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Marvellous Mumbai

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Stuart Messham
Airlines and routes, Blog, Entertainment, Food and drink, Shopping,
 
Mumbai is a bustling place of many beauties. One minute you'll be whirring across the city on a rickety rickshaw, the next wallowing in the sumptuous serenity of the Hanging Gardens and gently pondering your next adventure over some of the most delicious Indian food on the planet. Mumbai truly is a marvel.
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The Gateway to India: There are other ways in, but this is probably the most beautiful! (Especially at sunset.)

Visit the Mumbai Taj, slurp cocktails on rooftops and enjoy the city’s most memorable sunset

A scintillating mix of European and Arabesque architectural influences, the Mumbai Taj is not only one of the most Instagrammable buildings in Mumbai, it’s also a 5-star hotel: should you have a fair amount of treat money, you not only get to gawp at its exterior magnificence, you can also bask in its opulent interior and top-notch service. Come on, you deserve it.

Another pricey but unforgettable experience in Mumbai is to dine at the rooftop bar of the sleek Four Season’s hotel in the emerging Worli district. You’re promised high-end grub with a sumptuous sideplate of incredible views of the swarming metropolis below and the Arabian sea in the distance. It’s really quite stunning.

Speaking of which, you must also pay a visit to the Gateway of India, an arch-monument built in the early 20th century to commemorate the landing of King-Emperor Geroge V, the first British monarch to visit India in late 1911. At sunset, it’ll be busy – the midday heat has lessened and tourists and locals will be enjoying the shorefront – but we promise it’ll be worth it.

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Peshwari serves authentic Indian grub cooked and served in a wonderfully authentic ambience. Just don't expect any rice!

Take a rickshaw tour, indulge at Peshwari and plunder Crawford Market

If you’re a fan of Indian food – and keen on eschewing any modern variants or “fusion” dinners – then you can’t beat the old-school approach of the Peshwari restaurant in ITC Maratha. It’s an iconic, legendary establishment that features popular dishes from the North India and Mughlai provinces. This style of food is traditionally eaten with bread, so you won’t find rice on the menu, but you will be encouraged to mop up the yummy curry with your naan.

Foodies should also be drawn to Crawford Market: there’s a unique hustle and bustle, hundreds of places to walk and peruse and plenty of pani puri to be enjoyed. Pani puri is an immensely popular street food comprised of crispy, hollow, fried dough balls (puri) filled with boiled potatoes, steamed moong sprouts or boiled chickpeas with tangy water and sweet chutney – and believe us when we say, one is never enough!

While you’re getting hands-on with the city’s culture, you should note that any rickshaw journey – whether it be to somewhere specific or a tour of the city – is a lovely way to experience Mumbai. It’s noisy, bumpy, a bit dusty and hugely authentic. But doing it after lashings of pani puri or visiting Peshwari might not be the smartest idea.

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The Hanging Gardens of Mumbai are a lovely place to take a break from the city and plot your next Mumbai adventure.

Visit Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the Hanging Garden of Mumbai

Finally, for those of you who want a break from the city, it’s a really nice idea to head just outside it to the jungle paradise of Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

There’s thousands of species of plants, the amazing Shilonda waterfall (cheesy romantic shots ahoy!) and if you’re very fortunate, you might even come across a roving leopard or three. Oh, and there’s also the Kanheri Caves where you get to see the ancient buildings of the buddhist monks: quite an exceptional sight.

Speaking of which, outdoor lovers will also be entranced by the Hanging Garden of Mumbai on the slope of Malabar Hill. It’s a lovely place to just while away a few luxurious hours while you ponder and plan your next Mumbai adventure.

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