Things to See in Mumbai

This classic, 100% male, Indian drinking den is a Mumbai icon and a great place for meeting locals. The upstairs air-con section is usually the haunt of the real boozers (and maybe the odd woman). With decor that is at best spartan, and no music, cocktails, or any other frills, you park yourself in a booth and indulge in cheap beer: end of story.

Drawn like moths to a Kingfisher flame, most tourists end up at this Mumbai traveller's institution at one time or another. Around since 1871, Leopold's has wobbly ceiling fans, open-plan seating and a rambunctious atmosphere conducive to swapping tales with random strangers. Although there's a huge menu, it's the lazy evening beers that are the real draw.

Recently restored to its former glory, the charming St Thomas' Cathedral is the oldest English building standing in Mumbai (construction began in 1672, though it remained unfinished until 1718). The church is an interracial marriage of Byzantine and colonial architecture and it's airy, whitewashed interior is full of exhibitionist colonial memorials. A look at some of the gravestones reveals many colonists died very young of malaria.

Chowpatty is still a favourite spot for anyone out to enjoy what passes for fresh air. Get the full experience by strolling through the many beachside stalls for some bhelpuri or a head massage. The water is not the cleanest but the beach is litter-free, patrolled by lifeguards and lit up at night. Visiting Chowpatty in the evening is an essential part of any trip to Mumbai.

The most striking thing about the Nehru Centre & Nehru Planetarium cultural complex, which includes a decent planetarium and the serpentine-but-interesting history exhibition Discovery of India is the bold modern architecture of the buildings. The tower looks like a giant cylindrical pineapple, the planetarium a UFO. There's also a theatre here .

Mumbai's biggest and best museum is an intriguing hodgepodge of Islamic, Hindu and British architecture displaying a mixed bag of dusty exhibits from all over India. Opened in 1923 to commemorate King George V's first visit to India (back in 1905, while he was still Prince of Wales), its flamboyant Indo-Saracenic style was designed by George Wittet - who also did the Gateway of India.

As poignant as it is tiny, the Mani Bhavan museum is housed in the building in which Mahatma Gandhi stayed during his visits to Bombay from 1917 to 1934. Dedicated to this amazingly insightful leader, the museum showcases the simple room where Gandhi formulated his philosophy of satyagraha (truth, nonviolence and self sacrifice) and launched the 1932 civil disobedience campaign that led to the end of British rule.

If you feel like splashing out, this local legend just keeps getting better with age and has a strong reputation for seafood cooked in a myriad of ways. The prawns and lobsters will be brought to your table for inspection before you order. Try the Hyderabadi pomfret and koliwala (fisherman's style) prawns.

Serving some of the best pan-Asian fusion dishes around, it's worth coming to this über-hip joint just for the Bladerunner-meets-Sushi-bar design concept alone. The surreal, freestanding, egg-shaped loos inside the main dining room will leave you with lots to talk about over sushi, noodles or a Thai curry.

Make this Indian northwest frontier restaurant, conveniently located just outside the international airport, your first or last stop in Mumbai. You will not regret forking out for the sublime leg of spring lamb and amazing dhal Bukhara (a thick black dhal cooked for over a day.)

Ming Palace is the place in Colaba to get your East Asian fix, serving a wide range of quality Chinese, Korean and Japanese food in gargantuan portions.