Mumbai City Guide - overview

Situated on a peninsula halfway up the west coast of India, Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is India's economic powerhouse and home to more millionaires than any other city on the Indian sub-continent. As well as being the country's financial capital, Mumbai is also an important port, handling a third of all international trade, and a base for many of India's largest companies. However, among all this wealth and the Bollywood lifestyle are cases of extreme poverty with almost half of the population living in slums. In the last count the population was 15 million, and growing rapidly.

The Portuguese established this old Hindu city as a colony in 1509. In 1661 it passed to England as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza when she married Charles II, and became a vital trading base for the East India Company and later the Crown. The centre of Imperial Bombay, an area known as Fort, contains a breathtaking array of High Victorian buildings and is reminiscent of a prosperous 19th century English industrial city. The fascinating range of architectural styles reflects the British passion for the Gothic and demonstrates the wealth, panache and confidence of British Bombay. Prosperity has always been considered more important than religious homogeneity in Mumbai, and this is reflected in the range of places of worship throughout the city - churches and cathedrals sit alongside countless mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples.

Like many Indian cities, the streets of Mumbai are congested with cattle, carts and motor vehicles and the air is thick with smog and the sound of horns, but despite this the city has much to offer and those en route to Goa should take time to discover Mumbai's colourful and fascinating history and its vibrant, energetic and friendly people. At worst, the experience will make Goa's beaches seem even more peaceful.

Getting around: The streets of Mumbai are chaotic and difficult to negotiate, but most attractions are fairly central and can be reached on foot. However, visitors generally opt for hiring a car with a driver by the day, which can be arranged at hotel desks. Rates are dependant on the type of vehicle hired. The city's public bus service is government run and consists of a fleet of red single and double-decker buses, usually hot and crowded. Suburban electric trains connect to the outlying areas, but are crowded, particularly during rush hours. Auto rickshaws are not allowed to operate in the centre of the city, but are cheaper than taxis and good for short distances. Metered taxis are plentiful all over the town and surrounds. A very fast air-conditioned hydrofoil service connects central Mumbai with many suburbs by water.