Get back to nature in Mumbai’s largest green space

Noteworthy for: The former Borivali National Park was renamed in 1981 after ex-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's son, Sanjay Gandhi, was killed in a plane crash.

Talk of the town: In 2003, droppings from a wild Bengal tiger found in the park made for the hottest conversation topic in the city.

Amid Mumbai's suburban north, Sanjay Gandhi National Park is a serene, 140 square kilometre tropical forest bursting with brightly-coloured flowers, birds, leopards, butterflies, monkeys and even the world's largest moth, the Atlas. If you're lucky, you might even spot a rogue tiger.

Visitors can stroll the walking trails (don't worry, the big cats are housed in a fenced-off area) take an eco-conscious lion or tiger safari tour, visit the Jain temple and ancient Kanheri caves. Urban development and encroaching slums continue to threaten the park's fragile eco-system (in 2004, eight leopards were relocated after reportedly stalking children on the outskirts of the park), but the area remains an idyllic escape from the urban bustle.