Bahrain Travel Guide

Travel guide to Bahrain, Bahrain with comprehensive information about events, shopping, and major Bahrain sporting events to help you enjoy your visit more.

Bahrain Overview

The island kingdom of Bahrain lies close to Qatar in the Arabian Gulf. A long time favourite destination for holidaymakers looking to experience the hospitality of the Middle East, Bahrain offers great weather, superb beaches and luxurious hotels as well as top class shopping and sports.

From the modern capital city of Manama with its glitzy shopping malls, wide palm lined streets and office blocks to the small desert settlements of the local tribes of desert dwelling nomads, Bahrain is a glorious mix of cultures: unashamedly traditional yet thoroughly modern.

As a holiday destination, Bahrain, with its combination of attractions both natural and man-made is hard to beat, and a great alternative to other locations in the region.

Top Bahrain Attractions

The main attractions of any visit to Bahrain are the sea, beaches, weather, culture, and luxurious accommodation available on the island. As a top quality holiday destination, Bahrain is hard to beat, and offers the kind of relaxing experience that is easy to get used to.

Bahrain's beaches are generally quiet, and the sea is warm, there are numerous offshore islands that you can visit should you fancy a change, and most hotels will offer excursions by boat.

One of the most impressive buildings in the country is the ornate Al Fatih Mosque - one of the largest in the world, which is open to the public - although you must dress appropriately if you want to enter.

Shopping in Bahrain

Bahrain's status as a duty free state ensures that everything you can buy is far cheaper than it is at home. Tourists quickly cottoned on to the fact that Bahrain is an excellent shoppers destination, and there are several excellent air-conditioned shopping malls offering everything from locally produced carpets and Islamic handicrafts through to the latest Italian designer goods. All of which are excellent value for money.

To the south of the main city Manama, the old souk is a maze of shady back streets where you can barter for surprisingly high quality goods and experience a little slice of the past - the traditional Arab marketplace.

Bahrain Sporting Events

The shallow coastal waters around Bahrain are warm and clear - ideal for any number of water sports. Diving, sailing and wind surfing are all popular, and most hotels have their own sailing club to arrange most activities easily.

Golf is popular in Bahrain, and although the facilities are not so developed as they are in Dubai, there are still several challenging courses to choose from.

The inaugural Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix took place in 2004, and has become a favourite with drivers and fans alike. The swooping modern racetrack provides one of the most exciting races of the year, while the unique desert conditions add a frisson of unpredictability to the occasion.