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The domed Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and the Gateway of India arch seen across the harbor, with colorful tourist boats in the water.
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MumbaiTravel Guide

India5 stories

India's maximal city of Bollywood, colonial Gothic and sea breeze hides quiet temple tanks, heritage villages and dawn fish markets behind the noise.

Is Mumbai right for you?

When to come

November to February

Around 34°C by day in November, 30°C in August — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

We publish a multi-day route for this one.

Mumbai is inWarm in January
When to go
January: around 31 degrees by day, 17 at night, 0 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
February: around 32 degrees by day, 18 at night, 0 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
March: around 33 degrees by day, 21 at night, 0 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
April: around 33 degrees by day, 24 at night, 0 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
May: around 34 degrees by day, 27 at night, 7 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
June: around 33 degrees by day, 27 at night, 526 millimetres of rain, very wet.
July: around 30 degrees by day, 26 at night, 920 millimetres of rain, very wet.
August: around 30 degrees by day, 25 at night, 561 millimetres of rain, very wet.
September: around 31 degrees by day, 25 at night, 384 millimetres of rain, very wet.
October: around 34 degrees by day, 24 at night, 91 millimetres of rain, wet.
November: around 34 degrees by day, 21 at night, 11 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
December: around 33 degrees by day, 18 at night, 2 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

November to February

Average daily highs, recorded at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Santacruz), 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

India Meteorological Department (via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai)

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Goa440 km

    half a day's travel · both good in January, February, November

  • Udaipur620 km

    a full travel day · both good in January, February, November

Plan itWhere to stay in Mumbaiad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Mumbai

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Mumbai

Two vada pav — batter-fried potato dumplings in soft pav buns — with blistered green chillies on a paper plate at a food stall counter; the sandwich is Mumbai's defining street snack
01
Itineraries

Three Days in Mumbai, and What a Fourth Buys You

Mumbai is a peninsula rather than a grid, so the only itinerary that survives contact with the traffic is one that moves in a single direction, and here is that route day by day.

India · 11 min
The Gateway of India and the red-domed Taj Mahal Palace hotel seen from the harbour waters of Mumbai under a blue sky
02
Hidden Gems

Mumbai Beyond the Obvious: The City's Quieter Side

Everyone photographs the Gateway of India. Fewer find the ancient temple tank, the Portuguese-era lanes and the dawn docks that show what Mumbai really is.

India · 2 min
Sunset over the Mumbai skyline seen across the water from the Marine Drive tetrapods, the sun burning orange behind a low bank of cloud and the towers of the city reduced to silhouette.
03
Destinations

When to go to Mumbai: the honest season-by-season guide

Winter clarity, pre-monsoon heat, and four months of theatrical rain — how Mumbai's year really breaks down, and when the city is at its best.

India · 2 min
A Mumbai chaat counter in full swing: trays of crisp puris, sev, chopped onion, boiled potato and dark chutneys crowd the stall table while the vendor's hands assemble a plate.
04
Food

Mumbai's markets: what to taste, where, and when

Mumbai's eating day runs in four shifts - dawn fish auctions, midday bazaar halls, sunset beach chaat and the after-dark kebab lanes - and this is what to eat in each, and when.

India · 11 min
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation building under heavy monsoon cloud, its Gothic tower and dome mirrored full-length in the rain-flooded road in front of it.
05
Hidden Gems

Mumbai off-season: the secret case for the monsoon months

Mumbai's rainy season is cheaper, greener and almost empty of tourists — here is how to travel it well, what the weather quietly closes, and why September is the month to aim for.

India · 12 min
In pictures

Mumbai, framed

The rock-cut Kanheri Caves in Sanjay Gandhi National Park: a row of dark carved doorways cut into a moss-green basalt hillside, monsoon forest crowding the ridge above and a couple of walkers on the path below.
Photo: Zoshua Colah / Unsplash
Sassoon Docks at dawn, Mumbai
Photo: Raj Rana / Unsplash
Banganga Tank, Mumbai
Photo: shreyas kamble / Unsplash
Sassoon Docks at dawn, Mumbai
Photo: Palak Pitroda / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Mumbai

See and do

Before you go

Practical essentials for India

Money

Indian rupee (INR)

Language

Hindi and English are the Union's official languages alongside 22 scheduled languages; English is widely used in cities and tourism.

Power

Type C/D/M, 230V 50Hz

Getting around

Indian Railways links the cities and Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur have metros with their own smart cards and QR tickets; in town it is app taxis and auto-rickshaws.

Tipping

Not obligatory but common — round the bill up or leave 5–10% where no service charge appears, and small notes for porters and drivers.

Tap water

Tap water is not safe to drink — use sealed bottled or properly filtered water and avoid ice from unknown sources.

Driving

Left-hand side; the 1949 International Driving Permit is required alongside your national licence.

Emergency

112 (unified); 100 police, 108 ambulance, 101 fire

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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