Mumbai is a city of many contradictions, perhaps reflected by its many names over the centuries – from Maiambu, a reference to locally worshipped deity Mumba Devi, to the colonial-era Boon Bay and Bombay. Officially renamed Mumbai in 1995, India’s finance capital and home to the thriving Bollywood film industry also has plenty to see and do for history buffs, foodies and culture vultures.
Some landmarks – from the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre to the award-winning Masque restaurant – make headlines regularly, while others thrive quietly in the background, visited only by a knowing few. It is these hidden gems that discerning travellers are seeking out, and here are some to visit.
Mystery maze at Sion Hillock Fort
Sheev or Sion, derived from the Marathi word for “boundary”, is a district that houses one of the oldest forts from colonial-era Bombay. Sion Hillock Fort, or Sheev Killa, was built in the 1670s by Gerald Aungier, who was the Governor of Bombay. It separated land owned by the British East India Company from the Portuguese-controlled Salsette Island (now the Thane and Mira-Bhayander areas).
The fort is about 500 metres from Sion train station, and its watchtower and a remaining cannon can be accessed via a flight of stone steps. The view from the top is a study in contrasts, with one side offering a glimpse of Mumbai’s oil refineries and salt pans, and the other looking out on to the contemporary glass facades and high-rises of Bandra-Kurla Complex, punctuated by the Bandra-Worli Sealink bridge.
While the fort’s role as a bastion of defence appears clear, the site also has a concrete maze. The purpose of the maze, however, remains a mystery, especially since its walls are barely 120cm tall so only pose a challenge for children to find their way out.
The fort can be accessed via a stroll through the lush Jawaharlal Nehru garden, and it is free to enter.
Ro-ro ride to Alibaug
Roll-on, roll-off (or ro-ro) cargo ships that ferry passengers and their vehicles are the best way to get to Alibaug, a coastal town across the Arabian Sea from the Mumbai mainland.
The car ferry can be caught from the air-conditioned port of Bhaucha Dhakka on the eastern seafront of Mumbai. It docks at Mandwa, the town made famous by Amitabh Bachchan’s blockbuster movie Agneepath.
While the 60-minute ride (priced from 420 rupees) affords photo opportunities featuring the city skyline and a rising or setting sun, it's worth spending a night or a weekend in the main town of Alibaug. Dubbed the Miami of Mumbai, it offers some of the area's cleanest beaches and boasts several celebrities' homes, including those of actor Shah Rukh Khan and cricketer Virat Kohli.
In recent years, both Mandwa and Alibaug have become gourmet destinations, too, serving fresh seafood in the coastal Malvani and Goan styles. Must-try restaurants include Boardwalk by Flamboyante on Mandwa jetty and The Backyard Cafe in Varsoli village, close to the main town, plus Mayoor Bakery, which has been serving artisanal breads since the 1970s. Chef Moshe Shek also runs culinary classes at A World Away, an organic farm in the hamlet of Awas, which is particularly popular with Mumbai’s “ladies who lunch”.
Larger groups can book out a minimum of 10 rooms at Mansion House, a 25-room boutique resort by Sasawane beach, renowned for its quaint decor and exceptional service.
Food at Pancham Puriwala
One of Mumbai’s oldest restaurants, built in the colonial era, Pancham Puriwala is in the Fort area of South Bombay. It began as a grab-and-go stall, which expanded to a two-storey, bricks-and-mortar restaurant once the Victoria railway terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) was built in the 1880s, bringing millions of migrants to Mumbai.
For more than 175 years, the humble joint run by six generations of its founder Pancham Sharma's family has dished out piping hot plates of puri bhaji, a North Indian delicacy made of deep-fried wheat flour served with spiced and curried potatoes – and now priced at 35 rupees a plate.
The quick-service restaurant has big sharing tables, so it’s not uncommon to eat your meal alongside university students and taxi drivers.
Puri bhaji aside, the restaurant also serves a mean thali (from 135 rupees) – a platter filled with vegetables, pulses, lentils and sweetmeats, which can be refilled on demand. Seasonal mango juice, aam ras, is also on the menu, while the chole bhature, pumpkin bhaji and shahi paneer are other dishes worth sampling.
Walking tour of Worli Fishing Village
The haunt of Mumbai’s Kolis or fishing community, Worli is one of the seven islands that originally made up Mumbai, much of which has now been connected and expanded by land reclamation.
Despite its financial and industrial prowess, the city still provides a livelihood for the Kolis, who set off in their trawlers in the wee hours each morning to bring in the catch of the day. A tour of Worli Village allows you to watch the fishermen return home, to clean and dry their haul before the women take it to market. You can also stroll around the vibrant fishing dock, sample freshly cooked fried snacks and Mumbai’s famous “cutting chai” (so named because of the half-sized glasses it’s served in), and learn about the city’s maritime heritage.
In the afternoon, when the market shuts for siesta time, head to the nearby Worli Fort, Golfa Devi temple or Japanese-Buddhist Nipponzan Myohoji temple.
Should you prefer to visit with a tour guide, prices start from 750 rupees for a group of five, although – as with most purchases in mercantile Mumbai – haggling is highly recommended.