Juhu-Chowpatty are two most popular and most frequented beaches in Mumbai city.
Juhu beach is the longest beach in Mumbai and the most popular among tourists as well. It is renowned for its wide variety of street food that is sold by vendors. Security is managed well here by Mumbai Police who can be seen patrolling the beach regularly.
Chowpatty Beach is another famous beach located in the heart of the city, which is loved by people for its glorious sunset views and interesting sights. Juhu beach is relatively older and has a deeper history, Juhu-Chowpatty is simply another name for the large beach of which Chowpatty is a part.
These two beaches are always recommended by the locals to visitors from outside to experience the relaxing atmosphere. People come here with their friends and families to spend several hours, take strolls on the beach side, and enjoy the delicious street foods.
The beach is also a sought-after destination for shooting films, and hence gets more crowded especially on weekends and public holidays.
In the nineteenth century, Juhu was a long, narrow sand bar rising above sea level by a metre or two, just off the west coast of Salsette – it was basically and island that people could reach during low tides by walking across the tidal inlet.
Juhu was called "Juvem" by the Portuguese, who came to live here and even built a church in Juhu (Church of St Joseph). The other inhabitants of Juhu were mainly Koli people and there was a small section of Goans. The open beaches of Juhu have attracted the most affluent among Mumbai's population for almost a century.
During the freedom struggle Mahatma Gandhi visited Mumbai and took many walks at Juhu Beach. There is a famous photograph (can be found on the internet) of Gandhiji poking his grandson with his stick during a walk at Juhu Beach, Bombay, 1937. There is a famous statue of Gandhi by the beach and a lane towards the beach call Gandhigram Road, that marked his visit to Juhu.
Juhu Chowpatty Beach is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea. It is six kilometres long, stretching up to Versova area in Mumbai. Short, rocky formations make up this beach unlike most beaches that are primarily sandy.
A food court is located at the main entrance here. Many acrobats, dancing monkeys, cricket playing crowd, toy sellers etc can be seen in the beach premises.
There are several small entrances to the beach throughout the stretch. But the main and most commonly used entrance is the one near Hotel Ramada Plaza By Wyndham Palm Grove.
The best months to visit Juhu Chowpatty Beach is from September to May, and the best time of the day is evening time - beautiful sunsets which contribute to the beauty of this beach should not be missed. Along with this, evening times let you witness beautiful lighting around the area that makes it more stunning.
During monsoons, which are from June to August, the tides in the beach are very high which makes it dangerous to wander around here.
This beach is one of the most popular sites in Mumbai for the famous annual Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations where thousands of devotees gather, carrying idols of the Lord Ganesh of various sizes, to be immersed in the sea here.
A portion of Juhu beach lies underneath the departure path from Runway 27 and occasionally falls on the arrival path from Runway 09 of Mumbai Airport. Hence the beach is also a popular spot for plane spotting, which aviation enthusiasts will love.
Juhu Chowpatty beach is just around 5.5 km away from Mumbai’s Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport and can be reached in around 15 minutes by road. Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus railway station is located at around 21 km away from here.
Other interesting places to visit in Mumbai are:
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