The best things to do in Mumbai, India

Here’s the best way to spend your time in the old heart of Mumbai, Fort, from visiting Victorian masterpieces to a date with a Bollywood film and the Gateway of India.

Where to sleep in Mumbai

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel

The iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel has it all: six storeys that combine the Indo-Saracenic style with Victorian Gothic, Romanesque and Edwardian details; topped off with a huge Moorish dome… and that’s just the architecture.

Located in a prominent Colaba location overlooking the Arabian Sea and a stone’s throw from the Gateway of India, the hotel – built by Indian industrialist Jamsetji Tata – has been the jewel of the city since it opened its doors in December 1902.

It was the first building in the city to be lit by electricity and held the first licensed bar; today you can choose from a number of fine dining options within the hotel.

Its grace, charm and luxury has attracted maharajas, dignitaries and celebrities to stay – its 550 rooms and suites includes the Ravi Shankar suite; so called after George Harrison stayed here in 1966 under a pseudonym and studied sitar with the (equally legendary) Pandit Ravi Shankar.

hotel Mumbai stay — The landmark Taj Mahal hotel built in 1903 on the southern shore of Mumbai, Inida.

What to eat in Mumbai

There are 6 local Mumbai favourites you can’t leave without trying.

1. Bhel Puri

Rice with papadi, mango, potato, chutney, sev and onion.

2. Bombay Sandwich

White bread with potato, beetroot, cucumber, tomato, onion and mint chutney.

3. Batata Vada

Potato dumplings with chilli, ginger, turmeric garlic, lime and coriander.

4. Vada Pav

Dumplings added to a bun and accompanied with a fiery sauce.

5. Butter Crab

A simple seaside classic; enjoy a takeaway with oodles of garlic butter.

6. Ragda Pattice

A street food favourite: chickpea stew with pattice of fried potato.

life food mumbai — Baskets of bright orange and yellow marigolds ready to be threaded into garlands for sale at a neighbourhood covered flower market in Mumbai, India.

Festivals to attend in Mumbai

India is a land of festivals and in any given month in Mumbai you might find yourself swept up in colourful celebrations.

Ganesh Chaturthi – 25 August

Celebrating the birth of Ganesha, the Hindu god of wisdom, preparations for Ganesh Chaturthi begin months ahead in Mumbai where over 6000 Ganesha idols are commissioned every year.

At the end of the seven to 10 days’ worth of festivities, thousands of processions come together on Mumbai’s beaches to immerse the idols in the sea; accompanied by music and dancing.

Diwali – from 19 October

India’s five-day-long festival of light, Diwali marks the start of the Hindu New Year and sees diyas (oil lamps) twinkling from inside homes and fireworks lighting up the sky (the most impressive display is at Marine Drive).

Take a wander down ‘Lantern lane’ – LJ Road at Matunga-Mahim – after dark and you’ll find a dazzling display of lamps for sale in all conceivable colours and forms.

The impromptu market is an attraction in itself.

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival – early february

This is India’s biggest celebration of its many cultures, a month of traditional dance, food and visual arts.

Various venues across the city host everything from film to stand-up comedy, book readings and you’ll also find plenty of food stalls.

The guided heritage walks are a great way to explore Mumbai’s architecture and urban design that constitutes one of the most crowded cities in the world.

Mumbai, India — Colourful powder and spices for sale

Did you know?

More than 22 million people live in Mumbai and smack bang in the middle of it is the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, where you’ll find leopards, deer, crocodiles and monkeys, as well as ancient Buddhist caves.

At 104 square kilometres, it cuts a huge swathe out of the city, forcing commuters to travel around it to get to work.

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Bollywood

Mumbai is famous for being the home of Bollywood, the centre of India’s Hindi film industry that generates more than 1000 movies a year.

Full of colourful dance routines the films often include intermissions, given they’re often three-hour epics.

Join a Bollywood tour to watch stars getting their make-up done, sets being made and dances being choreographed. For info, visit getyourguide.com.

Vibrant fabrics, fake antiquities to Bollywood posters can all be found at Mumbai's Chor Bazaar at Mutton Street. — Vibrant fabrics, fake antiquities to Bollywood posters can all be found at Mumbai’s Chor Bazaar at Mutton Street.

What to do in Mumbai

1. Gateway Of India

Start your day under the impressive arch of the Gateway of India, finished in 1924 to greet important officials to the country. It was planned to welcome the Emperor and Empress of India, King George V and Queen Mary in 1911, but construction didn’t begin until 1915.

2. Regal Cinema

You can’t come to Mumbai without watching a Bollywood movie surrounded by fans of the genre. All the top films are shown at the Regal Cinema, its Art Deco façade a welcome relief from all the Victorian masterworks.

3. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya

Surrounded by palm-tree studded gardens, this museum has that quintessential old-world feel and is full of curiosities, ancient relics and stunning art from the Indian subcontinent.

4. Fashion Street

Pick up a silk scarf at this colourful street market for the rest of your travels around the temples and sights of the city. Practise your bargaining skills as you haggle over everything from saris to Persian-style slippers and jewellery.

5. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Catch a train from this World Heritage Site (pictured top left) just to experience the hustle and bustle and organised chaos of Mumbai. Completed in 1888 it’s a striking Gothic, Victorian edifice.

6. Minara Masjid

Occupying a corner of Mohammed Ali Road, the lanes outside this mosque are also a bustling food market, with stalls operating late into the night. Come here for chicken and quail, the smell of which fills the air from countless tandoors.

Want to discover more about Mumbai? Visit our India go-to guide page

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.