Mumbai is the city that never sleeps. According to Economic Times (2017), around 8.9 million foreign tourists visit India, and the numbers keep on increasing. Some come to India to explore the culture, historic places, and shopping. Others come for the food and nightlife.

Whatever your reason, while traveling in Mumbai, you need to be aware of your surroundings, and your belongings. Here are some pointers on what you should do and not do when in Mumbai.

Traveling to Mumbai:

1. Always check the weather before arriving in Mumbai and pack accordingly.

2. Keep yourself hydrated with bottled mineral water available at hotels and stalls.

3. Do not drink water directly from the tap as it is treated with chemicals.

4. If you need to convert your currency, get the best rate at banks, post offices, or established travel/booking agents. They are also the safest places to exchange your hard earned money.

5. Hotels and some restaurants levy a service charge of 10% on the overall bill. Tipping is never compulsory, but if the 10% service charge is not added to your bill, a 10% tip is standard. If the service was exceptional you can go ahead leave more than 10%, whether or not it was added to your bill.

6. At many tourist attractions, local people have been known to swarm tourists. The more “different” you look the more chances this may happen. Try to avoid them as much as possible. If you want to make donations, you can donate at a service center or religious center.

7. We do not recommend providing donations to people on the street as that is the best way to have the swarm of people descend on you.

8. Reaching any place on time is almost impossible during peak times. Mumbai being a very busy city has a lot of traffic around. If you want to experience the real Mumbaikar life, you can take a train or bus ride as well. We recommend taking a very short trip at first, in case you realize the real Mumbaikar life is a bit too congested and not as fun as it first seemed.

9. Traffic in Mumbai is like the democratic process. Every time you think it’s going to get moving and take you somewhere, you hit another jam.

10. One important tip while buying anything on the streets – always try to bargain. Sellers tend to overprice the products, especially for tourists. It is a precautionary habit of counting the change you receive.

11. If you plan to visit any Hindu temples, buy offerings in the form of flowers as a sign of respect and remove your shoes at the entrance. Buy flowers from shops near the temples and leave your shoes there itself for safety.

12. Purchase SIM cards in Mumbai only if your stay is long. Most hotels and restaurants provide Wi-Fi services. If you absolutely require a sim card, buy it from the official gallery of the carrier like Airtel or Vodafone. Keep your documents and passport size photo handy.

Plan your long stay with one of the best service apartments in Mumbai – Lalco Residency. Our luxurious service apartments in Andheri are available for short and long stays. Lalco Residency is 40% cheaper than comparable hotels in Andheri.

For more information, visit our website: www.lalcoresidency.com

Our contact details:

+91 22 4276 4376
Call us (toll-free): 18 0022 5757
WhatsApp: +91 91520 04708
Email us: sales@lalcoresidency.com