Marine drive Overview
Marine Drive is a km long, arc shaped boulevard along the South Mumbai coast, starting from the southern end of Nariman Point and ending at the famous Chowpatty beach. The coast lines the Arabian sea and is the best place to watch the sunset in Mumbai, or even to just take a leisurely stroll by the sea any time of the day or night.
The Marine Drive is also known as the Queen's necklace on account of its shape and yellow streetlights. It makes for a spectacular view at night - you can go to either end of Marine Drive after sunset and see the lights glowing in a perfect arc all along the coast. People come to walk here in the evening to experience the brilliant sunset. It is also one of the places people visit late at night, and you will find vendors selling chai and sutta at all hours. The sound of the waves, a view of the Mumbai skyline and the starry sky easily make Marine Drive one of the most romantic spots in the city.
Why People Love Marine Drive?
In the fast-paced life of Mumbai, Marine Drive instils a sense of calm and serenity. The Marine Drive makes the Mumbai monsoons a lot more special as the view from there is spectacular during rains. If you happen to visit during a high tide, you will get splashes of water from the strong waves crashing on the shores below! It is also the perfect place for morning or evening walks. For students from a lot of nearby colleges, this is a favourite hangout spot. It has long been an inspiration for the artists, writers, poets, musicians and photographers, and you would find a lot of movie scenes shot here.
Real Estate along Marine Drive
Given the splendid view, Marine Drive is one of the most prestigious area for any kind of real-estate, either commercial or residential. The cost here is one of the highest in the world, not just India, with prices for a 3bedroom apartment starting from 30Cr INR and upwards! A lot of celebrities and industrialists have been living here for a long time.
Events Hosted in Marine Drive
It is considered as the largest viewing gallery in the world and several events have been hosted along its walkway. On the 65th Republic Day of India, in 2014, there was a parade held along the entire stretch of Marine Drive. An IAF airshow was held in October 2004. Bombay Marathon is held every year in February since 2004. There are also various beautification projects related to the Marine drive.
How to Reach Marine drive
Marine Drive is probably the most well-identified landmark in Mumbai. You can walk to here from any of the two south-most railway stations - Churchgate or Marine Lines (both are on the Western line). Both of these are less than 5mins of walking distance from here. You can easily take a cab from anywhere as well, and if you happen to be driving, it should be easy to find a parking along the boulevard. There are also a few buses which regularly ply via Marine Drive, for eg the famous double-decker (bus no 138) from CSMT station or bus 123 from Churchgate.
Best Restaurants Nearby
There are several restaurants along the Marine Drive. Some popular ones on the southern side include Pizza by the Bay, Gaylord and Tea Center. Pizza by the Bay is ideally located for a view of the sea and the sunset. You can finish your meal with an ice-cream from Natural or Baskin Robbins, walking distance from there. Towards the northern end, closer to chowpatty, New Yorker and Cream Centre are the more popular ones (both are pure veg).
There are also quite a few upscale hotels located on Marine Drive which have fancy restaurants, for eg Trident, Bayview or Hotel Intercontinental.
Source : holiday
