INDIAN CITIES


ways Mumb i


The sensory overload at Sassoon Dock – one of the largest fish markets in Mumbai and one of the oldest, dating from 1875 – is just the first stop on the fantastic Mumbai at Dawn tour, offered to guests at five-star hotel The Oberoi, Mumbai. Another is a pre-sunrise visit to Chhatrapati Shivaji


t’s 5am and I’ve just been side-swiped by a swordfish. I’m in the middle of the fragrant chaos of Mumbai’s Sassoon Dock fish market. Nearby, fishermen offload their cargo – enormous tuna and giant, rubbery rays – while women in brightly coloured saris weave their way through the crowds, balancing baskets filled with their chosen catch.


Unlike Delhi, which grinds to a halt after dark, Mumbai never sleeps. And


with more domestic flight connections than ever – largely thanks to Jet Airways pulling its operations, prompting domestic airlines such as Vistara and AirAsia India to sweep up landing slots at Mumbai, adding connections to Bangalore, Kolkata and other Indian cities – now’s the time to take another look at some of the country’s less-explored urban hubs.


Maharaj Terminus. Every day, three million passengers pass through this train station. My guide points out the colourful lights that disappear in daylight, and sculptures of a lion and tiger, a nod to Britain and India. This pre- dawn tour is a fantastic way to get under Mumbai’s skin. In fact, part of the reason I struggled with the fish


market’s sensory overload is last night’s pre-midnight visit to AER, one of Asia’s highest bars – a glowing, UFO-like space atop the Four Seasons. It’s a popular hangout for A-listers, who are increasingly well-catered


56 23 MAY 2019 travelweekly.co.uk


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