Why you should book a holiday in Bahrain
From beautiful beaches to pearl diving, desert safaris to the Grand Prix, the Gulf Kingdom has plenty to offer
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Before the retreat of the tides and before the sun dips below the horizon, Bahrain lends itself to adventure. You can seek it out on open ocean, in the desert, in ruined forts and rambling souqs, or in the company of locals eager to share the secrets of their country. The kingdom is where the first oil in the Arabian Gulf was discovered in 1932, not that you’d know it: the archipelago is home to five protected nature areas, four of them at sea, and the land is a refuge for gazelles, desert rabbits and reptiles, as well as scores of rare butterfly and bird species. Small wonder certain scholars consider it the original Garden of Eden.
Take a speedboat trip
Start at pace with an early morning speedboat trip to the pristine Hawar Islands, the kingdom’s most spectacular nature reserve. Here, you’ll be in company with the world’s largest population of Socotra cormorants, as well as dugongs and herds of Arabian oryx. Before it gets too hot, island-hop or don a snorkel and fins for a pearl-diving masterclass, then moor off a windswept sandbar to claim your own private beach for an hour or two.
Back at harbour, take the road less-travelled back in time to see Bahrain’s three stand-out cultural hits. Best viewed at sunset, when floodlights illuminate its ancient arches, your first stop should be Qal’at al-Bahrain, the ancient Dilmun fort and one of the Kingdom’s Unesco world heritage sites dating back more than 4,000 years.
For a more modern twist, take a stroll through Block 338. The trendy Bahrain neighbourhood is crammed with cool restaurants, murals and stenciled graffiti, some from the likes of Huvil, Bahraini’s very own Banksy.
Archaeological treasures
A visit to Manama Souq is a must - a riddle of lanes and meandering alleyways, it’s where shopkeepers haggle with locals. Then it’s Bahraini cuisine for lunch: a biryani or just-landed hammour grill from one of the neighbourhood’s standout restaurants. Saffron and Haji Gahwa are perennial favourites.
Across the Shaikh Hamad Causeway, the road leads to the dazzling National Theatre of Bahrain in Manama. Designed to mirror a mother-of-pearl jewellery box (a subtle nod to the kingdom’s seafaring heritage), the showpiece arts venue is a puzzle of arabesque lattices and Escher staircases, with a 1,001-seater auditorium. Scheherazade, the storyteller at the heart of Arabia’s most beloved collection of folk tales (One Thousand and One Nights, if you haven’t already guessed) would appreciate the homage.
At sunset, there are few better diversions than buckling up for a white-knuckle jeep safari into the golden dunes of the interior. Squeezed between city and sea, the ridges rise and fall as if the bellows of an accordion, the 4x4s caught in swirls of billowing sand. If that inspires you, come when the land cools to see Bahrain shift up a gear for the annual Formula 1 Grand Prix in spring. It’s the country’s banner event, with the next race scheduled to take place from 28-31 March 2019.
Sun, sea, scuba, souqs and full-throttle speed: what’s not to like?
For a fun, culture-filled holiday, discover the warmth of Bahrain. Find out what else it has to offer at btea.bh
Book your trip to Bahrain with Travelbag from £599pp at travelbag.co.uk