Introducing Mumbai
Around half way along the western coast of India, Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is India's most important economic city and centre for trade. The bulk of it's trade takes place in the fascinating and important port that handles a third of India's international trade. Because of this Mumbai is renowned for being a very wealthy and affluent area, with stunning large houses and a great deal of leisure activities, not to mention five star hotels and Bollywood lifestyles. However on the flip side of this there is also cases of severe poverty, that almost half the population resides in. This does make for a very culturally interesting city to visit on your holidays. Holidays to Mumbai will not be fun packed all the time, because of the sadness in parts of this city, but many tourists on their holidays do choose to see these parts of the city, as it tends to open their eyes.
Holidays in Mumbai
Holidays in Mumbai are a must for any avid traveller, the city offers something to those on their holidays that cannot simply be described, or captured in a picture. Among other things it offers choice, there is a range of sights to see, from the Gateway of India, to art galleries, to museums, churches and some of the most ornate mosques in the world. There is an abundance of places to stay here, the more luxurious and expensive residing in the centre of the district and the more traditional and locally run in the suburbs. It is possible to book plenty of different types of package holidays to Mumbai, with different areas and hotels to choose from. It is even possible to book it as part of a mini cruise from the Port.
Getting to Mumbai
The closest international airport to Mumbai is at Sahar which is 30 km away from the city centre allowing you to see a touch of the rural areas of India on your way through to your holiday destination. Flights are often direct with Jet (India) Airways, and take around nine hours.
The history and culture of Mumbai
This city has always been the subject of controversy and a great deal of political 'pass the parcel' has taken place. It was established by the Portuguese in 1509 and then passed to England as part of a Royal marriage dowry in 1661, during these times it became an important trading base and is responsible for some of the Indian imports that have blended into British culture today. The architecture in Imperial Bombay creates echoes from 19th century England, with it's gothic high rise buildings and Victorian styles. This does however fade away once visitors have explore further during their holidays, many parts of Mumbai are extremely traditional in style are much more at home here than the colonial buildings. Mumbai really is a fascinating destination for package holidays thanks to it's melting pot style culture and it's incorporation of different religions and backgrounds.
