Mumbai/South

South Bombay is a commonly used term, but the extent of this district is not commonly agreed upon. This article uses the term to denote the areas of Fort, Colaba, Malabar Hill, Nariman Point, Marine Lines, Kalbadevi, Pydhonie, Mahalaxmi, and Tardeo. On the North it border the South Central Mumbai.

The Flora Fountain lies at the centre of South Mumbai. It is now known as Hutatma Chowk (Martyrs' square.)

South Bombay was the center of terrorist attacks between the evening of Nov. 26th & 29th 2008.

Understand

This district contains some of the oldest parts of the city. For a long time, this was the city. One of the seven islands that were joined to form Mumbai was called Bombay. This is where the British started on their long quest to build the docks and the city. They built Fort St. George, which no longer exists, but the area is still called "Fort". The Fort area contains many corporate offices and most of the administrative offices of the city and state governments.

Paradoxically, this district contains one of the newest areas of the city, Nariman Point, which was built on land reclaimed between the 1940s and the 70s. This is Bombay's downtown, where the offices of India's topmost corporate houses are located.

Malabar Hill, the most affluent residential neighbourhood in the city is also located here. Most industrialists have their bungalows here. This is also where the official residences of Maharashtra's chief minister and Governor are located. Altamount Road is another affluent area that features the residences of Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani, amongst others, the latter of which is the most expensive residence in the world. The other famous location is Colaba, which used to be an island by itself, until it was connected to Bombay by a causeway. This area contains a naval base.

Most of the city's famous landmarks, including the iconic Gateway of India, Taj Mahal Hotel, and Marine Drive (Queen's Necklace) are located here.

Get in

By taxi

This is the best way to reach South Mumbai whether you have arrived by air, train, or bus. The Taxi should be able to get you straight to your hotel.

By train

All three lines of Mumbai's local train network terminate here. The Central and Harbour lines end at Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus (commonly known by its former name of Victoria Terminus, or VT). The Western line ends at Churchgate, though long-distance trains stop at Mumbai Central. Most tourist areas can be reached most easily from VT and Churchgate stations. The best way to get here from the airport is to make your way to Andheri station and take a southbound train to Churchgate, though this method is not recommended during peak hours, especially if you have luggage.

By bus

BEST serves this area exceptionally well. During peak times buses have standing room only, but at other times it is a comfortable option. Buses in the series 1-199 serve this area.

By car

It is best to avoid getting your car here, especially on a weekday. While all highways terminate here and traffic discipline is better than almost anywhere else in India, the extraordinary amount of traffic and the near impossibility of finding parking close to your destination make this a bad option to take. Even if you drive down, it is a good idea to park your car at one of the paid parking areas run by the Municipal Corporation (Look for "MCGM" on the streets) and then take other means of transport to your destination.

See

• 🌍 Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) (Hornbill House, Prince of Wales Museum), Fort, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road, (Opp.Lion Gate, Eastern Wing of Prince of Wales Museum. - From : Churchgate station 1.0km South), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. This is a massive source of information for those interested in flora and fauna. Houses collections of beetles and butterflies. There is another floor which has embalmed reptiles, birds, and animal pelts. Here is the Natural History section of the Museum of Mumbai or Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya former Prince of Wales Museum. - The Bombay Natural History Society aided the Museum Trust in creating the natural history section. The museum's natural history section makes use of habitat group cases and dioramas, along with diagrams and charts, to illustrate Indian wildlife, including flamingoes, Great Hornbill, Indian bison, and the tiger. 
• Crawford market, Bhuleshwar, Chor Bazaar — These are crowded, chaotic markets which are home to some of the really interesting items, including antiques available for very cheap. One has to be prepared to look around though. More see at Buy chapter
• 🌍 Dongri Fort (Dongri Hill Fort), Dongri area. It is in a dilapidated condition and is declared 'endangered'. 

Map of Elephanta caves. Key to the sculptures at Elephanta: Main Hall 1. Ravana lifting Kailash 2. Shiva-Parvati on Kailash (Gambling Scene) 3. Ardhanarishvara (Androgyne) 4. Trimurti (Eternal Shiva, Sadashiva) 5. Gangadhara 6. Wedding of Shiva 7. Shiva slaying Andhaka 8. Nataraja (Dancing Shiva) 9. Yogishvara (Lord of Yogis).- East Wing Shrine 10. Kartikeya 11. Matrikas 12. Ganesha 13. Dvarapala. - West Wing Shrine 14. Yogishvara (Lord of Yogis) 15. Shiva Dancing. - Main Hall Shrine 16. Linga

• 🌍 Elephanta Caves (एलिफेंटा द्वीप), Gharapuri Village, Shet Bandar, Elephanta Island (Take a ferry from the Gateway of India. The boat round trip costs ₹200 (luxury class, boat every 15min, or ₹145 economy and wait for the boat to get full) and will take about 1 hour one way.). Check out these fine examples of rock sculptures dedicated to Shiva. Even though many of them have been vandalized by Portuguese invaders, their grandeur is hardly diminished. The island has two groups of caves in the rock cut architectural style. The caves are hewn from solid basalt rock. All caves were painted in the past, but only traces remain. The larger group of caves, which consists of five caves on the western hill of the island, is well known for its Hindu sculptures. The primary cave numbered as Cave 1, is situated about 1.6km up a hillside, facing the ocean. It is a rock cut temple complex that covers an area of 0.56 hektar, and consists of a main chamber, two lateral chambers, courtyards, and subsidiary shrines. It is 39m deep from the front entrance to the back. The temple complex is the abode of Shiva, depicted in widely celebrated carvings which reveal his several forms and acts. The northern entrance to the cave, which has 1,000 steep steps, is flanked by two panels of Shiva dated to the Gupta period. The left panel depicts Yogishvara (The Lord of Yoga) and the right shows Nataraja (Shiva as the Lord of Dance). The central Shiva shrine (see 16 in plan below) is a free-standing square cell with four entrances, located in the right section of the main hall. Smaller shrines are located at the east and west ends of the caves. The eastern sanctuary serves as a ceremonial entrance. - On the eastern part of the island, on the Stupa Hill, there is a small group of caves that house Buddhist monuments. This hill is named after the religious Stupa monument that they display. One of the two caves is incomplete, while the other contains a Stupa made in brick. - Every year around February, the Elephanta Festival of music and dance takes place on this island in the backdrop of the sculptures. - The caves were designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. See Elephanta Island for more details. 
• 🌍 Esplanade Mansion (Former Watson's Hotel), Library Marg, Mantralaya (From : Churchgate station 0.8km South). — Esplanade Mansion was one of the most posh hotels in the area until Jehangir Tata was refused entry and he went on to build the Taj Mahal Hotel which went on to become the most popular hotel in Mumbai. The building is currently in a pathetic condition, due to negligence but has been listed in the "World's 100 Most Endangered Monuments" list and hopefully shall be restored soon. 
• 🌍 Hanging gardens (Mehta gardens), Babulnath, Simla Nagar, Malabar Hill, Mumbai, 400 026 (From : Charni Road Railway Station 1.3km W). 5AM-9PM. Officially known as the Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens this terraced garden is worth visiting less for the carved hedges and fountains and more for the spectacular view of Mumbai that it affords. Right across the street is Kamala Nehru Udyan, which is another garden whose most famous attraction is a structure shaped like a shoe, which one can enter and climb on top and look out. Visit Kamala Nehru park late in the evening to see a beautiful view of Marine drive. free. 
• 🌍 Nariman Point (Manhattan of Mumbai, नरिमन पॉईंट) (At the southern end of Marine Drive). The area is situated on land reclaimed from the sea. Nariman Point is the business hub of Bombay. However, with the change in economic conditions, many companies have shifted to other areas of Bombay like Parel, Worli, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Andheri-Kurla Road, and Powai. Here is located here along with a number of Airlines Offices and luxury hotels. Don't miss out the Air-India building. - It is widely regarded as the 'Manhattan' of Mumbai and it boasts of a spectacular skyline and pricey residential condos. It is also the main financial district of Mumbai and houses most of the financial services and brokerage companies—both Indian and international. It is also the location for the Vidhan Bhavan which is the political headquarters of the state of Maharashtra. 
• 🌍 World Trade Centre Arcade (Hindi: कफ परेड), GD Somani Rd (Cuffe Parade quarter), ☎ [phone]. Cuffe Parade quarter is one of the high-end areas where the famous World Trade Centre and Unit Trust of India offices are located. Navy Nagar/Army cantonment area is located here which is the southernmost boundary of Bombay. 

Colonial Architecture

• 🌍 Bombay Stock Exchange (Phiroze Jeejeebhoy Towers), Dalal Street, Kala Ghoda, Fort (At Flora Fountain), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]:00–19:30(Trading days). The Stock Exchange is country's premier stock exchange. BSE Ltd, the first ever stock exchange in Asia established in 1875. This tall building is visible from anywhere in VT/Churchgate and makes a prominent part of the skyline of Bombay. — The neighborhood known as Fountain area which is a prominent hub for commercial activity of Bombay as all the Major banks are located here. You may cash your Traveller's Cheques here. - About Phiroze Jeejeebhoy Towers: popularly known by its original name of BSE Towers, is a 29 storey building in downtown Mumbai. The street on which the site is located came to be called Dalal Street in Hindi (English: Broker Street) due to the location of the exchange. The building completed and occupied by the BSE in 1980. It was initially called BSE Towers. Soon after occupation, following the death of Sir Phiroze Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy, chairman of the BSE since 1966, the building was renamed in his memory. The building was a target of the 1993 Bombay bombings. 

Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus,"Victoria Terminus"

• 🌍 Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Marathi: छत्रपती शिवाजी टर्मिनस, Hindi: छत्रपति शिवाजी टर्मिनस, "Victoria Terminus", V.T.), Dadabhai Naoroji Rd, Azad Maidan, Fort (At the end of Flora Fountain). 24/7. — It is the disembarking station for Central Railway local trains and long-distance trains. Adjacent to V.T. station is General Post Office, a grand building which is open 24 hours. The road goes further up to Ballard Estate where a lot of Corporate Offices and Mumbai Port is situated. About the architecture: The station building is designed in the High Victorian Gothic style of architecture. The building exhibits a fusion of influences from Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture and traditional Indian architecture. The skyline, turrets, pointed arches, and eccentric ground plan are close to traditional Indian palace architecture. Externally, the wood carving, tiles, ornamental iron and brass railings, grills for the ticket offices, the balustrades for the grand staircases and other ornaments were the work of students at the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art. The station stands as an example of 19th century railway architectural marvels for its advanced structural and technical solutions. - The VT was constructed using high level of engineering both in terms of railway engineering and civil engineering. It is one of the first and is considered as one of the finest products of the use of industrial revolution technology merged with revival of the Gothic Revival style In India . The centrally domed office structure has a 150m long platform connected to a 500m long train shed, and its outline provides the skeleton plan for building. VT's dome of dovetailed ribs, built without centering, was considered as a novel achievement of the era. It has a C-shaped plan which is symmetrical on an east-west axis. All the sides of the building are given equal value in the design. It is crowned by a high central dome, which acts as the focal point. The dome is an octagonal ribbed structure with a colossal female figure symbolizing Progress, holding a torch pointing upwards in her right hand and a spoked wheel in her left hand. The side wings enclose the courtyard, which opens on to the street. The wings are anchored by monumental turrets at each of their four corners, which balance and frame the central dome. The façades present the appearance of well proportioned rows of windows and arches. The ornamentation in the form of statuary, bas-reliefs, and friezes is exuberant yet well controlled. The columns of the entrance gates are crowned by figures of a lion (representing Great Britain) and a tiger (representing India). The main structure is built from a blend of India sandstone and limestone, while high-quality Italian marble was used for the key decorative elements. The interior of the building was conceived as a series of large rooms with high ceilings. It is a utilitarian building and has had various changes required by the users, not always sympathetic. The main interiors are also decorated: the ground floor of the North Wing, known as the Star Chamber, which is still used as the booking office, is embellished with Italian marble and polished Indian blue stone. The stone arches are covered with carved foliage and grotesques. - Internally, the ceiling of the booking hall was originally painted blue, gold and strong red on a ground of rich blue with gold stars. Its walls were lined with glazed tiles made by Maw & Co of Britain. - Outside, there are statues representing Commerce, Agriculture, Engineering and Science, with a statue representing Progress on the central dome of the station. - A statue of Queen Victoria beneath the central dome has been removed. - CST has 18 platforms - 7 are for locals trains and 11 are for long distance. - This is one of World Heritage List. 
• Fort George ruins, Fort area (to the east on the site of the former Dongri Fort). This was an extension to the fortified walls of Bombay (now Mumbai) built in 1769. The hill on which the Dongri fort stood was razed, and in its place Fort George was built. In 1862, the fort was demolished. A part is visibble near St. George Hospital. - The fort was 1 mile (1.6 km) long and about a third of a mile in breadth (500 m). Its length was from NNE to SSW, and it was named in honour of George III of the United Kingdom. 
• 🌍 Gateway of India (भारतीय प्रवेशद्वार), Shivaji Marg (From : Churchgate station 1.5km South). 24/7. — This was built in 1911 to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to India. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, the foundation stone for the Gateway of India was laid on 31 March 1911. The final design of George Wittet was sanctioned in 1914 and the construction of the monument was completed in 1924. This arch is the most recognizable symbol of the city. - The structure is a basalt arch, 26m high. It lies at the end of Chhatrapati Shivaji Marg at the water's edge in Mumbai Harbour. It was a crude jetty used by the fishing community which was later renovated and used as a landing place for British governors and other prominent people. In earlier times, it would have been the first structure that visitors arriving by boat in Mumbai would have seen. Free. 
• 🌍 Marine Drive Chowpatty beach (Girgaum Chowpatty, Marathi:गिरगाव चौपाटी), Marine Dr (: Marine Lines or Charni Rd. - From Charni Road Railway Station 0.5km East). This is the city's most famous beach. Situated at one end of , Bombay's most famous promenade. This is not a place to sunbathe, however. Go here to watch the crowds enjoying themselves and have Bhel puri, as a moderately famous Hindi song asks you to. Note that Chowpatty in Marathi means "beach". So you may hear people referring to other beaches suffixed with Chowpatty. (For example, "Juhu Chowpatty"). But if they say "Chowpatty" without qualification, they are referring to this place. - The beach is famous for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations when hundreds of people from all over Mumbai come to immerse the idols of Lord Ganapati in the Arabian Sea. It is also one of the many places in the city where the Ramlila is performed on a stage every year. An effigy of Ravan, that is erected on the sand, is burnt by the end of the 10-day performance. 
• 🌍 Rajabai Clock Tower (Marathi: राजाबाई टॉवर), Fort precinct, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil Marg (located in Mumbai University, close to Flora Fountain. - From : Churchgate station 0.6km South). Similar to the Big Ben of London. The tower was built in a fusion of Venetian and Gothic styles. It is built out of the locally available buff-coloured Kurla stone. The tower has one of the best stained glass windows in the city. The ground floor has two side rooms, each measuring 140m². The tower forms a carriage porch 2.4m², and a spiral staircase vestibule of 2.6m². The tower, over the carriage porch, has a square form up to the gallery at the top of the first level which is at a height of 20.7m from the ground. The form changes from a square to an octagon and the height from this gallery to the top of the tower is 36m and the third stage to the top of the finial is 28.7m, thus making a total height of 85m. Chimes every 15 minutes. 
• 🌍 Taj Mahal Hotel (Marathi: ताजमहाल हॉटेल), Shivaji Rd, Apollo Bandar (From Churchgate station 1.6km South). The landmark hotel close to the Gateway of India, along with the Oberoi is one of the oldest five star hotels in India. The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel original building was commissioned in Indo-Saracenic style by Tata and first opened its doors to guests on 16 December 1903. - The builder was Khansaheb Sorabji Ruttonji Contractor who also designed and built its famous central floating staircase. The cost of construction was £250,000 (£127 million today). During World War I, the hotel was converted into a 600-bed hospital. The dome of the hotel is made from steel as used in the Eiffel Tower. Jamsedji Tata imported the same steel during that time. The hotel was the first in India to install and operate a steam elevator. The hotel imported American fans, German elevators, Turkish baths and English butlers, for the first time in India. - Keep alert. In 2008, four gunmen attacked the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower. In 2003 was two more terror attacks near here, at the Gateway of India 

Museums & Galleries

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, formerly known as the Prince of Wales Museum, and gardens

• 🌍 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (Marathi: छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज वस्तुसंग्रहालय, formerly Prince of Wales Museum of Western India), 159-161, M.G. Road, Fort precinct (located near next to Jehangir Art Gallery, near Regal cinema), ☎ [phone], [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Tu-Su 10:15AM-5:45PM. Housed in a wonderful example of Indo-Saracenic architecture the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya was established in 1904. The museum building, built of basalt and kurla stone, is a three-storied rectangular structure, capped by a dome set upon a base, which adds an additional storey in the centre of the building. The building accommodates a central entrance porch, above which rises a dome, "tiled in white and blue flecks, supported on a lotus - petal base". A cluster of pinnacles, topped with miniature domes surround the central dome. The building incorporates features like Islamic dome with a finial along with protruding balconies and inlaid floors, inspired by Mughal palace architecture. The architect, George Wittet, modeled the dome on that of Golconda Fort and the inner vaulting arches on those at the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur. The interior of the museum combines the columns, railings and balcony of an 18th-century Wada (a Maratha mansion) with Jain style interior columns, which form the main body of the central pavilion below the Maratha balcony. - The ground floor contains a small, but representative collection of sculpture from ancient and medieval India. A mezzanine floor has exhibits on the Indus Valley civilization that is not particularly well organized but worth a stop, especially if your visit to India does not include the National Museum in Delhi. The First Floor has an impressive collection of Buddhist (Nepal and Tibet) thangkas and bronzes and a smorgasbord of medieval Indian court and religious painting. The Third Floor houses an indifferent collection of European art and medieval weaponry that is best skipped. - Opened new galleries: Krishna Art Gallery, Indian Miniature Painting Gallery, Textile or Indian costume gallery. - The excellent audio guide and the building itself make this museum a must on any visit to Bombay. ₹15 for Indians, ₹300 for foreigners. Audio guide worth ₹150 complimentary with the price for foreigners. 
• 🌍 Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum (Victoria & Albert Museum), 91 A, Rani Baug, Veer Mata Jijbai Bhonsle Udyan, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Rd, Byculla East precinct, Byculla, (From : Byculla Railway Station 0.4km NE), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Established in 1855 as a treasure house of the decorative and industrial arts. This museum houses a large number of archaeological finds, maps and historical photographs of Mumbai, clay models, silver and copper ware and costumes. Its significant collections include a 17th-century manuscript of Hatim Tai Outside the museum is the istallation of the monolithic basalt elephant sculpture recovered from the sea, which originated from Elephanta Island (Gharapuri Island). - Collections in six Galleries: Industrial Arts Gallery, 19th Century Paintings, Origins of Mumbai Gallery, Founders' Gallery, Kamalnayan Bajaj Special Exhibitions Gallery, Kamalnayan Bajaj Mumbai Gallery. 
• 🌍 Jehangir Art Gallery, 161 Kalaghoda (: Churchgate.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Free. The building has been designed by Durga Bajpai and is one of the early concrete structures in the city. The gallery has been turned inwards due to a combined function of an auditorium and an art gallery. Open daily 11AM-7PM. 
• 🌍 Manibhavan (Gandhi Memorial, Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya), 19, Laburnum Road, Gamdevi precinct (From : Grant Road 0.5km SW), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Museum daily 09.30-18.00, Closed on 2nd & 4th Saturdays and public holidays. - Library: M-F 09.30-18.00,. — The house where Mahatama Gandhi often stayed when he visited the city between 1917-1934. The two-storeyed structure standing on the Laburnum Road is the city's pride. Gandhi's Museum & Library: Once you enter the place, there is a library with statue of the Mahatma where people offer their tributes. Then a staircase dotted with Gandhi's pictures depicting his life leads visitors to the first floor which has big photo gallery where photographs of his childhood till his assassination are displayed along with press clippings. The room that Gandhi used during his stay here is on the second floor - there is a glass partition and people can see through two of his spinning wheels, a book and floor bed still preserved. Right opposite the room there is a hall where photographs and paintings of his lifetime are on display. And finally when one reaches the terrace where he was arrested on Jan 4, 1932. 
• 🌍 Taraporewala Aquarium, Marine Drive, Girgaon (~92, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Rd, Churchgate. - From : Churchgate station 0.6km SW). — Has an exotic collection of marine and fresh water life. An interesting section demonstrates various stages in the growth of a pearl and also displays exquisite pearl, and mother-of-pearl jewelry. Reopen March 2014.? ₹50?. 

Places of worship

Temples

• 🌍 Babulnath Temple (Babulnath Mandir), 16, Babulnath Road, Charni Road , Khareghat Colony, Malabar Hill, (near Malabar hill, - From : Grant Road station SW 1.0km), e-mail: [e-mail]. — this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is a well known temple in south Mumbai. This temple is close to the beach and there is a climb of around 100 steps 
• 🌍 Mahalaxmi Temple (Mahalakshmi, Marathi: महालक्ष्मी मंदिर), Bhulabhai Desai Marg, Mahalaxmi area. (1 km from : Mahalakshmi railway station), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. — The temple dedidated to Mahalaxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity is one of the most popular shrines of Mumbai.- The temple contains images of the goddesses Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and Mahasaraswati. All three images are adorned with nose rings, gold bangles and pearl necklaces. The image of Mahalakshmi is shown riding a tiger and a demon (Mahishasur) in tandem. The compound of this temple contains several stalls that sell flower garlands and other paraphernalia used by devotees for worship and as offering. 
• 🌍 Mumbadevi Hindu Temple (Mumba Devi Mandir, or Mumba Devi Temple (Marathi: मुंबा देवी मंदिर, Gujarati: મુંબાદેવી મંદિર, મુંબઈ), ~69, Shaikh Memon St, Mumbadevi Area, Bhuleshwar (From : Masjid Bunder Railway Station 0.7km W), ☎ [phone]. Tuesday is the main day of worship.. — Mumbai is named after the goddess Mumbadevi or Mumbā,- the local incarnation of the Devi (Mother Goddess),- the patron goddess of the city. The shrine dedicated to Mumbadevi is believed to have been originally built by Koli fisherman in the 1st century B.C. on the site now occupied by Victoria or Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. This temple is now at Bhuleshwar. The structure is about six centuries old, believed to be the handiwork of Mumbaraka, a sadistic giant who frequently plundered the city at the time.. - Newly married Hindu couples visit the shrine soon after marriage, seeking blessings from the goddess for a happy married life. - 
• 🌍 Walkeshwar Temple (Sri Walkeshwar, Baan Ganga Temple), Banganga Cross Lane, Teen Batti, Malabar Hill (near Malabar hill). This is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god, Shiva. - According to legend, Lord Rama came here on his way to Lanka to reclaim his consort Sita, who was kidnapped by the Demon King, Ravana. The temple also has a tank called the Banganga. A quiet place amidst all the bustle. 

Churches

• 🌍 Afghan or St. John's Church (Marathi: अफ़ग़ान चर्च), Bakery Ln, Navy Nagar, Colaba (from : Churchgate station or Regal theatre take Bus 153 and get off at the Afghan church stop.). Daily dawn-dusk; the verger who lives next to the church will open the door if it is locked.. - This is an Anglican Church in Colaba district, built by the British to commemorate the dead of the disastrous defeat in the First Afghan War of 1838. This church is believed to have hosted members of the White Brotherhood who believe that Lord Jesus visits them from the Cave of Light in the Dauladhar Mountains even today. -The imposing edifice was constructed using locally available buff-coloured basalt and limestone. Inside it is known for its wide gothic arches and beautiful stained glass windows. The chapel has a nave and aisle with a chancel 15m in length and 7m in width. Butterfield's tiles used for the geometric floor pattern were imported from England. The east and west windows were designed by William Wailes, a nineteenth century stained glass expert. The stained glass used is superior to that in the Rajabai Tower and Victoria Terminus. Eight large bells in the bell tower came from the Taylor bellfoundry of England in 1904, and are acknowledged to be the best in western India. The tower and spire are 60m high. - Free.. 
• 🌍 The Gloria Church (Portuguese: Nossa Senhora de Gloria), Sant Savta Marg, Byculla West, Mustafa Bazar, Byculla (From : Byculla Station 0.3km SE). This is one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in Mumbai built by the Portuguese Franciscans in 1632. 
• 🌍 St. Thomas Cathedral, Veer Nariman Road, Kala Ghoda, Fort (: Churchgate station. - near Flora fountain.), ☎ [phone]. open daily 07.00-18.00. Completed in 1718, it is the first Anglican church in Mumbai, to improve the "moral standards" of the growing British settlement. - One of the gates in the Fort which the East India Company had built to protect their settlement was the entrance to the St. Thomas Church. It was called Churchgate. That is why the whole area towards the West of the Church is called “Churchgate” even today. The church was consecrated a cathedral in July 1837. The tower and the clock at the western end were added in 1838. About 25 years later a major renovation scheme was launched to enlarge the chancel. This was completed by 1865. 

Mosques

• 🌍 Haji Ali (Haji Ali Dargah, Urdu: حاجی علی درگاہ ,), Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, (From : Mahalakshmi Station or Mumbai Central Station, or from : Byculla Station take a B.E.S.T. bus / Taxi. - Bus 33, 37, 63, 81, 83, 84, 85, 87, 89, 92, 93, 124, 125, 351, 357, 385, 521 stop near here), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-Sa 9:30-17:30. - The Haji Ali Dargah was constructed in 1431 in memory of a wealthy Muslim merchant, Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who gave up all his worldly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. - The Dargah Sharif is built on a tiny islet located 500m from the coast, in the middle of Worli Bay, in the vicinity of Worli. The edifice is a brilliant specimen of the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. The islet is linked to the city precinct of Mahalakshmi by a narrow causeway, which is nearly 1.0km long. - The accessibility to the dargah is very much dependent on the tides. As, the causeway is not bound by railings, when the causeway gets submerged during high tide it becomes inaccessible. Therefore, the dargah is accessible only during low tide. This walk on the causeway, with the sea on both sides, is one of the highlights of a trip to the shrine.- The whitewashed structure occupies an area of a marble courtyard contains the central shrine. The tomb within the mosque is covered by a brocaded red and green chaddar (tomb cover sheet). It is supported by an exquisite silver frame, supported by marble pillars. The main hall has marble pillars embellished with artistic mirror work: blue, green, yellow chips of glass arranged in kaleidoscopic patterns interspersed with Arabic patterns which spell the ninety-nine names of Allah. As per the Muslim traditions separate praying rooms for ladies and gents are provided here to pay their respects. During the high tide, the dargah seems completely isolated with no access. It looks more like a little island. 
• 🌍 Jumma Masjid (Jama Masjid), Sheikh Memon street, Kalbadevi neighborhood, (near Crawford Market. - From : Masjid Bunder Railway Station 0.5km W). - The date of its completion (AD 1802)/(AH 1217). It was constructed on the tank. In the eighteenth century, this tank was situated in the midst of gardens and open land and belonged to a Konkani Muslim merchant trading in Goa, and Calicut, who, about 1778, agreed to the erection of a mosque on the spot, provided the tank was preserved intact. A one-story building was therefore erected over the tank and formed the original nucleus of the present Jama Mosque. - The Jama Mosque is a quadrangular pile of brick and stone, encircled by a ring of terrace roofed and double storeyed buildings, the ground floors of which are let out as shops. The chief or eastern gate of the mosque leads directly across an open courtyard to the ancient tank, which is now furnished with masonry steps and embankments, built in 1893, and contain about three meter of stagnant water, filled with gold and silver fish. From the depth of the tank rise sixteen black stone arches, constructed in 1874, which support the whole fabric of the mosque, the upper story being upheld by five rows of wooden pillars, each of which contains a receptacle for sacred books. The arches in the tank were built in 1874. 
• 🌍 Raudat Tahera (Arabic: روضة طاهرة Rawḍatu Ṭāḥiratu), Raudat Tahera Street, Ibrahim Rahimatullah Road, Bhendi Bazaar, Dhaboo St, Kumbharwada, Kamathipura, (From : Masjid Bunder Railway Station 1km NW - in the midst of Bhendi Bazaar). This is a white-marble Fatemi shrine. - The marble used in the mausoleum was quarried from the Chosira and Ulodi quarries of the famed Makrana quarries in Rajasthan, from where marble for Taj Mahal was quarried. - The mausoleum rests on 92 piles. The number 92 is significant in that it represents the Arabic isopsephical value of the name of Muhammad. The complete structure weighs 5000 tons. The mausoleum rises to a height of 33m, which is the Arabic isopsephical value of the word Ḥaqq. The dome is 16m high as its crowning feature. The very first brick laid down for the construction of the dome was done by Mufaddal Saifuddin in the presence of his father. A 3.7m high gold finial stands sentinel over the dome. There are four smaller domes, one at each corner of the central dome, each with a gold finial to match its larger prototype, and perfect the setting against the azure sky. The dome and cornice are inspirations from the Juyushi Mosque, Cairo. The four walls of the mausoleum have a 1.2m and 15 cm thick masonry wall, with 7.6cm cladding on both sides, making its final thickness of 1.5m, which reflects the members of Ahl al-Bayt. - The outer walls are decorated with the names of the Ahl al-Bayt and the Fatimid Imams as well as the Duʿāt Mutlaqīn in the Kufic script. The four entrance doors to the shrine have been specially designed to match the entrance gate of Aqmar Mosque in Cairo built by Imam-Caliph Manṣūr al-Āmir bi'Aḥkāmi l-Lāhi. The entrances are adorned with four silver doors of Fatimid style and lead to the sanctum sanctorum of the tomb. There are five arches above each of these four doors, called Raudat Tahera; Bab-e Hakimi, so named after his ancestor, Abdul Qadir Hakimuddin, whose mausoleum is in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh; Bab-e Zaini, so named after the 45th Da'i al-Mutlaq, Tayyab Zainuddin, his great-grandfather, whose tomb is in Surat. The entrance facing north is called Bab-e Fakhri, so named after his ancestor, Fakhruddin Shaheed, whose mausoleum is in Galiyakot, Rajasthan. 

Agiaries

• 🌍 Tower of Silence, Dungar Wadi Rd, Simla Nagar, Malabar Hill (From : Grant Road , 1.2km West). This is where the Parsis practice their famous burial custom of leaving bodies out in the open to be devoured by vultures. However, as the name hints, the site is within a tower where non-Parsis are not welcome, so there is nothing to be seen. There are several other Parsi (Fire) Temples in Mumbai. These are located at Church Gate, Princess Street, New Queen's Rd, Gowalia Tank, and Bandra. The Agiary, located at Fort, was built in 1790 and is considered to be the oldest Parsi temple in Mumbai. 

Synagogues

• 🌍 Kenesseth Ellyahoo Synagogue (בית הכנסת אליהו), 55, Dr. V.B. Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda precinct, Fort (: Churchgate station 0.8km), ☎ [phone] 839617. Synagogue built in 1884 by Jacob Elias Sassoon and his brother Albert in memory of their father Eliyahoo Sassoon 
• 🌍 Magen Hasidim Synagogue, Mohammad Shahid Marg, Agripada (Between : Mumbai Central and : Byculla Stations). built in 1895. 
• Tephereth Israel Synagogue? (located at Agripada). 
• 🌍 Chabad Nariman House (בית חבד מומבאי), Azad Nagar, Colaba Mumbai, Maharashtra 400005 (: Churchgate station 2.3km), ☎ [phone]. Chabad Nariman center at the site of the 2008 Terror attack, is home to the one of a kind Jewish tour of tolerance and hope. Through visceral footage and displays, visitors witness the heart wrenching story of the Murder of Rabbi and Mrs. Holtzberg, the founders of the center. The visitor faces the stark reality of modern day terror and is challenged to assume personal responsibility for positive change. The center is the vibrant heart of the Jewish community of Mumbai and provides support for tourists and backpackers. At the premises is a Kosher restaurant, a coffee corner with Wifi, a Library and a Synagogue. 

Do

• Harbour Cruise — If you can afford it, rent the Taj's private yacht (has two sun decks and three bedrooms) for a cruise around the Mumbai harbour, $300/hour (including drinks and meals).

Buy

• 🌍 Breach Candy, Bhulabhai Desai Rd?, Breach Candy area (From : Mumbai Central 1.5km West). Home to Premsons and Amarsons department stores. 
• 🌍 CR2 Mall, Barrister Rajni Patel Marg, Nariman Point (Bus 5, 19LTD, 25LTD, 45, 87LTD, 111 to stop Mantralaya). One of the newest malls in Mumbai, also houses the INOX multiplex. 
• 🌍 Colaba Causeway souvenirs, Colaba Causeway, Railway Colony precint. is the street most frequented by tourists. You can buy many pretty trinkets from the street vendors at prices that an Indian would consider exorbitant and a foreigner cheap. 
• 🌍 Crawford Market (Marathi: क्रॉफर्ड मार्केट, officially Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Market, Marathi: महात्मा ज्योतिबा फुले मंडई), Central Line? Lokmanya Tilak Marg, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Area (It is within 10 minutes walking distancenorth from the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus. - West of the J.J. flyover at a busy intersection.). Earlier it was the major wholesale trading market for fruits & vegetables. Now it houses shops selling imported items such as food, cosmetics, household and gift items. - The market was designed by British architect William Emerson, in Norman and Flemish architectural styles. The friezes on the outside entrance depicting Indian farmers, and the stone fountains inside, were designed by Lockwood Kipling, father of novelist Rudyard Kipling. The market covers an area of 22471m², of which 5515m² is occupied by the building itself. The structure was built using coarse buff coloured Kurla stone, with redstone from Bassein. It has a 15 m high skylight awning designed to allow the sunlight brighten up the marketplace. 
• 🌍 Fashion Street, Fort district, Mahatma Gandhi Rd? (from : Chruchgate Station start walking towards Flora Fountain make a left turn and its a block down). These are actually street shops lined alongside the road starting from VSNL building. Decent stuff at good prices, bargains for clothes and accessories. Best place in Mumbai to buy cheap clothes. Bargaining/haggling skills are a must if you want to shop here! Offer to pay 1/4 of the asking price or less and then work your way upwards. Look around the first few shops and try to estimate the going price. If you decide to walk away (during a negotiation), sometimes the vendor will try to hail you back. Don't go back to the same vendor, he will not discount it to the price you asked and might try to humiliate you. Just walk away, you will find another shop with the same merchandise down the street. 
• Heera Panna Shopping Centre, Tardeo Road?, Malviya Nagar (near the Haji Ali Dargah), ☎ [phone]. 10:00–23:00. It's a popular shopping destination for locals and shops usually deal in imported goods and electronics. 
• 🌍 Kashmir Oriental Carpet Showroom, 20 Crush Hall, The World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. One of the finest places where you can get exquisite hand-knotted carpets and rugs from Kashmir with genuine certification of authenticity. This 30-year old store has an amazing range of breath-taking carpets in wool and silk with very reasonable prices and a personalized service. 
• 🌍 Manish Market, Ramabai Ambedkar Marg, (ahead of Crawford Market on the other side of JJ flyover). Very famous for its electronic goods, especially cell phones. Shops usually deal in grey goods though. 
• 🌍 Musafir Khana, Musafir Khana Rd.? (located ahead of Crawford Market on the other side of JJ flyover, next to Manish Market.). Shops here deal in imported goods and electronics. 
• 🌍 Bungalow eight, Inside Wankhede Stadium, North Stand, E & F Block, D Road, Churchgate, Mumbai 400020 (on D road, go to the stadium through Vinoo Mankad Gate - it is a free access except on match days; walk straight ahead, the shop unter the stands. Its entrance is between the staircases 9 & 10 to the Sachin Tendulkar Stand, just after the real estate developers Ameya Properties), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open all days from 10:30 AM to 7:30 PM. Very nice fashion shop, creative women clothing from young indian designers (Abraham & Thakore, for example); Bungalow Eight is a (very elegant) brand but also sells clothes from other designers. Furniture is also sold here. Prices quite high. (updated Apr 2017)
• 🌍 King's, Florence House, Mereweather Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400 039 (Very small shop located under the archway, behind the Taj Mahal hotel, on the other side of the street), ☎ [phone], [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. High-quality tailors at affordable prices. The place to get a bespoke suit in Mumbai - no ready-to-wear clothes here! Sunil and Gopal, the two brothers that own the place, have a good taste and commit themselves to fitting your tailor-made suit perfectly. King's is also a shirtmaker and does sell some accessories like cufflinks, ties, pocket squares. These are under the desk and you have to ask for them. King's suits are elegant, and their owners are very efficient also: urgent jobs undertaken. If you really are in a hurry, your shirt can be made in a few hours and your suit for the next day. (updated Apr 2017)

Book Shops & Libraries

• 🌍 Alliance Francaise, 40, Theosophy Hall, Vithaldas Thackersey Marg, 1st Cross Ln, New Marine Lines New Marine Lines (Churchgate 0.1km), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-F 9:30-17:30, S 9:30-13:00. ₹200-₹800. 
• 🌍 Asiatic Library at Asiatic Society, Shahid Bhagat Singh Rd, (Next to Horniman Circle, Hutatma Chowk), ☎ [phone]. The Asiatic Society of Bombay, a learned society in the field of Asian studies. - The library of the Society has over a hundred thousand books out of which 15,000 are classified as rare and valuable. It also has priceless artifacts and over 3,000 ancient manuscripts in Persian, Sanskrit and Prakrit, mostly on paper but some on palm leaf. The numismatic collection of 11,829 coins includes a gold coin of Kumaragupta I, a rare gold mohur of Akbar and coins issued by Shivaji. Its map collection comprises 1300 map. - The Town Hall (colloquially Called "Tondal" in the 19th century) that houses the Asiatic Society of Bombay was not built in 1804, the year in which the Literary Society of Bombay was formed. Though Sir James Mackintosh mooted the proposal for a grand edifice, it was not completed until the year 1830 (year to be confirmed with tablet on the entrance) after many fits and starts, when the Bombay Government agreed to make up for the shortfall in funds in return for office-space. The after-effects of this compromise can still be seen in the unseemly crowds gathered at the Stamp Office and other government departments in the Town Hall. It is now classified a heritage structure. Heavily influenced by Greek and Roman architecture, it has a portico with eight Doric columns. A flight of 30 steps lead up to the town hall and a wrought iron divided Regency staircase leads to the vestibule. In 1830 Sir John Malcolm, governor of Bombay stated: "It is the most magnificent structure that taste and munificence combined have as yet erected in India." 
• 🌍 The British Council Library, 9th Floor, Tower 1, One Indiabulls Centre, 841, Senapati Bapat Marg, Elphinstone Road (West), (From Elphinstone Railway Station 0.3km West), ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 David Sasoon Library, 152 Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda, ☎ [phone]. This is a famous library and heritage structure. The idea for a library to be situated in the center of the city was the brainchild of Albert Sassoon, son of the famous Baghdadi Jewish philanthropist, David Sassoon. The building was designed by architects J. Campbell and G. E. Gosling, for the Scott McClelland and Company, at a cost of ₹125,000. David Sassoon donated ₹60,000, while the rest was borne by the Government of Bombay Presidency. - The building, completed in 1870, is built using yellow Malad stone, much like the abutting Elphinstone College, Army and Navy Buildings and Watson's Hotel. Above the entrance portico is a white stone bust of David Sassoon. 
• 🌍 Art & Design Book Store, 104 Ramnimi, Mandlik road, Colaba (Off Colaba Causeway), ☎ [phone]. Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 13:00-20:00. Moderate choice of books from international publishers on various art topics. Some magazines. (updated Apr 2017)
• 🌍 Oxford Bookstore, Apeejay House, 3 Dinsha Waccha Road, Churchgate, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 10:00-22:00. 
• 🌍 Search Word, Metro House, S.B Singh Rd, Apollo Bandar, Colaba Causeway,, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Strand Book Stall, Sayed Abdullah Brevil Road, Borabazar Precinct, Ballard Estate, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily? 10:00-20:00. Many books of all types, reliable book seller. Warning : not to be confused with the (poor) Modern Book Stall, on Sir Pheroze Shah Mehta Road just nearby, with has very few books, mainly second-hand. (updated Apr 2017)
• 🌍 Mozeb Books, Podar Chambers, S.A. Brevli Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Wide choice of books upon architecture, interior designing, stained glass. Amazing place with qualified booksellers. Categories : architectural monographs, architectural rendering & competition, architectural theory, architecture, architectures & interiors of commercial spaces, design books and so on. Publishers from Actar to Wiley, including Arquitectos mexicanos, Dover, El Croquis, Rizzoli, Shotenkenchiku Sha, Schiffer and many others. (updated Apr 2017)
• 🌍 Wayword & Wise, Strategic House, 44 Mint Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Very good bookseller ; has new releases and classics. Literature, non-fiction, crime, gardening, arts and so on. Could be located in any english-speaking country. But offers a good choice of local literature. (updated Apr 2017)
• 🌍 Sterling Book House, 181, Dr. Dadabai Naoroji Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001 (In front of D Sukhadwala Road), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Many scientific books in this little shop. All disciplines covered. Reliable vendors, the catalog is displayed on the website, updated daily. (updated Apr 2017)
• 🌍 Computer Bookshop, Dr. Dadabai Naoroji Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001 (Close to the corner of D Sukhadwala Road). Reliable bookseller for computing. All aspects of computing covered, many publishers here, Packt and O'Reilly being the prominent ones. (updated Apr 2017)
• 🌍 Kitab Khana, Somaiya Bhavan, Ground Floor, 45/47 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Very good bookshop with a large selection of Indian and international literature in English. Some Hindi books. Non-fiction also, plus a children's corner. (updated Apr 2017)

Eat

Rajabai Clock Tower

You can also eat from the various carts and hawkers if you feel your stomach can take it.

Budget

• Aga Brothers (at Cusrowbaug). A Causeway institution since time immemorial- Aga brothers pioneered the heavenly Frankie, available in chicken, mutton and egg stuffing. You may wash that down with an orange, mango or kalakhatta drink, another Aga Brothers speciality. Cost for a meal for one ₹100.Alcohol and smoking is prohibited 
• Ayubs, lane ? (near Horniman Circle). Very Similar to Bademiyan. Great Kababs, especially the Tangri Kabab. Open until late and extremely popular among clubbers. It's a street joint and the only place to sit down and eat is your car. 
• Bade Miyan, Between Taj & Colaba. Eat on the road or in your car. Open until the early hours of the morning. The rolls are a favourite after a movie.
• Baghdadi, behind the Taj. Food is a mix of Indian and Mughlai. Don't get put off by its looks, you go there to eat, not for the decor. No booze allowed.
• Britannia and Co, Sprott Road, Ballard Estate, Fort (next to New Custom House.), ☎ [phone]. 10AM-3:30PM. This rundown restaurant, run by a partnership of geriatric brothers (by the name Kohinoor), is a South Bombay institution, having been in existence since 1923. The signature dish is berry pulav, the recipe for which the late Mrs. Kohinoor found in Teheran while she was working with Iranian Airways. The Parsi favourite dhansak is of course available and tastes great. Try the caramel custard for dessert. The waiter may con you into trying the Raspberry soda. The first sip is sweet, but the whole bottle is cloying. ₹400 will buy you a good lunch.. 
• Crystal, Marine Dr (at Girgaum Chowpatty opp Wilson College). - Crystal is famous for its Parathas and North Indian fare. The food is very affordable and one will always find a line outside waiting to eat at Crystal. 
• Gokul, behind the Taj. It is frequented by anyone who wants an inexpensive drink served quickly.
• Kailash Parbat, Colaba Causeway. This is a basic restaurant, serving excellent vegetarian Indian food.
• Martin's, Strand, Colaba. Great Goan food. Order a drink quickly before your food is delivered to your table. Not for vegetarians.
• Pancham Puriwala. Road opposite GPO/ VS or CST station - corner building. Serve the best Puris as the same implies with some side dishes. Not the greatest in ambience, but a very good hole-in-the-wall restaurant around here. 
• Samovar, inside Jehangir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda near Colaba Causeway. A favourite with the Bombay art community, serving vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian food.
• Swati Snacks, Tardeo. A safe way to try Indian fast food and street food.

Authentic Marathi Cuisine

• Kelkar Vishranti Gruha (One of the oldest restaurants in Mumbai), D.N.Road, C.S.T. (near C.S.T. Railway station). 

Mid-range

• The Bayview, Hotel Marine Plaza, 29, Marine Drive Mumbai 400 020, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone] hours. This has a lunch, dinner, and midnight buffet worth trying. Also has a great view of Marine Drive and Malabar hill. Ask for the "Cafe Viennoise" and get extra chocolate flakes. It's not on the menu, so you have to ask the waiter for it. ₹222 for the midnight buffet. 
• Bhagat Tara Chand, Kalbadevi. Great Indian Curry and 'home food'. Must visit for Indian food lovers, but you have to walk a bit.
• Cafe Basilico, Colaba, off Colaba Causeway, near Strand cinema [phone]. This is not a budget restaurant, but it's not expensive either. Very popular with expats who live in the city. Offers non-alcoholic drinks and coolers, Mediterranean-inspired food, and great dessert. Open all day. The rawas (local kind of fish) and the cheesecake is recommended.
• Cafe Churchill, located on Colaba Causeway. Serves mostly continental food in a very cramped location. The food is pretty good, especially the pastas. The desserts here are the best and one should not miss the Irish Baileys Chocolate Cake, which is highly recommended.
• 🌍 Cafe Leopold, Colaba Causeway. Mumbai landmark, and badly damaged in the 26/11 terrorist attack. This place requires no introduction and is a favorite with travellers and locals alike. Serves a mix of Indian, Chinese, Persian, and Continental Food. Also serves great breakfast round the clock; it is renowned for fresh fruit juices. 
• Cafe Mocha, Churchgate. It is a relaxed Sheesha restaurant serving heavy snacks. Very popular for dessert and coffee.
• Cafe Mondegar Colaba Causeway, has a live jukebox and functions as a bar (beer and wine served) and restaurant. Food is a mix of Indian, Continental and Parsi, and the ambience is fun and low-key.
• Cafe Royal/CR, located across from the Regal Cinema. Bill Clinton chose to eat here on his visit to India. Famous for sizzlers and other continental food. It now goes by the name CR after being renovated.
• 🌍 Chetana Vegetarian Restaurant, Kala Ghoda, K Dubash Marg, ☎ [phone]. A great Gujarati and Rajasthani food restaurant. Service is OK, atmosphere decent. They also serve cocktails and beer. ₹450 ($10) for two. 
• Food Inn, Opp Colaba Police Station,
• Fountain Sizzlers, located near Flora Fountain. As the name suggests, it is famous for its sizzlers, especially among the office crowd.
• Gable's, located on Colaba Causeway.Restaurant that serves good array of goan food besides delicious Leg of Ham,Pork Chops and Steaks. Frequented by travellers, has a good British breakfast of ham,sausage,eggs and bacon.
• Gallops, Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai (first entrance of the Mahalaxmi Race Course while coming from Haji Ali). Continental and Indian food restaurant. It's expensive, but worth it for the ambiance, service, and food.
• Indigo Deli, Colaba, off Colaba Causeway, on the way to Gateway of India. Excellent food by the Indigo people at cheaper-than-Indigo prices. Very popular with locals and expats for lunch and brunch on all days, so there can be quite a wait.
• Mahesh Lunch Home, 8-B Cawasji Patel Street, Mumbai - 400 001, ☎ [phone], [phone]. The most famous seafood place in the city. Definitely try the crab. ₹90 upwards. 
• Moshe's, Cuffe Parade. Mediterranean food. Extremely popular with locals, and a good, classy mid-range option.
• Oh! Calcutta, Tulsiwadi, opp.A/C Market, Tardeo, Mumbai 400 034 (Nearest landmark is Crossroads Mall, M M Malviya Road. You have to turn left at a little lane a couple of blocks down from Crossroads.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 12PM-3PM and 7PM-midnight.. A Bengali place which naturally means that it has an extensive seafood menu. It also has a good vegetarian selection. A meal for two would come to ₹800. 
• Paradise, located on Colaba Causeway. Paradise serves Parsi food and is extremely popular amongst locals, especially those who have been eating here since they were kids. The place has been recently renovated, though the charm still remains. The place is family owned and one must try the chicken steak, the chicken dhansak, and a really nice chicken salad.
• Pizza by the Bay, on the junction of Churchgate Road and Marine Drive. Serves a popular soup and salad buffet lunch.
• Rajdhani, near Crawford market serves excellent unlimited thalis. Strictly vegetarian. It has been rated one of the best places to eat in Bombay. ₹250.
• Royal China, Sterling near VT. Good Chinese food and a special Dim-sum menu.
• Thrishna, Kala Ghoda. It's famous for its seafood and patronized by locals, as well as expats.
• 🌍 Status, 208 Regent Chambers, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021, ☎ [phone]. Very good vegetarian restaurant with a nice atmosphere. No meat nor alcohol here, but you won't miss it: the food is exquisite. (updated Apr 2017)

Splurge

• The Dome, Hotel Intercontinental, Marine Drive. It is an open air bar and snack restaurant with a beautiful view of Bombay.
• Frangipani, The Oberoi, Marine Drive. 24 hour restaurant. Popular for post-clubbing coffees with the posh set. They serve fantastic thin-crust pizzas, along with some local specialties. Excellent breakfast and brunch.
• Golden Dragon, Hotel Taj Mahal, Colaba. The upscale Chinese choice for locals and expats.
• Indigo, located in a bylane of Colaba behind the Taj hotel. This is an upscale restaurant serving global food. It also has a bar that gets lively after 9PM. Fantastic Sunday brunch (food+drinks+live music) at about ₹2000.
• Kebab Corner in the Intercontinental Hotel - High class Indian food in a stylish restaurant with superb views over Back Bay
• Khyber, Kala Ghoda. Nice Indian food at steep prices.
• Lings Pavilion, Colaba behind Taj Hotel. High-end Chinese.
• Tendulkar's, located in Colaba, near the Royal Bombay Yacht Club. Cricket player Sachin Tendulkar's restaurant. A mix of continental and Indian cuisine including Sachin's favourite dishes.
• Thai Pavilion, The Taj President, Cuffe Parade near Colaba. The only legitimate Thai restaurant in the city.
• Tiffin, The Oberoi, Marine Drive. A new addition to the restaurants in The Oberoi. Very popular for lunch and in between meals.
• Trattoria, Taj President, Cuffe Parade. 24 hour coffee shop. Excellent pizzas. Can get extremely crowded on Sundays.
• Wasabi, Hotel Taj Mahal, Colaba. Brand new Japanese restaurant. Recently re-opened after the 26/11 attacks, with a new, improved menu and a Nobu Chef.

If you know someone who is a member of the Willingdon, Bombay Gym, Radio club, or CCI beg them to take you there for cheap, good food, and dirt-cheap drinks.

Drink

• The Bayview Bar, located at the lobby level of The Oberoi. Mumbai has an arresting view of the Arabian Sea and the finest range of single malts and Habanos cigars. “George and Soft Rock Revolution” perform at the bar and sooth you with their charming renditions of Jazz Classics. Open from 5PM-1AM. Tel [phone].
• 🌍 Bootlegger's, Colaba Causeway. A small popular pub off Causeway. Reasonable drinks, ask for Jenga or Scrabble to play as drinking games. 
• Cafe Leopold, Colaba Causeway. Damaged in the 26/11 terrorist attacks, Leopold is an extremely popular local and expat hangout for cheap drinks, and good rock music. tasty food including an excellent reshmi kebab. 
• Cafe Mondegar, Colaba Causeway. Mondy's, as it's popularly called, serves excellent pitchers of Kingfisher, and at rock-bottom prices. Beer and wine are the only alcohols on the menu. Again extremely popular with local college kids with. Suffers from a regrettable tendency to cram as many tables into a small space as possible and sports a stereo system whose power isn't flattered by the echoey acoustics. 
• Dome in the Intercontinental Hotel provides a great view of Marine Drive, and has a fantastic ambience. Prices as to be expected at a hotel bar.
• The Ghetto (near Mahalaxmi temple) is pretty good and has its usual media/arts college crowd and is completely filled with ultraviolet light.
• Indigo — An exclusive lounge and bar located at Colaba causeway behind Hotel Taj Mahal in South Mumbai is a not to miss destination. [phone]. On the expensive side with an average drink costing ₹250 upwards. Boasts of a large wine collection and also serves superb fusion food. Excellent alcoholic Sunday brunch.
• Opium Den, ☎ [phone]. At Hilton Towers Mumbai. Serves a vast array of martinis, daiquiris, and home infused vodkas. Quiet and convenient, this bar is a break from the ordinary. Open: 12:30PM-1:30AM. 
• Prive, Behind Radio Club. open til 3 on weekends unlike most Bombay nightclubs. One of the poshest and most popular nightclubs where you can watch the swish set prance around in their Blahniks and Ferragamos. Beware of long queues to get in, and a strict dress code and guestlist. Fights in this nightclub are a regular feature. Get a drink at the more chilled lounge Tetsuma next door before Prive. 
• Sports Bar, Colaba Causeway. Come unwind at Sports Bar after haggling for trinkets on Causeway. Cheap (₹150 or so) drinks, pool table, games on all screens. 
• Tavern at Hotel Fariyas in Colaba shows music videos and is pretty packed, but don't go there if you don't like Linkin Park, etc.
• Tetsuma. The bar and restaurant is pretty and has some nice cocktails. A great place to pre-drink before heading off to Prive, the only good nightclub in (south) Bombay.
• Wink, At the Taj President. A chill lounge at a nice 5-star hotel. Drinks are ₹400 up 
• Woodside Inn, Colaba Causeway. Across the road from Sports Bar, minus the sports. Cocktails are about ₹300, and ambience is chilled. Good, reasonably priced food too. 

Sleep

Budget

• Apollo Guest House, Colaba Causeway 22045540.
• Anupam Guest House, V. Bhai Patil Rd. 2386755.
• Arya Nivas, Kalbadevi Rd. 22011011.
• Bentley's is a great budget hotel, but often booked up.
• Hotel Moti International 10 Best Marg, off of Colaba Causeway. Clean, safe and quiet.
• 🌍 Hotel Lawrence, ITTS House, 33 Saibaba Rd, ☎ [phone]. Check-out: noon. Family-owned, this hotel - the _only_ hotel in Kala Ghoda - offers only basic amenities (no WiFi, shared bathroom, and the only place to charge your phone is in the manager's secure office). The rooms are clean and in good shape, and the manager and his mother are always friendly to chat with. ₹Single, ₹1000 Double. (updated Mar 2017)

Mid-range

• Ship Hotel, 3 Rd Floor, Bharti Bhavan (walk out CST Station's south exit, turn left until you hit PD Mello road, it's on PD Mello road's east side, immediately east of CST.), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 9AM, check-out: 9AM. 3 Rd Floor, Bharti Bhavan Opp Govt Dental College, Mumbai G.P.O(Fort), Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001. One of the, if not "the", cheapest place in Mumbai. Advertised rates as of 28/03/2009 are ₹140 for basic dorm bed, ₹180 for A/C Dorm Bed, ₹220 for Single (no A/C, Shared Bathroom), and 330(!)for double (non A/C) Shared Bathroom. The cheap prices make it extremely popular with Indian businessmen and tourists. Arrive at 9AM for the best chance to bag a room, but it's extremely close to CST make it easy to check first when you get off the train, if it's full, the surrounding Fort area (between CST and Colaba) is a much better option to find cheap hotels instead of Colaba . ₹140-₹320. 
• Sheel Hotel, 23 Manohardas St (Immediately south of CST station's south exit. Exit the south exit of CST, before you cross Walchand Hirachand Marg, look up and you should see a sign for this hotel.), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 10AM, check-out: 10AM. As of 29/03/2009, a double with fan and shared bathroom costs just ₹440 (A/C rooms were upwords of ₹1000₹, I did not inquire about singles but they should certainly be cheaper), making this a great cheap option (finding anything under ₹600 is extremely hard in Mumbai) . The bathrooms are non-flush squat style, and the showers suck, but the price is right and the sheets are clean. This is a particularly good option given it's extremely proximity to CST (5 minutes walk, at the most), saving you the hassle of a taxi ride, and putting you in the spectacular Fort area, and sparing you from the lameness of Colaba. Note that the writer could not find any room (double) under ₹600 in Colaba, take heed. Food tends to be cheaper in this area as well, as it's less frequented by foreign tourists. ; WARNING! This place is an absolute nightmare. Only stay here if you want to stay in dirty rooms, on dirty sheets, listening to one of the miscreants downstairs beating dogs. Awful. 625r for double AC, no windows. For 800r you can have a lovely double, light, airy, no AC- in Hotel Lawrence, ignore the freaky entrance. 3rd floor, ITTS Building, Shree Sai Baba (S.B.) Marg, near Museum. 
• Hotel Rosewood, Tulsiwadi opp. A/C Market, Tardeo, Mumbai 400 034 (Nearest landmark is Crossroads Mall, M M Malviya Road. You have to turn left at a little lane a couple of blocks down from Crossroads.), [phone], [phone], [phone] ([e-mail], fax: [phone]). The location is somewhat inconvenient, but has a good restaurant called Oh! Calcutta. ₹1750-₹4500 (exclusive of tax).
• Bombay Luxury Apartments, Colaba causeway. Rent entire flats priced at ₹7000 upward. [phone].

Splurge

The Taj Mahal Palace together with the Gateway to India-arc.

• 🌍 The Oberoi, Nariman Point, ☎ [phone]. Luxury hotel right on the waterfront. 
• 🌍 Taj Mahal Palace, Apollo Bunder, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. One of the finest grand old hotels in the world, favored by visiting presidents and premiers since its opening in 1903. Built in grand Victorian style in and complemented by an adjoining highrise in 1973. Expect five star amenities and a hefty price coming with it. The hotel was damaged in the Mumbai bombings in 2008 but has now been reopened and fully restored. 

Learn

Yoga

• Jehangir and Dhan Palkhivala Spark Centre, Sleater Road, Near Grant Road Station, ☎ [phone]-23511309. Classes Tue—Sat. 
• Kaivalyadham, Netaji Subhash Rd, Marine Dr (Marine Lines railway station), ☎ [phone]. 

Sign language

• Mystical Experience (Thru Sign Language + Oral English) (Around CST Taxi Stand, Azad Maidan), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Scheduled Once a Week/Once a Month/Once a Season. Based on the universal principle - “Treat others as we would like to be treated,” Silo’s Message is a message of active nonviolence and non discrimination; peace and reconciliation. It is an inspirational message for all those looking for meaning, hope, future, positive changes in life and to make the asking.... Complimentary. 

Connect