Exclusive Editor’s Tips:

Call ahead for a table at the Mumbai chapter of Indian Accent — ranked the country’s no. 1 restaurant three times over in Condé Nast Traveler’s Top Restaurant Awards. Chef Rijul Gulati serves a modern take on India’s finest culinary traditions, playing with form and flavor to plate one surprise after another. From the spicy Kanyakumari crab to the dal moradabadi to the warm doda treacle tart (born of a wrestler’s diet), each dish comes with a backstory that gives you a peek into the country and its culture. We recommend the tasting menu for the best experience and to make sure there is no FOMO; email reservations.mum@indianaccent.com or call +91-2235251500 to book.

Wake up before the sun and head to the Sassoon Dock, about 15 minutes from the port, to soak up the sounds and smells of one of the city’s busiest fishing docks. By the time you get there, dozens of boats and trawlers will be emptying their bounty — giving you front-row access to the morning’s auctions. You will be jostling for elbow room with fishmongers, gulls, and cats—everyone trying to get their share of the catch before the market dissolves by 8 a.m. With Mumbai’s favorite pomfret, seerfish, mackerel, crabs, octopus, rays, and tuna rolling in, this is a photographer’s delight.

Enter the dazzling world of India’s master couturier, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, at his opulent flagship store in Fort, the heritage district of Mumbai. The four-story atelier is decked out with Tanjore paintings, Venetian chairs, rare lithographs, and bronze and fine China — but it’s all a mere backdrop for Sabyasachi’s exquisite embroidered Indian wear. Not ready to splash out on a $10,000 zardozi outfit? The boutique also sells off-the-rack jewelry, bags, belts, and shawls, and anyone is welcome to stroll through and sip tea while soaking up this cultural extravaganza.