India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (42 page)

Although there is now at least one ATM at arrivals, it’s usually run out of money, so if you intend catching a taxi from the airport, arrive with some cash in order to buy local currency from one of the fast and friendly foreign exchange booths located near the exit. However, if you’re new to the city, it’s advisable to arrange an
airport transfer
to meet you—primarily because you will be accosted by a loud, expectant mass of touts and taxi drivers the minute you exit the terminal doors; it can be a bit overwhelming for first-time visitors and some of these characters need to be treated with a degree of caution. If you are expecting a pickup, don’t get sidetracked or deterred from boarding the correct hotel shuttle—ignore strangers offering help.

Hiring a taxi on the spot needn’t be too much of a chore. Simply make use of the convenient (if overpriced)
prepaid taxi service
(
022/2682-9922
) located in terminal 2A (accessible by foot from 2C); a trip to a Colaba hotel should cost in the region of Rs 400 to Rs 480, plus an additional Rs 10 per luggage item; a trip in a superior Cool Cab will be Rs 150 more (although there have been reports that these taxis aren’t as clean as they should be), and you might just get a better deal on a metered taxi (although finding one here has become near-impossible). Expect to pay well over double these rates for a hotel airport transfer, but you’ll also get a much better vehicle to travel in; the Four Seasons sends a luxurious BMW for around Rs 3,200, and the Taj Mahal Palace now even has two Jaguars in its fleet. Because many international flights arrive late at night, traffic delays are usually not a problem, and you should be at your hotel within an hour even if you’re staying downtown. If you arrive by daylight, don’t expect to get anywhere quickly (unless you’re staying at one of the hotels near the airport).

If you are flying direct from Mumbai’s international airport on to the next destination, note that you will have to transfer (there is a free bus every 15 min.; make sure you get on it) to the
Domestic Terminal
(1A and 1B;
022/2626-4000
or -4001) located in Santa Cruz some 4km (2 1⁄2 miles) from the international terminal and 26km (16 miles) north of the city. If you have a long wait before your flight, you will have to spend it in a very uncomfortable airport seat—another good reason to rather spend some time in Mumbai itself. If you have arrived at the Santa Cruz terminal from another part of the country and plan to spend some time in Mumbai, you can either use the prepaid service (Rs 330 to Colaba, plus Rs 10 per luggage item), or use the phone hot line to get a metered Meru cab and pay only Rs 270 (the outlandish markup on the prepaid service a result of serious union politics, and metered taxis being denied parking space at the airport—go figure!). Since domestic flights are likely to arrive during the day, be prepared for a long, congested, frustrating journey into Mumbai. There’s also a tourist office at the domestic airport (
022/2615-6920;
daily 7am–11pm), but there’s little need to dally here.

Note:
Auto-rickshaws
are banned from the city’s center, so don’t rely on these for trips originating from either of the airports unless your hotel is located in their immediate vicinity. Technically, you could use a rickshaw to get to the hotels in Juhu (the city’s favorite beach precinct), but the trip is a long one and you’ll inhale noxious traffic fumes along the way. Besides, unless you’re traveling extremely light, there won’t be much space for you to stow your luggage

BY TRAIN
Good railway connections link Mumbai to all parts of the country, although journeys are long and, unless you opt for one of the smoother semiluxury services, likely to be extremely grueling. Since the terrorist attacks at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, or CST (otherwise known as “VT,” Victoria Station), in late 2008, most of the smarter trains that once terminated there now curtail their journeys at stations farther north. This inevitably affects trains arriving from Central, South, or East India, which may terminate at Dadar (pretty much in central Mumbai) or the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at Kurla (more north). From the north, you’ll arrive at either Mumbai Central Station (most southerly), Dadar, or Bandra; check with your hotel to determine the best disembarkation point. After an inevitably lengthy train ride, you’ll probably want to grab a taxi to your hotel; see “Getting Around,” later in this chapter, and perhaps check first with your hotel to hear what the taxi fare
should
be.

Exploring Maharashtra on a Moving Palace

Western India’s version of the famous Palace on Wheels train is a lavish 21-car luxury train called
The
Deccan Odyssey,
which traverses Maharashtra’s stunning coast. The 7-day journey begins in Mumbai and wanders down the coast to Goa via gorgeous beaches untouched by commercialization. It then stops in the historic city of Pune before moving on to Aurangabad (where you can visit the Ajanta and Ellora caves), and finally returns to Mumbai. You’ll travel by night and sightsee during the day, all the while getting the royal treatment, with luxurious cabins and high-end service (included are a personal valet, on-board gym, and Ayurvedic spa)—food is outstanding. If you intend seeing Maharashtra in style, there really is no better way to go; contact
Deccan Odyssey:
in the U.S. call
888/INDIA-99
[46342-99]
;
in the U.K. call toll-free 0125/8580-600; in India call 011/2332-5939 or 011/2335-3155;
www.thedeccanodyssey.com
,
www.thepalaceonwheels.com
, or
www.deccan-odyssey-india.com
; a deluxe cabin costs $320 to $390 per person sharing per night and includes everything except service tax; discounts are sometimes available.

CITY LAYOUT

Mumbai city lies on the western coast of India, on a thin peninsula that extends southward almost parallel to the mainland. At the southern end of this peninsula are Colaba and the adjoining Fort area, on the east of which lies Mumbai’s deep, natural harbor and India’s busiest port. West of Fort, hugging the Arabian Sea, is the popular promenade Marine Drive, which begins at the business district of Nariman Point and terminates at Chowpatty Beach and Malabar Hill. These are the focal nodes for tourists who, unlike the locals, often refer to the area as downtown. In fact, locals say they are going “into town,” by which they mean they are going toward South Mumbai, the area stretching south from Mahim Creek to Colaba. South Mumbai is where most tourists base themselves—it’s especially convenient if you’d like to explore the historic heart of the city on foot. Here you’ll find attractions like the Gateway of India and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (aka Prince of Wales Museum), and the thickest concentration of restaurants and accommodations that are geared for foreigners. The South Mumbai neighborhoods are described in detail below. There are, however, many enticing reasons to stay in less overtly tourist-centric areas like Worli, Bandra and Juhu—for one, you’ll get to see where many Mumbaikars (or Bombayites) live (whereas south Mumbai is pretty much a business zone that quiets down considerably after dark)—Bandra is a particularly upbeat area plumb with homes belonging to jet-set Bollywood stars and a real magnet for some of the trendiest crowds in town. Even if you don’t stay here (or along the hip beachfront strip at Juhu, slightly north of Bandra), it’d be a real shame not to take at least one trip into the suburbs, even if your sole mission is to shop till you drop (in which case, definitely put Worli on your itinerary, too). Bandra and Juhu are also close enough to the airport (without being flush up against the runways) to make them convenient for making a relatively quick getaway when your departure rolls around.

Colaba, Fort & Churchgate

Neighborhoods in brief

COLABA & NARIMAN POINT

Because of its proximity to most of Mumbai’s landmarks and colonial buildings, this, the southern tip of Mumbai, is the real tourist hub. In many ways its location has contributed to Colaba’s slightly seedy side, though certain areas have recently been rejuvenated. Many of the city’s budget accommodations are situated along roads leading off
Colaba Causeway,
punctuated by (at the northernmost end) the
Taj Mahal Hotel,
Mumbai’s most famous hotel, which is located opposite the
Gateway of India,
its most famous landmark, across from which you can see the oil rigs of Bombay High. The area around the Gateway of India is called
Apollo Bunder,
though the easiest way to get there is to ask for directions to the Taj. Southwest of this is
Cuffe Parade,
an upmarket residential neighborhood, and farther south, the restricted navy Cantonment.