Mumbai

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is India's economic and entertainment capital. Its opportunities have attracted a vibrant and cosmopolitan population, making it the most populous city in India and, by some measures, in the world. Mumbai is home to Bollywood, the country's Hindi film industry, the largest in the world.

A pleasant morning outing is to stroll past the Mumbai landmarks, the Gateway of India and Taj Mahal Palace, on the waterfront of Colaba (the main tourist district of Mumbai), and then towards the lively back streets and market. In the evening, a carnival atmosphere can be found at Chowpatty Beach, which food stands and head massages are classical Mumbai experience.

Mumbai's rich past can be appreciated at three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Directly carved from the rock around 600 AD, the Elephanta Caves are a collection of shrines, halls and porticos filled with stone sculptures of Hindu gods and goddesses, most notably the Trimurti of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer. The Elephanta Caves are reached by a one-hour cruise to the Elephanta Island from the Gateway of India. Completed in 1888, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus, blends High Victorian Gothic design based on late medieval Italian models with themes derived from Indian traditional architecture, resulting in one of the most striking train stations anywhere, while the Oval Maidan is surrouded by an ensemble of Victorian Gothic and Art Deco public buildings.