Inside the stunning caves of Elephanta

A cool breeze from the Arabian Sea caressed my face as I waited under a blue sky for the "steamers", as large boats are popularly called in India, to arrive on the shore. I was at the magnificent Gateway of India, a British-era monument that faces the sea in India's financial hub Mumbai.

The boat would take me to the Elephanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site, located on an island on India's western waters, about 10 kilometers from Mumbai. The boats there ferry passengers between 9 am and 2 pm daily.

As I set sail, the view of the surrounding lush green hills, the Gateway and the Taj Mahal Hotel, another Mumbai landmark, looked gorgeous in the background.