Vashi is bordered by the Sion-Panvel Highway (plus the railway station) and Nerul to the south, the Thane-Belapur Road and Sanpada/Turbhe to the east, Khairane Channel andKopar khairane to the north, and Thane creek to the west.
It is one of two Navi Mumbai nodes that directly connect to Mumbai across Thane creek (via the Mankhurd-Vashi Bridge), the other being Airoli to the north.

The township center, arguably, would be Shivaji Chowk, a central square located on the Vashi-Turbhe road. It is the site of a large bronze statue of the Maratha warrior-king and folk hero Chhatrapati Shivaji on a horse, and of an upcomingmuseum exhibit about him.

The chowk is surrounded by Sector 17, the cineplex, the fire station and the bus depot. Vashi is one of the oldest and most populated nodes in Navi Mumbai.

Many companies from Mumbai and other parts of India have set up shop there. Sector 17, in turn, is the commercial heart of Vashi, hosting a dense concentration of small businesses, offices, clinics, banks,retail outlets, restaurants and franchise operations.
Sectors 9 and 10 are also heavy with commercial activity, especially retail.
A large APMC market, the biggest in Navi Mumbai for wholesale agricultural produce, is located in Sector 19 and part of Sector 18.