Bahrain - The Pearl of the Gulf. Review on Bahrain, General

I recently visited Bahrain and was so impressed by this little island that I thought it deserved an MS review. The only island state in the Gulf, Bahrain is a group of about 33 island in the Persian Gulf surrounded by Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The capital Manama is a bustling modern city in a very old place that lies to the North east of the country. The total area of Bahrain is only about 240 sq miles. And the population consists of a mix of local Bahraini people, Asians, other Arabs and Iranians. This might be the time to mention that although the ruling Al-Kahlifa family are Sunni Muslims, the Bahraini people are predominantly Shia Muslims which means that there are undercurrents of instability flowing through the nations underbelly. That said though, the Al Kahlifa family have been singularly responsible for the economic and social development of the country that doesn’t have oil or gas. They envisioned Bahrain as the financial capital of the Middle East and that it unquestionably is!!

As they say, size doesn’t matter and there is plenty to do and see in this beautiful country. Unfortunately I was working most of the time, and so could not devote much time towards sightseeing, but because the infrastructure is so fantastic and the country so small you can actually fit quite a lot into one day! Only hindrance being the weather – it is probably best to be outdoors either early in the morning or in the evening just before sunset when it is a bit cooler. I just hired a taxi and went for a drive in the city trying to get in as many sights as I could.

As I was staying in the Diplomatic area, it seemed sensible to go over the Muharraq, which is to the East of Manama City. Muharraq has the Beit Seyadi and the Beit Sheikh Isa Bin; two traditional houses dating back to the early 19th century. My taxi driver also took me to the art gallery of a famous Bahraini artist Rashid Orefi. That was a real treat as both Arab and western ideas influence his art - fusion in the best possible way. We then drove over to the restored Portuguese Arad fort passing a small dhow building yard. Dhows are the traditional fishing boats the fishermen still use. But to get to Muharraq we drove over the Sheikh Hamad Causeway – which is a rather spectacular bridge. I take an interest in concrete construction and Bahrain is a really delight in that respect as concrete is the material of choice for construction. Another definitive concrete structure is the Sheikh Fahd Causeway that links Bahrain with Saudi Arabia. It was built in 1986 and opened business and tourism in more ways than one!

Bahrain is known as the pearl of the Gulf as the natural pearls from the area are very famous. Black pearls are a rarity and worth their weight in gold. Most shops in the souk stock them and although they are expensive, I was told, like diamonds, the pearls hold their value in time. The Manama souk is a shoppers delight. It is safe, the locals are friendly and the best bit is that they expect you to haggle. You can get a bargain or two in the gold souk, the cloth souk or the spice souk.

I also managed to squeeze in the Royal Tombs burial mounds in A’ali – largest in the world, the Barbar temple - a complex of three 2nd and 3rd millennium BC temples, probably dedicated to Enki, the God of Wisdom and the Sweet Waters under the Earth and finally the Bahrain fort. Qal’at Al-Bahrain also known as the Portuguese fort is the country’s main archaeological excavation. There are structures from different phases of the city's past; including its Dilmun, Assyrian and Portuguese eras, and the dig is on-going. Other sights to catch in and around Manama are the Grand Mosque, the National Museum and the Beit Al-Qu’ran.

Although my work restricted the amount of sightseeing I could do, I found Bahrain and the history fascinating. Only word of warning for women travellers is if you are staying on your own in a five start hotel, watch out for the Saudi invasion on Wednesday night when they arrive in hordes to booze and chill out in Bahrain. Lock you room and don’t open the door till the next morning!! That said it is still one of the safest countries I have ever travelled to. I found the locals were intelligent and articulate and took an active interest in culture and art. The Bahrainis are friendly and tolerant of other people and generally very very nice. Rather than going to gaudy Dubai I would recommend Bahrain as an off the beaten track tourist destination. There is plenty to do and see without getting overwhelmed.