Elephanta Caves
Take a short boat ride across Mumbai Harbour to Elephanta Island, home to a labyrinth of fascinating rock-cut cave temples. Created between AD 450 and 750, these truly impressive carvings are now a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring a range of courtyards, halls, pillars, shrines and holy statues. A small museum explains the origins of the caves.
The Gateway of India and The Taj Mahal Palace
Built to commemorate King George V and Queen Mary’s visit to India in 1911, The Gateway of India overlooks the harbour, placed to symbolise the entrance point of India if reached by sea. Just next to the arch, the famed Taj Mahal Palace hotel is the second-most photographed sight in India. As well as the impressive architecture, the hotel symbolises the growth of the city as a whole – it was the first in the country to employ women, the first with electricity, and it housed freedom fighters for no charge during the struggle for independence.
Bollywood
Mumbai is the home of Bollywood, an industry that creates over 900 films every year – twice that of Hollywood! Some of the major studios open their doors for visitor tours, allowing you to learn more about all things Bollywood – from hair and makeup, to special effects, to famous dance routines. The Mumbai International Film Festival (held in October each year) shows Bollywood blockbusters with English subtitles, making it an easy way to watch these world-renowned movies.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
This iconic train station showcases the unique architecture of colonial-era India – merging Islamic, Hindu and Victorian Gothic styles to create an extravagant building quite unlike any other. Explore this bustling terminus, characterised by magnificent domes, spires, turrets, gargoyles and stained glass.
Marine Drive
Showcasing the city’s wealth and financial power, Marine Drive is a curved seafront promenade, home to sleek offices, luxury hotels and swanky apartment blocks, many inspired by the art deco-style architecture of Miami. Dubbed the Queen’s Necklace, the curved road lights up at night, resembling a string of pearls in a necklace from above. Stroll along the 3.6km-long promenade overlooking the Arabian Sea, particularly spectacular during sunset.
British Airways fly direct from London Heathrow to Mumbai in around 9 hours.
Travelling With Children or Without an Adult
Children travelling without both parents should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. Please contact the relevant Embassy for the county you are travelling to for further information.
Visa and Advance Passenger Information
All passengers must ensure they have a valid, acceptable passport, any required visa and any other documentation for both the final destination and any stop-off points en route. Please make sure that Advance Passenger Information is submitted in advance to travel for all destinations. Failure to hold correct documentation or submitting incorrect details with Advance Passenger Information or Visa applications may result in refusal of carriage or entry into a country. Please check with the relevant Embassy regarding visa requirements well in advance of your travel date. Charges may apply for some visas.
Passengers not travelling on a British Passport are advised to contact their relevant Foreign & Commonwealth office for individual Visa requirements.
For up-to-date resort information, visit www.fco.gov.uk
Health facilities, hygiene and disease risks vary worldwide and you should take health advice about your specific needs from your general practitioner or a specialist clinic as early as possible before travel. Those planning to become pregnant should discuss their travel plans with their healthcare provider to assess their risk of infection with Zika. For information about Zika, other mosquito-borne diseases (such as Dengue fever and Chikungunya), Lyme Disease (caused by tick bites), and to receive advice on mosquito bite avoidance measures, please visit Insect and tick bite avoidance.
In addition, we highly recommend that you seek specialist advice from your doctor and, where recommended, obtain vaccinations or tablets for protection against, for example: Malaria, Hepatitis A, Polio and Typhoid. In some cases, treatments for Malaria should begin well in advance of travel. Travellers may also be required to show Yellow Fever Certificates on arrival in certain destinations ie, some African countries. Please note that you are strongly advised against scuba-diving for 24 hours before travelling by air. We would also like to draw your attention to the risk of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) and recommend that you consult with your doctor before travelling.
Visit the FCDO website and select your destination country for the very latest travel advice: Foreign Travel Advice. Additional sources of information include: Public Health England, The National Travel Health And Network Centre, Foreign And Commonwealth Office and your General Practitioner or a specialised clinic.