Sailing in Mumbai
I have been in Mumbai since like forever, but never have I ever experienced sailing in Mumbai. Here, I am not talking about a ferry ride but a private sailing experience.
Last week, I planned to go for a private sailing experience with my friends and here is my experience;
When I started searching for private cos. for sailing, I was surprised to know that the cost per 2 hours for a private sailboat is as low as Rs. 6000, which would come to about Rs. 1000 per person. As maximum person allowed per boat is six only.
How to Book?
Here are a few companies that can be good options for sailing in Mumbai.
c. Jack & Hill
I booked my trip through Wandering Soul on Event High; one can get good options on Insider.in as well.
Do check availability and batch before booking.
These packages are available for Weekends- Sat/Sun, and have two batches 4 to 6 pm and 6 to 8 pm. The Sailboat limits six people on one boat, so you can accordingly book depending on the number of people you plan to book for.
There are other providers, too, but I found wandering soul to be cheaper compared to others. There are many booking options on the spot also, but it is subject to availability and cost can be higher for on spot booking.
These experiences are more fun when done in a group with friends and family or for a couple who would want to spend some quality time alone.
Sailing Season:
Monsoon is known as the offseason for sailing, so during that period the sailboats, speedboats, ferry, etc. close down due to high tides risk. Sailing entirely depends on weather conditions, especially wind, and speed.
High tides or heavy winds can also be the cause a delay or re-scheduling even during the summer season. So pick the right season to experience the coastline of Mumbai.
Where to sail?
All the sailing activities happen near the Gateway of India, opp Taj Hotel. You can easily make it there by car, bike or train/public transport. If you opt for the train, you can get a share or personal cab from CST/Churchgate station. Or if you are coming from your vehicle you can find parking behind Taj Hotel; there are many parallel lanes to park your car. Would suggest if you are parking your vehicle park somewhere at the end of the road where pay and park fee is not 100 Rs per hour.
The Experience:
Sailing on the Arabian seas, all I could feel was the sound of breeze and sun kissing my cheeks. After meeting the concerned person at the Jetty, we passed through the security and got on a speed boat to reach the Sailboat.
As it was 4:00 pm the sun was high up in the sky, we did feel a little warm, but later it got better with the cool breeze. The sailing started, and we all started popping up with questions to the sailor as to how these things work and how did he learn. The boat ride was fun for 1-1.5 hour, and it got a little dull after that point.
From our experience, I suggest ensure you take a small Bluetooth speaker and some sitting game to add to the fun.
Overall:
The experience was fun and fabulous, would suggest opting for the evening batch 6 to 8 pm, so you get to see both the day and night view of the coastline.
Things to know:
Swimming is not mandatory for the sailboat experience. So if you don’t know how to swim, you do not have to worry. The sailor on the boat provides life jackets.
Make sure to carry your ID card as you will be crossing a security passage before sailing.
Also, you are allowed to carry water and Dry snacks. The sailing experience is for 2 hours, so make sure to take a small Bluetooth speaker to add more fun to it.
You cannot carry alcohol, wine, or smoke on the Sailboat. Also, most of the booking agents would not allow DSLR or tripods to carry on the Sailboat.
Tip: If you are 4-5 people in total, so make sure to book the entire boat to yourself that way, you have your personal space and fun. The best part about the Sailboat is affordable and can hold only your group. So the complete experience is a private joy ride at Gateway of India.
