Mumbai on a Budget
Description:
Mumbai is the perfect city for those seeking a colorful adventure amid the hustle and bustle of an Indian city. While the city can offer travelers luxury, it can also be a haven for those traveling on the cheap. Budget travelers can take advantage of the numerous free and fairly inexpensive landmarks that dot the Mumbai streets like the Rajabi Clock Tower and the St. Thomas Cathedral. Mumbai also has a blossoming arts scene complete with many galleries featuring prominent and up and coming Indian artists, a not to miss for any art enthusiasts or people who want to get a better feel for all aspects of the city. In terms of food, those on a budget can get hearty, delicious meals from street stands and local haunts, like the stalls lining Girgaum Chowpatty beach or Gulshan-E-Iran. Mumbai is also great for people watching, free entertainment best enjoyed along Girgaum Chowpatty, the Sassoon Dock and the Gateway of India. The Hotel New Bengal offers cheap accommodations close to a lot of the activities in the south eastern part of the city. Switch to Sahil which is located to the northwest to enjoy some of the attractions in that area. Above all, enjoy your trip!
Photo courtesy of Humayunn N A Peerzaada/ Creative Commons
Photo courtesy of Humayunn N A Peerzaada/ Creative Commons
Author: mpie
Day 1 - Mumbai
Today you can take some time to explore some of the sights within walking distance of the Hotel New Bengal and take advantage of free sights! Take a gander at the architecture of the older colonial buildings, such as the St. Thomas Cathedral and check out the banyan tree in Horniman Circle where India's first stock exchange took place! For more wallet friendly sightseeing, wander into the Sir J. J. School of Art and Architecture where students have been known to give tours of the architecture and lush landscaping to friendly tourists. End the day with a delicious seafood dinner that won't take a big chunk out of your adventure funds.
1
St. Thomas Cathedral
Location:
view in google mapsDadabhai Naoroji Road
400001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 44822
YMCA
Location:
view in google maps18 YMCA Road
400 008 Mumbai,
Phone:
+91 22 2307 06012
Kala Ghoda Festival
Location:
view in google mapsDr. V.B. Gandhi Marg
Fort
400 023 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 6505 50342
Ganesh Festival
Location:
view in google mapsVarious Venues
400 012 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2414 32002
Joseph Baptista Gardens
Location:
view in google mapsHussain Patel Road
Near Madina Masjid
400 010 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 44822
Tavern and Beyond
Location:
view in google mapsOff Arthur Bunder Road
25 Hotel Fariyas
400 005 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2204 29112
Just Kebabs
Location:
view in google mapsMelody Salon, Ama House
Strand Cinema Lane
400005 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2281 95552
Horniman Circle
Location:
view in google mapsOff Shahid Bhagat Singh Road
Near Asiatic Library
400 023 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 44822
Nehru Centre-Art Gallery
Location:
view in google mapsDr. Annie Besant Road
Nehru Center
400 018 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2496 34263
Sir J. J. School of Art and Architecture
Location:
view in google maps78/3 Doctor Dadabhoy Naoroji Road
400 001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2262 11184
Fountain Inn
Location:
view in google mapsNanabhai Lane
7 Halima Building
400001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2284 82425
Hotel New Bengal
Location:
view in google mapsDoctor D.N. Road
'B' Shalimar Estates, Sitaram Building
400001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2340 1951 / +91 22 2340 1952 / +91 22 2340 1953 / +91 22 2340 1954 / +91 22 2340 1955 / +91Day 2 - Mumbai
Wake up at a leisurely pace and prepare yourself for another day of wandering the city and soaking up the mostly free historical sights. Wander back to the area where you had dinner last night, and check out the amazing architecture of the Cathedral of the Holy Name. After appreciating the grandeur of the church, head on over to the National Gallery of Modern Art to see some of the best Indian art. For lunch, go for a truly authentic experience at Gulshan-E-Iran that will be easy on your wallet and good to your stomach. Later, head over to Artland, a gallery showcasing a large variety of cutting edge work, in the Kala Ghoda area. Kala Ghoda is the art hub of the city, so be sure to take advantage of the cultural activity and check out some of the many street front galleries. Walk over to the Rajabai Clock Tower and snap a photo in front of one of Mumbai's (many) famous landmarks. After visiting Gallery Beyond, stop at Baghdadi nearby to enjoy some food all the locals know about. Or head to Bade Miyan for some delicious tandoori. Be warned, this is a popular spot and lines can get long!
1
Cathedral Of The Holy Name
Location:
view in google maps19 Nathalal Parikh Marg
400001 Mumbai, India
2
National Gallery of Modern Art
Location:
view in google mapsMahatma Gandhi Road
Sir Cowasji Jahangir Public Hall
400 032 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2288 19713
Gulshan-E-Iran
Location:
view in google maps15 Palton Road
Crawford Market
400001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2261 51834
Artland
Location:
view in google mapsM. G. Road
63A, Esplanade Mansion, Kala Ghoda
400023 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 6635 07765
Rajabai Clock Tower
Location:
view in google mapsM.G Road
University of Mumbai Fort Campus
400 032 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 44826
Gallery Beyond
Location:
view in google mapsShahid Bhagat Singh Marg
130/132, First Floor, Great Western Building
400023 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2283 7345 / +91 22 2283 7346 / +91 22 2283 73477
Baghdadi
Location:
view in google mapsTullock Road
Behind Taj International, Apollo Bunder
400001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 8027 / +91 22 2288 19118
Bade Miyan
Location:
view in google mapsTulloch Road, Apollo Bunder
Behind Taj Mahal Hotel
400039 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2284 8038Day 3 - Mumbai
Grab some sandwiches from the cheap fast food joint Croissants or from 210*C Coffee and Cakes and prepare yourself for a day of gallery visiting. Start off with Art Resource Trust and check and see if they have any special activities scheduled for your time in Mumbai. Studio3 Art Gallery will introduce you to a variety of up and coming Indian artists while Piramal Art Gallery offers photography exhibits. After your gallery viewings, grab dinner tonight in the hotel at Zaffran. Enjoy Mughlai dishes at a reasonable price.
1
Croissants
Location:
view in google maps90A Veer Nariman Road
Manik Mahal
400020 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2282 10662
210°C Coffee & Cakes
Location:
view in google mapsJamshedji Tata Road
Prem Court, Samrat Restaurant
400020 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 4213 54073
Art Resource Trust (ART)
Location:
view in google mapsFree Press Journal Road
9 Tulsiani Chambers
400 001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2204 27004
Studio3 Art Gallery
Location:
view in google mapsVeer Nariman Road
3 Nagin Mahal
400020 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 2873 / +91 22 2204 50485
Piramal Art Gallery
Location:
view in google mapsNCPA Marg
National Centre for the Performing Arts
400 021 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2283 37376
Zaffran
Location:
view in google mapsDr. D. N. Road
B Block, Sitaram Building
400001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2344 2690 / +91 22 2340 1976Day 4 - Mumbai
Another not to miss local restaurant, Olympia Coffee House offers travelers excellent dishes (the biryani comes highly recommended) amidst shared tables with many locals. Wander up along the river to the Sassoon Dock where you can see where most of the fish in the city comes from and even pick up some fresh fish to cook if you have access to a kitchen! Definitely worth a visit for some good people watching as well. Then, check out the Gateway of India, considered the most popular landmark in Mumbai. Take your pictures here and hang out a little bit to enjoy the free entertainment provided by the bustling crowd of tourists, panhandlers, locals and more. For dinner, Trishna offers fresh seafood, be sure to try the butter pepper garlic crab! Before heading back to the hotel, stop at either or both Leopold Cafe & Bar or Cafe Mondegar for an after dinner brew.
1
Olympia Coffee House
Location:
view in google maps1 Shahid Bhagat Singh Road
Rahim Mansion
400039 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 10432
Sassoon Dock
Location:
view in google mapsColaba Causeway
400005 Mumbai, India
3
Gateway of India
Location:
view in google mapsOff P J Ramchandani Marg
Near the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
400001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 44824
Trishna
Location:
view in google maps7 Sai Baba Marg
Kala Ghoda, Near Rhythm House
400023 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2270 32135
Leopold Café & Bar
Location:
view in google mapsShahid Bhagat Singh Road
Colaba Causeway
400 039 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2282 81856
Cafe Mondegar
Location:
view in google mapsShahid Bhagat Singh Road
Near Regal Cinema
400 001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 0591Day 5 - Mumbai
Today head to the Flora Fountain to see more of the historical sights of Mumbai and do some more people watching. Grab a relaxed lunch at Pizzeria with gorgeous views of the Arabian Sea. Take a stroll down Marine Drive to enjoy the ocean views as well as the architecture and people watching. Take advantage of the cheap shopping and visit Kalbadevi for a true Indian bazaar experience. Stock up on cheap souvenirs and knick knacks here. Mix up the wallet friendly authentic Indian dinners you've been having and throw in some budget Italian with the option of burritos as well.
1
Flora Fountain
Location:
view in google mapsVeer Nariman Road
Hutatma Chowk
400 001 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 44822
Pizzeria
Location:
view in google maps143 Marine Drive
Soona Mahal
400020 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2285 61153
Marine Drive
Location:
view in google mapsMarine Drive
400 020 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 44824
Kalbadevi
Location:
view in google mapsKalbadevi
400002 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2414 3200(Tourist Information)5
Relish
Location:
view in google mapsDinshaw Walcha Road
Prem Court Building
400020 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 4213 5419Day 6 - Mumbai
Today switch hotels to Sahil, a hotel a bit more to the North West located near the train station. From here you can better explore this part of the city. Girgaum Chowpatty is one of the more popular Mumbai Beaches and offers a wide variety of food stalls for a perfect lunch or snack. Again, this is another great spot for free people watching entertainment. After a day at the beach, head to the Gandhi Museum to learn more about this famous pacifist and see how he lived. Grab dinner at the Golden Star where you can enjoy traditional Gujarati and Rajasthani cuisine. After dinner head to the Ghetto Pub if you're in the mood for loud music, pitchers of beer and a game or two of pool.
1
Girgaum Chowpatty
Location:
view in google mapsOff Netaji Shubhash Chandra Bose Road
400 004 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2202 44822
Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya (Gandhi Museum)
Location:
view in google maps19 Laburnam Rd
Nana Chowk
400 007 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2380 58643
Golden Star
Location:
view in google maps330 Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road
400004 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2363 19834
Ghetto Pub (The)
Location:
view in google maps30/B Bhulabhai Desai Road
400 026 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2353 84185
Sahil
Location:
view in google maps292 J.B. Behram Marg
Mumbai Central
400008 Mumbai, IN
Phone:
+91 22 2308 1421Day 7 - Mumbai
Consult the web or locals to see when the low tide will occur and schedule your day around it. At low tide, you can walk out to the Haji Ali Dargah in the bay. Walk around it and marvel at its location and the mystery surrounding its construction. Head back to the main land and visit another gallery, Cymroza Gallery. Cymbroza is known for its exhibitions and is a must see for any art enthusiast. Stop at Swati Snacks for some delicious food before heading out.
1
Haji Ali Dargah
Location:
view in google mapsDargah Road
Corner of Bhulabhai Desai Road and P. M. Malviya Marg
400 026 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2352 42212
Cymroza Gallery
Location:
view in google maps72 Bhulabhai Desai Road
400 026 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 2367 19833
Swati Snacks
Location:
view in google mapsTardeo Road
248 Karai Estate Building, Opposite Bhatia Hospital
400007 Mumbai, India
Phone:
+91 22 6580 8405 / +91 22 6580 8406 / +91 22 2352 4994