I am fortunate enough to get to travel to work somewhat regularly. One of my main sites to travel to is located in Mumbai, India. Mumbai feels in a lot of ways like if New York City and Los Angeles had a baby, except that baby had its own culture separate from anything you knew.
If you can pick when to travel to Mumbai, I highly advise you to stay away from any time outside of October through February. Traveling to Mumbai outside of their winter months almost certainly means you will run into bad weather or more likely, extreme heat and oppressive humidity. If you really want to get out of your hotel for anything other than the swimming pool you really need to take heed and book for winter.
That said, India is a gorgeous country. It’s definitely different from anything I have ever experienced as someone from the US. It truly seems like a land of extremes, where a billionaire can come down from his private skyscraper and hob knob with a kiosk worker over chai from the same street vendor. The landscape, in much the same way, interrupts concrete horizons with lush tropical vegetation and fauna. It’s not uncommon to see colorful parrots perched on apartment balcony railings just minutes away from Colaba Causeway.
Two experiences that really stand out for me, no matter how many times I visit, are the Dadar Flower market early in the morning, as well as the Worli Fisherman’s Village and Market. I’d also throw the early morning fish auctions near the Gateway to India if you’re willing to wake up early for more than one event. Train travel is not impossible as a foreigner in India, but be prepared to feel overwhelmed as you try to navigate the ticket buying process. If you have a tour guide on hand they will likely be able to help you navigate this experience with little to no involvement on your part.
