Mumbai – An Unmissable Holiday Destination

One of the most fascinating choices for your holidays would have to be India, and in particular Bombay. Situated halfway down the west coast of India, it is possibly the most energetic and bustling place in India: a city of many contrasts between rich and poor; ancient and modern; religious and secular.

The first real industrial revolution took place in Bombay, with the advent in 1853 of cotton mills modelled on those in Manchester. It is also still home to the Indian Navy, and has an interesting history as it passed between the various colonial European powers, each of which left their mark on the place. Firstly, in 1534 the Sultan of Gujarat ceded it to the Portuguese, who then passed it to the British as part of Charles II's dowry payment when he married Catherine of Braganza. Often, you will find many Eastern cities such as Mumbai come about in their development as an indirect result of European wars and marriages. Further to that, it came under the control of the British East India Company before reverting to colonial administration.

Cheap flights to Mumbai, are plentiful, and once there you will find a great deal to see. As with many places, the joy of busy cities is in the people watching and this is probably why Mumbai is also the centre of the Indian arts and cinema scene. A tour of the city is highly recommended, though the best way to do so is probably either in hiring a taxi during the day – arranged through your hotel – or on one of the guided tours, which may be better value for money.

The prime landmarks in Mumbai include the Victoria Terminus (or now as it is known, the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus), which having been opened on Jubilee Day 1857 was built to celebrate pride in the city and Britain's achievements in India, together of course with a means of communication between other parts of the country: India is the land of railways, and if you do not take one of the internal cheap flights, train travel is a great way of getting around and seeing the country.

The 1871 Chatrapati Shivaji Museum is the best place to learn about Mumbai's history and the Hindu culture. The building itself is a unique mixture of Gujurati and Manchester municipal architecture. A good trip away from the city is to Elephanta Island (as named by the Portuguese) or Gharapuri, the Sacred City of the Kings. It is home to an amazing network of 7th century cave-temples, where you can see the Hindu museum artefacts in their original setting, albeit some having slight damage. There are all the other colonial era buildings in the Raj District, and these include the Secretariat, the Telegraph Office and of course St Thomas' Cathedral which includes memorials to those who died in the service of their country and provides a good place for quiet contemplation in this most vibrant of cities.

For international cheap Flights, try Monarch.