Mumbai

Travel time
3 hours 5 minutes

How to get there
Etihad Airways flies daily to Mumbai with fares currently starting at Dhs1,305 (Jul & Sep); Dhs1,715 (Aug)

Sleep

Budget
West End Hotel: While there are a plethora of dirt-cheap hostels in Mumbai, West End Hotel offers clean, spacious, comfortable rooms at affordable prices. What’s more, its location means that a number of Mumbai’s prime attractions are but a walk away.
www.westendhotelmumbai.com; Jul-Sep rates start from INR3,900 (approx Dhs305)

Blow it
JW Marriott: The JW Marriott in Juhu is a favourite hangout of Bollywood stars who can be spotted at Lotus Café or the luxury Quan Spa. The hotel is situated on Juhu Beach – a Petri dish of beautiful people and a great place to watch the sun set.
www.marriott.com/hotels; Jul-Sep rates start from INR11,500 (approx Dhs900)

Eat

Budget
Samrat: Enjoy traditional thali (various Indian dishes served in a tray divided up into small compartments) in a kitsch interior that features plaster-of-Paris stucco decor and atmospheric amber lighting.
Prem Court J, Tata Road, Churchgate (+91 22 4213 5427). Meal for two costs INR400 (approx Dhs31)

Blow it
Indigo: A stone’s throw from the Gateway of India in Colaba lies one of the country’s most talked-about restaurants. Indigo is housed in a converted colonial bungalow and serves an ever-changing menu of continental and contemporary Indian cuisine.
www.foodindigo.com; Meal for two costs INR3,800 (approx Dhs300)

Do

Budget
Dharavi slum tour: Reality Tours and Travel’s ‘Dharavi Walk’ takes tourists into the shanty towns that were captured so memorably in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire. With a no-tipping policy, 80 per cent of profits (after tax) goes to local NGOs in the area.
www.realitytoursandtravel.com; Tours cost from INR400 (approx Dhs30)

Blow it
Go sailing: Catch the sea breeze in Mumbai harbour and learn how to sail on Aquasail’s 25ft Beneteau sailing yacht. Don’t forget to pack sunscreen – and don’t even think about taking a dip – the water’s filthy.
www.aquasailindia.com; learn to sail sessions start from INR1,500 (approx Dhs117)