Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai is a commercially and financially bustling city located along the western coast of India. Located alongside the elegant Arabian Sea, Mumbai is famous for its beaches which offer a relaxing environment with delicious mouthwatering food and panoramic views of the sea.
GORAI BEACH
It is located about 4 to 6 kilometers from Borivali in the north of Mumbai. It can be reached by a short ferry ride from the Marve beach in Malad or the Gorai Creek in Borivali. Sunrise and sunset views are very beautiful from this beach. People also like to visit this beach for picnics. Couples also visit this beach very often. One can also enjoy sporty swims or a cool clean dip in the sea waters of Gorai beach. The fun parks Essel World and Water Kingdom are just 3 to 4 kilometers away from this place. All types of budget hotels are located in the vicinity. One can spend a few days or weekend vacations at a very reasonable price. The trip to Gorai beach by road is also very pleasurable. The Uttan road leads to the Gorai beach. People who like seafood can buy fresh fishes and shrimps at very low prices as they can purchase it directly from the fishermen. |
MANORI BEACH
Manori beach is located in northern Mumbai. It can be reached by ferry from Marve ferry point and it is considered to be more convenient and less time consuming than to reach here by road.
As the village of Manori is not as crowded like other parts of Mumbai it offers a peaceful time on the beach to the visitors. The beach looks more beautiful because of the grove of cashew nut trees. It is an ideal place for family outings and picnics. Night parties are frequent in Manori beach.
The village was once ruled by the Portuguese and one can still see the remnants of the Portuguese rule like churches, chapels, etc.
The climate here is warm, about 25 degree Celsius with cool breezes. The best time to visit this beach is October to March, as the climate is less humid.
Samudreshwar Temple and Hazrat Baghdadi Shag Baba Dargah are the places of attraction in this village. The Global Vipassana Pagoda which contains the bone relics of the Buddha, is worth visiting specially for religious or spiritual persons.
MADH ISLAND BEACH
Located in the north-west coast of Mumbai, Madh Island beach is bounded by Malad creek on the east and the Arabian sea to the west. It is well connected by road and one can easily reach here by state buses, taxis or autos.The area is inhabited by Marathi, Kolis, East Indian Roman Catholics and people from other communities. The island is a cluster of fishing villages and farmlands. Although the current of the sea is treacherous, tourists like to visit it to enjoy the adventurous life. The beach is not only the cleanest in the state but is also a renowned tourist spot. People in Mumbai who need a break from the hustle of city life, like to visit this beach with families and friends. The upper strata of the city like to host rave parties on this beach. The beach is very popular for shooting of films. One can discover the local fishing community close to the sea-shore. It is better to visit this beach from October to June as weather is pleasant and humidity is less during this time. 'Madh Fort' built by the Portuguese and originally used as watch-tower, is a popular tourist attraction. 'St. Bonaventure', an ancient church built by the Portuguese, is also very close to the beach. |
MARVE BEACH
The beach is situated in western suburbs of Malad in Mumbai. Though it lies closest to Mumbai, it is untouched by expansion, industrialization and bustling crowds. One can reach Marve beach by bus, auto or taxis from Malad Railway Station.
The beach is comparatively smaller and its width is narrow. Due to sinking sand and swift currents of the sea, it is not safe to swim off this beach. The grove of cashew nut trees and beautiful bungalows owned by Mumbai's elite (for their weekend vacations and entertainments) add to the beauty of this beach.
INS Hamla, an Indian Naval Base, is adjacent to this beach and one can see INS Hamla jawans undergoing training on the beach in the morning. It also has an ancient Portuguese church.
One can reach Manori beach from here on ferry boats, which are available every 5-10 minutes to cross the creek.
It is inhabited by Catholic natives of Mumbai. The region resembles Goa due to the attire worn by the locals and the presence of old churches.
AKSA BEACH
It is located in the north suburbs of Mumbai in the Aksa village and is nearly 12 kilometers from Borivali and 9 kilometers from Malad stations. It can be reached by buses, autos or taxis from Malad and Borivali stations.The beach is clean and has a serene environment. Swimming is unsafe due to strong currents and shifting of the sand beneath. The cool breeze and the sunset in the evening mesmerises everyone who visit it. Along with the sunset view, one can enjoy long walks along the lush foliage on one side and the sea on the other. It is not so frequented by tourists but popular with young lovers due to its clean and tranquil environment. It is very well known as a lovers' beach. No other beach offers so much of seclusion and absence of annoying peddlers as Aksa beach in Mumbai. One could find a large variety of shells and snails on the beach earlier as it used to be deserted and quiet, but the influx of visitors who want to escape the busy schedule of the city, has made it a coveted destination for them. It has many cottages and hotels meant for renting out to the tourists and visitors. There are few snack stalls where one can quench one's thirst and hunger. |
VERSOVA BEACH
Versova beach is situated in the suburbs of Andheri and is a continuation of the Juhu beach. One can board a bus or hire an auto from Andheri Bus station to reach this beach. The village of Versova is home for the fishing folk known as 'Kolis'. The beach is famous for its fish market, where an auction is held on a daily basis. As compared to Juhu, this beach is less frequented by tourists because of few tourist attractions. Donkey and horse rides across the shore attracts tourists. It is a blissful experience to watch the fishermen heading out into the sea and catching fresh fish. To take relief from their daily routine work, locals prefer to visit this beach and enjoy moments of peace and watch the magnificent sunsets. It was under the Portuguese empire till 1739, when they lost it to the Marathas. In 1774, the Marathas were also defeated by the British. Massive rocks bordering the beach act as a buffer and protect the village and buildings from the enormous waves of the Arabian Sea. 'Kolis' celebrate their important festival 'Coconut Day' by offering coconuts to the God of the sea. 'Ganesh Chaturthi', a magnificent festival, is held in this beach every year, where the locals pray for good health, prosperity and happiness and immerse idols of the elephant God 'Ganesh' into the sea. The ISKCON Hare Rama Hare Krishna temple, with a magnificent temple complex, is located in Juhu near this beach. The best time to visit this beach is from September to May when humidity is low and the weather is pleasant. |
JUHU BEACH
This beach also known as 'Juhu Chowpatty' is situated in Ville Parle in the central suburbs of Mumbai. It is one of the most famous and most visited beaches of India. The beach is adjacent to a posh locality of the city where most Bollywood celebrities stay. One can find famous celebrities jogging here on the sands of this popular beach.
Tourists visiting this beach can not forget if they view the spectacular sunset ans see the sun descending into the Arabian Sea. In the evening after the sunset, one feels onself to be in a fun-fair where mouth-watering delicacies like spicy Bhel puri, Pav bhaji, appetizing Pani puri, Chaat, Baraf gola and other local snacks on food stalls and ferry rides throng the area. Toy sellers, dancing monkeys, horse and donkey rides, and cricket matches and acrobats along with vendors are attractions for locals as well as tourists on the beach. To have a more fancy excursion, one can visit Juhu's beachfront five star hotels and can have a splendid view of the beach while enjoying a steaming cup of coffee. Some of the hotels here are Sun and Sand, Holiday Inn, Juhu Centaur, etc.
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BANDSTAND BEACH
Situated in the Bandra suburbs of Mumbai is Bandstand beach. This beach is named after the bandstand culture of old glorious days when bands were used to entertain by playing outdoors at this place. It is also popularly known as lovers' point where one can find plenty of couples during the evening spending quiet moments together at this romantic rocky sea area of Mumbai. The adjacent 2 kilometer stretch of road beholding the sea face eventually leads to Bandra Fort, which is also an ideal place for lovers. Bollywood actors like Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan have their residences on Bandstand. Other famous TV stars too have their residences in the Carter Road area of Bandra. Searock Hotel, a famous 5 star hotel, was the beauty of Bandstand, but it was bombed in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. It is not operational now. Opposite the Searock Hotel is the famous five star hotel Taj Lands End, just next to the Bandra Fort.
One can also visit Mount Mary Church and Bandra Worli sealink. Anyone fond of shopping can visit Hill road which is very near to Bandstand.
DADAR CHOWPATTY
Dadar Chowpatty beach is situated in the suburbs of Dadar in Mumbai. It is located very near to Shivaji Park.Tourists do not like to visit this place as it has very little sand around to sit. So it is less crowded and peaceful. People come here only to enjoy sun-set view, silence and the cool breeze. It is basically used for jogging and walking purposes with no stalls on this beach. One can have a very good view of the Bandra Worli Sealink from this beach. Siddhi Vinayak Temple in Prabhadevi is also near this beach. The best time to visit this beach is the monsoon when one can also enjoy the fresh cool breeze. |
GIRGAUM CHOWPATTY
Gurgaum Chowpatty is located in the south of Mumbai at a walking distance from Charni Road station. One can also get down at Marine Lines and walk along the entire Marine Drive to reach this beach.Gurgaum Chowpatty beach is famous for eateries and delicacies like Bhel puri, Chaat, Pav bhaji, Fruit juice, etc. It is also popular as a picnic spot amongst families in South Mumbai. Tourists also enjoy horse and camel rides that are available here. Monkeys dance on the beach, snake charmers and fortune-tellers also attract people on the beach. Children also like to spend a great time on ferry wheels, merry-go-round and gun shooting in this wonderful beach. Massage in the open air is also available on this beach. Girgaum beach is famous for immersion of idols of Ganesh on the 10th day of worship when millions of people gather there for celebrating the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The beach is surrounded by famous branded stores whose colored lights and bulbs give a wonderful view to this beach at night. There are a number of places to see around this beach like Taraporewala Aquarium, Queen's Necklace, Wilson College (a historical and beautifully carved building), Hanging Garden (also known as Kamla Nehru Park), Babulnath Temple (a very old temple of Lord Shiva), etc. |
URAN BEACH
It is situated near Panvel and Karjat in the Raigad district and is a part of the Navi Mumbai township. To get there, one can ride the ferry service from the Gateway of India or from Mazagon docks and the journey takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.The beach is perfectly a sun, sand and sea destination. It is very well known for its salt pans. One can enjoy a pleasant break from the monotonous city life here. Fishing is the main occupation of the locals of Uran village. Uran is also a ship-building village just across the Mumbai harbour. It has now developed into a Special Economy Zone. The ruins of Karanja Fort are visible from here. One can have a distant view of south Mumbai from here. Pirvad beach is very crowded in the evening. It is like Juhu beach of Mumbai. Other tourist destinations in the area are Durgah of Hazrat Mukim Shah Baba, Dronagiri Temple, Vinayak Temple, Ratneshwari Temple etc. |
KIHIM BEACH
The Kihim beach is located to the north of Alibaug at a distance of about 12 kilometers. Regular ferry services are available from the Gateway of India to reach here. It is a comparatively secluded place but has thick cover of coconut trees. It is truly a paradise for nature lovers as it provides the sight of rare butterflies, birds and wild flowers in the woods. City dwellers visit this place to enjoy the serene beauty of nature, its isolation and peaceful atmosphere.By road, it is at a distance of 136 kilometers from Mumbai. Rewas is the nearest sea-port and is at a distance of 6 kilometers from Kihim. On its surroundings are attractive places like Murad beach and Chaul, synagogues, churches, historic forts and fascinating towers of St. Barbara. One can have a breathtaking view from this place upto Gateway of India, but on a clear day only. |
ALIBAUG BEACH
It is the main beach of Alibaug town. Alibaug is a coastal town in the Raigad district in the Konkan region, i.e. western coast of India. It can be reached via Pen which is 30 kilometers away on the Mumbai-Goa Road. One can reach here from the Gateway of India, Mumbai, through ferry service upto Mandwa. From Mandwa buses are available for Alibaug.The beach is good for long walks as it has a very flat stretch. During the week, it has very low crowds. It is reasonably clean. Its sand is of black shade and has a hard texture. One can have a view of the famous Kolaba Fort from the beach. Indian eatables and delicacies Bhel puri, Pav bhaji, Patties, tender coconuts, etc. are available on the beach. One can also enjoy the horse cart ride. It is a famous site for tourists as the beach is relatively free from air and noise pollution and is reasonably clean. The best time to visit the beach is from October to May. |
AKSHI BEACH
It is a beautiful white sand beach just 5 kilometers from Alibaug State Transport Depot on Alibaug-Rewadanda road.
Pollution free environment, quiet and clean atmosphere and Cypress grove are major attractions of the beach. Kolaba Fort and Alibaug beach are visible from Akshi beach. One can see numerous Suru trees along the coast. It is also a place of attraction for nature lovers as variety of birds and rare flowers can be seen here. The beach is ideal for swimming as the water is clean.
Last Updated on : January 11, 2014
