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What to do with 4-5 hours in Mumbai?

Discussion in 'Maharashtra' started by SamiOberoi, Jun 15, 2015.

  1. SamiOberoi

    SamiOberoi New Member

    I will have a stay in Mumbai for around 4-5 hours and as I have not been to Mumbai, I would like to see the place so I need advise and guidance from members to give me a short itinerary for Mumbai which would cover any important tourist attractions.
     


  2. ChaiNashta

    ChaiNashta Active Member

    If you mean you only have 5 hours between your flight connections then I would not recommend leaving the airport as that time is too short and you risk missing your flight. You also did not mention what time of the day it is.

    If you had a little more time then you could have taken the city tour provided by Neeta travels which covers all the major attractions and end of the day leaves you at Juhu chaupati.
     


  3. SachinS

    SachinS New Member

    You can take a tour bus which is called Mumbai Darshan, it does exceed five hours but I am sure there are shorter duration tours as well, which you would find out from the tour operators in Mumbai.
     
  4. BharadwajV

    BharadwajV New Member

    The bus tours take around 8-9 hours, but you can easily take taxi tour as well and plan the trip according to your timings, this may work out to be a bit costlier than a bus tour but if you want to take a tour and get comfort as well then this is the only option, unless you want to get around places on your own which I think would be a hassle.
     
  5. Shitish

    Shitish New Member

    4-5 hours is a very short time, and in this weather travelling around Mumbai is not such a good idea, it would be hot and sticky. If you really want to see something in Mumbai then I suggest you go for either one or two places, like India Gate and Elephanta Caves.
     
  6. kokosflocken

    kokosflocken New Member

    I agree. If the time is regular work hours, you should check out the Prince of Wales museum. They have some really cool things like a dagger and weapons exhibit, and very often they have exciting temporary exhibitions and so on. Its a really nice place to kill a few hours in the morning or afternoon. The building is really beautiful too, and you can wander around for ages.
     
  7. ChaiNashta

    ChaiNashta Active Member

    It would take an hour and a half under normal traffic conditions during the day just to get there. That means around three hours round trip and if you add waiting for the taxi and getting in and out of the airport I would say it is not worth it and OP would rick missing the connecting flight if there is a traffic jam on the way back which is not uncommon. I remember being stuck in traffic for about 45 mins just to cover the last 3 kms to the airport.
     
  8. sillyllucy

    sillyllucy Member

    You will have about 2 hours max because of the time it takes to leave the airport and the time it takes to get back and go through security. I would just find a restaurant and eat! That way you can explore the local cuisine and get to see some of the city while in your taxi.
     
  9. kokosflocken

    kokosflocken New Member

    This is assuming that the OP is at the airport. If he were at a central station, like VT (CST), it wouldn't be too bad.
     
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  10. pwarbi

    pwarbi Active Member

    4 to 5 hours really is too short a time to explore anywhere, but I'm sure if the OP was followed up with a bit more information, like why they're only there for such a short time, is it to do with catching a connecting flight or, are they going to actually be IN Mumbai. That could make a big difference.
     
  11. Ashwin Mahesh

    Ashwin Mahesh Member

    5-6 hours is a really very short time to visit any place let alone a huge metropolitan city like Mumbai, it also depends on the starting point of the tour and also time of the day. You are better off walking around wherever you are located and find out more about the locality than hopping on a bus, train or taxi which in itself will take away atleast an hour or two away from whatever little time you have in your hands.
     
  12. pwarbi

    pwarbi Active Member

    As you say the starting point is key, and while if your right in the centre there will be a lot more you'll be able to see and do, if your on the outskirts or need to take a bus or train somewhere then your really not going to be able to get to see much unfortunately.
     
  13. Anuj Dhawan

    Anuj Dhawan New Member

    It depends and it depends on the location where you are in Mumbai with 4-5 spare hours. For example, if you are in Mulund or on central line - there is nothing much you can explore because it might take 2-2.5 hours to reach airport itself on a busy road. On the other hand, if you are near to Andheri, Andheri West, Powai - you can go explore Powai itself. Or can go to Juhu, Versova Beach or Yari Road but make sure you don't decide to do this during peak traffic hours which is usually 7:30 AM to around 10:30 AM and 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM.
     
  14. briannagodess

    briannagodess Well-Known Member

    Hello and welcome to the forum!

    Some details are needed before we can give you some tourist attractions you can visit for that four hours. For example:
    • Where exactly in Mumbai will you be? Will you be arriving in the airport? Are the four hours just waiting time for your connecting flight? If so, you won't have much time to do some sightseeing. I'd suggest focusing on just one place and then eating somewhere else afterwards.
    • Will you be arriving in Mumbai Central? Then you'd have another place you need to go to? If so, you have some time for sightseeing and can squeeze in a few attractions.
    • Do you have many luggages? If so, you have to leave them at Baggage Storage Facility in the airport. Otherwise, they can hinder your sightseeing activities.
    • What time will you be arriving? Rush hour traffic can be bad and can hinder your sightseeing opportunities. If it's at night time, there's not many transportation or sightseeing options for you.
    • What are your interests? Do you like food? Or maybe historical attractions? Religious, maybe? This can help us give you some attractions based on your interests.
    Anyway, all that being said, I'm still going to give you some information about the nearest attractions in certain places in Mumbai. Here they are:

    1. Mumbai Airport. Some attractions near the Mumbai Airport are:
    • Gateway of India. This is about 26 kms from the airport. This is also Mumbai's top attraction and it's a must to visit this for the short time you have. This was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Mumbai.
    • Prince of Wales Museum. This is about 25 kms from the airport. This now goes by the name "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya." You can see various collections of ancient artefacts, sculptures and artworks here.
    • Marine Drive. This is about 24 kms from the airport. You can walk along the lane of the Marine Drive. It's especially beautiful at night time when the buildings are all lit up.
    • Hanging Gardens. This is about 22 kms from the airport. This provides great views of the Arabian Sea especially during the sunset. There are also hedges shaped like different animals here which can be fun to look at.
    • Sanjay Gandhi National Park. This is about 19.5 kms from the airport. You can enjoy the rich greenery in this place. The Kanheri Caves can also be found inside the park.
    2. Mumbai Central Station. Some attractions near here are:
    • Mahalakshmi Temple. This is just 1.3 kms from the Mumbai Central Station. It was Dhakji Dadaji who built this temple dedicated to Mahalakshmi. You can buy some flowers to offer to the deity inside the temple.
    • Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum. This is just 1.4 kms away from the Mumbai Central Station. This was where Gandhi planned their political movements back then.
    • Kamalu Nehru Park. At just about 0.9 km from the Mumbai Central Station, this mostly caters to children. But it's a nice getaway for some peace and relaxation.
    • Chowpatty Beach. This is about 1.9 kms from the Mumbai Central Station. You can find food stalls, monkeys, snake charmers and rides here.
    3. Andheri Railway Station. Attractions you can enjoy near here are:
    • Mahim Fort. This is about 12 kms from the Andheri Railway Station. Unfortunately, this is in ruins now but at its time, it's one of the best forts in Mumbai.
    • Bandra-Worli Sea Link. This is about 16 kms from the Andheri Railway Station. This is India's first cable bridge linking Bandra and the suburbs of Mumbai to Worli as well as Central Mumbai.
    • Linking Road. This is about 5.6 kms from Andheri Railway Station. You can shop for some souvenirs here before you go home.
    There you go. I hope this helps!