Where to Stay in Mumbai: An Insider’s Guide to the Best Hotels in Mumbai

Heading to India and wondering where to stay in Mumbai? We have you covered with our insiders guide to the best places to stay in Mumbai from hotels near the Mumbai airport to hotels in Bandra and beyond. Some of the best hotels in the city are not located in the main tourist areas, but … Read more

Top 5 Weekend Getaways From Mumbai

Living in one of India’s largest cities is life changing. Mumbai, a city of millions, where the past, present and future can be seen in one square block is exciting, chaotic and sometimes overwhelming. Being a resident here, you learn not only to survive but thrive in epic traffic jams and seasonal flooding all while living it up in a fascinating cosmopolitan city.

Even with all there is to love in this great city, there are times when you just need to escape to rejuvenate and relax away from the hustle and bustle. After 10 years in this vibrant city, we had our fair share of weekend getaways from Mumbai. Some are close and easy to drive to, some require a ferry, train or even a flight – but they all share one thing in common – a total removal from the vibrant city we call home. Read on for our top 5 weekend getaways from Mumbai.

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Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai

Celebrating Ganesh ChaturiGanesh Chaturthi is the Hindu festival celebrating the elephant-headed god Ganesh (also called Ganpati or Ganesha). Ganesh is one of India’s most well known gods. He is highly revered as the remover of obstacles, the god of new beginnings and the god of good fortune. Because of this, his image is found everywhere in India and he is invoked before the undertaking of any task.

Ganpati, as the festival is colloquially known, is one of my favorite holidays in India (second only to Holi). It is a long festival that completely takes over the city of Mumbai sweeping everyone up in its delightful chaos. It is also the time of year when my son was born. From a young age my son gravitated towards anything elephant. Maybe his being born on the auspicious final submersion day really did create a connection to Ganesh!

Ganpati is celebrated between August and September, based on the moon cycle.  Celebrations last for 11 days ending with a raucous celebration and submersion into a body of water on the last day. While celebrated all over India, the most elaborate celebrations happen in Mumbai and throughout the state of Maharashtra. If you are in India during this time, find your way to Mumbai!

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Insider’s Guide: Best Shopping in Mumbai

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the … Read more

Insider’s Guide: The Best Things to Do in Mumbai

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the … Read more

Insider’s Guide: How to Ride Mumbai Local Train

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the … Read more

Insider’s Guide: Top Restaurants in Mumbai

The Insider’s Guide to Mumbai series is loaded with information to help you visit and explore this expansive and vibrant city like a local. After living as an expat for so many years, I found that to really get to know a city quickly you need to stay outside of the tourist zones and hang out and eat where the … Read more