Thinking of making a stopover in Bahrain? Or wondering about visiting Bahrain with kids?
It’s not on everyones radar but here is our experience of visiting Bahrain and everything that you need to know to make your visit to Bahrain a great one too!
- About Bahrain
- Why visit?
- Visas
- Language
- Things to do in Bahrain
- What to wear
- Food
- Getting around Bahrain
- ATM’s and money
- Budget
- Connectivity and WIFI
About Bahrain, quickly
- Full name: Kingdom of Bahrain
- Capital: Manama
- Language: Arabic
- Main Religion: Islam (70%)
- Currency: Bahraini dinar (BHD)
- Population: 1,600,000
- Climate: Arid (mild, pleasant winters; very hot and humid summers)
- Time Zone: National Standard Time (UTC+3)
- Calling Code: +973
- Driving side: Right
- Outlets: Plug Type G (230V / 50 Hz)
Bahrain is an Arabic word meaning “Two Seas”. We learnt that there are two theories as to the history of the name.
One states that it is due to the fact that the islands contain two sources of water – sweet water springs and salty water in the surrounding seas.
And the second makes reference to the south and north waters of the Gulf, separating the islands of Bahrain from the Arabian coast and Iran, respectively.
Getting visas for Bahrain
All visitors entering the Kingdom of Bahrain need a visa, except citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia).
A further 67 countries are eligible to receive a Visa on Arrival at Bahrain International Airport.
As New Zealanders our arrival was very straightforward and the visa is actually issued at immigration (we were looking around for a visa issuing office!).
- Tip: Our Visa on Arrival for Bahrain cost 5 BHD.
Language
Bahrain uses Modern Standard Arabic, a modernized form of classical Arabic, as its official language.
However, English is widely used in schools, and it is a second language that must be taught.
- ‘As-salam’alaykum’: this is the Arabic greeting which translates literally to ‘the peace be upon you’ and is considered the equivalent to “hello” or “hi” (used as a greeting).
- ‘Habibi’ or ‘habibti’: words of endearment meaning “my friend” (m. and f.).
- ‘La’: means “no”. When used repeatedly it simply means “no, no, no”.
- ‘Yallah’: expresses “come on” or “let’s go”.
- ‘Al’hamdu’lil’lah’: translates into “all praise and thanks to God” and is often added after someone giving the answer to “How are you?”.
- ‘Shukran’: Thank you.
Getting to Bahrain
Bahrain’s National Carrier is Gulf Air which has one of the biggest networks in the Middle East. However there are more than 35 international airlines that operates flights to and from the Kingdom of Bahrain.
We flew with Al Jazeera from Kuwait.
- Tip: A 25km causeway (the King Fahad Causeway) links Bahrain with the mainland Arabian Peninsula through Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
And this is the way we exited Bahrain (and entered neighbouring Saudi Arabia).
Things to do in Bahrain
- Qal’at Al-Bahrain: Beautiful ancient fort at the entrance to what was originally the main harbour for Bahrain. It is free to walk around the old fort (and best in the late afternoon golden hour) or you can visit the nearby museum as well.
- Al-Fatih Mosque (Grand Mosque): Free to enter (abayas provided for women) and visit. Tours of the mosque and an introduction to Islam are offered.
- Manama Souk: An awesome place to start exploring Bahrain from and to get a taste (and literally) of culture. All kinds of shops and restaurants (and plenty of fresh juice booths to grab a cool drink).
- Bab Al Bahrain ‘Gateway to Bahrain’: A striking twin-arched gate that stands at the entrance to Manama.
- Beit Al Quran Museum: Translating to ‘House of Quran’, Beit Al Quran is a gallery housing Qur’anic manuscripts from different time periods.
- Bahrain National Museum: The museum houses numerous ancient archaeological artefacts that showcase Bahrain’s long and prominent history in the Gulf.
There is much more to see in Bahrain and plenty to find to explore in Bahrain with kids.
Aside from the fresh fruit juices in the souq our kids particularly enjoyed exploring the Bahrain Fort with freedom to wander (and run) in the setting sun…
What to wear in Bahrain
Although there is no particular dress code or requirements for what to wear in Bahrain, the general rule is to dress modestly in public.
- For ladies this means long skirt or trousers and shoulders covered; ideally long sleeves (or at least to the elbow).
- And for men your clothes should cover your knees when in public.
If you are visiting any of the mosques in Bahrain then ladies will definitely need to adhere to Islamic dress code and cover your hair. I’d recommend carrying a scarf with you in the Middle East anyway but don’t panic if you forget.
- Tip: The Grand Mosque in Manama has abayas and scarfs to borrow and they will be happy to show you how to style it.
Food in Bahrain
Bahrain has a fantastic selection of Middle Eastern style food and fresh fruits that are imported from neighbouring Persian, nearby Turkey and Asian countries.
We found the Manama Souq a great place to try fresh juices and Middle Eastern style meals. And with the high number of guest workers from South Asia there it is also easy to find Pakistani and Indian restaurants.
Some good dishes to try in Bahrain:
- Samboosa (samosa): Thin pastry dough stuffed with different choices of filling
- Balaleet: sweetly spiced vermicelli pasta served with an egg for breakfast
- Nikhee: chickpeas fried in a Bahraini sauce
- Falafel: deep-fried fritters made from chickpeas
- Foul: Fava beans (just try them!)
- Mehyawa: A Persian-inspired sauce of fermented anchovies (got to be tried)
- Machboos: Rice dish with chicken or meat, spices, saffron and dried lime(!)
- Khobez Jebn: Bread dough smeared with spreadable cheese and shaped into a pocket
- Samak safi: local fish found around the island of Bahrain
Finding good food in Bahrain with kids
Finding food in Bahrain with kids is not tricky at all.
Our boys loved the fresh juices and were very happy with the meat kababs (which nearly always come with fries) and fresh flat breads.
- Fresh juices: Find juice shops and stalls everywhere!
- Macaroni taybeen: We had to try this one. It’s literally good old macaroni made with minced meat, tomato paste and vegetables.
- Bahraini halwa: A jelly-like dessert – worth trying (and good for adults with a coffee!).
- Kabab: Our kids love kababs and they can be found anywhere and everywhere.
What about supermarkets or grocery stores in Bahrain?
We found one only two minutes walk from our hotel and it literally had everything we could possibly need!
Bahrain is full with international brands of supermarket (Carrefour) and hypermarkets that stock groceries and all other items.
In larger stores there is often a ‘non-Muslim’ section where you can buy products that are not halal in Islam.
Getting around in Bahrain with kids
The easiest way to get around Bahrain is by car.
The distance from the northern tip of the island of Bahrain to the southern tip is just 50km – of modern highway – with a total drive time of only 50 minutes!
There are many options for car rental and prices are reasonable for a small-medium sized car. (Plus, gas prices in Bahrain are cheaper than in most other parts of the world!).
Highways and major roads on the island are four to six lanes wide and well maintained. Some roads in the older parts of Manama and Muharraq island are much narrower.
Otherwise its very simple to get a taxi and there are hundreds (literally) of taxis to choose from.
Interestingly we learnt that there are two types of taxi: some driven by any workers (eg. Guest workers in Bahrain) and then red and white striped taxis that are only driven by Bahraini citizens.
ATM’s and money
The currency of Bahrain is the Bahraini dinar (BHD). Bank notes come in denominations of BD ½, 1, 5, 10 and 20.
The value of the Bahraini dinar against the US dollar is $2.65 USD. (This makes it one of the world’s strongest currencies!).
As soon as we landed at the airport in Bahrain we found two ATM’s by the arrivals area which were straightforward and we took out some Bahraini dinar for a taxi to our accommodation in the city.
Budget for Bahrain with kids
It’s not the usual tourist destination (especially traveling to Bahrain with kids) but it is possible to explore on a modest(ish) budget.
Here are a few of the (essential!) costs we came across visiting Bahrain with kids:
- Water (1L): BD 0.3
- Fresh juice: BD 1
- Coffee (cappuccino): BD 1.75
- Ice cream: BD 0.5
- Meat kabab: BD 2
- Small grill plate: BD 3
- Chicken tikka: BD 1.5
- Fries: BD 1
- Taxi (5km): BD 3
- Fuel (per litre): BD 0.2
Connectivity, SIM cards and WIFI in Bahrain
It’s easy to buy a local SIM card in Bahrain on arrival at the international airport in Manama. The stores in the arrival area are open 24 hours and you can pay by credit card.
There are 3 main mobile internet providers in Bahrain:
- Zain
- Batelco and
- STC.
All of them sell prepaid sim cards for tourists with fairly similar rates for a short stay in the country.
Otherwise if you are only there for a few days it’s actually easy to navigate and get around with a SIM card.
Hotels have great WIFI and there is often free WIFI in shopping malls and/or Starbucks and large chain shops.
Overall about Bahrain with kids
Bahrain is not the usual holiday destination for traveling families (we know that!). But we found it be an interesting destination and worth making it more than just a stopover.
Locals are friendly and (especially having just come from Pakistan and Bangladesh) there are many guest workers and residents who were happy to welcome a visiting family and proud to show us their home city too.
It is an easy place to get around with kids and there are plenty of accommodation options.
Perhaps the biggest consideration for travel in Bahrain with kids is that it is an expensive travel destination. So plan ahead but if like us you have the opportunity to visit and/or extend a stopover it is worth it to explore!
Useful links for your travel in Bahrain and beyond…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family. And ones that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel!
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. And it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. (We love their flexible cancellation policy!).
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner!
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. It includes everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home).