Bahrain

Overview

The Kingdom of Bahrain ( Arabic : البحرين‎ , al-Baḥrayn ) is a Middle Eastern archipelago in the Persian Gulf, tucked into a pocket of the sea flanked by Saudi Arabia and Qatar . The kingdom combines modern Arab culture and the archaeological legacy of 5,000 years of civilisation.

The island is home to forts including Qalat Al Bahrain, which has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Bahrain National Museum has artefacts from the country's history dating back to the island's first human inhabitants some 9,000 years ago and the Beit Al Quran is a museum that holds Islamic artefacts of the Qur'an. Some of the popular historical tourist attractions in the kingdom are Al Khamis Mosque, which is one of the oldest mosques in the region, the Arad Fort in Muharraq, Barbar Temple, which is an ancient temple from the Dilmunite period of Bahrain, and the A'ali Burial Mounds and the Saar Temple. The Tree of Life, a 400-year-old tree that grows in the Sakhir desert with no nearby water, is also a popular tourist attraction.

Bird watching (primarily in the Hawar Islands), scuba diving, and horse riding are popular tourist activities in Bahrain. The Manama Souq and Gold Souq in the old district of Manama are also popular with tourists.

Sights and landscapes

Despite being an island, don't expect to find any good beaches (unless they are private and part of a resort hotel). Where there are beaches, they are usually construction sites or used as a dump for construction waste.

Experiences

Bahrain has a history dating back 5000 years, from the ancient Dilmun period through the Islamic era. The country offers three forts which have been meticulously restored and opened to the public, although a lack of signs and general promotion by the country's tourist industry sometimes makes finding these sites difficult.

The high temperatures in Bahrain make sea activities seem extra tempting and water sports are extremely popular in Bahrain, with tourists and locals indulging in their sport of choice all year round in the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf. Sailing and scuba diving are particularly popular.

Although a desert country, Bahrain boasts an international 18-hole grass golf course, which is about 15 minutes outside the capital, Manama. The par 72 championship course features five lakes and is landscaped with hundreds of date palms and desert plains.

City Centre Bahrain is the most popular mall in Bahrain, which includes a cinema, a water-park, and a lot of western brands, but there are many others scattered across the country of varying sizes.

Bahrain, despite being largely Muslim, has luxurious hotels that are known for observing Christmas, because of a number of emigrant Christian expats. The festive event also sees malls display wreaths decorated with countless Christmas ornaments.

Culture and food

Bahrain has an impressive dining scene, with numerous restaurants to choose from. The main dining area is Adliya, where you can take your pick among numerous cafes, trendy lounges and restaurants. There are also traditional Arabic restaurants around the country.

Restaurants in Bahrain run the gamut from cheap stalls offering local food to fancy restaurants in fancy hotels. American fast food franchises are ubiquitous. Western (mostly American) style-foods and franchises can be found around the malls and in the city centre, offering food for upper mid-range prices.

In Ramadan , restaurants are closed during daylight – while they may appear to be open after lunchtime, that's actually them preparing for the meal that breaks the fast, so you will not be able to order anything until Iftar.

Traditional Bahraini food is very hard to find in restaurants, and is typically confined to the homes of locals. If you have Bahraini friends, being invited home for a meal is the best chance you have to sample the local cuisine.

Vegetarian food is easy to get in Bahrain – considering the large Indian population, you can simply go to any Indian restaurant and you'll have a wide variety of vegetarian options (some of which are pure-veg in that they do not have any non-vegetarian food). Supermarkets and fast-food chain restaurants will usually have some vegetarian options, too. Other than that, while non-Indian restaurants usually have something to cater for those who don't eat meat, it can vary wildly with the restaurant – it's unlikely that you're going to find much if anything in a small Arabic restaurant.

Planning your route

The airport gives guidelines as to the official way of calculating taxi fares. An extra BD 2 will be added if you take a taxi waiting at the airport .

On the whole taxis offer a good service but you do encounter some bandits. When travelling from the airport always use the white with red roof or London-style taxis. There is a rule if the meter is not used there is no charge; hold your ground on this and call the police, and the driver will cooperate very quickly with the correct fare for the trip.

Finding a taxi can be difficult, although major hotels and malls usually have a few waiting outside. Some privately owned companies operate in the kingdom, the most popular of which are:

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.