Bahrain

Overview
Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands. The country was once named Dilmun by ancient Sumerians, considered an island paradise in which there was no disease, death or suffering, and where gods resided. Although modern Bahrain has not retained such mythical status, many still flock to frolic in its heavenly shoreline, and many still perceive the country as blissful respite from less lenient Islamic countries.

However, Bahrain is still imbued with Islamic tradition. Manama, the capital, is jam-packed with majestic mosques and minarets. Some females dress in western-style clothing but immodesty is still frowned upon. It is a symbolic bridge that connects the archipelago to Saudi Arabia's mainland.

Nevertheless, Bahrain is a wealthy country that has been unafraid to distinguish itself from other Islamic Gulf countries. Under Portuguese rule between 1521 and 1622, attacked by various tribes and groups for more than 100 years, and willingly becoming a British Protectorate between 1861 and 1971, Bahrain was ecstatic when it discovered oil in 1931. In just four decades, Bahrain's protectorate status was relinquished and Bahrain became one of the world’s most affluent countries. Bahrain's first independent ruler, Sheikh Isa al-Khalifa, caused controversy by bolstering Bahrain's relationship with western countries: both British and US military forces were granted use of Bahraini ports and airfields, vital to the prosecution of the two Iraq wars and the 2002 Afghan war.

Despite the Islamic presence, about one-third of Bahrain's population are foreign expatriates who seek that ideal blend of stability and prosperity. Perhaps this influence has shaped modern Bahrain, now rapidly modernising, full of shopping malls and restaurants. Many argue, however, that the supposed liberal outlook of the country is a sham: alcohol and casinos cannot disguise that the country is an absolute monarchy in which dissent is barely tolerated.

Regardless, visitors to Bahrain are more likely to want to revel in its antiquity, anyway. During construction of Bahrain's causeway, thousands of burial mounds were disinterred, dating back to the third millennium BC. Bahrain is now the proud owner of the largest ancient necropolis in the world, and its foundations still rest upon the ancient city of Dilmun and the ancient civilisation that resided there.

It is exactly this blend of eastern and western cultures, this commingling of mosque and skyscraper, which draws so many to Bahrain. Perhaps its famous Tree of Life (a verdant tree blooming out of arid desert) says it all: Bahrain is full of surprises and contradictions.

Top Things To Do

• Go swimming, scuba diving, snorkelling, waterskiing, windsurfing, parasailing or yachting around Bahrain's sprinkling of islands.
• Game fish for grouper and barracuda.
• Ride a camel along a highway.
• Purchase an irreplaceable Bahraini souvenir and buy some authentic pottery by potters whose trade dates back hundreds of years at A'ali Village Pottery.
• Haggle for goods at local souks.

Top Things To See

• Manama, Bahrain’s capital, is modern, dominated by a Manhattan-style skyline. Much land, including the diplomatic area, has been reclaimed from the sea. The ancient city capital of Bilad al-Qadim, which dates from AD 900, is just outside the new city. The souk lies in the centre of the old town, near the archway of Bab al-Bahrain and, although much of the surrounding area is modern, the street layout and division of occupations still follow traditional lines: the gold souk, for example, is to be found to the southeast of the market area and is particularly impressive during the hours of darkness.
• To sample some of Bahrain’s past, you must see the A’ali Burial Mounds. This is the site for probably the largest prehistoric cemetery in the world with approximately 170,000 burial mounds dating from between 3000BC and AD600.
• Look inside The House of Beit al-Jasra, which is the birthplace of the Amir, the ruler of Bahrain, and is a wonderful example of traditional Bahraini architecture (built in 1907), with exquisite external simplicity, constructed from local building materials such as coral stone.
• Stare at ancient forts such as those of Arad, Bahrain and Riffa.
• Go to the National Museum, which traces the archaeological development of Bahrain and see an ancient burial mound dating from 2800BC.
• Look up at Bahrain's largest mosque, the al-Fateh Grand Mosque. In addition, the Grand Masjid is constructed of masses of fibreglass and is particularly awe-inspiring under floodlights at night.
• Examine the 'wind towers' of ancient houses in the old town of Manama: constructed 5-6m (16-20ft) above the houses and open on all sides, they served as primitive air-conditioning units.
• Absorb the sight of long stretches of sandy beach and coral reefs in places such as Al Jazair, complete with beach huts, pavilions, and picnic areas.
• See endangered species such as Arabian Onyx at al-Areen Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Sit under the Tree of Life, which is a large green mesquite tree, astonishingly spouting from sterile desert ground. Hundreds of years old and the only tree for miles, it offers a welcome respite from the glaring heat.
• Look around the Barbar Temples, thought to have been built in worship of the God Enki and his wife. One temple is built on a spring of water on which there is a basin of the sacred well, and the water was almost certainly considered holy. In their entirety, three Barbar temples are built on top of one another, in degrees of antiquity, a general feature of Sumerian temples.
• Bait al Quran (The House of the Qur'an) is something resembling a museum of Holy Qur'ans and is definitely worth seeing for its rare collection of manuscripts revealing beautiful Islamic art and calligraphy, and for the architectural setting, which is serenely lovely.

Climate
June to October, hot and humid (42°C/108°F), December to April, mild (10-20°C/50-68°F). December through to March can be quite cool. Rainfall is slight and occurs mainly in winter. Spring and Autumn are the most pleasant months.

Required Clothing
Lightweight cottons and linens from spring to autumn, mediumweight clothes from November to March. Warmer clothes are necessary in winter and on cool evenings.