A large part of Mumbai is all about its serene beaches and beautiful beach views. If you are in Mumbai then one of the best activities there would be to experience the beaches there. One such beautiful beach is the Girgaon Chowpatty Mumbai. This is not a commercial beach though and most of the people visit here to enjoy some leisurely time. You can easily visit this beautiful beach in Mumbai to enjoy the view here along with enjoying some delicious mouthwatering food. It can be an ideal spot to visit after a hard day of work. Also you can visit here during the weekends with your friends and family and spend some quality time. In this article I will mention everything about Girgaon Chowpatty Mumbai like the timings, how to reach, Girgaon Chowpatty near station etc. So keep on reading this article to plan a successful trip there.
Girgaon Chowpatty Mumbai
Location: Marine Drive, Girgaon, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Timings: All through the day throughout the year
Entry fee: There is no entry fee
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach the Chowpatty would be the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. From the airport the Chowpatty is 22.7 km away and it would take around 1 hour to reach there. You will get flights from major cities to reach the airport in Mumbai. And from the airport you can easily take a cab or hire a car to reach the Girgaon Chowpatty Mumbai.
By train
If you are travelling by train then the nearest major railway station to reach the Girgaon Chowpatty would be the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the Mumbai Central railway station. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is 2.8 km away from the Chowpatty and Mumbai Central railway station is 2.3 km away. It would take around 12 to 15 minutes to reach the chowpatty from the railway stations. If you are travelling within the city by local trains then the Girgaon Chowpatty near railway station is the Charni Road Station. Charni road station to Girgaon Chowpatty distance is about 4.3 km and it would take 10 minutes to reach there from the station.
By road
You can travel from different cities and towns to reach this location in Mumbai. There are private and public buses from major cities that you can opt for as well. Or you can also take a car or hire a cab to reach the Chowpatty in Mumbai. From Pune the distance is 148 km, from Nashik it is 168 km and from Aurangabad it is 370 km. You can travel from cities like Panaji and Ahmedabad as well and a lot of luxury overnight buses are available from there. From Panaji the distance to reach here is 571 km and from Ahmedabad it is 525 km by road. You can also travel by buses within the city to reach the Girgaon Chowpatty. The nearest bus stop is the Mumbai Central Bus Depot.
Best time to visit
The ideal time to visit here would be from the months of October to March as that is the most comfortable time according to the weather. In a comfortable weather with low humidity it would be more enjoyable for you to explore the beach location. However if you are interested to check out the immersion of Ganesh idols after Ganesh Chaturthi you can visit here around that time. Also a lot of other idol immersion also takes place here and the ambiance at that time becomes lively and vibrant. But keep in mind that the beach will be too crowded during these times. Also just after the immersion procedures the beach does get very dirty so avoid visiting there just after the days of immersion.
Other celebrations at the beach are the Ramleela event and Girgaon Chowpatty Ravan Dahan. You can visit there during these times to witness the crowd and festivities. However in case you prefer some serenity then you need to visit here early in the morning when there is little less crowd. The evenings are also quite lively here so you can even visit here at that time also.
Overview of Girgaon Chowpatty
The Girgaon Chowpatty Mumbai or Girgaum Chowpatty is a quaint beach located in the southern part of the city. This is not exactly a beach that is popular for activities like sunbathing or water sports. Moreover this beach is more popular for the beach food, morning walks or for watching sunsets. Typically this is a lazy beach ideal to spend some leisurely hours. You can simply stroll around the beach, walk along the white sand or sit for longer hours as you watch the sun rise or set. Even though this is not a beach that offers a lot of commercial activities it is still one of the crowded beaches in Mumbai. For both the locals as well as the tourists this is a popular spot to visit.
You will find families enjoying small picnics here or couples walking along the coast. Also what attracts a huge number of people here after the evenings are the multiple food stalls lined up. You can try a huge variety of street food here ranging from Pav Bhaji to Vada Pav or Bhelpuri. Along with that this is a popular beach for shootings as well. Many times you might spot some shooting happening here as the beauty of this beach attracts a lot of photographers and cinematographers. Street artists and magicians are also present here a lot of times to keep the visitors entertained with their talents as well. So if you are visiting here you can actually enjoy a lot of activities here.
Things to do at Girgaon Chowpatty
1. Visit the Girgaon Chowpatty viewing deck to enjoy a beautiful view that will win over your heart. Also this is the ideal location to enjoy the pristine sunrises and sunsets as well.
2. Girgaon Chowpatty food is one of the things that attract so many visitors here. If you are a foodie then you will get a lot of delicious street food here to gorge on. From varieties of chaats to pav bhaji, gola, kulfi you will find a long list of food to try out here.
3. Drive along the beautiful seafront in Marine Drive and enjoy the beautiful view of the Arabian Sea. You can also walk down the whole stretch and then enjoy the serene wind and the view there.
4. From monkey dance to magicians as well as fortune tellers a lot of street artists flock around at the chowpatty to provide some entertainment. So if you are in the mood to try any of these do try them for fun.
5. Camel rides and horse rides are also common activities that the tourists enjoy here. So you can try that as it would be quite fun for sure
6. You can also play with the sand here and make your sand castle on the beach. This is an activity that the kids especially love. So if you are travelling with your little ones they can enjoy playing with the white sand here.
7. The beach at Girgaon Chowpatty Mumbai looks like a mini fair or a carnival. So you will find multiple vendors selling items like balloons that you can buy here. Furthermore there are some fun activities like gun shooting and merry go rounds here that you can opt for as well.
Places to visit near Girgaon Chowpatty
Marine Drive
This is one of the most popular locations to visit in Mumbai and Girgaon Chowpatty to Marine Drive distance is only 1.6 km. You can easily walk up from Marine drive to Girgaon Chowpatty to reach there in about 20 minutes. This is a beautiful 3 km long promenade that offers the best view of the Arabian Sea.
Gateway of India
This is undoubtedly one of the iconic destinations that you need to visit in Mumbai. Also it is one of the most popular locations to visit here as well. Gateway of India to Girgaon Chowpatty is only 5 km apart. This is an iconic construction constructed in India back in 1911 to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary.
Elephanta Caves
This is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular locations that you can visit in Mumbai. These caves are a series of Buddhist and Jain Caves and a short ferry ride will take you to this destination.
ISKCON Temple
Popular as the Hare Rama Hare Krishna Temple, the ISKCON temple in Mumbai is one of the most important temples that you can visit here. Also this is a beautiful looking and a pleasing temple that oozes out serenity. You can pray here, visit the library or enjoy the delicious veg food at the restaurant as well. However the temple is only at a 1.1 km distance from the chowpatty and you can easily reach there in about 4 minutes.
Hanging Gardens
Located at a distance of 4 km from the Chowpatty this is yet another popular location to visit nearby, along with the vast green cover of the garden this is also a perfect location for workout, yoga and meditation. So make sure you are checking out this garden nearby the Girgaon Chowpatty Mumbai.
Hotels near Girgaon Chowpatty
1. Itsy by Treebo
2. Hotel Regal Palace
3. Hotel Orient Regency
4. Hotel Ripon Palace
5. Hotel Bombay International
6. Hotel Rishi International
7. Hotel Hira
8. Hotel Fortune Mumbai
Restaurants near Girgaon Chowpatty
1. Cream Centre
2. Sukh Sagar
3. Asian Street Kitchen
4. By The Drive
5. Revival
6. La Veggie
7. Bachelorr’s Chowpatty
8. Café Ideal
9. Café General
10. Ice Lab
Wrapping Up!
So now that you know everything about Girgaon Chowpatty plan a visit to this location as soon as you can. Let me know if this article on the chowpatty in Mumbai is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
