The best things in life are indeed free, especially as far as visitors to Mumbai are concerned. Mumbai's sweeping coastline and cherished Victorian edifices are open to view at all hours and no admission tickets are required.

From the most famous landmark, the Gateway of India, to the flamboyant Raj-era buildings of the Fort, such as the lavish train station, Chatrapthi Shivaji Terminus, the city revels in its status as India's most dynamic and business-oriented megapolis. At night, the illuminated heritage buildings impart a truly majestic air.

It is best to explore Mumbai with a registered guide or rent a car with a knowledgeable chauffeur. During the weekend, take a walk through the Fort district with a guide who knows the history of each building. A map would come in handy as street names change constantly, although English is widely spoken and Mumbaikars are happy to give elaborate directions.

Walking is also unbeatable for people-watching; and Mumbai is just swarming with people. This former fishing village has evolved into an urban sprawl crammed with 16 million residents. But for many Indians, Mumbai is the land of opportunity, and Indians from around the country journey here in search of fortune, whether in the gleaming corporate world of Nariman Point -- Mumbai's version of Manhattan -- or in the glamorous fantasy land of Bollywood.

Colaba/Fort
Gateway of India
Apollo Bunder
Colaba
Tel: 202-3585, 202-6364, 287-5473
Apollo Bunder is a good starting point for a tour of colonial monuments. Located near the Taj Mahal Hotel, this impressive archway inspired by Gujarati architecture was designed by George Witter in 1913 to commemorate George V and Queen Mary's visit to India. Stroll under the Moorish arches, sip fresh coconut water and watch boats in the harbor. Better yet, take a harbor cruise.

Taj Mahal Hotel
Apollo Bunder
Colaba
Tel: 202-3366
Built by Jamsetji Tata in 1903 and designed by architect Chambers, the hotel is a magnificent Moorish structure. Rumor has it that the frontage was mistakenly positioned to face the city instead of the ocean, a popular but unfounded story. Take the grand stairway to the Sea Lounge for a cup of tea with an ocean view, or linger in the lobby to watch high society stream through this legendary hotel.

Prince of Wales Museum
MG Rd.
Apollo Bunder
Colaba
Tel: 284-4484, 284-2519
Open: 10:15 a.m.-6 p.m. except Monday
Admission: 10 rupees
A short walk from the Taj is this museum, an oasis within a garden. Designed by George Witter and completed in 1914, the Indo-Saracenic edifice is an old worldly building made from locally quarried yellow and blue pasalt and topped with a Bijapur style dome. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, the museum has three main sections (art, archaeology, and natural history) and is filled with miniature paintings, sculptures, porcelains and other artifacts. Worth a leisurely peek.

Rajabai Clock Tower
University of Mumbai
MG Rd.
Fort
Tel: 267-3621
Open: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
A well-known landmark, Rajabai Tower is a colonial icon within the Mumbai University garden. George Gilbert Scott's 85m (280-ft.) tower completed in the 1870s has Italian and oriental overtones and is said to have been inspired by Giotto's Capanile in Florence. Inside is the University Library endowed by a Hindu stockbroker in memory of his mother. The stained glass features and antique brass lamps as well as the eight statutes representing the Indian castes are worth seeing. The Tower's clock once played "Rule Britannia."

Flora Fountain
Fort
At the heart of the business district stands the Roman Goddess of Abundance, installed in 1869 in honor of then governor, Sir Bartle Frere. Now called Hutatma Chowk, major banks and trading houses are located nearby. From here, roads radiate to the area's other major landmarks: the Town Hall, Stock Exchange, General Post Office and Churchgate Station. The fountain is surrounded by bargain bazaars.

Town Hall
Shahid Bhagat Singh Rd.
Fort
Tel: 266-0956
Open: 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Housed within this impressive structure are the Mumbai State Central Library and the exclusive Asiatic Society of Bombay. Completed in 1833 and designed by Col. Thomas Cowper, it looks down on Horniman Circle, constructed 35 years later. The central garden was laid out in 1869 on what was Old Bombay Green. Treasures include bronze and marble sculptures of prominent Mumbai personalities and one of only two 14th-century illuminated manuscripts of Dante's Divine Comedy.

Mint
Shahid Bagat Singh Rd.
Fort
The Mint area was reclaimed from the sea in 1823. It was constructed in 1829 and extends up to Ballard Estate. It is here that India's currency is coined. Prior permission to visit must be obtained.

General Post Office
St. Georges Rd.
Fort
Tel: 262-0956
Open: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. except Sunday
India's largest post office is an Indo-Saracenic building, capped by an impressive dome. It was designed by John Begg and completed in 1911. Thousands of postal workers are employed here, while outside, the pavements are packed with letter writers, parcel packers and vendors. This is also the center of Poste Restante where foreign tourists (please bring passport) can collect their mail.

Victoria Terminus Station
Dadabhoy Naoroji Rd.
Fort
Renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus or CST, F. W. Stevens's 1878 Gothic masterpiece is a brash railway station decorated with peacocks, gargoyles, monkeys, elephants and lions. Asia's first train departed from here on April 6, 1853. Passengers swarm through this architectural landmark at all hours. Across from the station stands the Mumbai Municipal Corp. Building, from where the Municipal Commissioner runs the city.

Mumbai Municipal Corp. Building
Dadabhoy Naoroji Rd.
Fort
The building that overlooks the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is the MMCB. Constructed in 1893 and designed by F. W. Stevens, this gothic structure has a 77m (255-ft.) tower and stands like a guardian angel over Mumbai.

J. J. School of Art & Architecture
Dadabhoy Naoroji Rd.
Fort
Founded in 1857 by Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, a wealthy philanthropic Parsi, this is India's oldest and foremost art school. Rudyard Kipling, whose father Lockwood, was responsible for the school's decorative features, was born here in 1865. His house still stands in the gardens of the school.

Other areas

Banganga Temple Complex
Banganga Rd.
Walkeshwar
Open: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Banganga is a beautiful stepped tank surrounded by 30 temples, two hermitages and several gymkhana. The steps were constructed in the Silahara dynasty (810-1240) and the waters rise from an underground stream, which is said to fill the tank in a mere eight days. This is an ancient site, originally called Shrigundi, recorded in the epic Ramayana. It is the oldest settlement in Mumbai and worth a visit.

Bollywood
Goregoan East
Tel: 840-1533
On the outskirts of the National Park is Film City or Bollywood, a 14ha (35-acre) location with lake, helipad, temple and permanent sets. At all hours, several movies are shot here consecutively. Bollywood's suburban studios include Mehboob (tel: 642-1626) and Filmistan (tel: 872-2207). Interested visitors must first get special permits to watch the shoot.

Haji Ali Dargah
Off Lala Rajpatrai Rd.
Mumbai Harbor Seemingly afloat, the white mosque stands on a romantic, rocky isle. Muslim saint Haji Ali's tomb has been here for eight centuries and the mosque for 60 years. Worshippers stroll along a narrow pathway at low tide. The mosque makes a pretty picture at sunset.

Hanging Gardens
B. G. Kher Rd.
Malabar Hill
Tel: 363-3561
Open: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Built in 1880 and renovated in 1921, the Hanging Gardens are also known as the Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens. They were landscaped on top of three reservoirs, which store 30 million gallons of potable water supplied to the city. Joggers and walkers regularly use these well maintained gardens and lush green surroundings, while businessmen discuss market trends.

Jain Temple
B.G. Kher Rd.
Malabar Hill
The prosperous community of diamond traders, known for personal austerity, worship at this decorative temple with frescoes depicting the lives of 24 apostles or tirthankaras.

Kamala Nehru Park
B. G. Kher Rd
Malabar Hill
Tel: 363-3561
Open: 5 a.m.-9 p.m.
Across from the Hanging Gardens is the children's park built in 1952 and named after the wife of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. It offers a magnificent view of Marine Drive. There are lovely shaded pavilions covered with flowers and plants if one wants seclusion. Outside the park there are hawkers serving bhel puri, paan, ice creams and cold drinks.

Mani Bhavan
Laburnum Rd.
Gamdevi
Tel: 380-5864
Open: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Mahatma Gandhi's temporary home (1917-34) is an old worldly museum with an extensive collection of his books, letters and personal items. It also contains an exhibition of diorama depicting scenes from his life, and a shop selling memorabilia.

Nehru Center
Dr. Annie Besant Rd.
Worli
Tel: 496-4676
Open: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. except Monday
The Nehru Center was designed by renowned architect I. M. Kadri and houses the Discovery of India Exposition. The design of the building is said to embody Nehru's vision of India's rise from an agricultural nation to a modern industrialized state. The Discovery of India exposition tracks the country's history from prehistoric times to independence in 1947. Three-dimensional replicas of major architectural and artistic works, dioramas, and photographs are displayed.

Nehru Planetarium
Dr. Annie Besant Rd.
Worli
Tel: 492-0510
Open: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. except Monday
The Nehru Planetarium was inaugurated by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, on March 3, 1977, as a memorial to her father, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It exhibits collections of lunar and astronomical photographs and has educational programs for children.

Victoria and Albert Museum and Gardens
Dr. B. Ambedkar Rd.
Byculla
Tel: 372-5799
Museum open: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. except Wednesday
The oldest and largest public garden in Mumbai. Established in 1863, it is home to the city's only zoo. The museum, adjacent to the gardens, exhibits a large collection of archaeological finds, maps, books and photographs.

Waterfront

Chowpatty Beach
Sprawled on the north end of Marine Drive, Chowpatty is the people's beach. It is where history is made at political rallies, where the finger-licking snack bhel puri is savored at stalls, where masseurs pummel tired bodies and lovers watch the setting sun. During the festival of Ganesh Chaturti in September, worshippers immerse clay images into the ocean to bid godspeed to the elephant god of wisdom and prosperity, Ganesh. There are also snake charmers, shooting galleries and monkey trainers. Alas, there are also a number of pickpockets so be careful.

Juhu Beach
Mumbai's most popular, 18km (11 miles) north of downtown and a favorite haunt of the city's movers and shakers. It is not advisable to swim in the sea although many locals do. Snacks and fast foods are available daily. In the afternoons there are horse rides, dancing monkeys, acrobats, cricket matches, toy sellers and every other type of Indian beach entertainment.

Marine Drive
Nicknamed Queen's Necklace for its dramatic curve of streetlights at night, Marine Drive is an enchanting promenade that attracts strollers, joggers and lovers for a breath of ocean breeze and the spectacular sunset over the Arabian Sea. Vendors sell fresh coconuts, masters walk their pets, monkeys perform for tourists and the religious toss offerings to invoke the blessings of sea gods. Horse-drawn Victoria rides are also available.

Day trips

Bassein Fort
The remains of the Portuguese fortified city of Bassein are on the northern side of the river, which separates Greater Mumbai from the Indian mainland. After securing the area in 1534, the Portuguese built a city of such pomp and splendor with a cathedral, five convents and 13 churches, that it came to be known as the court of the North. Bassein is reached by train from Churchgate to Vasai Rd., then 11km (7 miles) by rickshaw from the railway station.

Elephanta Caves
Gharapuri Island
Mumbai Harbor
A glorious pilgrimage to the past awaits visitors to Elephanta Island -- Mumbai's major cultural experience. Dating from AD 600, the fabulous rock carvings eulogize the god Shiva and his consort Parvati. Within the entrance is the Maheshmurti, a massive sculpture depicting Shiva's three forms, as Creator, Destroyer and Preserver. (In Hinduism, gods are personifications of different cosmic energies). The caves are now one of the 16 sites in India marked as world monuments. An aura of spiritual energy surrounds the caves on this wooded isle 9 kilometers from Mumbai. The climb of 100 steps is fairly steep but easy, and enlivened by vendors and monkeys. Palanquins are available. Tours can be booked at hotels or the tourist counter at the Gateway of India (November to February). Boats leave from here daily, at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. for the four-hour round trip. Tours are infrequent during the monsoon. Unfortunately, there's no accommodation available on the island.