The best source of information in Mumbai is the excellent Government of India tourist office (Mon-Fri 8.30am-6pm, Sat 8.30am-2pm; tel 022/203 3144) at 123 M Karve Rd, opposite Churchgate station's east exit. The staff here are exceptionally helpful and hand out a wide range of leaflets, maps and brochures both on Mumbai and the rest of the country. There are also 24hr tourist information counters at Sahar International (tel 022/832 5331) and Santa Cruz (tel 022/615 9320) airports.

 

Maharashtra State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd ( MTDC ) main office, on Madam Cama Road (Mon-Sat 8.30am-7pm; tel 022/202 6731), opposite the LIC Building in Nariman Point, sells tickets for city sightseeing tours and can reserve rooms in MTDC resorts. They too have information counters at Sahar International and Santa Cruz airports, as well as at VT and Dadar railway stations and near the Gateway of India.

If you need detailed listings , ask at any tourist office for a free copy of the slick Mumbai This Fortnight , which is user-friendly and has a wealth of useful information, despite being a commercial venture. If you want to spend any time in the city, invest in a copy of the Pocket Mumbai Guide (Rs20), which, although badly produced, contains more detailed information on bus and local train services as well as a useful rail map.

For what's on you're better off checking out the "The List" section of Mid-Day (Mumbai's main local rag), the "Metro" page in the Indian Express , or the "Bombay Times" section of the Times of India . All are available from street vendors around Colaba and the downtown area and cost Rs2-3.

For a detailed map of Mumbai, look for Karmarkar Enterprise's Most Exhaustive A-Z street plan (Rs60). It's fiendishly hard to find in bookstores (Crossword, on Bhulabai Desai Road, usually have one or two in stock), but the pavement guidebook- and magazine-wallahs along VN Road, between Churchgate and Flora Fountain, may have copies. Otherwise, the Discover India Series has produced a good, up-to-date map and listings book called the Road Guide to Mumbai (Rs60), that is widely available.