Travel Guide

MUHARRAQ Muharraq, a small island off the north-east tip of Manama, linked by causeway, is part residential and part airport runways and terminals. Once it curved around a bay but recent land reclamation largely filled in the bay leaving a land-locked lake in the centre. A finger of land reaches out Read More

Al Areen Al Areen Wildlife Park and Reserve is certain to be one of the most vivid memories you will take away with you when you leave Bahrain. Here you see Arabian Oryx grazing in the wild. There are only a few hundred of these handsome animals left in the world, and thanks to Bahrain Government fu Read More

Magnificent MasjidsThe oldest mosque in Bahrain is Masjid al Khamis whose earliest sections are calculated to be about at least 1000 years old. The twin minarets, recently restored and making a striking landmark on Sheikh Sulman Highway, were added in the 15th century.In stark contrast, the Grand Ma Read More

Qanats – an early engineering ingenuity – a water distribution system This is an early engineering ingenuity which was not uncommon in this region of the world. Very early, irrigation was through natural springs and surface wells. Then, “Qanat” systems were constructed.  These are t Read More

Basket work This is still practised in certain villages like Karbabad, where various sizes of baskets and traditional dining mats (for the floor) are hand woven under the shelter of a “barasti” in the middle of a date grove. In Jasra village, traditional hand fans and small containers ar Read More

Herbal medicines (or herbal waters) These were basically products of palm tree flowers, pollen and buds, which were distilled in certain villages like Jidhafs. Now a days, many varieties of local and imported herbs are distilled and used as natural remedies. These are sold in the local (central) mar Read More

Coffee pot making These traditional coffee pots were made commonly in copper or very specially in silver, and there are special craftsmen for this dying craft who used to stamp their own variations of the pot designs in a similar way to the practice of gold and silver hallmarking. The traditional st Read More

Fishing and fish traps There are two types of fish traps used in Bahrain. One is called “jarjur” which is made of wire and is shaped like a light weight cage. This is then filled with ground bait and lowered in the sea to entice the fish through a narrow funnel. The second type is called Read More

Dhow building The Webster’s dictionary defines the word “dhow” as a single-masted ship with a lateen sail, sharp prow, deep forefoot, and raised deck at the stern, … . Many variations of dhows were constructed in Bahrain, the most common being: boom, sambuk, shu’ii and Read More

Pearl diving Since ancient times, Bahrain has been famous for pearl diving and for the finest natural pearls in the Gulf area and in the world. Pearl diving reached its climax during the 19th century, before its fall in the early 20th century following the discovery of oil and the introduction of th Read More