Travel to Bahrain

The island Arab state of Bahrain attracts tourists with ancient monuments, diverse nature and excellent diving. The colorful capital of Manama, the Formula 1 Grand Prix, hot deserts and beach holidays – all about Bahrain: tours, visa, photos and maps.

The Kingdom of Bahrain (translated from Arabic as “two seas”) is the only Arab island state, the pearl of the Middle East, which includes 33 islands located in the western part of the Persian Gulf, 16 km east of the coast of Saudi Arabia and connected to this country by road bridge.

Bahrain is the smallest Arab state with a coastline of 161 km. Here centuries-old traditions are combined with modern values. Ancient culture and art, history and cuisine, and, of course, the hospitality of Bahrain will not leave indifferent any guest of the country. The natural beauties of Bahrain, combining the sultry desert, sand dunes and unique flora and fauna, cannot be found anywhere else in the world. No wonder it was here, according to biblical traditions, that the Garden of Eden was located.

People come to the country not only for traditional Arabian exotics, here you can also go falconry, dive in search of pearls, ride horses and camels, feel like a Formula 1 racer on high-speed BMW cars, play a game of golf and, of course, go shopping. According to populationmonster, Manama is one of the largest cities in Bahrain.

Chair – Manama.

How to get to Bahrain

The national carrier is Gulf Air. Regular flights on the route Moscow – Manama – Moscow are carried out daily:

• via Cairo (Egypt Air or Egypt Air + Gulf Air)
• via Dubai (Emirates Airlines or Emirates Airlines + Gulf Air)
• via Doha (Qatar Airways or Qatar Airways + Gulf Air)
• via Abu Dhabi (Etihad Airways or Etihad Aiways + Gulf Air)
• via Istanbul (Turkish Airlines or Turkish Airlines + Gulf Air)

Find cheap flights to Bahrain

Visa to Bahrain

Russian citizens can obtain a visa to enter the Kingdom of Bahrain for a period of 2 weeks upon arrival. In addition, it is worth taking out a medical insurance policy for the entire duration of the trip in advance.

Customs

Persons over 18 are allowed duty-free import of up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars and 250 g of tobacco in open packs; up to 1 liter of alcoholic beverages or 6 cans of beer (only non-Muslims are allowed); up to 240 ml of perfumes, gifts with a total value of up to 250 BHD (approximately 600 USD). The import of firearms, ammunition, drugs, jewelry is prohibited (for their export, registration is required), and the import of live poultry from the countries of Southeast Asia is also temporarily prohibited.

Bahrain Hotels

Bahrain has many five-star hotels belonging to global chains, such as The Ritz-Carlton Hotel & Spa, Intercontinental, Sheraton, Radisson SAS, Crowne Plaza, Gulf Hotel, and the oriental fairy tale Banyan Tree Al Areen. Many others are still being completed – the Second Second Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Four Seasons, Sofitel, Kempinski, etc. As well as a huge selection of four-star hotels. It is recommended to stay in hotels of at least 4* categories.

If you want to thank the doorman at the hotel, then here you are your own masters, but it is advisable to leave at least 1 USD.

Currency of Bahrain

The currency of the country is the Bahraini dinar (BHD), in 1 dinar there are 1000 fils. Current exchange rate: 1 BHD = 152.9 RUB (1 USD = 0.38 BHD, 1 EUR = 0.4 BHD).

Climate of Bahrain

Winters are moderate and dry, summers are very hot and humid. The ideal time to visit the country is from October to April. Average temperatures in summer (June-August) are +37…+45 °С. Average temperatures in winter (December-January) are +8…+20 °С. Actual information: weather forecast for the main resorts of Bahrain for the coming days.

Tourist safety

It is forbidden to photograph palaces, government buildings, military installations, as well as oil and gas enterprises. If you want to photograph locals, always ask their permission, especially women, who, however, may well refuse you.

Useful phone numbers

Embassy of Bahrain in Moscow: st. B. Ordynka, 18/1; tel.: +7 (495) 953-00-22, 953-00-33.

Russian Embassy in Manama: 877, Road 3119, Block 331, Zinj, Manama; tel.: 17 725-222; www.bahrain.mid.ru _

Ministry of Tourism and Information: 201-203 or 211-026.

Unified rescue service – 999.

Bahrain’s future

Today, Bahrain is a major center for offshore financial institutions. A so-called financial haven is being built here, which is expected to attract major financial institutions around the world.

Another global project is the construction of a resort city located on 20 sq. km. Durrat Al Bahrain and Amwaj Island will have their own theme parks, hotels, marinas, in a word, all the necessary tourist infrastructure.

Style and fashion

In Bahrain, a free style of clothing is common, however, this is a Muslim country, and clothing should be modest, especially outside the city. In beachwear, you can visit any beach clubs, beach hotels, swimming pools. Light summer clothing is appropriate for most of the year. Sweaters and jackets may be needed during the winter months, especially in the evenings. Hats, sun protection and good quality sunglasses are recommended in direct sunlight.

History and political system

At the very beginning of the 18th century. The Uteiba tribe moved from Najd (Arabian Peninsula) to the coast of the Persian Gulf, led by such large clans as Al-Khalifa, Al-Sabah, Al-Jalahima. Part of the Uteiba tribe, which was under the leadership of the Al Khalifa family, migrated to the Qatar peninsula and settled in the village of Zubara, on the northeast coast of Bahrain Bay. In the mid-70s, already being the ruler of Zubara, a representative of the Al Khalifa clan, Sheikh Mohammed (1767-1780), obtained from the Iranian ruler Kerim Khan the lease of the Bahraini archipelago neighboring Qatar for a period until 1782. Thus, representatives of the Al Khalifa clan first appeared in Bahrain.

The independence of the country was proclaimed on August 14, 1971. In May 1973, the first Constitution of Bahrain came into effect. The current ruler of Bahrain, Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, came to power on March 6, 1999 after the death of his father, Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa (1961-1999). On February 14, 2002, the emir signed the law on amendments to the existing Constitution. In accordance with the signed law, the emirate was transformed into a constitutional kingdom, and the Emir of Bahrain himself was proclaimed king.

According to biblical traditions, it was in Bahrain that the Garden of Eden was located.

Cuisine and restaurants of Bahrain

The country is known for its gastronomic finesse. There is a wide selection of restaurants with cuisine from around the world – Arabic, Iranian, Lebanese, European, Mexican, Thai, Indian and even Russian. Along with a variety of international cuisines, Bahrain presents gourmet Arabic cuisine complemented by a wide selection of local seafood dishes. So, here you can taste fish or meat with mahbus rice, fish fried on an open fire or coals, all kinds of pilaf, stew with vegetables “yakhni”, mutton stewed with vegetables, barbecue “tikka”, chicken stewed in tomato sauce Dajaja meat, lamb cutlets, duck or turkey with rice and vegetables.

For dessert in Bahrain, they serve brown sweet rice with sugar or Muhammar dates, traditional oriental sweets, as well as fresh fruits and dates that grow in abundance here. Of the drinks, preference is, of course, given to coffee, the preparation of which is a special ritual, and a distinctive feature of Bahrain is that alcoholic drinks are sold here. Local alcoholic drinks include beer and aniseed vodka “arak”.

The sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited for 24 hours after sunset on the eve of each religious holiday.

Shopping and stores

Like any Arab country, Bahrain is replete with traditional markets where you can buy everything from local crafts to products. So, popular markets include Bab Al Bahrain – in the center of Manama, which includes many shops and shops selling clothes, jewelry, spices and much more. Also in the center of the capital is the Gold Souk (Gold Souq), offering a huge selection of gold products. For those wishing to purchase pottery, there is a special Yatama Souq market located in the city of Hamad.

The exquisite pearls that Bahrain is famous for can be bought at pearl farms and pearl auctions. There are also modern shopping complexes in Bahrain, for example, in the capital, these are: Seef Mall, which includes more than 300 shops and boutiques, Yateem Center, Bahrain City Center shopping and entertainment center, Marina Mall, Dana Mall, Al-Aali Mall, Country Mall, Al Mehza Complex, Layali Shopping Center, Sitra Mall, Isa Town, etc. There are also many large supermarkets: Jawad Food Garden, Carkefoor, Oriental Supermarket, Mega Mart, Al Jazira, etc.