Why there is a lot more to Bahrain for the Indian traveller than Grand Prix

Indians are known to travel to the Kingdom of Bahrain, a vital trading link between the East and the West, for business and for their love of the iconic Formula 1 Grand Prix that sees fans from all over the world flock to the country. Competing with the likes of Dubai and Abu Dhabi and poised to emerge as the Gulf world’s most favourite destination, Bahrain had welcomed 10 million tourists in 2022, and Manama, which lies to the north of the main island, was declared the 2024 GCC Tourism Capital, at the seventh meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

In an attempt to further woo business travellers, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has been stepping up massive infrastructure projects such as the Exhibition World Bahrain which opened in November 2022. Attracting the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry, the project is part of the government’s strategy to prioritise investment in infrastructure and focus on projects that will attract high-potential industries. The world-class facility includes 10 halls spread over 95,000 sqm, including a grand hall with a 400-4,000 seat capacity, 95 meeting rooms, 20 translation booths, 14 organiser’s offices, 3 bridal suites and 25 restaurants, cafes and retail experiences. It is the second largest infrastructure project following Bahrain’s new international airport which was launched in January 2021.

Being a sport

However, Bahrain today is looking to lure every kind of traveller. While F1 fans love Bahrain, the Karting Circuit located right next door to the F1 track is also a crowd favourite and makes for an exhilarating experience for newbies and veterans alike. The perks include getting to suit up like a professional and competing with fellow enthusiasts. For those who prefer a sport without all the adrenaline rush, the Royal Golf Club, a premier 18-hole championship standard golf course, meticulously crafted by renowned course architect and golfing icon, Colin Montgomerie, also boasts of a state-of-the-art golf academy.

The natural course

For me, Bahrain’s natural beauty and the warmth of its people are most likely to be the biggest draws for Indian tourists in the years to come. Getting a good guide is also a great way to ensure you get interesting insights into the culture of Bahrain. Our guide, Eman Hassan Ali, was both enterprising and insightful. The island nation, comprising more than 33 islands, is blessed with a quiet charm. Not as chaotic as some of its other Middle-Eastern counterparts, discovering pockets of peace in Bahrain is easy. Bahrain Bay is pretty and a great place to admire the city’s skyline. One of my favourites was Jarada Island which is about an hour’s boat ride away. Jarada is a disappearing island — it goes underwater on certain days, depending on the tide.

Our trip to the island got rescheduled by a day because of bad weather. Even on the day we finally went, we weren’t thrilled about the choppy waters but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Most others decided not to venture out to the island on that day, and as a result, we had the island all to ourselves. The solitude came as a pleasant surprise. It’s the sort of luxury that urban folks in India can only dream of. In times where there are apps to magically remove crowds from a photo, the true magic is in finding a place blessed with natural beauty and being able to really soak it in. Cotton-like clouds sailed in a clear sky allowing us to enjoy the winter sun. The boatmen treated us to a hearty meal. They had carried a portable grill on which they grilled chicken and put together a delicious, fresh salad served with traditional bread, chips and juices.

I had looked up the island online before we went and it seemed gorgeous but packed with tourists. The usual thing to do when you’re planning a trip to Jarada Island from Manama is to sign up with one of the multiple operators who offer water sport options. The boats pick you up from the mainland and carry their own gear for these adventure sports activities. These include jet skiing, snorkelling, diving, kayaking and a bunch of other activities. One can change into swimwear on their respective boats as the island is small and doesn’t have any facilities ashore.

Diving in these gorgeous waters can also be a great way to spend a warm afternoon. Diving for pearls is an added attraction. Few spots in the world have such an abundance of oyster beds, and divers are free to collect as many shells as they can carry on specially organised pearl-diving trips run by certified diving schools and licensed dive centres. Bahrain, known as the Pearl of the Gulf, has always been the global destination for the world’s finest natural pearls. If you are enthusiastic enough, you can try pearl diving in deep waters or even snorkelling in shallow waters. Unlike anywhere else in the world, local and foreign tourists on sanctioned trips have the option to keep or sell any pearls that they find. Anyone who finds a pearl in Bahraini waters is encouraged to get it examined, tested and certified by Danat as a natural saltwater pearl.

While I didn’t dive to find myself a pearl, I admit to having indulged in ‘pearl shucking’. When you crack open an oyster, your guide tells you stories of tourists and locals who have found the biggest and most valuable pearls during this experience. The hope in your heart makes you open oyster after oyster. I opened over 50 oyster shells and did find two tiny pearls to take home.

Where to shop

Pottery in Bahrain is popular just like it is in India. There are shops and workshops started by families who have passed on the art from generation to generation and are happy to allow you to get behind the wheel and indulge you while you create your own masterpiece. We stopped by a traditional market full of family-run workshops in the district of A’ali.

Bahrain is full of large malls that sell both local and International brands. However, I found the local markets charming. The fun of getting a good deal after a hard bargaining exchange is special, especially when the seller and you just about understand each other’s accents. (USD 1 = 0.376 Bahraini Dinar/BD) Arabic is the official language here and English is widely spoken (used as the business language). At the Manama Souq, we heard a mix of accents. The family we bought our fridge magnet from spoke Sindhi. Most shopkeepers speak English and Hindi. Many of them accept USD.

Shops selling curios and souvenirs lined the front of the market while wholesalers of groceries, coffee, spices and soap, crowded the back of the market. The local perfume brands selling Oud (perfumes with a strong and intense aroma) called out to us for a free trial. You can also try a Falafel (I recommend Waheed’s Falafel when you are at Manama Souk), drink some Karak tea (a spiced milk tea much like a desi masala chai, Karak comes from the word Kadak with means hard), or buy some sweet (a bit too sweet for me) jelly-like Bahraini Halwa. The Manama Souk also has shops selling gold jewellery and the coveted Bahraini pearls which are sold in the form of jewellery and also sold by the ounce. You will not find any cultured pearls in the country — in fact it is illegal to bring cultured pearls into Bahrain to sell. The Souk is closed on Fridays.

Religious outings

Located in one of the bylanes of the Souk is a 200-year-old Krishna temple. The idol inside the temple is that of Shreenathji, much like the one in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. In and around the Manama Souq, there is a temple, a synagogue, a church, a Shia mosque, and a Sunni mosque.

We spent a peaceful morning at the grand Al Fateh Mosque which is both Bahrain’s largest place of worship and one of the largest mosques in the world. It was built under the patronage of the late Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa in 1987. With a capacity to accommodate up to 7,000 worshippers, the mosque boasts of floors made of exquisite marble from Italy, a grand chandelier from Austria, doors crafted from Indian teak wood and hand-blown round lamps sourced from France. We chose an Abayah from a little cloakroom for women before we entered the main prayer hall. The tour included a quick introduction to the history of the mosque and also an interesting take on Islam and what’s happening in the world today.

History and stories

One of the best places to understand Bahrain’s history is the Bahrain National Museum. Built on a central location between Manama and Muharraq, the building houses permanent exhibitions that take one back in time to the Dilmun and Tylos eras. It also offers a glimpse into the life on the island before oil was discovered here. Indians will be surprised to find much in common with Islamic and Bahraini traditions. The display includes a glimpse of village life, traditional occupations like dhow building and diving for pearls and shucking them and also a replica of the ancient Dilmun (Bahrain was known as Dilmun in ancient times) burial mounds considered one of the largest graveyards in the world. You can see several such large burial mounds in A’ali. The museum also houses several temporary exhibitions showcasing contemporary art.

Right across from the Bahrain Museum is the Bahrain National Theatre, one of the largest theatres in the Arab world, and the third largest opera house among the Arab countries after the Cairo Opera House in Egypt and the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman.

For those interested in Bahrain’s history, the two other places to find good information are the Bahrain Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the Pearling Path. The area around the fort has been under continuous occupation for 4,000 years, with the first fort being built 3,000 years ago, and the present fort dates from the 6th century AD and was the former capital of Dilmun. The findings of excavations done over the past 50 years can be heard on an audio guide available at the site museum.

The Pearling Path, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the island of Muharraq, showcases life in the pearling industry which shaped Bahrain’s economy until the 1930s, when oil was first discovered on the island. The Bahrain Fort is closed on Mondays but do check ahead of visiting because the fort and Pearling Path can also be closed for repairs on undeclared days.

Where to eat

Bahrain is known for its fresh seafood. We treated ourselves at Safat Seafood Restaurant. Of the dishes that we tried, my favourite was the Machboos or Majboos, a dish which pairs fresh chicken, prawns or meat served with rice mixed with curry. It looks like a Biryani but tastes very different. Another popular local joint is the decades-old Haji Gahwa, in Manama Souk. They open early, run out quickly and their specialty is fresh tandoori breads and kebabs.

Right in the heart of Manama, Block 338 houses a bunch of eclectic cafes, restaurants, art galleries and boutique shops. It is one of Bahrain’s most popular dining districts. I highly recommend the Risotto at Cocos Cafe, a Mediterranean fusion restaurant. If you like French food, look up Cafe Lilou. Don’t miss the fragrant saffron rice and perfectly cooked Salmon and the chicken halloumi salad. They are also popular for their desserts, especially the ones with warm date syrup.