Marine Drive, Mumbai: History, Things to Do, Timings & How to Reach

Marine Drive is Mumbai’s most famous seafront: a 3.6 km curved promenade along the Arabian Sea in south Mumbai, running from Nariman Point to Girgaon Chowpatty. Known as the Queen’s Necklace for the arc of streetlights that glows around the bay after dark, it is the city’s favourite place to watch the sunset, take an evening walk or simply sit on the sea wall. This page covers its history and Art Deco buildings, the best things to do, timings, how to reach it by metro, local train or road, places and food nearby, and tips for your visit.

• About
• History
• Art Deco
• Things to do
• End-to-end walk
• Timings & best time
• How to reach
• Photos
• Nearby places
• Food nearby
• Hotels
• Tips
• FAQs

About Marine Drive

Marine Drive is a six-lane road with a wide, paved promenade on its sea side, protected by a long sea wall and rows of concrete tetrapods. It sweeps around Back Bay in a C shape, so from almost anywhere along it you can see the whole curve: the high-rises of Nariman Point at one end and the green slopes of Malabar Hill at the other. Its official name is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road, but almost nobody uses it.

For Mumbaikars, Marine Drive is the city’s shared living room. Early in the morning it belongs to walkers, joggers and laughter clubs. In the evening it fills with families, couples, college groups and office workers sitting on the sea wall to catch the breeze. On weekends and holidays the crowd stays late into the night, and in the monsoon people gather to watch the waves crash over the wall.

For visitors it is one of the easiest and most rewarding places to see in Mumbai. It costs nothing, it is open all the time, it is a short walk from Churchgate and Marine Lines stations, and it combines easily with nearby sights such as Girgaon Chowpatty, the Art Deco buildings around Oval Maidan, Flora Fountain and the Gateway of India.

Marine Drive history

Marine Drive did not start as a tourist promenade. It is the result of the Back Bay reclamation, an ambitious plan launched by the Bombay government after the First World War to win new land from the sea along the western shore of the city. The scheme was meant to create a large new district with offices, homes and public spaces. It ran into engineering problems, delays and rising costs, became the subject of a public inquiry, and in the end only a fraction of the planned area was reclaimed.

What was built, however, became one of the city’s defining sights. On the reclaimed land a new sea wall and seafront road took shape through the 1930s, and the road and promenade were completed around 1940. The construction is associated with the contractor Pallonji Mistry and the philanthropist Bhagojisheth Keer. In the following decades the stretch also became one of Mumbai’s most prestigious addresses: wealthy families and film stars of the 1940s and 1950s, including the singer and actress Suraiya, lived in the apartment blocks facing the sea.

1. 1920s
   Back Bay reclamation

   Work begins to reclaim land from the sea along Back Bay. The scheme runs into delays and costs, and only part of the planned area is filled.

2. 1930s
   The seafront takes shape

   The new sea wall and road rise on reclaimed land, and the first Art Deco apartment blocks go up facing the bay.

3. c. 1940
   Road and promenade completed

   The curved road and its broad promenade are finished, built by the contractor Pallonji Mistry.

4. 1951
   Taraporewala Aquarium opens

   India’s first public aquarium opens on the Marine Drive seafront.

5. 2018
   UNESCO World Heritage

   The Art Deco buildings of Marine Drive become part of the UNESCO site “Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai”.

6. 2024–25
   Coastal Road and new promenade

   The Mumbai Coastal Road opens from Marine Drive to Worli, and a new seafront promenade along it opens to the public in August 2025.

Marine Drive has also changed in recent years. Work on the Mumbai Coastal Road, which starts near the drive and runs in tunnels under Girgaon Chowpatty and Malabar Hill towards Worli, temporarily closed parts of the promenade before it was restored. A new seafront promenade along the Coastal Road, with cycle tracks, seating and green spaces, opened to the public on 15 August 2025, and is planned to extend to about 7.5 km.

Art Deco buildings on Marine Drive

The row of apartment buildings facing the sea is one of the largest collections of Art Deco architecture in the world. Most were built in the late 1930s and 1940s, when Art Deco was the modern style of the moment. Look out for the typical features:

• Curved corners and rounded balconies that wrap around the building fronts.
• Horizontal bands and “eyebrow” sunshades over the windows to cut the glare and the monsoon rain.
• Pastel colours in cream, pink and pale yellow, which glow in the evening light.
• Decorative name plates and geometric details on the facades, often with the building’s name in stylised lettering.
• Port-hole windows and ship-like railings that nod to the sea in front of them.

Some of the earliest buildings in the row, such as Kapur Mahal, Zaver Mahal and Keval Mahal, date from 1937–39. In 2018 these buildings became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai”, together with the Art Deco buildings of the Oval Maidan area and the Victorian Gothic landmarks on the other side of the maidan, such as the Bombay High Court and the University of Mumbai with its Rajabai Clock Tower.

Things to do at Marine Drive

• Watch the sunset. Marine Drive faces west, so the sun sets straight into the Arabian Sea. Arrive about 30 minutes early and find a spot on the sea wall.
• See the Queen’s Necklace after dark. Once the streetlights come on, the whole curve lights up. For the classic view from above, go up Malabar Hill.
• Walk the full promenade. The 3.6 km walk from Nariman Point to Girgaon Chowpatty takes about 45 minutes and is flat and paved all the way.
• Eat at Girgaon Chowpatty. End your walk with bhel puri, pav bhaji, kulfi or a gola at the stalls on the beach.
• Go for a morning walk or run. Between about 6 and 8 AM the promenade is cool and quiet, and you will share it with Mumbai’s fitness regulars.
• Visit the Taraporewala Aquarium. India’s oldest public aquarium, near the Charni Road end; check the current timings before you go.
• Spot the Art Deco buildings. Walk the stretch between Churchgate and Marine Lines and look up at the facades.
• Watch the monsoon waves from a safe distance. From June to September high tides send spray over the sea wall; follow police instructions and stay off the tetrapods.
• Take an evening drive or taxi ride along the full curve with the lights on, especially on a weekday night when traffic is lighter.

Walking Marine Drive from end to end

Here is what you pass on a walk from the southern tip to the northern end. Distances are approximate.

1. 0 km
   Nariman Point and NCPA

   The southern tip, next to the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Quieter, with wide views back along the whole curve.

2. 0.8 km
   Hotels and Marine Plaza

   The stretch with the InterContinental, Marine Plaza and the hotel rooftops; a popular sunset spot.

3. 1.4 km
   Churchgate junction

   Where Veer Nariman Road meets the sea. The most convenient point to arrive by train or metro.

4. 2.2 km
   Art Deco row and Marine Lines

   The classic line of 1930s Art Deco apartment buildings, with Marine Lines station just behind them.

5. 3.0 km
   Taraporewala Aquarium

   India’s oldest public aquarium, opened in 1951, close to Charni Road station.

6. 3.6 km
   Girgaon Chowpatty

   The sandy beach at the northern end, with food stalls and views up to Malabar Hill.

Timings, entry fee and best time to visit

The cooler, drier months from November to February are the most pleasant, with clear evenings and colourful sunsets. March to May is hot and humid during the day, but evenings by the sea are still comfortable. In the monsoon, from June to September, Marine Drive is dramatic, with grey skies and huge waves, but it is wet and windy, and the city issues high-tide warnings on some days. On those days keep well back from the wall.

Weekend and holiday evenings, especially Saturday and Sunday from about 6 PM, are very crowded. For a calmer visit go on a weekday, or early in the morning. Marine Drive is also part of the route of the Mumbai Marathon each January, and it hosts occasional events such as air shows, when parts of the road may be closed.

How to reach Marine Drive

Marine Drive is one of the easiest places in south Mumbai to reach by public transport. Three local train stations and three Metro Line 3 stations are within a short walk.

Nearest metro stations to Marine Drive

All three are on Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line). Distances are approximate walking distances to the promenade.

Nearest local train stations

All three are on the Western line. Distances are approximate walking distances to the promenade.

Coming from further away? See the Mumbai Metro page for every line, fare and timing, and the Mumbai Metro map for routes across the city.

Marine Drive photos

Our own photos, plus two night and daytime views from Wikimedia Commons.

Places to visit near Marine Drive

• Girgaon Chowpatty (northern end) – the city beach at the end of Marine Drive, famous for its street food and for the Ganesh immersion during Ganeshotsav.
• Malabar Hill viewpoints (about 2 km) – Kamala Nehru Park and the Hanging Gardens for the best view of the Queen’s Necklace.
• Taraporewala Aquarium (on Marine Drive) – India’s oldest public aquarium, opened in 1951.
• Oval Maidan and Rajabai Clock Tower (about 1 km) – Art Deco on one side, Victorian Gothic on the other. The 85-metre Rajabai Clock Tower, completed in 1878, rises over the University of Mumbai.
• Wankhede Stadium (about 500 m) – Mumbai’s international cricket ground, just behind the drive near Churchgate.
• NCPA (Nariman Point end) – the National Centre for the Performing Arts, for music, theatre and dance.
• Flora Fountain and Kala Ghoda (about 1.5 km) – heritage streets, galleries and cafés in the Fort area.
• Gateway of India (about 3 km) – Mumbai’s best-known monument, with boats to Elephanta Caves.
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (about 2.5 km) – the UNESCO-listed Victorian Gothic railway station.
• Coastal Road promenade – the new seafront walkway and cycle track heading north towards Worli.

Where to eat near Marine Drive

• Girgaon Chowpatty food stalls – bhel puri, sev puri, pav bhaji, kulfi and ice golas. Choose the busiest, cleanest stalls.
• Pizza By The Bay – a long-running sea-facing restaurant at the corner of Marine Drive and Veer Nariman Road.
• The Dome at the InterContinental – a rooftop bar and restaurant with sweeping views of the bay.
• Crystal Restaurant – a simple, much-loved eatery near Chowpatty for home-style North Indian meals.
• New Yorker – a casual Chowpatty favourite for pizzas, Tex-Mex and shakes.
• Mocking Bird Café Bar – a relaxed café-bar near Churchgate.

Hotels near Marine Drive

• The Oberoi and Trident, Nariman Point – luxury hotels at the southern end, many rooms with sea views.
• InterContinental Marine Drive – a boutique luxury hotel right on the drive.
• Hotel Marine Plaza – a sea-facing hotel in the middle of the promenade.
• Sea Green and Sea Green South – long-running, mid-range Art Deco-era hotels on the drive.
• Chateau Windsor – a budget-friendly hotel near Churchgate.
• Hotel Residency Fort – a mid-range option in the Fort area, a short taxi ride away.

Tips for visiting Marine Drive

• Do not climb onto the tetrapods, especially at high tide or in the monsoon. They are slippery and accidents happen every year.
• Carry water in the daytime: there is little shade on the promenade.
• Keep an eye on your phone and wallet in the evening crowds.
• Take only what you need and use the dustbins. Help keep the promenade clean.
• For the Queen’s Necklace view, combine Marine Drive with a short taxi ride up Malabar Hill after dark.
• If you are short of time, start at Churchgate, walk north to Girgaon Chowpatty for the sunset and dinner, and take the train back from Charni Road.

Frequently asked questions

Exploring south Mumbai? See our Mumbai Metro page and the Mumbai Metro map for the easiest routes to Churchgate and Marine Lines.