Beaches of Mumbai

Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra is a beautiful city filled with many enchanting beaches, having shimmering sun, sand and surf. These beaches of Mumbai are like the soul of this city of dreams, where people enjoy their evenings. In the hustle and bustle of life on the fast lane, where waiting and stopping is considered a waste of time, these are a breathing space for locals and also a great stress buster. Just as the sun kissed sands of the cities famous seasides are washed away by the sea, similarly the best beach destinations of city have the ability to wash away the blues of the average mumbaikar. Some of the wonderful beaches of Mumbai are given below.

• Marine Drive (The Jewel of Mumbai) -Marine Drive is located in central Mumbai. It was built in the 1920s and 1930s on land reclaimed from the sea. It is Mumbai's most famous pathway. So much so that it’s a must place to visit in Mumbai. The drive and the promenade also gets lively towards the evening. It is also known as "Queen's Necklace" because of the dramatic line of street lamps lit up at night that surround the beach. Recently it's name has been changed to "Netaji Subhashchandra Bose Road". Marine Drive is a fun place to be, here you can enjoy yourself by watching children playing and vendors selling toys and food. Truly, a colorful beach.

• Chowpatty Beach- Chowpatty beach is situated at the top end of Marine Drive. It is the only beach in the central part of Mumbai. This beach is the venue where many Hindu religious ceremonies can be witnessed like the annual thread-tying ceremony initiating young boys into the Brahmin caste. Another festival 'Nariel Purnima' is celebrated towards the end of the monsoons. Here the idols of Ganesha are immersed on the last day of 'Ganesh Chaturthi'. At the beach there are statues of Lokmanya Tilak and Vithalbhai Patel. The beach is also famous for a huge line of stalls, selling 'Bhelpuri', 'Kulfi' and 'Paan'. Other attractions at the beach are shooting galleries, snake charmers, monkey trainers, balloon sellers and masseurs. The recent addition to the beach is a Nana Nani park that is specially made for senior citizens.

• Juhu Beach-Juhu beach is one of the largest and frequently visited beaches of India. It is located 18 km north of the city center. It is one of the most exotic beaches on the shores of Arabian Sea. Areas near Juhu beach are one of the posh localities of Mumbai where bungalows of the famous film personalities are located. It is also the venue of many film shootings. This seaside is dubbed as an all time favorite in terms of hangout zones in Mumbai. The southern end of the Juhu beach is surrounded by many Luxury hotels and apartments. Juhu beach has many stalls selling the famous snack of Mumbai, Bhelpuri, which people enjoy eating while visiting the beach and is almost a ritual for many. A popular weekend spot, Juhu, also offers horse and donkey rides. Here you can enjoy yourself by watching dancing monkeys, acrobats, cricket matches, toy sellers that all form a part of Indian beach entertainment. Versova Beach is towards north of Juhu, which is a home to Mumbai's largest Koli fishing community.

• Marve and Manori Beach- The Marve and Manori beaches are located approximately 19 miles from Mumbai. These attractive beaches are pleasant for bathing. At Marve there is a 5-star resort hotel to spend a refreshing weekend. On the way to these lovely beaches lies the Madh Beach, another favorite picnic spot. Geographically Madh Island escapes from being termed as peninsula however it is bounded by mangroves that cut across to the mainland of Aksa. At the time of low tide when the waters recede one can actually walk through from Dana Paani beach in Erangal to Aksa Beach These are popular tourist destination. There are a number of smaller beaches around Manori that are also worth visiting. The characteristic features of the beaches also vary. While Dana pani it is safe to venture out into the sea while the strong undercurrents and swifting sand prohibits venturing into the sea.