Mumbai (formerly called Bombay during the colonial era and up to 1996) is India’s largest city and is powered, night and day, by a manic energy. Mumbai is the country’s financial and commercial center and the principal port of the Arabian Sea. It is a city of extremes – from the word’s most expensive home to some of its biggest slums. Exploring reveals a treasure trove of wonders from exquisite colonial-era architecture in the center to graffiti-strewn hipster enclaves, art deco cinemas, the country’s best restaurants and, of course, the home of the Bollywood film industry. To escape the bustle, head to the biodiverse haven of Aarey Forest or take a ferry to Elephanta Island, which holds ancient cave temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.