Matheran a couple of hours away from Mumbai is a perfect getaway to wind down and rejuvenate the old grey cells after a long week at work.
The place really only survives because of tourism and there is no other income for the area or it’s inhabitants.
There are 38 vantage points to visit in Matheran each giving you a superb view of the surrounding areas... some leaving you breathless others leaving you wondering at natures’ beauty. You will not come back without falling in love with the place and wanting to visit it again and again.
The only downfall is, like many other attraction in this great country of ours, the place is spoilt by the untidiness and the litter. Why cannot our brethren be proud of their country and keep it clean? - But that is another issue!
The ride on the Toy train is great for the various views but if you are in a hurry then take a shared taxi from Neral to Matheran. The toy train takes some two hours to get up where as a taxi would get you there in about 35 to 40 minutes. Remember though, vehicles are not allowed in Matheran, they only go up to a taxi-stand (some 3 to 4 kilometers away from the centre itself) from where you either walk, take a hand rickshaw or get on a horse, however the toy train does take you right up into Matheran itself.
Once in Matheran, there are several hotels to choose from, ranging from a basic lodging to a four star hotel. Most of the big hotels operate an all inclusive package so you are tied to the hotel for food BUT having said that the hotels do put on lavish buffets with load of choices. One thing to bear in mind is that there are very few hotels which serve non-veg so if you are a fan of non-veg food ask before you book into a hotel.
The best way to get around and visit all those points is walking but if you are short of time, like we were, you can take horse rides to the points. The charge for the horse rides depend on the number of points you want to visit but a typical 7-point ride will set you back 150 rupees and will take around 2 to 2.5 hours depending on how long you spend at each of the points.
All in all Matheran is a great weekend getaway and a place we will certainly visit again just for the sheer beauty of the place.