Bahrain, the Mysterious Pearl of the Persian Gulf
- ST
- Aug 7
- 3 min read
The Kingdom of Bahrain, commonly known as Bahrain, is an island nation located in Western Asia, near the western coast of the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Manama.
Bahrain can be reached by car from Khobar, Saudi Arabia, via the King Fahd Bridge. Bahrain Island, Bahrain's largest island, measures 55 kilometers from north to south and 18 kilometers from east to west, with a total area of approximately 787 square kilometers.
Bahrain is a great country to visit, offering a wide variety of things to see and do. Explore historical sites, enjoy water parks, or indulge in some shopping at its malls.
After descending the King Fahd Bridge, we first arrived at Bahrain Fort, a sandstone fortress built by the Portuguese in the 16th century. From the walls, we could overlook ancient Islamic architecture.
After visiting Bahrain Fort, we continued into the capital, Manama, and prepared to visit the Bahrain World Trade Center. This 50-story building towers over King Faisal Highway. Before we arrived, we turned right onto Government Ave (Check Google Maps). This road is full of delicious restaurants, including Bab al Bahrain Restaurant, Karavali Restaurant, Kei Japanese Restaurant, etc. See the map for directions.
The Bahrain World Trade Center is the world's first skyscraper to integrate wind turbines into its structure. Across from the Bahrain World Trade Center is the circular Bahrain Bay, home to the Four Seasons Hotel. The Avenues Mall is a large new shopping mall, perfect for taking photos and boasting several delicious restaurants, offering a variety of cuisines, including Turkish cuisine, burgers, seafood, steaks, and more.
After visiting the Bahrain World Trade Center, continue east to the Bahrain National Museum, where you'll explore the island nation's history through archaeological artifacts, a treasure trove of Bahrain's 6,000 years of history.
Conceived and designed by Krohn and Hartvig Rasmussen, the outstanding building is characterized by its white travertine marble facade and is centrally located on an artificial peninsula overlooking the island of Muharraq. The museum complex is composed of two connected buildings with approximately 20,000 square metres of floor space. The main building houses the permanent exhibition area, temporary exhibition halls, an art gallery, a lecture hall, gift shop and café. The administrative offices, curatorial research areas, conservation laboratories, exhibition construction and collection storage areas are located in the administrative building.
Next, go to the east beach to have a good rest. In the afternoon, you can check in to The Art Hotel & Resort, feel the sea breeze, and enjoy the beauty of the sunset and the ocean.
Enjoy a wonderful evening of steak, seafood, and roast lamb
After getting up, we will have breakfast and play in the swimming pool. Then we will drive to Manama Old Street and continue to the southern desert. The Al Fatah Grand Mosque is only open to the public on Fridays. Visitors are not allowed to wear revealing clothes. Female tourists are requested to prepare headscarves.
Because it's so crowded, you can just admire it from a distance without entering.
Continuing south, you'll pass a Hong Kong-style restaurant called Hong Kong. If you're Chinese, you'll already know how to order.
After lunch, we continued south to see the Tree of Life, Bahrain. There's no vegetation within a few meters, and not a drop of water. Yet, this lush tree has survived for over 443 years. Bahrain hardly experiences rain year-round. Its roots reach 50 meters deep, perhaps deep enough to reach water. Others believe the tree has learned to absorb moisture from the sand.
Some claim that the tree is located in what was once the Garden of Eden in biblical stories, and therefore holds an even more mysterious source of water.
Then you don’t have to go south anymore, just go back home and go north via the King Fahd Bridge back to Saudi Arabia, ending your happy two-day and one-night journey.
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