Relocating to Mumbai
Mumbai, or the erstwhile Bombay, as the locals still like to call it, is a great city to live in. With the best of food, infrastructure, education and a varied culture to offer, you will never get bored here.
Vibrant Mumbai
Mumbai is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in India. Aptly called the city that never sleeps, you will never be bored here. Mumbai is home to a number of expats from all over the world. Some visit for work purposes, some for leisure and some retire and make Mumbai their home.
The first thing that you will notice as soon as you set foot in this city is how crowded it is. Especially for expats from sparsely populated nations, it may indeed come as a big shock to see so many people milling about! But once you get past the crowds and the general sense of chaos that permeates the air, you will learn to love the city.
Mumbai was originally a port city. It has a deep natural harbor, including the picturesque Queen's Necklace (which is the name given to the view of the Arabian Sea from the Marine Drive area in South Mumbai). The island city has progressed tremendously over the years. It is the most prosperous city in India, and ranks amid the top 10 countries in the world on billionaire count.
Expat life in Mumbai
Mumbai has a lot to offer to expats who make the city their home. For starters, you will not feel out of place here, because there are many expats living here already. Often, members of expat communities tend to stick together and mingle with other expats only, because they feel uncomfortable trying to make friends with the locals. In Mumbai, however, this shouldn't be a problem. The locals are quite welcoming of foreigners and are friendly as well.
There are a number of bars, pubs, cafes and clubs in Mumbai, and the nightlife is extremely happening here. Leopold Cafe, Hard Rock Cafe are some of the examples. Most of these are in the €newer' part of the city, which are the suburbs in the north, but South Mumbai, which is older and therefore associated with old wealth, continues to retain its position as the €classier' part of the city.
The chaotic side of Mumbai
As mentioned before, Mumbai can be extremely confusing and chaotic. One of the most annoying things, for locals and outsiders alike, is the traffic. You could be two km from your destination, but the traffic could stall you for an hour on bad days! Therefore, in Mumbai, it's best to plan in advance and figure out how long you are likely to take to get to your destination, given the traffic conditions.
The public transport system is great and well-connected, but ideally not suited to any newcomer. The buses get held up in traffic, the trains are overcrowded during peak hours, and finding a cabbie willing to take you to your destination is a minor miracle. This, once again, can be a great source of irritation and should be kept in mind before making important business arrangements, etc.
Land of hope
All said and done, Mumbai continues to be the city of hopes and dreams. Many citizens from other parts of India continue to arrive here, hoping to make a life for themselves. And Mumbai, being the all-encompassing Alpha world city that it is, finds place for all of them.
As an expat in Mumbai, you might have some troubles initially, but you will do just fine once you've settled in. And if you need help settling in, Asia Expat Guides provides services to help you do just that. From picking you up from the busy international airport to helping you find accommodation, from introducing you to the local food to helping you set up bank accounts, we will take care of everything for you, while you enjoy life in the glorious city that is Mumbai.
Vibrant Mumbai
Mumbai is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in India. Aptly called the city that never sleeps, you will never be bored here. Mumbai is home to a number of expats from all over the world. Some visit for work purposes, some for leisure and some retire and make Mumbai their home.
The first thing that you will notice as soon as you set foot in this city is how crowded it is. Especially for expats from sparsely populated nations, it may indeed come as a big shock to see so many people milling about! But once you get past the crowds and the general sense of chaos that permeates the air, you will learn to love the city.
Mumbai was originally a port city. It has a deep natural harbor, including the picturesque Queen's Necklace (which is the name given to the view of the Arabian Sea from the Marine Drive area in South Mumbai). The island city has progressed tremendously over the years. It is the most prosperous city in India, and ranks amid the top 10 countries in the world on billionaire count.
Expat life in Mumbai
Mumbai has a lot to offer to expats who make the city their home. For starters, you will not feel out of place here, because there are many expats living here already. Often, members of expat communities tend to stick together and mingle with other expats only, because they feel uncomfortable trying to make friends with the locals. In Mumbai, however, this shouldn't be a problem. The locals are quite welcoming of foreigners and are friendly as well.
There are a number of bars, pubs, cafes and clubs in Mumbai, and the nightlife is extremely happening here. Leopold Cafe, Hard Rock Cafe are some of the examples. Most of these are in the €newer' part of the city, which are the suburbs in the north, but South Mumbai, which is older and therefore associated with old wealth, continues to retain its position as the €classier' part of the city.
The chaotic side of Mumbai
As mentioned before, Mumbai can be extremely confusing and chaotic. One of the most annoying things, for locals and outsiders alike, is the traffic. You could be two km from your destination, but the traffic could stall you for an hour on bad days! Therefore, in Mumbai, it's best to plan in advance and figure out how long you are likely to take to get to your destination, given the traffic conditions.
The public transport system is great and well-connected, but ideally not suited to any newcomer. The buses get held up in traffic, the trains are overcrowded during peak hours, and finding a cabbie willing to take you to your destination is a minor miracle. This, once again, can be a great source of irritation and should be kept in mind before making important business arrangements, etc.
Land of hope
All said and done, Mumbai continues to be the city of hopes and dreams. Many citizens from other parts of India continue to arrive here, hoping to make a life for themselves. And Mumbai, being the all-encompassing Alpha world city that it is, finds place for all of them.
As an expat in Mumbai, you might have some troubles initially, but you will do just fine once you've settled in. And if you need help settling in, Asia Expat Guides provides services to help you do just that. From picking you up from the busy international airport to helping you find accommodation, from introducing you to the local food to helping you set up bank accounts, we will take care of everything for you, while you enjoy life in the glorious city that is Mumbai.
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