Manama

Understand

Manama emerged as the capital of independent Bahrain after periods of domination by Portugal and Persians. Today, it is a modern capital with an economy based on the sales promotion industry as crude oil takes a less pronounced role in the economy.

Get in

All roads in Bahrain lead to Manama, so see the main Bahrain article for details.

See

thumb|right|300px|Al-Fateh Mosque at night thumbnail|Archways of Bahrain Fort

Do

Manama is a getaway for Arabs and expats residing in Arab countries where alcohol is banned. Tourists, particularly Saudis and residents of Saudi Arabia, come to Bahrain mainly for the nightlife.

Ice skating The only ring in town is located at the Fun-land centre along the Marina corniche.

Buy

thumb|Shops in downtown Manama

Eat

thumb|Flatbread and hummus at a restaurant in Manama Restaurants in Manama run the gamut from cheap shawarma joints to 5-star restaurants. In addition to the places listed in this section, hotels often have one or several restaurants and bars.

Drink

thumb|Streetside café in the souq Manama has a busy nightlife by Gulf standards. The main districts are Adliya, Hoora, Juffair and Business District. Many places to drink are in hotels (see the Sleep section below).

Stay safe

Manama and Bahrain in general is a quite safe place, but while violent crime is rare, pickpocketing, bag snatching and burglaries aren't unheard of. As of 2024 travel advisories also warn of possible terrorist attacks including bombings in public places.

Visitors are required to respect Islamic customs and laws when it comes to social relations, clothing, behaviour and such. Unlike many other countries in the region, alcohol isn't outlawed - as long as consumption happens on private premises such as nightclubs away from the public eye.

Connect

National cell operators Bateco, STC and Zain have 5G coverage in most of the city.

Go next

Bahrain Island is about 50 km north to south and 20 km west to east. As such practically anywhere in the country connected with a road can be visited as a day or half-day trip, especially if you have a car. The bus network is also quite dense in the north but unsurprisingly less so in the less populated Southern Governorate.

Muharraq with world heritage listed places related to the history of pearl diving. Burial mounds from the Dilmun culture from the 4th century BC onwards, also on the world heritage list, are to be found around Bahrain but mostly around A'ali, some 10 km southwest of Manama. Hawar Islands Are a group of islands situated off the west coast of Qatar in the Gulf of Bahrain of the Persian Gulf. In 2002, Bahrain applied to have the Hawar islands recognised as a World Heritage Site, due to its unique environment and habitat for endangered species. This site is home to many wildlife species and a very interesting place for birdwatchers and divers. Hawar Islands used to be one of the settlements of the Bahraini branch of the Dawasir who settled there in the early 1800s and on the main island of Bahrain in 1845 in the areas of Zallaq and Budaiya. Saudi Arabia is just across the King Fahd Causeway — if you have the visa, of course.