2 Days in Mumbai: Top Places to Visit in Mumbai

Although you can see the main sites in a day, it’s worth spending 2 days in Mumbai India’s mega city! 

Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai is the financial capital of India. Yes, the traffic is horrific and the air pollution high, it is also extremely hot but even so it really is the most fascinating city! Stay in the historic centre of ‘old Bombay’ and you’ll easily discover the best places to visit in Mumbai in 2 days.

Places to Visit in Mumbai in 2 Days

What to See in 2 Days in Mumbai

Photos and text by Kali Marco.

Mumbai is a vibrant multi-cultural mega city on India’s west coast, and accommodation in the overpopulated city is expensive. If you’re only here for 2 days, staying in the old quarters of Bombay will make it easier to visit the landmark sites.

The hotel we had booked for 2 days was way out of the city centre in a dubious neighbourhood and the staff were rude – so I posted on an Indian travel Facebook group for suggestions and got the address of a reputable hostel in the historical Fort neighbourhood.

An Uber cab ride later and we dumped our bags in our en-suite room (splitting costs as a couple means a double works out cheaper than bunks in a dorm), and set out to explore downtown Mumbai.

CSMVS ‘Prince of Wales Museum

The CSMVS ‘Prince of Wales Museum’ is a magnificent 20th century building, set in formal grounds with a huge Buddha head statue on the front lawns. Not surprisingly this is Mumbai’s Art, Natural History and Archaeology Museum.

Gateway of India

One of the top reasons to visit Mumbai, the iconic Gateway of India is located beside the harbour, a few streets away from the Price of Wales museum (not to be confused with India Gate in Delhi). The huge esplanade was crowded with tourists taking photos of the monumental archway which overlooks the Arabian Sea.

Boat trips are available from the jetty, out to Elephanta Island where there are some outstanding ancient Hindu cave temples to visit. It was ‘foggy’ and not a good day to take photos of this World Heritage Site -and we’d just visited Ellora caves the previous day- so we gave it a miss this time.

Mumbai Waterfront and the Taj Hotel

Juan and I walked along Mumbai waterfront which is lined with classy hotels. At the far end there’s a fishing community, an area of shacks and small fishing boats surrounded by trash where the local people look desperately poor. The rubbish piles up in most places in India, even beside officious ‘Keep India Clean’ signs, people just live around the squalor and refuse collection seems nonexistent.

Coming back along the crowed promenade we literally bumped into Jan and Roy, the friends we’d made in Udaipur ‘lake city’ a few days previously, which goes to show that it really is a small world!

Although the ancient Bombay Fort no longer exists, this is the name of the historic district which borders the huge dockyards. Avenues of colonial buildings are tree-lined and well-kept. Remarkable buildings include Mumbai Post Office where a camera crew was filming what looked like a robbery getaway scene for a Bollywood film!

Victoria Train Terminal in Mumbai

Victoria train station is right in the centre of Mumbai old quarters, still a busy hub on the Indian State Railway System it was built in 1887. The immense gothic-style colonial building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site although only parts are open to the general public; the ticket hall is a work of art with stained glass windows and old-fashioned booths adjoining the main platforms.

Now known as the CSMT, at night the terminal looks spectacular with coloured floodlights highlighting the ornate facade. There are numerous buildings with fabulous architecture in the general vicinity too, such as The Times of India or Mumbai Municipal Corporation Building.

Walking around Mumbai Historical Quarter

Mumbai is a contrast of considerable wealth and poverty, with the most infamous slums in the country and a surprising number of billionaires.

We wandered around a posh area of designer stores and fashionable fast food outlets where chauffeur driven teenagers were being dropped off to shop or grab a take-away coffee at Starbucks.

We ate a great lunch at an immaculate, over-chilled Moslem eatery where the tandoori chicken skewers are wonderful. On the whole eating out is reasonably priced in the tourist areas and, as usual in India, the Hindu restaurants are often pure vegetarian.

Juan and I made our way on foot towards Marine Drive and legendary Mumbai beach, passing street markets, cricket fields and what appeared to be an open air Moslem conference where hundreds of men and boys dressed in white robes were congregated in a recreation ground.

Marine Drive and Chowpatty Beach

Marine Drive is a busy dual carriageway leading towards the modern financial area of the city with its skyline of skyscrapers. The boulevard pavements and seawall are busy on a Sunday afternoon with local people and day trippers.

Sandy Chowpatty beach was fairly crowded – even though it was a scorching day everyone was fully clothed so it’s not the place to come in a bikini! Beach cafes have chill-out zones, carpets on the sand where snacks and soft drinks are served – the Indian equivalent of a fashionable chiringuito beside the Arabian Sea.

People were paddling, getting their clothes wet and enjoying themselves. No one was swimming except for some small boys splashing around in fun. The golden sunset over Mumbai bay is amazing and one of the most memorable moments of our around the world trip.

Needless to say, we got lost going back to the hostel. I asked a young woman for directions to the landmark Gateway to India and she offered to give us a lift… An expensive 4×4 drew up, her stern-faced father inside, immaculate cream leather upholstery and paper covers still protecting the floors, it was obviously brand new. The gentleman was polite but not overly pleased to give two dishevelled, perspiring strangers a lift in his brand new luxury car – and I still had sand on my feet!

It was time to move on south to our next destination, the endless beaches of Goa! I bought a ‘parcel’ takeaway salad baguette and bottle of water from a food stall and boarded the overnight coach to Margao.

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