Travelling To Bahrain For The First Time? What Should Not Be Missed in Bahrain

Is Bahrain worth visiting? This is the first thing which comes to the mind when we hear of this Middle Eastern country. Bahrain is one of the emerging destinations in the tourist map of the Middle East currently, offering some of the most immersive experiences from enriching history, old civilizations, and deep-rooted cultures to culinary delights to the tourists. Bahrain is definitely worth visiting if you are looking for unique travel experiences. Bahrain literally means “Two Seas”, is an archipelago of 33 islands, located off the coast of Saudi Arabia.

The close proximity, less than an hour from Dubai by air makes Bahrain as the preferred destination for weekend travelers, especially for those living in Dubai. This small yet enchanting destination is alluring and flaunts rich island life. Whether it is the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Manama’s huge expat population, striking desert dunes, alluring views of the islands, rapidly growing culinary scene or sights of high rise buildings, Bahrain offers multi-layers of experiences. More than anything, the excellent connectivity of GulfAir from various cities of the world is making Bahrain easily accessible.

If you are travelling to Bahrain for the very first time, here are the top experiences you should indulge in. Bahrain will amaze you with its splendid and unforgettable unique experiences.

Diving for Pearls

Bahrain was once the biggest supplier of 80% of the world’s pearl market. Tourists can now explore the 400 square miles of oyster beds and experience the pearl diving in Bahrain. This is one of the most unique experiences one should indulge in when in Bahrain.You can delve deep into the Arabian Gulf and experience pearl snorkelling. If you are lucky enough, you might come across a pearl which you can just keep it as a souvenir. This is one of the exclusive experiences you can take back from this amazing country.

Experience Ahmed Al Fateh Grand Mosque

When in Bahrain, visiting grand mosque is absolutely mandatory. It is one of the top tourist attractions in Manama. It is one of the largest mosques in the world, having the capacity to accommodate over 7,000 worshippers at a time. The Al faith Grand mosque was built using marble from Italy, teak wood from India, and glass from Austria. One of the attractive features of the mosque is the fibreglass dome, which is the largest in the world. The impressive architectural details of the mosque are something one should experience in Bahrain. The mosque is open for tours daily from 9am to 4pm (except Fridays). It is advisable to dress moderately while visiting the mosque.

Visit Souqs

One of the things about the Middle East that makes them stand apart is their traditional markets known as Souq. Whether in Iran, Qatar or in Bahrain, you will be amazed by these markets, selling all kind of products from souvenirs, clothing, food, lamps, spices, dates, artefacts, colourful mosaic lamps, wooden chests, Abayas , scarves and gold. You name it and they have it. So when in Bahrain, visiting Manama Souq is mandatory. The narrow alleyways and the colourful shops selling all kinds of goods also give you a rare glimpse of the bygone era. Don’t forget to buy Exotic Persian rugs, Arabic perfumes, Bakhoor and other homewares. If you are a gold lover, visiting Gold City in Manama souq is a must. Bahrain’s gold is said to be of the most premium quality. So, indulge in shopaholic mood while exploring Manama souq.

Tree of Life

The Tree of Life is one of Bahrain’s major tourist destinations, located in the middle of the desert. This mysterious tree has survived for hundreds of years with no obvious source of water.This lonesome tree has captivated locals for centuries and has now become one of the must visit tourist spots in the country. The age of the tree is more than 400 years which makes it one of the remarkable natural wonders of the world. With 32 feet in height, the tree has continued growing-despite the harsh temperatures, lack of fresh water, and nutrients. The Tree Of Life is located 2 kilometres away from Jebel Dukhan.

Relish Bahrain Food

The Bahrain cuisine is a medley of flavours wrapped with a variety of spices. Due to its huge population of expats in the country, you will not just get to indulge in the traditional Bahrain food, but lip-smacking international cuisines as well. Bahrain has slowly become one of the exciting culinary destinations in the world, housing some of the world famous restaurants and cafes. One should not miss the epic Bahraini breakfast.The balaleet, sweet vermicelli with a hint of cardamom and egg pancakes are amust have in your breakfast. You will often see Khubus, traditional Bahrain bread on the breakfast table. It is extremely soft when taken out hot from the oven.There are a few Bahrain dishes one should not miss and one of them is the popular Machboos, a mixture of fragrant rice with meat. For a lavish dinner, don’t forget to have Qouzi, a sumptuous preparation of stuffed lamb with rice. If you enjoy dessert, you will definitely love the traditional Halwa Bahraini, made of corn starch and rapeseed oil unlike semolina or flour.


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Travelling to Bahrain for the first time? What should not be missed in Bahrain

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12 Comments

  1. Alan

    This blog was so nice and really learn something on your blogs.

    Reply
  2. Iuliana Marchian

    I am so interested in the Arab countries that Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuweit have been on my list for a while. I even have a friend in Bahrain but haven’t managed to get there and visit him. When I visited UAE, diving for Pearls was also one of the traditional activities of the local people. Of course, souqs and mosques are so customary that I can’t wait to hear again the call to prayer. I am not a religious practicant, but when I hear that sound of the muezzin, i simply know that I am traveling and I am so grateful for that.

    Reply
  3. James

    Nice Blog and it is really very knowledgeable…keep posting blog like that.
    Thanks a lot for this awesome article.

    Reply
  4. Daniel

    I’m planning a trip to Bahrein in December and this was a very useful read. I was having second thoughts when booking my ticket because I never considered Bahrein as a tourist destination. However, after reading this, I know I made the right choice and that Bahrein is definitely a country worth visiting.

    Reply
  5. Amrita

    We don’t usually consider Bahrain as a tourism destination, but it seems the place offers diverse experiences. I am particularly intrigued by the Tree of Life. I think nature finds its way to survive even in harshest conditions. Can we really get a pearl while diving and keep it for ourselves? Don’t we have to pay anything for it?

    Reply
  6. Rachelle

    Pearl diving sounds like something out of a movie! I had no idea that so many pearls came from Bahrain. Crazy. I don’t know of any other place in the world to have such an experience.
    And I know very little about Bahrain’s cuisine. Machboos sounds like something I’d definitely love to taste someday!

    Reply
  7. Clarice

    Yes, totally agree with you that you that Bahrain is indeed a great place to purchase your pearls. I got a few from my mom during her latest trip to Bahrain.

    Pearl snorkelling sounds interesting. It’s my first time to hear about it. Would love to try in the future.

    Reply
  8. Pooja Shah

    Bahrain was never in my travel bucket list but after reading your post it seems like a must-visit place. Especially for the grand architecture of the mosques and the lovely souqs. I would love to dive but I am strictly against collecting pearls though!

    Reply
  9. Soumya Gayatri

    I traveled to Bahrain just once and that was for work. Did not know there was so much to see and do here. I am intrigued by the Tree of Life. Sounds fascinating to me. Also diving for pearls would be wonderful. You have some great choices here.

    Reply
  10. Jessica Pascoe

    Thank you for this post, I found it really informative. I’ve not really traveled much in the Middle East. Would you say that Bahrain is relatively safe for a solo female traveler and is it as Westernised as Dubai/Abu Dhabi or not as much? Also, diving for pearls sounds absolutely fascinating. How much would that activity cost to do?

    Reply
  11. Mijia Eggers

    The middle east country is always so mysterious in my view. I would like to visit there but somehow there are many barriers before me. At least, I can see the place virtually through this post and get some basic knowledge of this place from a traveler’s point of view. Thanks for letting us know.

    Reply
  12. Asif Qamar

    Nice post.
    Thank you for sharing a informative information with us.
    Visit my links to find best Industrial Training Institute in India.

    Reply

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