Ideal time to visit
November to mid-February are the ideal months to visit Mumbai.

Costs
Internationally, Mumbai may come across as inexpensive, but nationally, it ranks as the most expensive city in India.

Language
The official and most commonly spoken language in Mumbai is Marathi. However, Hindi, English & Gujarati are also widely spoken

Visa
Foreign nationals need a visa to travel in India. You also need to have a passport. Bhutanese & Nepali citizens are exempt from this.

Beggars
You will come across beggars and eunuchs at every street corner in Mumbai. More often than not, they are part of an organised begging syndicate. Avoid them.

Health & Safety
Mumbai raises quite a stink, literally. Though not hazardous, Mumbai's air is quite foul. The general standard of hygiene in public places is less than satisfactory, with garbage littered at street corners.

It is advisable to boil water before use or to use bottled mineral water. Mineral water is widely available in 200 ml cups, 500 ml, 1 litre, 2 litre & 5 litre bottles. Ensure the seal is intact before purchasing.

Although a variety of seafood is available, try and avoid it during the monsoon months of May, June, July and August. Also avoid canned foods and eatables sold at roadside stalls, where they use water from tankers.

Crime
Being the financial capital of India, it isn't expected to be crime free & it isn't. But for the layman, it is as safe as safe can be in a megapolis, steaming with millions of people. Small time pickpockets, chain / purse-snatchers do take advantage of the crowds. Watch your back while using public transport.

For help numbers related to crime click here.
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Money
To have your currency exchanged, money changers & foreign exchange bureaus are available in several public places, including the airport. Several banks provide cash advances on Visa & Master Cards. ATM's are conveniently located all over the city.
Credit cards are widely accepted. Look out for prominent signs proclaiming acceptance.

Bargaining
Although some establishments loudly proclaim FIXED PRICES, bargaining is still an intrinsic part of shopping in Mumbai. While shopping on the footpaths, start bargaining with 40% of the prices quoted

Dress Code
Informal and loose fitting clothes are recommended to combat the heat & humidity, although corporate offices have a formal dress code to be followed.

Food
Mumbai offers the avid food junkie everything from vada paav, a streetside delicacy, to the best in French cuisine, served in fancy restaurants, with even fancier names. Breakfast timings are usually from 6.30 am -10.30 am, lunch between 12.00 Noon -3.30 pm & dinner from 7.30 pm -11 pm.

Tipping
Depending on the service rendered, 5% of the total cost is appropriate. There is a service charge of 10% in most up-market hotels. While hiring taxis or autos, there is no need for tipping since they are all run according to metres. If you wish, tip at your discretion.

Tourist Offices
MTDC & ITDC offices are conveniently located all over the city.
For more information, Click here.

Embassies & Consulates
Most countries have a consulate / embassy in Mumbai.
For details click here.

Post & Communications

Post
The GPO, next to Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, is a magnificent structure. Post offices are located practically in every suburb. For phone numbers of post offices and pin codes, click here.

Courier Services
Local, Domestic and International courier services are available.
Some of the more famous ones are:
Blue Dart, Phone: 824 1234
DHL: Phone: 1-600-16666 (Toll Free)
Elbee, Phone: 857 2200
Fedex, Phone: 824 1234
TNT, Phone: 839 9000

Telephone Services
Mumbai has two telephone service operators, MTNL & Hughes Tele.com. Public Call Offices (PCOs) are widespread. Most of them are coin operated. This ubiquitous coin operated phone has also kept pace with change in technology. You will come across Zip phones where they run advertisements on an LCD panel built into the phone as you make your call.
The cost of a three-minute call is Re 1/-. STD / ISD (Subscriber Trunk Dialing / International Subscriber Dialing) phone centres offer direct national & international dialing.

Business Hours
Normal business hours are from 10 am to 6 pm. Lunch hour is usually between 1pm - 2pm.

Emergency Phone Numbers
For a list of essential phone numbers, click here.

Photography
Although photography is allowed in most public areas, certain cases may require official permission. The ideal time to shoot is during the morning hours between 6.30 am - 9.30 am or between 3.30 pm - 6 pm. There are plenty of places where you can do night photography. Photo films & developing facilities are widely available in the city. In case you are a professional, shop for materials on D N Road.