Tourism in Bahrain
Encyclopedia
Bahrain
receives two million tourists a year. Most visitors are from Arab states of the Persian Gulf
but there are an increasing number of tourists from outside the region.
The Lonely Planet
guide describes Bahrain as "an excellent introduction to the Gulf" because of its Arab
heritage and the reputation that it used to enjoy as safe and modern. The ancient civilisation of Dilmun
, which dominated trade between Mesopotamia
and the Indus Valley Civilization
, was centred in Bahrain. The inhabitants of Dilmun left behind settlements and temples and tens of thousands of burial mounds which dot the landscape.
s including Bahrain Fort, also known as the Portuguese Fort. It is located near Karranah, a small village on the northern coast of Bahrain Island
. The fort has been listed by UNESCO
as a World Heritage Site
. Archaeologists have also discovered seven distinct foundations, which have been dated to 2500 BC.
Arad Fort
is located on Muharraq Island
in the town of Arad
. It is initially built by Arabs towards the end of the 16th century. The fort was captured by the Portuguese around 1559 and changed hands again in 1635 after being captured by Omanis.
Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort or Riffa Fort
is located in Riffa. This 19th century fort was built for its strategic location, on an escarpment overlooking the Hunanaiya valley.
, one of the island's most distinctive pieces of architecture, is home to a rare collection of Islamic manuscripts, prints and books. It is located in Hoora
, part of the capital, Manama
.
The Bahrain National Museum
has a collection of artifacts
from the Kingdom's history dating back to the island's first human inhabitation 9000 years ago.
The Oil Museum is located near Jabal Ad Dukhan. It was built to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first discovery of oil in the Persian Gulf, it exhibits old photographs, drilling equipment and a working model of an oil rig.
, Amwaj Islands
, Lulu Island, Riffa Views and Bahrain Bay. Al Marsa, which means 'jetty' or 'harbour' in Arabic is a floating island that is being built with an investment of US$70 million.
At the 2009 Grand Prix, BIC announced a collaboration with Bahrain to develop land next to the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit
.
The Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park is located next to Al Areen Wildlife Park
within the Southern Governorate
.
oasis
- The largest stand alone waterpark in the Middle East
. It features 18 slides, pools, fountains and attractions. Its theme is from Bahrain’s heritage (the Dilmun
empire). The Lost Paradise of Dilmun and the adjacent 5-star Al Areen Palace are the first components in the US1.3 billion Al Areen Development.
Tickets prices are based on height; over 1.2m (15 BHD) under 1.2m (5 BHD)
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
receives two million tourists a year. Most visitors are from Arab states of the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
but there are an increasing number of tourists from outside the region.
The Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world. The company is owned by BBC Worldwide, which bought a 75% share from the founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler in 2007 and the final 25% in February 2011...
guide describes Bahrain as "an excellent introduction to the Gulf" because of its Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
heritage and the reputation that it used to enjoy as safe and modern. The ancient civilisation of Dilmun
Dilmun
Dilmun or Telmun is a land mentioned by Mesopotamian civilizations as a trade partner, a source of the metal copper, and an entrepôt of the Mesopotamia-to-Indus Valley Civilization trade route...
, which dominated trade between Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
and the Indus Valley Civilization
Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that was located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and northwest India...
, was centred in Bahrain. The inhabitants of Dilmun left behind settlements and temples and tens of thousands of burial mounds which dot the landscape.
Forts
The island is home to many castleCastle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
s including Bahrain Fort, also known as the Portuguese Fort. It is located near Karranah, a small village on the northern coast of Bahrain Island
Bahrain Island
Bahrain Island is the largest island within the archipelago of Bahrain, and forms the bulk of the country's land mass while hosting the majority of its population. Around most of the Island of Bahrain is a relatively shallow inlet of the Persian Gulf known as the Gulf of Bahrain...
. The fort has been listed by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. Archaeologists have also discovered seven distinct foundations, which have been dated to 2500 BC.
Arad Fort
Arad Fort
Arad Fort is a 15th century fort in Arad, Bahrain. Arad Fort was built in the typical style of Islamic forts during the 15th century A.D. before the Portuguese invasion of Bahrain in 1622 A.D. This fort is one of the compact defensive forts in Bahrain. In its present location, it overlooks various...
is located on Muharraq Island
Muharraq Island
Muharraq Island is the third largest island in the archipelago of Bahrain after Bahrain Island and Hawar Island. It is named after Muharraq City, the former capital of Bahrain.There are several towns and villages located on the Island, including:...
in the town of Arad
Arad, Bahrain
Arad is a town in Bahrain, located on Muharraq Island. It lies east of Muharraq City and northwest of Hidd. It was originally a small farming village inhabited by Baharna Shia...
. It is initially built by Arabs towards the end of the 16th century. The fort was captured by the Portuguese around 1559 and changed hands again in 1635 after being captured by Omanis.
Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort or Riffa Fort
Riffa Fort
Built as a fort during the reign of the Persian Safavid Empire of Iran over Bahrain during the 17th century, the fort was converted into a residence in the 18th century for Sh.Salman Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, in 1812, Riffa Fort or it is now named , in the Kingdom of Bahrain offers a splendid view...
is located in Riffa. This 19th century fort was built for its strategic location, on an escarpment overlooking the Hunanaiya valley.
Islands
- Al Dar Islands
- Hawar IslandsHawar IslandsThe Hawar Islands are a group of islands situated off the west coast of Qatar in the Gulf of Bahrain of the Persian Gulf.Despite their proximity to Qatar , the islands...
: a group of islands off the west coast of QatarQatarQatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
in the Gulf of BahrainGulf of BahrainThe Gulf of Bahrain is an inlet of the Persian Gulf on the east coast of Saudi Arabia, separated from the main body of water by the peninsula of Qatar. It surrounds the islands of Bahrain. The King Fahd Causeway crosses the western section of the Gulf of Bahrain, connection Saudi Arabia to Bahrain.... - Durrat Al BahrainDurrat Al BahrainDurrat Al Bahrain is the largest artificial island in Bahrain after the Amwaj Islands. The US$6 billion project will consist of a series of 13 large artificial islands, covering an area of over...
: a land-reclamation development similar to DubaiDubaiDubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
's Palm IslandsPalm IslandsThe Palm Islands are an artificial archipelago in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on which major commercial and residential infrastructures will be constructed...
Malls
Bahrain City Centre, in Manama.Museums
Beit Al Qur'anBeit Al Qur'an
Beit Al Qur'an is an Islamic museum at Hoora, Bahrain. The museum was built to accommodate a comprehensive and valuable collection of the Qur'an and rare manuscripts, a concept which is unique in the Persian Gulf...
, one of the island's most distinctive pieces of architecture, is home to a rare collection of Islamic manuscripts, prints and books. It is located in Hoora
Hoora
Hoora is one of the busy parts of Manama, the capital of Bahrain.Along with the Central Business District, Adliya, and Juffair, Hoora is considered as one of Manama's nightlife centres, with many bars, hotels, restaurants, pubs and nightclubs , and it is very popular with Arab visitors to...
, part of the capital, Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
.
The Bahrain National Museum
Bahrain National Museum
The Bahrain National Museum is the largest and one of the oldest museums in Bahrain. It is constructed near the King Faisal Highway in Manama and opened in December 1988. The museum complex covers 27,800 sq meters and consists of two buildings...
has a collection of artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
from the Kingdom's history dating back to the island's first human inhabitation 9000 years ago.
The Oil Museum is located near Jabal Ad Dukhan. It was built to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first discovery of oil in the Persian Gulf, it exhibits old photographs, drilling equipment and a working model of an oil rig.
Tourism developments
The government of Bahrain has encouraged tourism development and contributes to large-scale tourism projects. Resorts planned in Bahrain include the Al Areen Resort, Dannat Hawar, Durrat Al BahrainDurrat Al Bahrain
Durrat Al Bahrain is the largest artificial island in Bahrain after the Amwaj Islands. The US$6 billion project will consist of a series of 13 large artificial islands, covering an area of over...
, Amwaj Islands
Amwaj Islands
Amwaj Islands are a group of man-made islands located in the northeast of Bahrain, near the coast of Muharraq island. It covers roughly 2 790 000 m² ....
, Lulu Island, Riffa Views and Bahrain Bay. Al Marsa, which means 'jetty' or 'harbour' in Arabic is a floating island that is being built with an investment of US$70 million.
At the 2009 Grand Prix, BIC announced a collaboration with Bahrain to develop land next to the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit
Bahrain Grand Prix
The Bahrain Grand Prix is a Formula One Championship race which first took place at the Bahrain International Circuit on 4 April 2004.The Bahrain Grand Prix, sponsored by Gulf Air, made history as the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East...
.
The Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park is located next to Al Areen Wildlife Park
Wildlife Park
Wildlife Park is a construction and management simulation game released in 2003. Like Zoo Tycoon and Zoo Empire, the game involves players in building a wildlife park or zoo.-Animal list:45 animals were included in the original game....
within the Southern Governorate
Southern Governorate
The Southern Governorate is the largest of the five governorates of Bahrain. It includes parts of Bahrain's old municipalities - Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, and Juzur Hawar...
.
Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park
Bahrain’s US$50 million Lost Paradise of Dilmun (LPOD) opened in September 2007, set in 77,000 square meters of desertDesert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
oasis
Oasis
In geography, an oasis or cienega is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source...
- The largest stand alone waterpark in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. It features 18 slides, pools, fountains and attractions. Its theme is from Bahrain’s heritage (the Dilmun
Dilmun
Dilmun or Telmun is a land mentioned by Mesopotamian civilizations as a trade partner, a source of the metal copper, and an entrepôt of the Mesopotamia-to-Indus Valley Civilization trade route...
empire). The Lost Paradise of Dilmun and the adjacent 5-star Al Areen Palace are the first components in the US1.3 billion Al Areen Development.
Tickets prices are based on height; over 1.2m (15 BHD) under 1.2m (5 BHD)