What must life be like on an island that has zero traffic, dense greenery and beautiful beaches in all directions? Tranquil, you'd imagine, and definitely worth exploring as one of the few inhabited islands along India's long coastline — right here, off Mumbai's coastline. An hour-long boat ride from the Gateway of India takes you to Elephanta Island (once called Gharapuri) that houses the UNESCO World Heritage Site Elephanta caves, Buddhist stupas, a lake, giant cannons and the peace and quiet of surreal villages.

Speaking of The Elephanta Island Experience, Mohit Bagadia, founder of Swadesee says, "From the caves, we walk through a dense jungle to arrive at our local expert's village — which was recently electrified — to understand the culture and daily life of the Agri and Koli communities that call the island home. Imagine watching the well-lit skyline of Mumbai, shining brightly across the harbour while their own homes had no electricity until last year. Almost everyone on the island catered to tourists by selling souvenirs and trinkets, but the other side of this beautiful paradise was always unexplored."