India Events BuzzThings to do in Mumbai
The 13 places worth your time in Mumbai — the five must-sees first, then the full list, then ready-made 1, 2 & 3-day plans that build on each other. Every sight was checked against the source on its card.
The 5 must-sees
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
The Prince of Wales Museum, holding artefacts, sculpture and inscriptions.
Marine Drive
The seafront promenade where Incredible India's Mumbai itinerary ends the day with a sunset stroll.
Elephanta Caves
Rock-cut caves of about the mid-5th to 6th centuries AD on Elephanta Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Cave 1 holds the 7 m Sadashiva sculpture.
Sanjay Gandhi National Park
A national park inside the city's limits whose main entrance is at Borivali, home to over 1,300 plant species.
All 13 places to visit in Mumbai
Gateway of India
One of the most renowned monuments in India, on Mumbai's harbour front.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
The Prince of Wales Museum, holding artefacts, sculpture and inscriptions.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
The Victoria Terminus — a UNESCO World Heritage Site blending Victorian and Indian architectural patterns.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Marine Drive
The seafront promenade where Incredible India's Mumbai itinerary ends the day with a sunset stroll.
Source: www.incredibleindia.gov.in
Elephanta Caves
Rock-cut caves of about the mid-5th to 6th centuries AD on Elephanta Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Cave 1 holds the 7 m Sadashiva sculpture.
Source: whc.unesco.org
Photo: François Zeller from Montreal, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Sanjay Gandhi National Park
A national park inside the city's limits whose main entrance is at Borivali, home to over 1,300 plant species.
Source: maharashtratourism.gov.in
Haji Ali Dargah
The tomb of Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, set about 500 yards off the shoreline in the middle of the Arabian Sea.
Source: hajialidargah.in
Siddhivinayak Temple
Mumbai's famous Ganesh temple at Prabhadevi, run by the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust.
Source: www.siddhivinayak.org
Global Vipassana Pagoda
A vast meditation hall near Gorai, on a peninsula between Gorai Creek and the Arabian Sea, modelled on Yangon's Shwedagon Pagoda.
Source: www.globalpagoda.org
Imagicaa
India's first international-standard theme destination per its operator — a theme park and water park sprawling over 300 acres at Khopoli, near Lonavala.
Source: www.imagicaaworld.com
Kanheri Caves
Rock-cut Buddhist caves inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park - Maharashtra Tourism dates them to the 1st century BCE, with prayer halls and monastic cells carved into the basalt.
Source: maharashtratourism.gov.in
Juhu Beach
One of the longest beaches in Mumbai - Maharashtra Tourism sends visitors here for stunning sunsets and street food in the western suburbs.
Source: maharashtratourism.gov.in
Bandra-Worli Sea Link
Maharashtra Tourism calls this sea bridge a modern architectural marvel and a must-visit landmark - it links Mumbai's western suburbs with South Mumbai.
Source: maharashtratourism.gov.in
Ready-made Mumbai plans
Each plan keeps the days before it — take the 1-day core, or stay longer and add days. Stop times are typical visit lengths, so a day never over-packs.
Mumbai in a day: South Mumbai classics
Stay: Colaba–Fort, South Mumbai · Getting around: Metro + local trains + cabs; South Mumbai's sights are walkable between stops, and Elephanta is reached by boat from the Gateway of India.
Day 1 — South Mumbai's greatest hits
Morning Gateway of India ≈ 1 hrs typical
Afternoon Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya ≈ 2.5 hrs typical
Evening Haji Ali Dargah ≈ 1 hrs typical · Marine Drive ≈ 1.5 hrs typical
Two days in Mumbai: Elephanta Island + Siddhivinayak
Stay: Colaba–Fort, South Mumbai · Getting around: Metro + local trains + cabs; South Mumbai's sights are walkable between stops, and Elephanta is reached by boat from the Gateway of India.
Day 1 — South Mumbai's greatest hits
Morning Gateway of India ≈ 1 hrs typical
Afternoon Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya ≈ 2.5 hrs typical
Evening Haji Ali Dargah ≈ 1 hrs typical · Marine Drive ≈ 1.5 hrs typical
Day 2 — The island caves, Prabhadevi, then the Sea Link at dusk
Morning Elephanta Caves ≈ 4 hrs typical
Afternoon Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus ≈ 1 hrs typical · Siddhivinayak Temple ≈ 1.5 hrs typical
Evening Bandra-Worli Sea Link ≈ 1 hrs typical
Three days in Mumbai: add the green north — SGNP and the Pagoda
Stay: Colaba–Fort, South Mumbai · Getting around: Metro + local trains + cabs; South Mumbai's sights are walkable between stops, and Elephanta is reached by boat from the Gateway of India.
Day 1 — South Mumbai's greatest hits
Morning Gateway of India ≈ 1 hrs typical
Afternoon Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya ≈ 2.5 hrs typical
Evening Haji Ali Dargah ≈ 1 hrs typical · Marine Drive ≈ 1.5 hrs typical
Day 2 — The island caves, Prabhadevi, then the Sea Link at dusk
Morning Elephanta Caves ≈ 4 hrs typical
Afternoon Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus ≈ 1 hrs typical · Siddhivinayak Temple ≈ 1.5 hrs typical
Evening Bandra-Worli Sea Link ≈ 1 hrs typical
Day 3 — The green north: park, caves and pagoda, ending at Juhu Beach
Morning Sanjay Gandhi National Park ≈ 4 hrs typical · Kanheri Caves ≈ 2 hrs typical
Afternoon Global Vipassana Pagoda ≈ 2 hrs typical
Evening Juhu Beach ≈ 1.5 hrs typical
Good to know
What are the best places to visit in Mumbai?
The five must-sees in this guide: the Gateway of India, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya museum, Marine Drive, the Elephanta Caves, and Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
How many days do you need in Mumbai?
One day covers South Mumbai's greatest hits. Two days add the Elephanta Caves, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Siddhivinayak Temple and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. A third day adds the Kanheri Caves, the Global Vipassana Pagoda and Juhu Beach.
What can you see in Mumbai in 1 day?
The Gateway of India in the morning, the CSMVS museum in the afternoon, and Haji Ali Dargah and Marine Drive in the evening - that is the 1-day plan above.
Where should you stay in Mumbai?
Base yourself in Colaba-Fort, South Mumbai - the plans in this guide start from there.
How do you get around Mumbai?
Metro + local trains + cabs; South Mumbai's sights are walkable between stops, and Elephanta is reached by boat from the Gateway of India.
What's on in Mumbai
Concerts, festivals, comedy, sport and more — the city's live listings on India Events Buzz, plus this weekend across India.
Events in Mumbai This weekend