Colaba suburb, Mumbai comes in the first place if some one is on a sight seeing tour. The place forms an integral part of Mumbai. The present are of Colaba was actually two Islands called as the Colaba and the little Colaba or the Old Woman's Island. The place was a part of the seven Islands that forms the present city of Mumbai. The Portuguese were the ancient rulers of the lands of Colaba. Colaba is well known for the variety of fishes in the nearby waters of the Arabian Sea. Fishes like the Bombay duck locally called as bombil, rawas, halwa, turtles, prawns, lobsters and crabs are some of the delicious prized catches. There is a meteorological observatory on the southern tip of the Island of Colaba that was established here in 1826. Colaba's famous Prongs light house that also lies in the southern tip of the island was constructed in the year 1875.

History of Colaba
The present area of Colaba was originally two islands, Colaba and Little Colaba or Old Woman's Island. The island of Colaba itself was part of the group of islands, along with the largest, Bombay Island, that was gifted by Portugal to Charles II of England as dowry when he married Catherine of Braganza.

The Portuguese had acquired these lands from the Sultanate of Cambay by the Treaty of Bassein, 1542. The cession of Bombay and dependencies was strongly resented by Portuguese officials in Goa and Bombay, who resisted transfer of possession for several years, while the English representatives were confined to the island of Anjediva while negotiations continued. Angered by the backtracking, Charles II leased these lands to the British East India Company for a nominal annual rent. Gerald Aungier, factor of the English settlement of Surat, took possession of Colaba and Old Woman's Island on behalf of the Company in 1675.

Portugal continued to hold Little Colaba island for several decades more before ceding it to the English in about 1762, subject to the retention of Portuguese ownership of a house on the island, that is now the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in Middle Colaba. This was leased by the Portuguese Government of Goa to the Bishop of Damaõ, the head of the Padroado party in Bombay, as his residence. After an attempt by the Propaganda Fide party to seize the chapel, a court ruled that the house remained the property of the Government of Portugal and evicted the Propaganda Fide party.

In 1743, British Colaba was leased to a Richard Broughton at Rs. 200 per annum, a lease that was renewed in 1764. By 1796, Colaba became a cantonment for troops. Colaba was well-known for the variety of fishes in the nearby waters. The bombil, called Bombay duck after being dried, rawas, halwa, turtles, crabs, prawns and lobsters, could all be found here.

At the southern end of the island, on the eastern side of the island, a meteorological observatory was established in 1826. This part was called Upper Colaba. With the completion of the Colaba Causeway in 1838, these remaining two islands were joined to the others. The price of land shot up. Colaba became a centre of commerce with the opening of the Cotton Exchange at Cotton Green in 1844. The Causeway was widened and strengthened in 1861 and again in 1863. It became a separate ward of the Municipality in 1872.

Civil constructions in Colaba did not push out the troops. During this period the Sick Bungalows, now known as INHS Ashwini, were built. Work on the Anglican church of St. John the Evangelist was begun in 1847. The church, now known as the Afghan Church (after the First Afghan War of 1838) was consecrated in 1858 and work on the steeple was concluded in 1865. Transport to this end of the new town was revolutionised by the introduction of horse-drawn tram-cars in 1873 by Stearns and Kitteredge, who had their offices on the west side of the Causeway, where the Electric House now stands.

Location of Colaba:
Colaba suburb, Mumbai is just 10 minutes away from the Church gate railway station. Since Colaba acts as the tourist hub of Mumbai most of the popular hotels are located here. This part of the city contains the oldest infrastructure of Mumbai.

Colaba's attractions at present:
Colaba is the tourist hub of Mumbai. The colonial building in Colaba gives it a touch of the old Bombay during the colonial days. Among the prominent tourist attraction of Mumbai most of them lies in Colaba. The Southern tip of Colaba that represents Mumbai's version of cantonment area is the only green spot in the congested location of Mumbai suburbs. The renowned tourist sites of Colaba includes the Gateway of India, The art deco style regal theatre, the Mondegar, Leopold, and Royal cafes. Besides the famous Taj mahal hotel adjacent to the Gateway of India Colaba has a bouquet of restaurants having a lot of up market resto bars like the Indigo, the Tendulkars, and numerous other classy places to hang out. Due to the increased popularity of the place the real estate market in Colaba suburb, Mumbai has experienced a drastic hike. Due to Colaba's proximity to Church gate railway station Colaba can be accessed from most of the places in Mumbai very easily. Also there are taxis and buses that forms to be the main means public transport.