Versova Beach Mumbai: Location, Directions, Nearest Metro, Timings & Things to Do

Versova Beach (often called Andheri beach) is a quiet, wide stretch of sand in Versova, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, at the northern end of the city’s western shoreline. It is best known for a remarkable turnaround: once buried under plastic, it was cleaned by thousands of volunteers in one of the world’s largest beach clean-ups. Today it is a calm place for a sunset walk, close to the old Koli fishing village of Versova. Here is everything you need for a visit: where Versova Beach is, the location map and directions, distances, the nearest metro and railway station, the Versova jetty ferry, timings (including at night), things to do, hotels near Versova and safety tips.

• About
• Location
• History & clean-up
• Things to do
• Versova jetty
• Food & cafés
• Timings & best time
• How to reach
• Photos
• Nearby places
• Hotels
• Safety tips
• FAQs

About Versova Beach

Versova Beach continues the long sandy shore that begins at Juhu, but the mood is very different. There are far fewer stalls and rides, the crowds are smaller, and on most evenings you can find an open patch of sand to sit and watch the sun go down over the Arabian Sea. Walkers, joggers and families from Andheri West use it every day, and photographers come for the soft evening light and the fishing boats. Its calm also makes it one of the favourite beaches in Mumbai for couples.

The beach is also part of a living fishing community. At its northern end is Versova Koliwada, where Koli families still go out to sea, sort the catch at the jetty and dry fish in the sun. It is one of the few places in the city where you can see Mumbai’s original fishing culture up close.

Versova sits between Juhu Beach to the south and Madh Island across the creek to the north. In south Mumbai, the best-known beach is Girgaon Chowpatty on Marine Drive. See all beaches in Mumbai.

Where is Versova Beach? Location and directions

Versova is a neighbourhood in Andheri West, in the north-western suburbs of Mumbai, Maharashtra, about 25 km north of south Mumbai. Versova Beach lies on its western edge, facing the Arabian Sea. It starts roughly where Juhu Beach ends in the north of Juhu and runs up to Versova Koliwada, the Versova jetty and the creek that separates the mainland from Madh Island.

Versova Rock Beach is the name many people use for the stretch where rocky outcrops break up the sand. It is a popular place to sit on the rocks at sunset, and part of the same Versova shoreline rather than a separate beach.

Versova Beach directions: use the Versova Beach map on this page, or tap Directions for live, turn-by-turn directions from where you are. By road, head to J.P. Road or Yari Road in Andheri West and follow the signs for Seven Bungalows or Versova village; the beach is at the western end. If you are meeting friends, the access lanes near Seven Bungalows are the easiest landmark for autos and cabs.

Versova Beach distance from key places

Versova Beach history and the clean-up story

Long before the suburb grew up around it, Versova was a fishing village. Its story, from Koli settlement to Portuguese outpost to one of Mumbai’s best-known environmental success stories, is short but striking.

1. Early days
   Vesave, a Koli village

   Versova began as a fishing settlement of the Koli community, among the oldest inhabitants of the Mumbai islands. Its old name was Vesave, and Versova Koliwada still stands at the northern end of the beach.

2. 1500s–1700s
   Portuguese, then Maratha rule

   The Portuguese built a small fort and a church here and the village grew a dried-fish trade. The Marathas took the area in 1739 and strengthened the fort; the British took over in 1774.

3. 1900s
   From village to suburb

   As Andheri grew, Versova changed from a fishing village into a busy residential suburb, home to film and TV professionals around Seven Bungalows, Yari Road and Lokhandwala.

4. Oct 2015
   The clean-up begins

   Lawyer Afroz Shah and his elderly neighbour Harbansh Mathur start removing plastic and garbage from the beach every weekend. Residents, students and fishermen soon join them.

5. 2016
   A UN award

   The drive becomes one of the largest beach clean-ups in the world, and Afroz Shah is named a UN Environment “Champion of the Earth”.

6. March 2018
   The turtles return

   Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings are seen making their way to the sea at Versova, reported as the first such sighting on the beach in about two decades.

How Versova Beach was cleaned

By 2015, years of plastic washed in from the sea and dumped from the shore had covered parts of Versova Beach in waist-high garbage. Lawyer Afroz Shah started picking it up with his 84-year-old neighbour Harbansh Mathur. Week after week, the Versova Residents Volunteers grew into a movement of residents, students, fishermen, film people and visitors who came on weekends to clear the sand. Millions of kilograms of waste were removed, public toilets near the beach were cleaned, and coconut trees were planted along the shore.

The United Nations Environment Programme called it one of the largest beach clean-ups in the world, and in 2016 Afroz Shah received its “Champion of the Earth” award. In March 2018, Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings were seen crawling to the sea on Versova Beach, a sign that the beach was healing. The work continues: every visitor can help by carrying their plastic back home.

Things to do at Versova Beach

• Watch a calm sunset. Versova faces west and is much less crowded than Juhu, so it is one of the best beaches in the city to watch the sun set in peace.
• Take a long walk. At low tide you can walk south along the sand all the way towards Juhu. Mornings are cool and quiet.
• See Versova Koliwada and the jetty. Watch fishing boats come in and the catch being sorted. Be respectful: ask before taking photos of people and stay out of the way of work.
• Join a clean-up. Volunteer clean-up drives are still held on weekends. It is a good way to meet locals and give something back.
• Photography. Boats on the sand, fishermen at work and the evening sky make Versova a favourite with photographers.
• Rides on the sand. On some evenings you may find horse rides, horse carts and sand bikes. Agree on the price and route before you start; availability varies.
• Cross to Madh Island. A short ferry from the Versova jetty takes you to Madh Island, with its own quieter beaches.
• Walk from Juhu to Versova. Yes, you can walk from Juhu Beach to Versova Beach along the sand. It is about 4–5 km, roughly an hour, and is best done at low tide in the early morning or late afternoon.
• Festivals on the beach. The Koli community marks Narali Purnima (the start of the fishing season, around August) by offering coconuts to the sea, and on Holi groups of friends often head to the beach after playing with colours.
• Visit the Koli Seafood Festival. The Versova Koli community has held a seafood festival since 2006, usually in the cooler months, where you can taste home-style Koli dishes.

Versova jetty and the Madh Island ferry

The Versova jetty sits at the northern end of the beach, next to Versova Koliwada. It is a working fishing harbour, where boats unload the catch and fish is sold at wholesale prices in the early morning, and it is also the starting point for the ferry to Madh Island.

Ferry boats cross the narrow creek between the Versova jetty and Madh Island in just a few minutes, carrying passengers and two-wheelers for a small fare. It is far quicker than the road route via Malad, which can take an hour or more. Services run through the day but may be suspended in rough weather and during the monsoon. A Versova–Madh bridge is being planned to link the two sides by road.

Food and cafés near Versova Beach

Versova is not a street-food beach like Juhu or Girgaon Chowpatty. You will find a few carts selling bhel, roasted corn, gola and coconut water near the main access points, but the real food scene is just behind the beach.

• Koli seafood. Versova is a fishing village, so look out for fresh seafood: bombil (Bombay duck) fry, surmai, prawns and Koli-style curries at local eateries and during the Koli Seafood Festival.
• Cafés in Versova and Seven Bungalows. The lanes around Yari Road, Seven Bungalows and Four Bungalows have many independent cafés and coffee roasters, such as Leaping Windows, Blue Tokai and Third Wave Coffee.
• Lokhandwala and Andheri West. A 10-minute auto ride away, with restaurants, bakeries and bars for every budget.
• Juhu Chowpatty. If you want classic beach street food (pav bhaji, bhel puri and kulfi), head south to Juhu Beach.

Versova Beach timings, entry fee and best time to visit

The cooler months from November to February bring clear skies and comfortable evenings. From March to May it is hot by day, so plan your visit for the early morning or after 5 PM. During the monsoon the sea is rough and high tides can cover most of the sand, so check the weather and the BMC’s high-tide warnings before you go.

Is Versova Beach open at night?

Versova Beach is a public beach with no gates, so technically you can visit at any time. However, much of the sand is poorly lit after dark, the crowds thin out quickly and there are no lifeguards at night. It is best to enjoy the sunset, stay for the first hour of dusk near the busier access points and leave by about 9 PM.

How to reach Versova Beach

How to go to Versova Beach? The easiest way is by Metro Line 1 to Versova station and a short auto ride. By local train, Andheri is the nearest station.

Parking at Versova Beach

Versova Beach has no official car park. Most visitors park in the residential lanes behind the beach, around Seven Bungalows, Yari Road and J.P. Road, or in marked pay-and-park spaces where available. The lanes are narrow and get congested in the evening, and careless parking near the beach access points often blocks the walkways.

• Park only in legal spots and never block building gates or narrow lanes. Wrongly parked vehicles are towed.
• Do not drive into Versova Koliwada or up to the jetty; park outside and walk in.
• Parking apps such as Park+ can help you find paid parking in Andheri West.
• Do not leave bags or valuables visible inside the car.
• If you are visiting a nearby café or restaurant, ask whether it has customer parking.

For a stress-free visit, take Metro Line 1 to Versova station and a short auto ride to the beach.

How far is Versova Beach from Mumbai airport?

Nearest metro station to Versova Beach

Distances are approximate road distances to the beach.

Nearest railway station to Versova Beach

Versova has no railway station; these are the closest suburban stations.

Planning a metro trip? See the Mumbai Metro page for every line, fare and timing, and the Mumbai Metro map.

Versova Beach photos

Photos taken by our team at Versova Beach.

Places to visit near Versova Beach

• Juhu Beach – about 4–5 km south; Mumbai’s most famous beach, with Juhu Chowpatty street food.
• Versova Koliwada and jetty – at the north end of the beach; the old fishing village and boat harbour.
• Madh Island – a short ferry ride across the creek; quieter beaches, Madh Fort and the Marve area.
• Lokhandwala Market – about 3 km; popular for shopping, cafés and street food.
• ISKCON Juhu and Prithvi Theatre – about 4–5 km south in Juhu; a large temple and Mumbai’s best-loved small theatre.
• Aksa Beach and Gorai Beach – further north, good for a longer beach day.

Hotels near Versova Beach

Versova itself has only a few hotels, but there are plenty of options a short ride away in north Juhu, Andheri West and near the airport:

• Ramada Plaza Palm Grove – an upscale beachfront hotel at the north end of Juhu Beach, close to Versova.
• Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach – a beachfront hotel with sea-view rooms, about 4–5 km away.
• JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu – a luxury hotel on Juhu Tara Road facing the sea.
• Hotels in Andheri West and Lokhandwala – mid-range and budget hotels with easy access to the metro.
• Airport hotels – useful if you have an early or late flight; about 30–45 minutes away.

Compare current prices on booking sites before you go; rates rise on weekends and during festivals.

Safety tips for Versova Beach

• Do not swim. The currents can be strong and tides change quickly, especially in the monsoon.
• Check high-tide times and stay off the beach on orange and red weather alert days.
• Parts of the beach are quiet after dark; leave before it gets late, and stay in lit areas.
• Watch where you walk near the jetty and boats, and keep children away from fishing equipment.
• Respect the fishing community: ask before photographing people, homes or boats.
• Agree on the price of rides before you start.
• Carry your plastic back home. Versova is clean because people keep it that way.

Read more: BMC to improve security at Juhu and Versova beaches.

Versova Beach FAQs

Exploring more of Mumbai? See Juhu Beach, Girgaon Chowpatty, our beaches in Mumbai list and the Mumbai Metro map.