Bahrain Travel Guide

Citizens of 69 countries may obtain a 14-day visa-on-arrival, while citizens of 114 countries, including all those eligible for a visa-on-arrival, are eligible to apply for a 14-day online visa. Check the web-site of the Ministry of Interior for the latest details. If your nationality is not eligible for either of these, or if you are visiting for purposes other than tourism or business, you will require a sponsor in Bahrain to file your visa application for you. With the normalisation of relations between Bahrain and Israel in 2020, Israeli citizens are now eligible for the online visa.

The currency in Bahrain is the Bahraini dinar, denoted by the symbol " .د.ب " or "BD" (ISO code: BHD). It is divided into 1000 fils. One dinar is worth US$2.66, as the exchange rate is fixed, making this one of the world's highest-valued currencies (second only to Kuwait). This can take some getting used to: that seemingly cheap BD 10 taxi ride is in fact almost US$27 and thus an extortionate rip-off.

The official rates start at BD 1 plus 0.200 fils per kilometre. Cabbies will often ask for ridiculous prices. Most taxis now use their meters. The airport gives guidelines as to the official way of calculating taxi fares. An extra BD 2 will be added if you take a taxi waiting at the airport.

Arabic is the official language, although English and Persian (Farsi) are widely spoken. Urdu and Hindi are also understood by South Asian expatriates, with Malayalam being another popular language. The local dialect, the Bahrani dialect, is native to the island. However, nationals learn Modern Standard Arabic in school, so you could go around with MSA skills. English is also spoken widely to varying levels.

During 2011, a state of near civil war broke out in Bahrain, with many deaths, hundreds of injuries, and a large number of activists and health professionals arrested and tortured. Though the crisis has mostly died down since then, problems occasionally occur, and visitors should be cautious when visiting sensitive areas (black billowing smoke from burning tyres is a telltale sign that something is wrong there).

Drink plenty of water. April through August can be very hot (up to 50°C) and humid, and can occasionally feel like a lot hotter. Use an umbrella to protect you from the harsh sun. It is important to stay hydrated, especially if you are outdoors during the day. Bottled water is sold practically everywhere in the city from "cold stores" to major supermarket chains at reasonable prices. In the souk, walking vendors offer small chilled bottles but you may end up paying more than the bottle is really worth. If you are living in Bahrain for an extended period of time, you can set up an arrangement f…

By phone

The country code for phone calls to Bahrain +973. For international calls from Bahrain, you can use "00" instead of "+". There are no area codes, although the first digits of landline numbers generally tell the city or region. Landline numbers usually start with 17, mobile phone numbers often with 3 or 66.

Bahrain is a fairly gracious host nation but it is imperative to demonstrate respect and courtesy in reference to their particular cultural practices and religion at all times. Bahrain is an Islamic country where you should behave conservatively. For example, appearing in public places under the influence of alcohol, wearing overly revealing outfits and public displays of affection should be avoided. While the Bahraini government has made peace with Israel, Bahrainis are staunchly pro-Palestine, so posting otherwise on social media can lead to heavy criticism and you may find yourself without…