Dining like a l e a Aarey Vihar LI M W maharaja at one Milk Lake ghts Colony :::: of India’s best :::: restaurants such as Jogeshwari £# ::::y Indigo (p63) w ::::H See Western Suburbs Powai s 4 Feeling the love ::::s Map (p54) Lake e r with the Krishna £# ::::p Andheri x E crowd at the unique :::: n Iskcon Temple #4 r Iskcon Temple (p53) ::::e JUHU ::::st a 5 Exploring the hane A R A B I A N Vile Parle £# ::::E T eek #– Airport Cr self-sufficient world S E A :::: of Asia’s largest Santa Cruz£# :::: shantytown, Dharavi LOKMANYA :::: KHAR TILAK (KURLA) Slum (p59) £# Khar Rd :::: 6 Sleeping at the : £# :::: BANDRA Kurla T ::: ::::h Taj Mahal Palace, £#Bandra a ::: ::::n k e C ree Mumbai (p60), one :::#5 Dharavi Slum ::::: of the world’s iconic :: :::: DHARAVI hotels, or having Mahim £# ::::: a drink at its bar, :::: CHEMBUR Mumbai’s first ::::: :::: 7 Ogling ::::: the gorgeous £# Matunga Rd :::: Renaissance ::::: revival interiors of £#Wadala :::: the Dr Bhau Daji Dadar £# Lad Mumbai City WORLI £#Sewri £#Lower Parel Museum (p49) See Kalbadevi to 8 Beholding the Mahalaxmi Map (p50) Dr Bhau Daji Lad Elephanta : commanding triple- Mumbai £# #7 Mumbai City Museum : headed Shiva at Central Island Butcher #8 : Elephanta Island Island Girgaum #9 (p55) Chowpatty #2 Bazaars 9 Catching the FORT#1 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus city’s sea breeze Churchgate£# See Fort Area & among playing kids, #1 High Court Churchgate Map (p44) big balloons and a Restaurants#3 hot-pink sunset at #6 f# Gateway of India : Taj Mahal Mumbai : Girgaum Chowpatty See Colaba Map (p42) Harbour Palace ::: (p49) ::: D :: Mandwa URAN (20km) :: :: ::.