5 Things To Do In Sion, The Border Town Of Mumbai!

Sion or Sheev (C'mon, you all know that's how it is written in Hindi/Marathi!) happens to be the original border of Mumbai. Back in the 17th Century, the British marked this village as the border between the main city of Mumbai and Salsette. Sion is rich in history and has some of the best North-Indian food options in the city. So here’s a list of what all you can do to explore this neighbourhood.

1. Trek Up Sion Fort

This fort is one of the biggest secrets of Mumbai and is hidden in plain sight.  Sion Fort was built in the 17th Century by the Governor of Bombay, Gerald Aungier. It was built to mark the boundary between the British-held Mumbai and the Portugese-held Salsette land. While there is a very rich history behind the fort, sadly, not much of it remains. The redeeming factor here is the spectacular view Mumbai city which you can see once you climb to the top. Those who aren’t interested in trekking can roam around in the well-maintained park which surrounds this hillock. The park is open from morning to noon and then 4 pm onwards.

Also Read: Best Things To Do This Weekend In Mumbai: Events Not To Miss!

2. Visit the BEST Transport  Museum

Image Courtesy: MuseumsOfIndia.org

Very few people know this but there is actually a BEST Transport Museum located at Anik Bus Depot in Sion. This offbeat museum holds super cute miniatures which will take you back in time through their old collection of tickets, photos and miniatures of buses and trams when they were instituted in Mumbai! There is also a chassis of an old bus which looks quite intriguing and worth checking out

3. Hog on delicious Punjabi food

Sion is home to a huge Sikh settlement which means delicious food! From authentic chole and Amritsari Kulcha at Manjeet Chole Puri to the succulent paaya and mutton dishes at Sardar Paaya House, there is no dearth of yummy food to satiate your hunger. You can also try out the city-famous Fish Koliwada at Hardeep Punjab or the Chole-Samosa at Gurukrupa. Whatever your craving, you can fulfill it here!

4. Picnic at Maharashtra Nature Park

Image Courtesy: Facebook/Akshay Mandavkar

This erstwhile dumping ground has been turned into a 37-acre man-made forest. This park is a sight to behold and has many areas which can be turned into peaceful picnic spots. It is not only home to gorgeous plants and trees of about 580 species, but to 123 species of birds too. There are more than 78 types of butterflies, 22 types of reptiles, 30 species of spiders and more. People have nature trails inside this huge park.

5. Shop at the Dharavi leather market

While this is not exactly in Sion, it is just a hop, skip and jump away from Sion circle. Come to one of India’s largest leather industries and shop for bags, boots, luggage, and everything leather. Every item in this market is homegrown and supports local artisans. If you have good bargaining skills then you can walk away with some amazing products at dirt cheap prices. 

So what now? Go explore Sion!