Western India is a vast region comprising the states of Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The throbbing heart of Maharashtra, Mumbai is an uproar for the senses with everything from historical sites to fabulous street food at your fingertips. The fast-paced city offers main tourist attractions such as Juhu Beach, Hanging Gardens and Gateway of India. In Mumbai, there are innumerable options for shopping and eating. You will love to look in the open markets to buy artisan items like silver jewelry and leather slippers. For more luxurious threads, there are several high-grade boutiques with local designs throughout the city.
But Maharashtra is not just attractive to the addictive energy of Mumbai. It is also home to mountain towns like Mahabaleshwar, located in the Sahyadri mountain range. With evergreen forests, the region was once a summer enclave for the British Raj and is a popular place for townspeople seeking to escape the heat during the summer months. Mhaismal offers a similar appeal and is also inhabited in the Sahyadri mountains. Nearby you will find Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves, later a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with Buddhist Hindu and Jain rock-cut monastery caves.
Maharashtra is also home to national parks and wildlife reserves, such as Tadoba National Park and Navegaon National Park. A few hours by car or train from Mumbai, you will find Pune, which is globally famous for the Osho International Meditation Resort (but also excellent if you are interested in visiting a city with a relaxed vibe and colonial architecture Huh).
Goa is another must-visit destination for interesting Indo-Portuguese influences, tropical scenery and vibrant markets. The city's bustling nightlife attracts partygoers from all over the world, but its serene beaches and sleepy seafood restaurants attract those who want to unwind, refill and relax in the sun.
