Mumbai (Bombay), India — Overview
Home to Bollywood, India's fashion capital and a center for the gem trade, Mumbai can be overwhelming, but this city of contrasts is also endlessly fascinating. Squeezed onto a small island connected by bridges to the mainland, Mumbai is India's largest city and financial epicenter, home to great wealth, extortionate real estate, glistening skyscrapers and fashion-savvy locals. But Mumbai is also a city of extreme inequality where affluence and abject poverty sit side by side. The busy streets are packed with grand colonial architecture, a myriad of temples and mosques, and many ancient bazaars. Visitors can immerse themselves in colonial history at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus or dive into modern-day life at the Dhobi Ghat; dance 'till dawn in swanky bars or hang out with a cold beer in legendary backpacker haunts; eat at some of India's best restaurants or find a sandy seaside spot to sample Mumbai's most popular snack, bhelpuri. But however you choose to experience Mumbai, one thing is for certain: amid the color and chaos, the city is certain to leave an impression.
