India's British rulers had a penchant for "hill-stations" — places to escape the muggy summers and the crowds. Three of them sit just outside Mumbai, nestled in the Western Ghats.
Matheran (the name means "forest on the brow") is an idyllic town that time forgot. Cars are banned, and the classic way up is the narrow-gauge toy train that meanders to the top of the hills at a leisurely pace; alternatively you can drive to a nearby point and ride a carriage or hike the rest of the way. It is a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city, with stunning views over the plains below. The best time to visit is during the monsoon, when the hills are verdant and waterfalls abound — expect the temperature to run about 10 degrees cooler than in the city.
Khandala, perched high on the cliffs of the Western Ghats on the road to Pune, catches the cool coastal breezes rolling in off the Arabian Sea and escapes the heat and pollution of the city below. The draw is hiking, nature walks, and plain relaxing. Adjacent Lonavala marks the beginning of the Deccan plateau and shares the same cool climate and small-town feel; nearby sights include the Bhushi Dam and the rock-cut Karla caves.
The Maharashtra coast is lined with unspoilt, scenic beaches. Just north of Mumbai an almost continuous stretch of sand runs off the beaten track. A good sampling can be found around Dahanu, a small coastal town about 100 km north of the city, famous for its fruit orchards — the local speciality is "chikoo," so don't forget to try some.
The following are multi-day trips, but well worth the time. Many travellers leave Mumbai to visit the Ajanta and Ellora Caves. They are often named together, but they are two separate groups, the Ajanta caves being even older than those at Ellora. Both display old rock carvings and frescoes, and both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites; the usual base for visiting them is the city of Aurangabad.
Ajanta lies about 100 km from Aurangabad and was rediscovered in 1819 by a group of British officers; the caves were cut between the 2nd century BCE and the 7th century CE and remained hidden from public view until the 19th century. The carvings and frescoes depict Buddhist themes across a series of chaityas and viharas. Ellora, just 30 km from Aurangabad, comprises 34 caves — 12 Mahayana Buddhist, 17 Hindu, and 5 Jain — carved side by side into the same basalt escarpment.
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Ellora & Ajanta Caves
