Nightlife · Mumbai · India
Mumbai nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Mumbai, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Christian Haugen, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Mumbai has one of India's liveliest nightlife scenes, from Colaba's old cafés and bars to Lower Parel's mill-compound venues and Bandra's cocktail bars. Weekends are busiest, and the party usually starts late. The main areas are Lower Parel (Kamala Mills), Bandra, Colaba and Andheri West and Versova.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 4
- Stay near the action
- Colaba
Where to go out
Lower Parel (Kamala Mills)
A dense cluster of bars, microbreweries and restaurants inside a former textile mill compound.
Bandra
Cocktail bars, pubs and late-night eateries along Hill Road, Pali Hill and Carter Road.
Colaba
Long-running cafés and bars such as Leopold Cafe and Café Mondegar, popular with travellers.
Andheri West and Versova
Bars and restaurants popular with people working in the film and TV industries.
Nightlife tips
- Use ride-hailing or taxis after dark; local trains are less crowded but services thin out late at night.
- Many clubs operate couples-only or guest-list entry policies on busy nights, so check before you go.
- Several 'dry days' each year, often on national and religious holidays, ban alcohol sales.
Evening sights
Landmark · Colaba
Gateway of India
Come early in the morning for photographs without crowds, or at dusk when the arch and the Taj are lit up.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- After dark
Architecture · Fort and Kala Ghoda
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus
Photograph the facade from the crossing opposite, and return after dark when the building is illuminated.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Free
- After dark
Waterfront · Churchgate and Marine Drive
Marine Drive
Walk from Nariman Point to Chowpatty around sunset and finish with bhel puri on the beach; view the necklace from Malabar Hill after dark.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Couples
- Views
Waterfront · Bandra West
Bandra Bandstand and Bandra Fort
Come at sunset when the Sea Link is lit up, then walk to Bandra's cafés and bars.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- After dark
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Beach · Juhu
Juhu Beach
Come for sunset and street food rather than swimming; the sea is polluted and currents can be strong.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Food
- After dark
Beach · Churchgate and Marine Drive
Girgaon Chowpatty
Visit in the evening after a sunset walk on Marine Drive and eat at a busy stall.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Kids
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. May has the warmest evenings, with lows around 27°C (81°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 18:21 | 17°C (63°F) | 0 |
| April | About 18:56 | 24°C (75°F) | 0 |
| July | About 19:20 | 25°C (77°F) | 23 |
| October | About 18:15 | 24°C (75°F) | 4 |
Getting home late
- Metro — Metro Line 1 runs between Versova, Andheri and Ghatkopar, Lines 2A and 7 serve the western suburbs, and the underground Line 3 (Aqua Line) runs from Aarey via the airport and BKC towards South Mumbai.
- Taxi — Check the meter is reset at the start, and ask for the fare card if the meter reading needs converting.
- Tuk-tuk — Auto-rickshaws run on meters in the suburbs north of Bandra and Sion but are not allowed in South Mumbai.
- Ride-hailing — Uber, Ola and Rapido operate across the city and are convenient for airport trips and evenings.
- Ferry — Ferries leave the Gateway of India for Elephanta Island and catamarans for Mandwa near Alibaug, with reduced services in rough monsoon weather.
- Bus — BEST buses, including red double-deckers, cover the whole city cheaply, though traffic makes them slow.
Late-night bites
- Vada pav — Stalls outside railway stations, especially around Dadar and CSMT, and roadside carts across the city.
- Pav bhaji — Stalls at Juhu Beach and Girgaon Chowpatty, and long-established pav bhaji restaurants in Tardeo.
- Bhel puri — Beach stalls at Chowpatty and Juhu, and chaat counters in every neighbourhood.
- Bombay sandwich — Sandwich carts near offices and colleges, particularly in Fort and around Churchgate.
Staying safe at night
Pickpocketing is common on crowded trains, at stations and in markets. Never travel on train footboards or in doorways. In the monsoon, avoid wading through floodwater and check transport updates. City beaches have strong currents and polluted water, so swimming is not advised.
- Emergency number
- 112 (national emergency number)
Where to stay for nightlife
$$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, nightlife and shopping
Colaba
At the southern tip of the city, Colaba combines the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Palace hotel with Colaba Causeway's street market, old cafés such as Leopold Cafe and Café Mondegar, and hotels from backpacker guesthouses to five-star. It is the classic first base, close to the Elephanta ferries and Kala Ghoda.
- Good
- Walk to the main South Mumbai sights; Every budget catered for; Ferries to Elephanta
- Watch out
- Touts and hawkers around the Gateway; Far from the airport in traffic
- Nearby
- Gateway of India, Colaba Causeway, Kala Ghoda
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Mumbai?
Lower Parel (Kamala Mills), Bandra and Colaba. A dense cluster of bars, microbreweries and restaurants inside a former textile mill compound.
+Which area of Mumbai is best for nightlife?
Colaba: Gateway of India, the Taj Mahal Palace and the Causeway's street stalls.