Monsoon in Mumbai isn’t just a season, it is a culture of its own, it is a way of life and it is your very own survival guidebook. Monsoon doesn’t just equate itself to rain for Mumbaikars, rather it is an intrinsic emotion that you too will soon begin to identify with as you sip on cutting chai at Marine Drive after being drenched in the torrential rain. Whether you like rain or not simply doesn’t matter, because soon you will become a recipient of this love-hate relationship between Mumbai and Monsoon and there’s no getting out of it.

Let’s be real here.

Who doesn’t love to travel and explore natural beauty under the monsoon spell?

But when you are living in a fast-paced world like that of Mumbai- you learn to steal your own little moments of happiness during the sappy monsoon mood and create your own personal Bollywood reel out of it.

The only way to experience the monsoon period in Mumbai and do it justice is through falling in love with this overcrowded, fast-paced city one piece at a time. You slowly learn to admire this land of dreamers, ones who are stealing their moments of spotlight under the monsoon drizzle – sporting chic umbrellas and reliving their Bollywood fantasies.

There are just tons of things you can explore. Dare to walk along the Marine Drive during monsoon, hit the beaches and witness them come to life, get your hands on some appetizing vada-pavs or go on a long drive through Navi Mumbai. If you’re more of an indoor person, unleash your inner movie-addicts and go on a Bollywood binge-watching session in the land of dreams and opportunities.

Want some more options to kickstart your monsoon vacation in Mumbai, here is a list of some offbeat things you can do during monsoon to get the best possible experience out of everything that Mumbai has to offer.

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Offbeat things to do in monsoon in Mumbai

1. Capture the ordinary in your extraordinary way
2. Go on a long drive
3. Sip on cutting chai over a warm conversation
4. Walk across the beaches
5. Visit Gateway of Mumbai- The Monsoon Way
6. Go on a trip down the nostalgia lane- Bollywood style

1. Capture the ordinary in your extraordinary way

The best things to do in Mumbai during monsoons is through simply travelling around like a tourist. You can get into a taxi, stare out of the window as you trace the raindrops against it and listen to “Iktara” blare in your ears. This is a fun way to naturally embrace the beauty of the place (you don’t have to wait for friends who keep cancelling plans anymore). Also, keep your camera ready to capture some of the most heart-warming frames in the daily life of this boisterous city. Through a flurry of colours and emotions, you’ll learn to lend your heart to the rain.

2. Go on a long drive

Hit the driver’s seat and go on a monsoon weekend long drive. You can always go to Lonavala and Khandala to experience the misty beauty of these destinations or you can get out of your comfort zone and lead yourself to places like Malshej Ghat and Saputara.With its misty mountains and unlimited waterfalls, Malshej Ghat is an extremely popular destination for monsoon and solitude lovers. Saputara offers quite a different scenic beauty, as it is snuggled in the tribal districts of Dangs, it gives you memorable drives through forests and by rivers. Surprisingly, it is also one of the most untouched tourist places in Maharashtra. So, if you are someone who loves to travel away from the crowd and discover gems that haven’t been attacked by tourism yet- Satapura is your go-to destination.

3. Sip on cutting chai over a warm conversation

The best parts of monsoon in Mumbai are bought at the cheapest prices. Cutting chai is one case in point. To satiate your adventurous spirits, walk across the marine drive during monsoon and find your spot to look at the lashing waves. Have a fun outing with friends as you grab a plate of bhelpuri or bhajiyas from the roadside tea stall and let the crashing waves sneak in the background music to your conversations.

Want to have a taste of the monsoon season but don’t want to get out of the house?

Chai comes to your rescue again. Just grab a cup, find your favourite book from the shelf or plug in those earphones and let the rain transcend you into another realm.

4. Walk across the beaches

Walking along the softly crashing waves of Aksa and Juhu beach during the monsoon season is another delight in its own right. The chaat corner at the entrance of the beach has almost every kind of street food you could crave.

There’s no better feeling than munching on a spiced ‘bhutta’ at the beaches of Mumbai as you spot frolicking children shrieking with delight, or finding your own peaceful nook and watching the endless horizon of the setting sun.

5. Visit Gateway of Mumbai- The Monsoon Way

You cannot go to Mumbai and not pay a visit to ‘Gateway of Mumbai. Be it the new visitor, or the rigid Mumbaikar- the experience of the site under the monsoon spell is something none of them might be familiar with.

The monument looks magnificent as the clouds form a beautiful cover over it and the weather reeks of a filmy romance. The vibe around you does justice to the monsoon weather’s tag as the ‘weather of love.’

You can take a ferry ride while enjoying the light breeze and the night view or even climb up the deck after gaining the staff’s permission. A visit to the ‘Gateway of Mumbai’ during monsoon seeks to remind us once again- how real beauty lies in what we see and miss every single day.

6. Go on a trip down the nostalgia lane- Bollywood style

The list of ‘offbeat things to do in Mumbai in Monsoon’ would be rather empty without paying homage to the Hindi film industry. How can one visit Mumbai and not reunite with their hidden Bollywood fanatics?

Grab that remote, get cosy under layers of blankets and go on a classic binge-watching spree. Groove to the beats of Sholay or watch DDLJ for the umpteenth time. Finish that monsoon vacation on a filmy note.

That is, until your follwing Bollywood fiesta the next monsoon in Mumbai.