Bahrain, commonly called Dawlat-al-Bahrain and formerly as Dilmun, is a small but beautiful island in the Persian Gulf. The literal meaning of Bahrain is ‘two seas’, which refers to the springs of water from the seas and used by the country’s pearl divers.
Though small, there are many attractions in the island nation which people can enjoy on a visit there. It is a safe bet to use public buses there, if one doesn’t have a car, as they are rather good and inexpensive, and one should avoid taxis as their charges are very high. Manama is Bahrain’s capital, having the largest souk or market, commonly known as Bab-al-Bahrain (the Gateway of Bahrain). You can get the best bargains there and exploring the whole of it in one day is practically impossible. There are a good number of shopping complexes and malls where one can spend hours shopping, window shopping, eating in the various eateries that abound and just watching other people empty their wallets.
For those interested in buying gold jewellry, the Gold Souk is the place to head for as it has a wide range of jewellry and accessories made from gold. As for the prices, they are reasonable, particularly when compared to what one has to pay for them back home. Most shopkeepers are Asian, in general, and from the subcontinent, in particular, so one won’t have any trouble when bargaining.
National Museum in Manama is worth a visit even if you are not interested in history. Bait-al-Quran (the House of Quran) is an exclusive museum devoted to the Holy Quran, and with a research centre in it. It has a large collection of the Holy Scripture, and among them are some verses of the Holy Quran that have been written using rice grains. This is a spectacular sight, indeed. Everybody is welcome at Bait-al-Quran, as non-Muslims are not restricted from entering. Al-Fatih Mosque is also a must-go as it is believed to be the country’s largest building. Here too, entry is permitted to non-Muslims.
Jebel Dukhan, the mountain of smoke, is the highest point in Bahrain. From its top, one can have a magnificent view of almost the entire island of Bahrain. However, as it is now a military zone, so climbing and photography is strictly prohibited and visitors are advised to visit before sunset.
The King Fahad Causeway is a bridge spanning 25km and connecting Bahrain with Saudi Arabia. Opened in 1986, it is one of the most expensive bridges in the world. It passes through the Umm Nasan Island, a wildlife sanctuary that also has a restaurant. The residents of Bahrain often use this route when going for Umrah or Hajj rather than going by air. Some people also go just as far as Umm Nasan Island for an outing, while others head for Damam to shop, as goods there are comparatively cheaper than in Bahrain.
Bahrain has a number of forts that are very popular with tourists, and, among them, Bahrain Fort, Arad Fort and Riffa Fort are worth mentioning. The fireworks display on every National Day at the Riffa Fort is an stunning sight, and a good number of people come there to watch it. Riffa Fort was used as a private residence and has only recently been restored and opened for public.
During the month of Ramazan, there is a change in the everyday routine — the markets are deserted during the fasting hours and most people prefer to remain indoors. Eating in public places during fasting hours is prohibited and one can be fined for doing so. During this month, Arab children go from door to door and ask for different things, such as cookies and coins. They carry small bags and sing Arabic songs, which reminds one of what children in the West do during Christmas time. This often continues till Eid day. On Eid, they often ask for eidee in cash. So many people keep loose change especially for this purpose. This is just a mode of enjoyment for them as these are not beggers or poor children, some of them come from very well-to-do families.
Bahrain is famous for its parks and wildlife sanctuary. The most famous park is Adhari Park, which is a treat for kids in particular. It has a large variety of rides and slides, and many other things to offer. There is no entrance ticket, but you have to pay for some of the rides, while there are some free rides too. Apart from Adhari Park, there is Al Qassari Park, Water Garden, Andalus Garden and Salmaniya Garden that make ideal picnic spots for everyone. The Al-Areen Wildlife Sanctuary is famous for housing Arabia’s aboriginal animal species, including the Arabian oryx. Visitors are not allowed to roam about in the sanctuary as the animals are freely moving around. A special bus service offers rides to visitors and a guide in it tells them about the sanctuary and its animals.
The beaches of Bahrain are really awe-inspiring as you get to view beautiful date trees lining up along the beaches and the sea breeze gentling blowing. Al-Jazayer is the largest and most popular beach of Bahrain, while Al-Dar Islands and Hawar Islands are also places that should not be missed.
The Port of Mina Salman is a happening place to be during festivals and special occasions. It is lively and has a large number of restaurants to suit all kinds of tastes. Those going to any of the Pakistani restaurants are likely to be disappointed as one will find few authentic desi cuisines and more curious mixtures of flavours that cannot be classified as Pakistani.
Bahrain’s culture is very vivacious and effervescent — as it is a melting pot of nationalities — thought deeply rooted in Arab and Islamic culture. Kehwa, or special Arabic tea that is without milk, is widely used in Bahrain. As for food, shawarma is the king of Arabian cuisine. It is made of lamb or chicken cooked and served with the local version of roti or bread. Harisa is also another mouthwatering dish made by cooking mutton or beef overnight.
The climate of Bahrain is very hot and humid during the summers, but arid and mild during winters. The best time to explore Bahrain is from November to February, when the weather is pleasant. However, as air conditioners are used extensively everywhere, one can beat the heat by staying indoors or going out during the evenings and nights. It rarely rains in Bahrain, but whenever it does it is a heavy shower after which the landscape comes alive and turns green in the days that follow.
Bahrain is known across the world for its pearls and, thus, called the Pearl of the Arabian Gulf. The waters off the shore of Bahrain are rich in pearls and it is considered as one of the nation’s natural resources. Though not generally known as a tourists destination, Bahrain has much to offer to visitors of all ages.
Bahrain, commonly called Dawlat-al-Bahrain and formerly as Dilmun, is a small but beautiful island in the Persian Gulf. The literal meaning of Bahrain is ‘two seas’, which refers to the springs of water from the seas and used by the country’s pearl divers.
