Quick Getaways near Mumbai
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Elephanta Caves - Located on an island about 10kms away from the Gateway of India, Bombay, these caves have temples carved from rock.
The carvings date back to the 5th century. The chief attraction is the three-headed bust of Lord Shiva,
popularly known as Trimurti. One can reach there by taking a ferry from Gateway of India, Mumbai.
Lonavala, Khandala, Karla caves - Situated atop the
Western Ghats on the Mumbai-Pune highway, are the twin resorts Khandala and Lonavala. During the monsoons
the place turns beautiful as the clouds envelope them and several gushing waterfalls can be
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from the lush green hills. From Lonavala, drive a little further towards Pune and you'll reach Karla,
where the famous Karla, Bhaja and Bedsa Caves are situated.
Sanjay Gandhi National Park - This Park lies on the northern fringes of Mumbai. A large protected
area of forested hills best known for the Kanheri Caves. The caves are scooped out from the sides of
a rocky ravine in the center of the park . During the 2nd and the 9th
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caves were used by Buddhist monks as places of meditation and worship or monasteries.
The 3rd cave, called the Chaitya Cave has a long colonnade of pillars and a 5m high pagoda at
the end of it.
Matheran - Matheran is the nearest hill station. A place where half the
city's populations loves to flock to when the plains heat up. About 50km east from Mumbai, the place offers
some good scenery and has some cool shaded walks around. On a clear day, the views are fantastic and it's even
possible to see Mumbai from Hart Point. |
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Events in Mumbai
The Elephanta Festival is a classical dance and music event on Elephanta Island. This festival is usually held in the month of February in Mumbai , India.
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Ganesh Chaturthi - Another
festival which is celebrated with great pomp and gaiety in Bombay, is an 11-day festival to celebrate
the birth of Lord Ganesh. The 11-day festival begins with the installation of beautifully
sculpted Ganesh idols in homes and mandaps that are colorfully decorated. Cultural events are
organized and people of Mumbai participate in them with keen interest. After 10 exciting days comes
the time to bid farewell to the beloved God. People take Ganesh idols in a procession to
the accompaniment of music and dance for immersion in the sea or nearby river or lake, notably
off Chowpatty Beach Mumbai, India. |
Getting there and away to Mumbai
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The main international gateway to India, with a
lot more flights than Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, Bombay also has one of the busiest networks of
domestic flights. The international airport, Sahar, and the domestic terminal, Santa Cruz
are 30 km and 25 km respectively from downtown Mumbai. For transportation sake, there are regular
shuttle buses between the two terminals in Mumbai. Also, long-distance buses depart from the Bomaby road
transport terminal opposite Mumbai’s Central railway station. |
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Two railway systems operate out of Mumbai. Central Railways
handles services to the east and south, plus a few trains to the north. Western Railways
has services to the north from Churchgate and Central Stations in Mumbai. |
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Long-distance buses depart from the state road transport terminal
opposite Mumbai's Central railway station. The state bus companies of Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat,
Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh all have offices here in Bombay, India. Places in and around Mumbai have some
great roads. |
Whether you are looking for a luxury/5 star hotel or a cheap hotel, MakeMyTrip.com can help you book all types of hotels across Mumbai, India at the lowest possible rates. |
Getting Around in Mumbai
The Public Bus Service:
This system is run by a government organization Bombay Electric Supply & Transport". It has a fleet
of red single and double-decker buses. There are newly introduced air-conditioned luxury buses as well in the Mumbai, India.
Suburban electric trains:
This is very cheap and popular way of getting around Mumbai. Half the population commutes to and from their workplace
by these local trains. And so during peak office hours they are jam-packed. The center points cater to the
following areas -
· Western Railway: runs between Churchgate and Virar.
· Central Railway: runs between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Karjat.
· Harbor Line: runs between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Mankhurd.
· A new railway line runs between Shivaji Terminus and New Mumbai.
Public taxi/auto rickshaws:
There are these black and yellow metered taxis everywhere in Bombay, India. There are also the newly introduced blue air-conditioned
metered taxis that one can avail. The metered auto-rickshaws are not allowed in the central area of Mumbai. But very
well available in the suburbs.
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