According to themakeupexplorer, Bahrain (Arabic: مملكة البحرين, Mamlakat al-Bahrayn) is an island nation in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Bahrain (Asia) that has been independent from the United Kingdom since 1971. Bahrain is made up of 33 islands that are interconnected and landlocked between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The name Bahrain literally means two seas in Arabic. The capital of Bahrain is Manama. A number of major cities in Bahrain are: Muharraq, Hammad Town and Reffa.
Bahrain is mainly known as a rich oil state and for its Formula 1 circuit. Bahrain has an important economic and financial position within the oil world due to its central location. That is why a large part of the economy is based on it. The population mostly lives from tourism. On the coastline you will find many luxury hotels and a few beautiful sandy beaches. The most beautiful beach in Bahrain is Al Jazayir. The waters around Bahrain are known for the many coral species and the large oysters. The country is therefore known for divers who dive for pearls, coral reefs and wrecks (shipwrecks and plane wrecks). Bahrain is also known for its exotic fruits such as mango, banana, lemon and dates. See vaoltedwatches for Middle East definition.
Where is Bahrain?
Travel information of Bahrain
Official name: Kingdom of Bahrain
Continent: Asia
Area: 694 km²
Capital: Manamah (Manama)
Country code: BH, BHR
Population: 1,501,635 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Constitutional monarchy
Highest point: 134 m (Jabal ad-Dukhan (Mountain of Smoke))
Distance (Amsterdam – Manama): 4,771 km
Flight time: approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: Attention, safety risks.
Current color code: Yellow.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place in Bahrain that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Bahrain, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Bahrain. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Bahrain?
Weather and climate
The climate is dry and warm. In the summer months, temperatures range from 25 to 40 degrees. In the winter months, these temperatures are between 15 and 25 degrees. The desert areas often experience sand storms.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Bahrain can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Bahrain can be found at Climate info.
Best time
January, February, March, April, November and December are the best months to travel to Bahrain. In these months you avoid the hottest summer months with the accompanying sandstorms and summer winds. The desert is in bloom during the months of January and February.
Language
Arabic is the official language in Bahrain. In addition, English, Farsi and Urdu are spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into Arabic for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Bahrain.
A visa is required. This can be purchased online at evisa.gov.bh or upon arrival in Bahrain (valid for a maximum of 14 days).
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Dutch Embassy in Kuwait (also for Bahrain): netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulate in Bahrain: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Bahrain in the United Kingdom (also for the Netherlands):
bahrainembassy.co.uk.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Bahrain, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency
In Bahrain, payment is made with the Bahraini dinar (BHD).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Bahrain can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Bahrain are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -19% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (38% cheaper), food (1% cheaper), imported beer in catering (115% more expensive), cigarettes (44% cheaper) and public transport (73% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Bahrain it is customary to tip. Because the service costs that have already been charged do not end up with the waiting staff, people give approximately 10-15% extra tips.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 1 hour later in Bahrain.
During our winter time it is 2 hours later in Bahrain.
Bahrain has no difference in winter time and summer time.
Check the local time, date and time zone for Bahrain on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Bahrain you have to drive on the right.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Bahrain, you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Bahrain.
Electricity
In Bahrain you need a power plug adapter.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Bahrain can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 999
– Fire: 999
– Ambulance: 999
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Bahrain can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Bahrain can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Bahrain end in.bh.
Bahrain official website: bahrain.com.
Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in Bahrain is 00973 or +973.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Bahrain? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Bahrain.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Bahrain.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Bahrain can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotel), restaurants and destinations in Bahrain, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Bahrain?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Bahrain. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Bahrain can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Bahrain can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Bahrain? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported to Bahrain.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with Bahrain, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Bahrain, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Bahrain.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: Maximum allowed blood alcohol content is 0.
– Tobacco: Buying from the age of 18, smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Bahrain is building a 40 km long bridge to nearby Qatar?
…Bahrain is an important base of the US military?
…Bahrain has an important Formula 1 circuit?
…Bahrain is one of the few Gulf states where people have the right to vote?
…Only 5% of the beaches in Bahrain are public?
