Mumbai has many beaches, some secluded and some jam-packed with tourists on beaches like Juhu Beach and Versova Beach. But Chowpatty Beach is amongst the most popular and crowded beaches at the same time one of the most vibrant as well. It is the main venue for the famous festival, Ganesh Visarjan where the idol is submerged into the sea. During this time of the year, millions of devotees from across the country come to celebrate and see the vibrant procession. The beach is also the venue where Ramlila is performed every year. Besides that, because of its proximity and easily accessible from the city, Chowpatty Beach is visited by many people from all age groups. Families come to entertain themself, vendors come to sell snacks and grow their business, and young people come to soak in the sun, sand and the beach. It creates an oasis in the middle of the metropolis. Often people come after work to overlook at the setting sun on a distant horizon.
It offers a visual treat to the eye. The beach not only comes with sand and sea, but it also hosts many activities for tourists and locals to indulge in. At times you will come across unique people like snake charmers, fortune tellers and more. Fairs or locally known as Mela are also some of the major draws here, you will find ferry wheels and other games like the Beebee gun shooting areas. If you are lucky, you may also come across film shooting since Mumbai is home to the Bollywood, many movie shots are done in Chowpatty Beach. After the recent Mumbai terror attack of 26/11, you will find a statue of a policeman named Tukaram Omble. He was responsible to capture one of the terrorists in Chowpatty Beach as he was running, trying to hide amid the crowd. Mumbai’s Chowpatty Beach is a must-visit attraction at any time of the day. It is lively, entertaining and you can see people from all walks of life.
How to Reach -
You can board a local train from Churchgate station to Charni Road to get to the beach. Chowpatty Beach is easily accessible from Charni road, it is a few minutes’ walks, or you can take an auto to get to the beach. You can also take a direct taxi from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Station (CST) which is approx. 3 kilometers and approx. 23 kilometers from Mumbai International Airport. You can also find many local buses plying to and from, from every part of South Mumbai.
Best time to visit -
To experience the best of Mumbai, you can visit the city from November to February. It is an ideal time to visit since the weather remains pleasant and suitable to walk or lay on the beach. Speaking of the best time to visit Mumbai’s Chowpatty Beach, the crowd is very less during the office hours and early mornings. The evenings are crowded and not a good idea to visit if you are looking for some soothing time. It is also not a good idea to visit during monsoon season, the tides make the beach quite dangerous to walk on.
Chowpatty Beach Timings: 24 hour open for public
Chowpatty Beach Entry Fees: Nil
