Location: Western Coast of Maharashtra, on the Arabian Sea.

Languages: Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati and English are the most common languages among the many languages spoken.

Nearest Airport: Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, is 28 km from Mumbai city.

Distance from major Indian cities:

For a comprehensive list of distances across the country from Mumbai, refer to

• By Air and By rail times are scheduled times.
• By Road times are driving times.

Climate: Tropical Climate, hot and humid (Max - 31 ºC) & (Max - 251ºC). Monsoon from June to September. Avg annual precipitation 216 cms

Best Time: between October and February is the most pleasant time to visit Mumbai.

The city of Bombay originally consisted of seven islands, namely Colaba, Mazagaon, Old Woman's Island, Wadala, Mahim, Parel, and Matunga-Sion. This group of islands, which have since been joined together by a series of reclamations, formed part of the kingdom of Ashoka, the famous Emperor of India. After his death, these islands passed into the hands of various Hindu rulers until 1343.

In 1343, the Mohammedans of Gujarat took possession of Bomabay and India ruled for the next two centuries. In 1534 the Portuguese, who already possessed many important trading centers on the western coast, such as Panjim, Daman, and Diu, took Bombay by force from the Mohammedans. This led to the establishment of numerous churches, which were constructed in areas where the majority of people were Roman Catholics. The Portuguese also fortified their possession by building forts at Sion, Mahim, Bandra, and Bassien, which, although in disrepair, can still be seen. They named their new possession as "Bom Baia" which in Portuguese means "Good Bay".

In 1662 the islands were given to the English King Charles II in dowry on his marriage to Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza. In 1668 the islands were acquired by the English East India Company on lease from the crown. The Company, which was operating from Surat, was in search for another deeper water port so that larger vessels could dock, and found the islands of Bombay suitable for development. The British corrupted the Portuguese name "Bom Baia" to "Bombay". The Kolis who were the original residents of this area, used to call the islands "Mumba" after Mumbadevi, the Hindu deity to whom a temple is dedicated at Babulnath near Chowpatty's sandy beaches. The name Mumbai which Bombay was renamed much later in the mid nineties takes it's origin from "Mumba".

Mr. Gerald Aungier the second governor of Bombay made it more populous by attracting Gujerati traders, Parsi ship-builders, and Muslim and Hindu manufacturers from the mainland. He fortified defenses by constructing the Bombay Castle (the Fort, since then vanished except for a small portion of the wall) and provided stability by constituting courts of law. During the next 40 years much reclamation work was done to stop the breeches at Mahalaxmi and Worli and between other islands. The Hornby Vellard was completed in 1784, during the Governorship of Mr. Hornby. In 1803 Bombay was connected with Salsette by a causeway at Sion. The island of Colaba was joined to Bombay in 1838 by a causeway now called Colaba Causeway and the Causeway connecting Mahim and Bandra was completed in 1845 funded entirely by a Parsi, Lady Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, wife of the first baronet Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy with a stipulation that no toll would be charged to citizens for its use by the government. The first Parsi to arrive in Bombay was Dorabji Nanabhoy Patel in 1640. The Parsis, originally from Iran, migrated to India about 900 years ago, to save their religion, Zoroastrianism, from invading Arabs who proselytized Islam. The Parsi’s have since then played a very important role in the building of Bombay as a major commercial city, and subsequently in the history of Bombay.

In 1853 the first railway in India, between Bombay's Victoria Terminus and Thana was opened. This was the beginning of the Indian Railways, which now is a network of millions of miles throughout India. This was followed in 1869 by a regular service of steamers along the west coast with Bombay being the port. During this period Bombay enjoyed great economic wealth. In 1854 the first cotton mill was founded in Bombay. The outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 and the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 exports, especially cotton, from Bombay became a major part of the colonial economy, bringing the West closer to Bombay. As the city became more prosperous, many schemes were launched for reclaiming additional land and building more roads and wharves. Bombay began to attract fortune hunters by the hundreds and the population swelled. By 1906 the population of Bombay was to become a million.

Getting There

Mumbai is the most popular city of  Maharashtra state and also the hub of commercial activities. Mumbai also acts as a very important entry point for getting to India. Numerous tourists coming here choose Mumbai as their gateway to the country. Thus, it is obvious that the city will be well connected with the all the major cities of the country as well as to the outside world.

By Air

The Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport serves the city and it is the busiest airport of India. The airport consists of two terminals - an international terminal and a domestic terminal at Santa Cruz Airport located around 25-30 kms north of downtown Mumbai. These terminals are situated 4 kms apart and a shuttle bus is used to connect them. Air travel is most convenient as there are direct flights to Mumbai from all the major cities of the world and also the major cities in India.

By Bus

There are numerous private bus services who operating from/to Mumbai to most of the major cities in India. These services have all types of buses_ Non-AC to Ac luxury buses departing from all over Mumbai. For Pune, buses depart every 10 minutes, Crawford Market, Dadar T.T, Sion, Chembur and Borivili being the main starting points.

By Train

Mumbai is well connected with the rest of India by an extensive railway network (www.indianrailways.com) that caters to local and national routes. The entire network is divided in two major railways, Western Railway (+91 22 2202 7710) and Central Railway (+91 22 2262 2859). The Western Railway operates its outstation services from Mumbai Central Station. The Central Railway operates its outstation services from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus. Mumbai is also the headquarter to a third railway, the Konkan Railway, which connects Mumbai to Mangalore, running through Goa.

Getting Around

Mumbai has various modes of transportation available to tourists and general public. Local trains, buses, taxis and autos are the most commonly available modes of commuting.

By Local Trains

Mumbai has four lines of local trains that cover the city extensively. Western Railway running between Churchgate and Virar, Central Railway running between Bombay V.T. and Karjat, Harbour Line running between Bombay V.T. and Mankhurd and another railway line running between Bombay V.T. and New Mumbai. These trains run from 4 am to 1 am in the night and are called, "locals" by the people of Mumbai city. They are the most widely used mode of commuting for the general public. Avoiding rush hours, this may be the best possible mode of transport for getting around Mumbai as the road traffic in Mumbai is lousy at best of times and can be very time consuming. Women should take advantage of the ladies-only carriages.

By Taxis

One can hire a black and yellow taxi anywhere on the streets. Mumbai has many types of taxi services; the standard black and yellow taxi Cool Cabs, Meru Cabs and a number of private taxi services. All taxis have meters, which display the fare, which is charged at rate predetermined by a structured fare card. The normal black & white taxis can be hailed on the streets. Their starting fare is Rs.13 for the first 1.6 kms and Rs 8.50 for each subsequent km. The night charges are 25 percent extra and are applicable from midnight till 5 a.m. These are not air-conditioned and seat 4 people. Cool Cabs are air-conditioned and gray and blue in color and charge 40 percent more than normal taxis. Meru Cabs are green Esteem cars also air-conditioned, they operate 24/7. Tel. 022/4422 4422 and requires at least 4 hours advance notice. They charge Rs. 20/- first km and Rs. 14/- every subsequent km, 25% extra at nighttime.

By Bus

Within Mumbai -The B.E.S.T (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) Undertaking provides efficient and comprehensive local bus service connecting up all places of the city and the suburbs. There are bus stops all over the city. There is usually a crowd and and queue. A uniformed “conductor” issues tickets after you get in. Special seats are marked for "Ladies", "Senior Citizens", "Handicapped", "Expectant Women", and "Women with infants". Fares are reasonable. Buses are numbered and the final destination is marked on the front in Marathi and on the side in English. BEST has introduced the "Day Pass" (Cost for adults — RS. 40, for children it's less), a ticket valid all day (until midnight) on all buses except Express and A/C services.

By Autorickshaws

The suburbs also have auto rickshaws. Rickshaws are cheap and cost about half the taxi fare; however they ply only in the suburbs from Bandra and beyond. If you're new to the city its best to check both taxi and rickshaw rates on the driver's Tariff Card

Tourist Places near Mumbai:

Matheran (which means "forest at the top") s the nearest hill station to Mumbai(111 kms), at an altitude of 803,47 meters.

Getting to Matheran: Quickest way to Matheran is to take the Central Railway local train to Neral station and then take the mini-train (toy-train) to Matheran.
You can also get here by car or taxi upto a certain point upto Dasturi Naka, which is 2 kms from the town. From this point onwards there are no cars allowed.

What to see here:

Where to stay:

Alibag is a town on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra about 30 kms south of Mumbai. It's best known for its historic marine forts, fine beaches and clean water. It is a weekend gateway for residents of Mumbai and Pune.

Getting there:

By Boat: There are ferries and catamarans available from the Gateway of India, Mumbai. The journey takes 2 hours. However, service is suspended during the rains, i.e. May-October. The ferry takes you to Rewas and you are taken on a bus to Alibag. The cost of the bus trip is usually included in the ferry fare. This is the recommended way of getting to Alibag.

By Car: Alibag is accessible by car and there are a number of bus, taxi and rental car services available from Mumbai.

What to see:

Alibag has several beaches a few kms near Alibag. Some of them are Kihim, Nagaon, Mandwa and Akshiand a historic fort, the Kulaba Fort, which is just off the main seashore.

Kolaba Fort: The fort was built by Maratha King Shivaji in 1680 to keep a check on the activities of the foreign naval powers of English, Portuguese and the Siddhi of Janjira. It is a testimony to the foresight of the great Maratha king. The Kulaba fort is still in good condition and one can go to visit the fort by walking across the seashore at low tide or by taking a buggy ride @ 25 / 30 Rs. Per person.

Precaution Be sure to check the proper timings to visit the fort, as it is dangerous to try to go to the fort at high tide. You get approximately 3 to 4 hours to see the fort and come back during low tide.

Where to stay: Recommended Hotels - Ghanvatkar Bunglow at Zirad, Mauli Village, Tropicana Resort, Sanman Beach resort.

Murud: A picturesque town dotted by casuarina plantations and wooden cottages, Murud was the erstwhile capital of Janjira in Raigad district of Maharashtra. The Africans called Siddis who were brought to India by the slave traders once inhabited this quaint fishing village.

What to See: The most famous landmark here is the Janjira Fort that stands 3km out in the Arabian Sea. Built in 1140 by Siddi Jahor an Abyssinian general, it is famous for never being conquered by the British, Portuguese or Marathas. Although constructed on an island, its 12m-high walls seem to emerge straight from the sea.

The only way to reach Janjira is by local boat from Rajpuri Port, about 5km south of Murud. Boats depart from 7am to 6pm daily.

Padmadurg is another sea fort in Murid, built by the Maratha ruler, Shivaji. It is not as magnificent as Janjira, but impressive nonetheless.

Visit the 300 years old Datta Mandir atop a hillock, from where you get an all-encompassing view of the sea.

The Janjira caves and the Palace of Nawab are other sightseeing highlights.

Where to stay: Golden Swan Resort, San Piper Resorts, Lotus Beach Resorts, Dattakripa Lodging and Boarding, Sea Shells Resort.