Madh Island

Understand

The district started its history as a bunch of fishing villages. Then it became home to a Christian population that set up its churches, orphanages, and monasteries. It later turned into a place where Mumbai's beautiful people live, a status that it holds to this day. It is a very cosmopolitan place and does not have the rundown look of the other suburbs. It still has a lot of old bungalows. These suburbs can get extremely crowded in the evenings, with nightmarish traffic snarls. Mumbai's main river, the Mithi River, flows through the eastern end of this district and also serves as a sewage line. Most of the city's budget hotels are here. Many software and BPO companies (including TCS) have their offices in and around SEEPZ, Andheri.

Getting there

By train The Western Line has stops at Bandra, Khar Road, Santacruz, Vile Parle, Andheri and Jogeshwari.

By metro The Western Suburbs are criscrossed by four Mumbai Metro lines: 1 , 2 , 3 and 7 .

By bus Bus services are very good. Generally, BEST's "200 & 300" series serves the Western Suburbs.

By car The Western Express Highway (WEH) runs through the district, as does SV Road (Swami Vivekananda Road). The Bandra–Worli Sea Link provides high-speed connectivity from the city centre. Connectivity from the Eastern Suburbs is poor, but getting in from Sion or Kurla via Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) is a breeze.

See

Bandra

Bandra (Marathi: वांद्रे Vāndre, Hindi: बांद्रा Bāndrā), also known as the Queen of the Suburbs, is one of the oldest of the Mumbai suburbs, and it had existed as a separate town for almost as long as Mumbai. Many of the residents of Bandra are celebrities who are or have been active in Bollywood, media, cricket or politics. The name "Bandra" is often said to have come from a now-rare Marathi word for "monkey" (वांदर vāndar). However, another theory suggests its origin to be the Persian word for "port" (بندر bandar, cf. "Bunder" in Mumbai place names).

1 Bandra Fort (Castella de Aguada), at the tip of the Bandra promontory, Bandstand Rd, Bandra W (local: Bandra Western ). Built by the Portuguese in 1640 to mark the southernmost tip of the mainland (i.e. Salsette Island). Not many remains. It was built as a watchtower overlooking Mahim Bay, the Arabian Sea and the southern island of Mahim. Castella de Aguada has been featured in several Hindi films. (updated Feb 2025) 2 Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount (Mount Mary Basilica), Mount Mary Church Rd, Bandra W (suburban: Bandra Western ), ☏ +91 22 2642 3152. This is probably Mumbai's most famous church, a Roman Catholic Basilica. The basilica stands on a hillock, about 80 metres above sea level overlooking the Arabian Sea. - A fair held annually on the Sunday following September 8 (which is the Feast of Our Lady of the Mount) draws visitors from all religions. - The chapel of Mount Mary, was built around 1640. The chapel was destroyed in 1738 by the Marathas during their invasion. The statue of the Virgin was recovered from the sea by fishermen and temporarily installed in St. Andrew's Church, before being shifted to the rebuilt Mount Mary's Church in 1761, the year marking the beginning of the Feast of Our Lady of the Mount, also known as the Monti Fest or the Bandra Feast. To this day, the statue is venerated and many miracles, minor and major, are attributed to the Lady of the Mount. The architect of Moun

Do

Movies — There are many cinemas that offer movies for ₹100- ₹300. They generally have food like popcorn, samosa, sandwiches, etc. for ₹25- ₹100. There are many good theatres like Big Cinemas, Fame Adlabs, PVR Inox, IMAX etc. Pool Halls — there are many pool halls in the suburbs. Cheap (generally ₹50) for 15 to 30 minutes. Billiards is around ₹100. Many of these are not always on main roads. You can just ask someone on the street and they will probably know. Most of these places also have air conditioning. Bullseye, Santacruz, just after subway (underpass) near S.V. Road and Western Express Highway. 1 Juhu Aerodrome. A general aviation airfield. It also hosts the Bombay Flying Club and several executive and light aircraft. The airfield is featured in various climax scenes of Indian films. (updated Mar 2026) 2 Mehboob Studio. This is where some of the famous Bollywood films of yester-year were made. (updated Dec 2022) 3 Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), BKC, Bandra E. A performing arts and multi-disciplinary cultural and exhibition space. It was founded by a daughter of billionaire Mukesh Ambani to "preserve and promote Indian arts". (updated Mar 2026) 4 Prithvi Theatre, 20 Janki Kutur Juhu Church Road, Juhu, ☏ +91 9920116930. Prithvi Theatre has shows everyday except Mondays and hosts an annual summertime programme of workshops and plays for children, the Memorial Concert on 28 February, an annual Theatre Festival in November, and many partnership programmes promoting language, poetry, international cinema & documentaries, and performing arts, which are free to the public. (updated May 2025)

Parks and lakes 5 Bandra Talao. A 200-year-old lake, constructed by an unknown rich Konkani Muslim. (updated Mar 2026) 6 Jogger's Park (Sir Oliver Andrade Park). 5AM–9PM. A 400 m (1,300 ft) long seaside jogging track. It features a mud strip for running and two paved tracks for walking or jogging. Free. (updated Dec 2022)

Promenades

7 Bandstand Promenade, Bandra

Buy

Hill Road. Shopping area lined with malls, stores, shops, and hawkers selling branded (and cheap) export surplus clothes. Infinity Mall. Good place for shopping at Andheri (West) Linking Road. Includes movie theatres, as well as Landmark, one of the best book, music, and DVD stores in Mumbai. 1 Jio World Drive, BKC, Bandra E, ☏ +91 22 3505 1111. 11AM-11PM. A large shopping mall run by Mukesh Ambani's conglomerate Reliance Industries. The mall has fashion shops, restaurants, cafés, a drive-in theatre and also India's first Apple Store. (updated Mar 2026) 2 Linking Road. The third largest shopping district in India in terms of revenue and footfalls, with world-class stores like Esprit, Tommy, Mango, Nine West, Benetton, etc. (updated Jun 2023)

Eat

Chains can be found throughout Bandra, such as Mocha, Barista, McDonalds, KFC, and Cafe Coffee Day. Lots of new restaurants and themes keep popping up on Turner Road, Gaspar Enclave, and Union Park. Bandra and Juhu are packed with eateries, with new ones opening every day it seems. Most are reasonably priced with decent food, but ask for a menu before you sit.

Indian Coffee House, SEEPZ, Andheri. (updated May 2015) Peshawari, Maratha Sheraton, Andheri. Its sister restaurant Bukhara in Delhi has been recognised as the best Indian restaurant around the world. Try tandoori jhinga, the kebab platter, sikandari raan (leg of lamb), and mangoes and ice cream (only during summers), Kebab Corner (Hotel Intercontinental), Copper Chimney (Worli) Khyber (Kala Ghoda), and Kareem's Malad Link Road in Malad W. (updated Mar 2026)

Budget For street food, quite a f