Bahrain Travel Forum

Hi guys,

Just landed in bahrain a month back. Currently looking out for a gym or health club nearby American Mission Hospital. Should be walkable distance as i dont have a car as yet.

Cheers.

And, oh yes, is bargaining the norm in Bahrain?

5 or 10 years ago my brother-in-law was in Bahrain and decided to buy some natural pearls. He went to the gold souq area, asked around and was directed to an office on a side street, where an old man was sitting in a plain room behind a desk. When my brother-in-law told him what he was looking for, the old man went to a safe, pulled out a cloth bag and opened it up to display hundreds of natural pearls. He was apparently in his 80s and said that when he was younger he would go out in a boat to buy pearls from the divers; he was very helpful explaining the differences in quality between the various types of pearls. Has anyone had any experiences like this? Is there any pearling still going on in Bahrain or is it just a hub for other areas? Can you buy natural pearls from something close to the source, instead of from a jeweler? And how do the prices compare? Thanks for your time and consideration!

my son and i will be travelling by bus from bahrain to al khobar as stated in our ticket.we already done it from dammam to bahrain.is it ok travelling in the other way around? where is the terminal of the gulf air bus in bahrain airport?thanks.

I have a one day stop over in Bahrain on a Friday. I am wondering if any of the shops would be open since it is a prayer day. Would Gold Souqs be open?

Hi everyone..........,

I'm British Citizen going to visit my family in Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia, any idea how easy is to find a transport service from Bahrain airport to Al Hasa or even dammam? and how much does cost to get there (Taxi/bus) and how frequent are th buses?
Many thanks for your help

I'll be going for my home leave vacation this June with my family.
My flight from Saudi will stop over Bahrain for more than 8 hours.
is it possible for us to go out of the terminal and go for sightseeing in Manamah? Is Manama an open city like Hong Kong?

Hope to hear some tips on this matter.

Thanks in Advance.

SCDJ66

Hi,

I am spending 3 nights in Bahrain en-route from London to Bombay. I have looked at some tourist pages for Bahrain and one comments that entry is not allowed to those with Israeli stamps in their passport (.....me being one of them is worrying me as my flight is booked and non-amendable).

Does anyone konw officially is this true, and should I not be allowed entry into Bahrain will I be shipped back to UK or put on the next flight to India?

Thanks.

Also, anyone know of the Ramada Palace, I'm booked in there and a few comments I've read after a Google search don't rate that hotel very highly - I thought Ramada was a luxury chain of hotels???

Thanks again!

Hello Friends
I am an expat in Bahrain with interest in fishing (angling).
Could anyone tell me which are the best fishing spots available in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
I was told that Sitra Bridge is the most popular spot. But with the construction going on, its quite dusty a spot and the hustle bustle around seem to have driven the fish away.

If there are any fellow anglers reading this forum, could you also tel me which are the best bait options for fishing in Bahrain.

Dear VT Members,

What is the best money to bring to Bahrain??? US Money or Euro's.

Thanks for your help

Jay

Hello Friends

I am an expat in Bahrain with interest in fishing (angling).
Could anyone tell me which are the best fishing spots available in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
I was told that Sitra Bridge is the most popular spot. But with the construction going on, its quite dusty a spot and the hustle bustle around seem to have driven the fish away.

If there are any fellow anglers reading this forum, could you also tel me which are the best bait options for fishing in Bahrain.

Dear Vt's,

I find it difficult to have a tourist visa to visit Bahrain,, please if anybody have an agent that can assist me with tourist visa.

Hi,

I just need to get some info about mobile # and transportation.

1 - I would like to know if I can use my etisalat mobile # in Bahrain.
Or do I have to register or subscribe it?

2 - Another thing, is it easy to get a bus ride from the airport to the city?
Or I can only take a taxi from there? How much would it cost to take a bus? or taxi? I'll stay in Marine Tower (formerly Baisan Tower) located in Exhibition Road.

By the way, I am a Filipino passport holder but with a UAE residence visa. Do I still need to apply for a visa?

Thanks.

Best regards,

Marites

is it safe for a woman to travel through bus from dammam to bahrain...? are there many woman travellers using this way?

Is there any type of restriction to get tourist visa for chinese young female tourist coming to Bahrain? My boyfriend works in Bahrain and he is not the Bahrain citizen,he has work visa.Can he sponsor for me?if he can ,what he need to do? it is complicated for me,even though i can apply the e-visa,but Chinese custom wont let me go without visa posted on the passport..and the on-arrival visa is not fit for me either,young girl travel alone will be rejected.
BTW,my boyfriend is US citizen,it is easy for him to get visa,he is puzzled about why it is difficult for me to get visa.He went to the chinese embassy in Bahrain,the officer told him it is easy for me to get visa,but when i went to Bahrain embassy,they told me it is impossible.i am puzzled too.
i need some professional answers ..thanks!

Is it advisable for a female U.S. citizen who will be working for a short time in Bahrain to wear a Burqa or other similar attire?

I will be travelling with my son from dammam to bahrain via bus then from bahrain to manila because it was stated in our gulf air ticket. i would like to ask for some information travelling from dammam to bahrain by bus..is it safe for me as a woman and for my son? and what tips you can give me.thanks.

Happy New Year .... All the best in 2008

hi fellow travelers..
I was wondering if you got recommendation where to go for the new year night.. ! I'm not a drinker so I got no idea about clubs & pops.. , I'll be alone and I'm just looking for making this night special somehow..

I'd really appreciate your help,

best wihses and happy new year..
Fahad

feel free to contact me for travel buddies..
ofahado@yahoo.com
ofahado@hotmail.com
+966551128606

I want to travel to Bahrain Airport from Dubai, for entering Saudi Arabia city of Dammam, What are the available means of transportation from Bahrain Airport to Dammam city, can anyone help me on this.
Also do I have to pay visa fee in Bahrain and as well in Saudi??

Dear VT Members,

I have been speaking with people from VT and also other place about Idea picture of Bahrain.

I was told Bahrain man and woman in general doesn’t speak with other members of western & Indians community. I was also told Bahrain people mind there own business) just speak with there own kind. Is that health for a society?

Where does western and English speaking people go in the weekends I think me coming from London background I will understand English speaking people.


When I visited Bahrain I would be pleased to meet English speaking people due to fact I don’t speak Arabic.


VT Members thanks for all your help.


Jay

A friend and I , both permanent residents in switzerland ( nationality south african and brazilian, respectively) would like to visit Bahrain for a week, but it seems near impossible to obtain tourist visas, as both our nationalities are on the list of countries which requires a sponsored visa. Already contacted the list of registered sponsors mentioned on the Bahrain e visa government website, the different airlines, as well as hotels which supposedly provides visa assistance services, to no avail, as they only process business visas. Any final suggestions as to which cause of action to take, bearing in mind, we don't know any locals which could sponsor us for a visa and that the hotels and airlines don't seem to provide this service for individual tourist who wish to pay a visit over there. Seems impossible for nationals from countries which are not on the list of 48 countries mentioned on the bahrain government website who can obtain tourist visas on arrival or e visas without the need for a local sponsor, to obtain a tourist visa for Bahrain.
Would appreciate any feedback.
Kind regards

Hi travellers/Locals

I will be in Bahrain from 26-28 inclusive in business, butwill be free in the afternoon after 7 pm. Would like to go around the city and meet new folks in Bahrain (F/M) for a coffee or so. If interested, let me know

Bahrain Hotels:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Could you please advise me on which is a good price hotel in Bahrain, something between the price rage 70 - $100??

Is renting a flat more cheaper because I will be in Bahrain for 17 days only, if so what are the price to rent a flat in Bahrain??

Patchi give me some good advise about Bahrain Taxi) I still don;t understand why Bahrain Taxi don't want to use there meters??

Bahrain Night clubs) which are best Night clubs) how much to get in) what are the price range of drinks??

Bahrain Food, is it nice, I hate junk food) I like real food) could you give me Idea of where is best place to eat in Bahrain.

Bahrain Discrimination,

I was listen to the BBC Radio) 4 I will give you the link, I would be grateful for you feedback.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/6904866.stm

Jay

I was reading on this web site, the bad thing of Bahrain is taxi, people get rip off. I was thinking of visiting Bahrain Jan 2008, I don't drive. Taxi will be best thing for me. I don't want to get rip of what advise do you have for me???

Do also the Bahrain bus work all over Bahrain??

Jay:

Hi friends.. Iam an Indian, holding residence permit for my wife & myself in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
MY parents ( father aged 71 & motner aged 61) wanted to visit us here. But I have been told that since my father's age has crossed 70, he wouldnt be issued visit visa to Bahrain. Is this true. Is there such a age limit for visit visa to Bahrain.
Can anyonce clarify this for me
Ciju Prakasam
ciju.prakasam@gmail.com

hi,can u mail me what is the tariff for joining your club&howmuch dinar for jetski?plz mail the answers i soon join
thanks

I have a indian passport valid till 2011. My doubt is that its a hand written passport (name and address,validity hand written in the passport by the officers). As it was made in 2001 it was not a computer printed. I want to know will there be any problem from the ministry in issuing my visa cos its a valid hand written passport and not a printed one.

Looking forward for replies from all.

Thanks.

Hi,

Following the desastrous comments about the taxi in BH, do you think it is worth renting a car for a few days and if yes do you have any reliable agency to recommend except the expensive ones like hertz, avis, ...

Tx for your feedback.

L

Hi Im, visiting here early December for a week, and was wondering what the weather is like this time of year, and also are there activities to do throughout the day and night?!

Any reply's would be appreciated!

Thanks