Intoduction
The 1980s saw a boom in tourism, caused partially by the opening of the 25km causeway linking the island to the East Coast of Saudi Arabia. The government responded to the influx which today is in excess of 2 million people annually by launching a series of tourist strategies aimed at developing the island's potential as a weekend retreat.
In addition to regional tourism, current initiatives are promoting Bahrain as a tourist resort and are bringing tourists from Scandinavia, Russia and even the United States.
While Bahrain's modern facilities cater to the needs of both tourists and locals, the authorities are very concerned about preserving the country's rich cultural heritage. And there is every indication that the formula is working and that Bahrain will retain its popularity with visitors and grow as an international destination.
In addition to regional tourism, current initiatives are promoting Bahrain as a tourist resort and are bringing tourists from Scandinavia, Russia and even the United States.
While Bahrain's modern facilities cater to the needs of both tourists and locals, the authorities are very concerned about preserving the country's rich cultural heritage. And there is every indication that the formula is working and that Bahrain will retain its popularity with visitors and grow as an international destination.
Visa Requirements
British citizens and Gulf Cooperation Council nationals (GCC -- Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman) do not need visas to enter Bahrain. Britons may stay up to one month while GCC nationals are free to stay as long as they like.
On production of a confirmed return or onward air ticket, passport-holders of most other western nations can get a 72-hour transit visa or a 7-day tourist visa upon arrival at Bahrain Airport or at the Bahraini customs post on the causeway from Saudi Arabia. The 72-hour visa costs BD4 and the 7-day one BD8, payable in either Bahraini or Saudi currency. In the transit lounge at the airport there is a money changer. Arrivals at the airport are often asked to show an onward or return air ticket.
Israeli stamps in your passport mean you will not be admitted to Bahrain.
One problem with arriving in Bahrain without a visa is that Bahrain does not recognize the idea of naturalization. In other words, if you are an Indian-born American or Briton who is a naturalized citizen of either country, you remain, as far as Bahraini immigration officials are concerned, an Indian, which means you cannot be issued with a visa at the airport. The best and safest way around this possible problem is to have your visa arranged by one of the larger hotels in Bahrain. (See below.)
Whatever your national background, if you classify yourself as a journalist, writer or editor, you stand a good chance of being refused admittance to Bahrain unless the Ministry of Information is sponsoring your visa. This glitch is also applicable to British citizens even if they are on holiday or in transit for a single night. The ministry normally takes about a week to arrange visas.
Women travelling alone may also experience difficulty in being granted visas at the airport. The rules pertaining to unaccompanied females seem to change frequently. Older women will probably have no problem but younger ones would do well to book a room at a hotel and have the hotel arrange the visa.
Drivers coming from Saudi Arabia are required to sign a guarantee promising to take the car out of Bahrain after a specified time. This paper is very important, as it must be turned in to customs on the way out of the country. A mandatory insurance fee of BD1.5 or SR15 is levied upon each car crossing the causeway.
Arranging a visa through a hotel
A hotel in Bahrain can act as your sponsor. In order to arrange this, send the hotel a fax at least three weeks prior to the date you wish to arrive in Bahrain. Include all your passport data as well as arrival and departure times and the purpose of your visit (tourism is acceptable).
You should give exact information about the time and flight you will arrive on. It is wise to include a telephone number and possibly a fax number where you can be reached. Obviously, it is also a good idea to reconfirm everything by phone a few days before your arrival. The hotel is then your sponsor and the small visa fee -- usually under BD5 -- will be added to your bill. The visa can be collected at the airport, port or on the causeway from Saudi Arabia.
It is unfortunately true that hotels are less eager to arrange visas than they once were. If you can give them a good reason, they will do so though they are happy to extend your visa once you are in the country and are staying in one of their rooms.
Extending Visas
Hotels that can obtain visas can also get them extended. They do prefer, however, to have you get a 72-hour transit visa and then let them handle the extension. The procedure is a simple one: pay the hotel a few dinars -- BD8 plus a hotel charge of BD 2-BD4 -- for a one week extension.
The government is very intolerant of people staying in the country and working on a tourist visa. If you want to stay in the country for more than two weeks, you will almost certainly be asked to explain your reasons.
On production of a confirmed return or onward air ticket, passport-holders of most other western nations can get a 72-hour transit visa or a 7-day tourist visa upon arrival at Bahrain Airport or at the Bahraini customs post on the causeway from Saudi Arabia. The 72-hour visa costs BD4 and the 7-day one BD8, payable in either Bahraini or Saudi currency. In the transit lounge at the airport there is a money changer. Arrivals at the airport are often asked to show an onward or return air ticket.
Israeli stamps in your passport mean you will not be admitted to Bahrain.
One problem with arriving in Bahrain without a visa is that Bahrain does not recognize the idea of naturalization. In other words, if you are an Indian-born American or Briton who is a naturalized citizen of either country, you remain, as far as Bahraini immigration officials are concerned, an Indian, which means you cannot be issued with a visa at the airport. The best and safest way around this possible problem is to have your visa arranged by one of the larger hotels in Bahrain. (See below.)
Whatever your national background, if you classify yourself as a journalist, writer or editor, you stand a good chance of being refused admittance to Bahrain unless the Ministry of Information is sponsoring your visa. This glitch is also applicable to British citizens even if they are on holiday or in transit for a single night. The ministry normally takes about a week to arrange visas.
Women travelling alone may also experience difficulty in being granted visas at the airport. The rules pertaining to unaccompanied females seem to change frequently. Older women will probably have no problem but younger ones would do well to book a room at a hotel and have the hotel arrange the visa.
Drivers coming from Saudi Arabia are required to sign a guarantee promising to take the car out of Bahrain after a specified time. This paper is very important, as it must be turned in to customs on the way out of the country. A mandatory insurance fee of BD1.5 or SR15 is levied upon each car crossing the causeway.
Arranging a visa through a hotel
A hotel in Bahrain can act as your sponsor. In order to arrange this, send the hotel a fax at least three weeks prior to the date you wish to arrive in Bahrain. Include all your passport data as well as arrival and departure times and the purpose of your visit (tourism is acceptable).
You should give exact information about the time and flight you will arrive on. It is wise to include a telephone number and possibly a fax number where you can be reached. Obviously, it is also a good idea to reconfirm everything by phone a few days before your arrival. The hotel is then your sponsor and the small visa fee -- usually under BD5 -- will be added to your bill. The visa can be collected at the airport, port or on the causeway from Saudi Arabia.
It is unfortunately true that hotels are less eager to arrange visas than they once were. If you can give them a good reason, they will do so though they are happy to extend your visa once you are in the country and are staying in one of their rooms.
Extending Visas
Hotels that can obtain visas can also get them extended. They do prefer, however, to have you get a 72-hour transit visa and then let them handle the extension. The procedure is a simple one: pay the hotel a few dinars -- BD8 plus a hotel charge of BD 2-BD4 -- for a one week extension.
The government is very intolerant of people staying in the country and working on a tourist visa. If you want to stay in the country for more than two weeks, you will almost certainly be asked to explain your reasons.
Sights
Tours to historic sights operate daily.
These include the renovated home of a pearl merchant, the old Portuguese forts and the excavations at Saar where visitors can actually walk around the 4000-year-old town.
Many artifacts have been found there and one of the most famous is a perfectly preserved pearl, possibly the oldest in the world. It is now on display at the Bahrain National Museum which houses fine displays of Bahrain's history and heritage and is open six days a week.
Communications
Bahrain's telecommunications services are among the most advanced in the world with direct dialling to most countries. Postal services are speedy and reliable. Both Bahrain International Airport and the Port of Mina Sulman meet the highest international standards and both are very well-serviced.
Bahrain has one of the best telecommunications systems in the world. Virtually any country can be direct-dialled. From outside Bahrain, the country code is 973 followed by the local six digit number. There are no area codes or city codes.
Home Country Direct services are available from any phone in Bahrain. The special numbers are:
Australia 800-061 Canada 800-100 Denmark 800-045 Holland 800-031 Hong Kong 800-852 Japan 800-081 Malaysia 800-060 Philippines 800-163 Singapore 800-065 South Korea 800-082 UK 800-044 USA (AT&T) 800-001 (MCI) 800-002 (Sprint) 800-777
Bahrain has the following national newspapers; Al-Ayam , a leading daily Arabic newspaper, ::I<> the leading daily English newspaper, and The Gulf Daily News an excellent source of information for events in hotels, restaurants, shops etc.
There is a large selection of international publications: Time, Newsweek, The Economist, the International Herald Tribune in addition to British, French and German newspapers and magazines. Foreign newspapers and magazines are generally available a day or two after publication.
Radio Bahrain is on the air 24 hours on several FM and MW frequencies.
Bahrain's English TV is Channel 55, which is on the air daily from 5 or 6 to midnight. After midnight it broadcasts CNN until the resumption of transmission the following day. Bahrain TV also broadcasts BBC World Service TV 24 hours on a local UHF frequency.
According the 1994 estimations there were 130 newspapers, 556 radios, 420 TV sets and 248 main telephone lines per 1000 people.
Bahrain has one of the best telecommunications systems in the world. Virtually any country can be direct-dialled. From outside Bahrain, the country code is 973 followed by the local six digit number. There are no area codes or city codes.
Home Country Direct services are available from any phone in Bahrain. The special numbers are:
Australia 800-061 Canada 800-100 Denmark 800-045 Holland 800-031 Hong Kong 800-852 Japan 800-081 Malaysia 800-060 Philippines 800-163 Singapore 800-065 South Korea 800-082 UK 800-044 USA (AT&T) 800-001 (MCI) 800-002 (Sprint) 800-777
Bahrain has the following national newspapers; Al-Ayam , a leading daily Arabic newspaper, ::I<> the leading daily English newspaper, and The Gulf Daily News an excellent source of information for events in hotels, restaurants, shops etc.
There is a large selection of international publications: Time, Newsweek, The Economist, the International Herald Tribune in addition to British, French and German newspapers and magazines. Foreign newspapers and magazines are generally available a day or two after publication.
Radio Bahrain is on the air 24 hours on several FM and MW frequencies.
Bahrain's English TV is Channel 55, which is on the air daily from 5 or 6 to midnight. After midnight it broadcasts CNN until the resumption of transmission the following day. Bahrain TV also broadcasts BBC World Service TV 24 hours on a local UHF frequency.
According the 1994 estimations there were 130 newspapers, 556 radios, 420 TV sets and 248 main telephone lines per 1000 people.
Treasures of Bahrain
Despite its small landmass and population, Bahrain has a rich cultural heritage dating to about 5,000 years back. The splendour of its ancient civilization is revealed in a wealth of historical treasures housed in its museums.
The Muharraq Museum is a small, one-storey building; unimpressive perhaps at first glance, but containing many fascinating archaeological relics which trace the story of the island's past. These relics are well-illustrated by texts in Arabic and English and also by drawings and photographs.
In the manuscript section, many beautiful old copies of the Quran are on view, with fine examples of centuries-old Arabic calligraphy. Evidence of Bahrain's ancient international trade can be seen in a rare display of Dilmun seals.
For those who enjoy learning more about traditional Bahraini life, the ethnographic section of the museum contains displays of traditional costumes, cooking utensils, a reconstruction of a ::I<>kitchen, as well as models of pearl divers and their boats. Much visited by local schoolchildren, this is a popular attraction.
The construction of the causeway which links Bahrain with Saudi Arabia, and the building of the new ::I<> on the island's West Coast presented colossal problems to Bahraini archaeologists. Bulldozers unearthed thousands of tumuli (burial mounds), which are thought to date back to the Bronze Age, and it was a race against time to explore them before they were destroyed for ever. Sketches were made and many treasures were unearthed and removed to safety -- treasures which include pottery, skeletons, tools and other artifacts. These were stored until the completion of the new museum complex on King Faisal Highway.
Bahrain's comparatively new Heritage Centre was opened on National Day in December 1984. It is situated across the causeway in Manama, and can be found on Government Road in the old law court building. Modeled on the style of a Bahraini house, the Centre contains many artifacts of a bygone era, and seeks to portray traditional occupations and pastimes. The exhibits are housed in a number of rooms, all leading from a central, open-air courtyard. Falconry, pearl-diving and boating all have their own displays.
Rooms on the Centre's first floor reconstruct traditional decor, which has practically disappeared from today's Bahraini houses. The typical kitchen, with its copper pots and pans and its suspended storage shelf, known as almurfa, is well worth a visit. Al-Ma'isha, the living-room, is also an interesting area, but the ::I<> is, without doubt, the wedding bedroom. Decorated with mirrors and huge coloured glass ornaments; this would have been the best room in the bride's father's house. In pride of place stands the huge, four-poster bed, with its wooden canopy draped with a richly decorated awning. In a room such as this, the bridal couple would stay for two weeks after the wedding, until the gift day (adiya).
Other exhibits in this fascinating museum include a display of weapons and a collection of historic photographs, which show the many changes that have taken place in Bahrain over the past half-century.
The Muharraq Museum is a small, one-storey building; unimpressive perhaps at first glance, but containing many fascinating archaeological relics which trace the story of the island's past. These relics are well-illustrated by texts in Arabic and English and also by drawings and photographs.
In the manuscript section, many beautiful old copies of the Quran are on view, with fine examples of centuries-old Arabic calligraphy. Evidence of Bahrain's ancient international trade can be seen in a rare display of Dilmun seals.
For those who enjoy learning more about traditional Bahraini life, the ethnographic section of the museum contains displays of traditional costumes, cooking utensils, a reconstruction of a ::I<>kitchen, as well as models of pearl divers and their boats. Much visited by local schoolchildren, this is a popular attraction.
The construction of the causeway which links Bahrain with Saudi Arabia, and the building of the new ::I<> on the island's West Coast presented colossal problems to Bahraini archaeologists. Bulldozers unearthed thousands of tumuli (burial mounds), which are thought to date back to the Bronze Age, and it was a race against time to explore them before they were destroyed for ever. Sketches were made and many treasures were unearthed and removed to safety -- treasures which include pottery, skeletons, tools and other artifacts. These were stored until the completion of the new museum complex on King Faisal Highway.
Bahrain's comparatively new Heritage Centre was opened on National Day in December 1984. It is situated across the causeway in Manama, and can be found on Government Road in the old law court building. Modeled on the style of a Bahraini house, the Centre contains many artifacts of a bygone era, and seeks to portray traditional occupations and pastimes. The exhibits are housed in a number of rooms, all leading from a central, open-air courtyard. Falconry, pearl-diving and boating all have their own displays.
Rooms on the Centre's first floor reconstruct traditional decor, which has practically disappeared from today's Bahraini houses. The typical kitchen, with its copper pots and pans and its suspended storage shelf, known as almurfa, is well worth a visit. Al-Ma'isha, the living-room, is also an interesting area, but the ::I<> is, without doubt, the wedding bedroom. Decorated with mirrors and huge coloured glass ornaments; this would have been the best room in the bride's father's house. In pride of place stands the huge, four-poster bed, with its wooden canopy draped with a richly decorated awning. In a room such as this, the bridal couple would stay for two weeks after the wedding, until the gift day (adiya).
Other exhibits in this fascinating museum include a display of weapons and a collection of historic photographs, which show the many changes that have taken place in Bahrain over the past half-century.
