Any tips for Mumbai?

littlereddevil

We are off to Mumbai on 1st March for a week.
Any tips on shopping or things to see?

cundall

Which side, or where abouts are you staying?

ianto_2

littlereddevil wrote:

We are off to Mumbai on 1st March for a week.
Any tips on shopping or things to see?

Mumbai is a very cosmopolitan city - what you do, depends a lot upon how old the kids are, and where you are staying.

Generally speaking, if you do shopping then hire a cab for a day - the rate is about 700Rs/day (under £10) This gets you 8 hours and 40 Km. You also get a guide for 8 hours! Do your shopping and put it in the "dickie" (boot!) - the driver will always stay with his car - he thus acts as a security guard for your stuff. Drivers are generally very good - having said that make sure you get his number, arrange costs at start, rather than later.

A nice day out is to elephanta, this involves a boat ride, a walk up a hill, and some very pleaseant scenery with lots of monkeys who will steal anything not firmly held. Oh and there is also some lovely temples - ideal for kids!

Trip to elephants leaves from gateway of india, upon return cross the road and go to the Taj hotel, go the coffee shop overlooking the sea, and enjoy a cup of coffee, and blackforest gateaux - they have around 20/30 types of coffees to choose from. It will be costly (4 people coffee and cake around £20) Also do do excellent Pizza.

If you are in subbuburbs go to "Juhu beach" in the evening - indian blackpool, lots of eateries here, good clean fast food - try "Pau Bhaji" fiery hot curry served with rolls fried in butter - cooked freshly, this is brill - you wont get food poisioning from it - make sure there is plenty of ice for the morning after!

If you are in the fort area try 5spice this is a very good chinese restaurant opposite the old reserve bank of india - food is excellent - you have to try their "mission impossibe desert". Chinese food in India is with an indian slant - not like uk chinese, most restaurants in india will have "chinese" options - they are brilliant! Very resonable for the location/food (£20ish for 4 people)


Shopping wise - if you buy expensive stuff use your credit card, it doesn't work out expensive, and at least you get credit card cover etc.

Barter - in the streets if you get quoted 300/400 rs for a top, the local would only pay arounf 125 - shops will charge 300/400 for equivalent but will normally quote 500 as a starting point- bargain!

Shopping in the subburbs is cheaper - areas like Bandra, Villa Parle,Santa Cruz etc - Get a taxi, ask driver to take you, then explore, generally lots of shops together so enjoy shopping.

Take an old mobile with you, get a local simcard (£10 with credit), this way you can contact your taxi driver to come and pick u up when you have done shopping if you are in pedestrianised area etc. Also lots of STD/ISD call shops everywhere.

Have fun

littlereddevil

cundall wrote:

Which side, or where abouts are you staying?

We are staying at Oberoi Tower( now a Hilton)

littlereddevil

oh and forgot to say no kids only us two

johnnycab

I would agree with most of ianto's tips above. However, with regards to shopping - unless you have a fair of idea of what you want and plan the trip, it will not be feasible to hire a car. As you are staying at The Oberoi in Nariman Point - you will be within easy access to most places and cabs are easily available.

The trip to Elephanta caves on the ferry is enjoyable - takes around 1½ hours approx. However, the old ruins are slightly dissapointing. Although there was some work going on last year - the government does not believe in a major upkeep of these ancient remains. Do not be tempted to hire a guide, as most guidebooks will tell you what you need to know.

In addition to the cost of the ferry ride, there is a small fee to get on the toy train which transports you from the pier to the entrance - where there is a steep climb upto the ruins. There is also a resonable entry fee to see the ruins. The monkeys - they might seem harmless, but mere sight of food and they turn into monsters!

There are big air-conditioned shopping malls dotted around the city, and new ones springing up all the time. Here you can find most things with emphasis on western goods - they also charge higher prices. A visit to the Taj Hotel is a must - it looks grand from outside and there are plenty of photo ops around the Gateway of India - just steer clear of all those people offering you postcards, guides, trips, photos etc.

Also:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=101520&page=2&pp=10

HTH

cundall

Try getting yourself to Colaba Causeway, few nice stalls there plus a few nice cafe's plus its where the gateway to india is and also where you can get the boats to the Elephant Island. Not far from there is fashion street which is good for shopping though it's all much of a much if you know what i mean. On a night time try getting yourself down to "choupatty beach" i think thats how you say it though it's not spelt that way and its good food and you see lots of india's walking up and down the beach and its a nice change from the center.

If you have not been to india before it will be a big shock for you though it takes you 2-3 days to get into it but it's not bad. I normally spend a week there and then go onto Goa, just remember that taxi's run on meters and check the chart for the set price. Also carry change with you as they dont normally have lots of change. If you do get a sim card i know orange is out there and not bad and the same for airtel though orange has a taxi chart built in so you know you are not getting ripped off. Also the sim card will have a max retail price on the back of the packet so you know you are not paying too much as some people will try and rip you off when you are first there though you get that anywhere.

littlereddevil

Shouldn't be too much of a shock. i have been to Goa and Sri lanka and other 3rd world countries. As long as I am aware eh!!

skiddy2k

take some "mosquito repellent!!!!!" you'll have a problem without it!

Also, never pay full price for anything out in the markets or in shops, 80% of the time, you can haggle! if you dont agree with the price....dont worry, tell them your going to have a look in the other shops......they will then call you back when your walking out and come to an agreement.

Good luck and enjoy your journey!

skiddy

bylromarha

You lucky thing!

I spent a week in Mumbai 2 years ago and am itching to go back.

Just want to add I agree with most of the above. There are also government run shops for trinkets. They're a bit pricier than haggling on the streets, but they guarantee the product is not made in the nearest sweatshop.

Chowpatty beach is great, as are the loos in Taj Mahal hotel!

And whatever you do, you HAVE to go in a "tut tut" (motorised rickshaw). It is better than any fairground ride!

cundall

"tut tut" are now banned from the center of bombay