Best Things to do in Mumbai 2024 | Best Cities #99: Mumbai

99. Mumbai INDIA 🇮🇳 Score: 179.10

Where Culture, Chaos, and Commerce Collide

Table of Contents

A. About Mumbai
B. Best Things to Do in Mumbai in 2024 (Detailed List with Photos and Information)
C. Other Notable Sights and Attractions in Mumbai
D. Best Day Trips and Excursions from Mumbai
E. Top 10 List of the Best Things to Do in Mumbai (including close-by excursions)

A. About Mumbai

Mumbai, earlier known as Bombay, is a cosmopolitan metropolis and the largest city in India with a population of more than eighteen million people.

The city is now the economic capital of India, where skyscrapers overlook the neighboring slums.

Colorful markets, Hindu culture, and the splendor of Bollywood, as well as crowds and traffic chaos, characterize India's mega-metropolis.

The Good:

First of all, Mumbai enjoys a fantastic location on a narrow peninsula on the southwest of Salsette Island on the Arabian Sea.

Furthermore, this huge city (the seventh-most populous city in the world) is offering fine shopping and vibrant nightlife.

Finally, prices in Mumbai are very affordable.

The Not-So-Good:

Mumbai suffers first of all from its lack of pedestrian zones and its extremely chaotic traffic. Poorly designed footpaths, parked cars, and encroachment on pavements are a common sight on the streets of Mumbai.

Pollution and cleanliness can be a significant issue as well as security.

Furthermore, the somewhat inevitable beggars and salesmen, lead to a rather low rating for people.

Finally, public transport is rather weak.

B. Best Things to Do in Mumbai in 2024 (Detailed List with Photos and Information)

In total, we count more than twenty-five sights in Mumbai. The following sights and attractions contribute to an impressive score of 6.70/10 in this most important category:

# CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS 6

Acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, this crowded massive railway station is an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India.

Railway Station World Heritage Site: since 2004

by Jorge Láscar / CC BY-SA 2.0

# Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum (Prince of Wales Museum) 6

Constructed in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, this museum is home to approximately 50,000 exhibits of ancient Indian history as well as objects from foreign lands.

City District

by A.Savin / CC BY-SA 4.0

# Gateway of India and Nariman Point 6

Designed by Scottish architect George Wittet, who took from Indo-Islamic, Indian, and Roman influences, this impressive arch-monument was completed in 1914.

Monument Height: 26 meters / 85 feet high

by Government of Maharashtra / CC BY-SA 2.0

# Bandra-Worli Sea Link 6

Opened in 2009, this cable-stayed bridge connects the central business district with the western suburbs with a length of 5.6 kilometers (3.5 mi) over the open sea.

Bridge Length: 5.6 kilometers / 3.5 mi

by Mintu500px / CC BY-SA 4.0

# Shree Siddhivinayak 5.5

The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is a white Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shri Ganesh and was constructed in 1801.

Hindu Temple Erected: 1801

by Darwininan / CC BY-SA 3.0

# Taj Mahal Hotel 5.5

This stunning hotel is a fairy-tale blend of Islamic and Renaissance styles, and one of India’s most-photographed monuments.

Hotel

by Jorge Láscar / CC BY-SA 3.0

# Kanheri Caves and Sanjay Gandhi National Park 5.5

The Kanheri Caves are a large group of caves and rock-cut monuments cut from the first century CE to the 10th century CE into a massive basalt outcrop in the forests of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Caves

by Sreejithsh / CC BY-SA 3.0

# Marine Drive and Malabar Hill 5.5

This 3.6-kilometer-long, C-shaped boulevard offers spectacular views of the coast and is lined with stunning Art Deco buildings.

Seafront Promenade Length: 3.6 km / 2.2 miles

by Indianhilbilly / CC BY-SA 3.0

# Global Vipassana Pagoda 5.5

This breathtaking 96-meter-high stupa, covered in real gold, is modeled on Myanmar’s Shwedagon Pagoda.

Pagoda

by Joe Ravi / CC BY-SA 3.0

# Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat 5

This massive open-air laundry, dubbed the laundry slum, is famous for being one of the largest handwashing facilities in the world.

Open Air Laundry

by Clayton Tang / CC BY-SA 3.0

Scoring and Icons Legend (Click here for detailed information)

10 = top-10 sight in the world

9 = world-class

8 = outstanding

7 = excellent

6 = impressive

5 = interesting

4 = decent

3 = mediocre

2 = bad

1 = abysmal

= World Heritage Site

= Excursion

C. Other Notable Sights and Attractions in Mumbai

- Mahalaxmi Temple 5

- Haji Ali Dargah (Mosque) 5

- Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum 5

- Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum 5

- Mount Mary Church 5

- Rajabai Clock Tower 5

- Flora Fountain 5

- Iskon Temple 5

- National Gallery of Modern Art 5

- Essel World 5

D. Best Day Trips and Excursions from Mumbai

ELEPHANTA CAVES 6

Dating back to the 5th century CE, this stunning complex of cave temples is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.

Caves Distance from Mumbai: 25 km | World Heritage Site: since 1987

by Chinmaya Panda / CC BY-SA 3.0

E. Top 10 List of the Best Things to Do in Mumbai (including close-by excursions)

To sum things up, these are the ten best sights we recommend to you when visiting Mumbai for at least two entire days.

CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS 6

ELEPHANTA CAVES (25 km from Mumbai) 6

Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum (Prince of Wales Museum) 6

Gateway of India and Nariman Point 6

Bandra-Worli Sea Link 6

Shree Siddhivinayak Temple 5.5

Taj Mahal Hotel 5.5

Kanheri Caves and Sanjay Gandhi National Park 5.5

Marine Drive and Malabar Hill 5.5

Global Vipassana Pagoda 5.5