Capital: Manama
Time zone: GMT + 3
Telephone services: Country Code: 973
Outgoing Code: 0
Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999
Tourist information: Bahrain Tourism Company (BTC) PO Box 5831, Manama, Bahrain Tel: 530 530. Fax: 530 867
Passport information: Valid Passport required Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure
Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Citizens of the UK for a maximum of 4 weeks (providing their full passport is valid for 6 months).
Health information: Health Risks: Cutaneous leishmaniasis, typhoid fevers and hepatitis A and B occur
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink
Currency: Dinar (BD) = 100 fils All credit cards and travellers cheques are accepted. US dollars are the preferred currency
ATM availability: Over 60 locations
Cost of living: Can be relatively cheap if you travel around by foot and make purchases from the souk. Accommodation ranges from the deluxe to cheaper family-run guest houses
Languages: Arabic. English may also be spoken
Weather: Summers are very hot. Winters are much cooler. Rainfall is only likely in the winter. Spring and autumn are pleasant
Electricity: 230 volts AC, single phase and 400 volts, 50 Hz. (Awali – 100 volts AC, 60 Hz. Plugs are normally the 13-amp pin type
Post: 3 – 4 days to Europe
Transport: SEA: Transport between the smaller islands is by motor boat or dhow. ROAD: Manama is served by an excellent road system. BUS: Routes now serve most towns and villages. TAXI: Identifiable by their orange and red colouring. Those waiting outside hotels may charge more and between midnight and 0500 – fares increase by 50 %.
Special information: Because of the situation of global and regional insecurity at present, travellers should exercise extreme
caution and make only necessary journeys. Normally Bahrain is relatively liberal in comparison to other Gulf countries. Non Muslims may not enter mosques except during prayer times. Violent crime is quite rare but visitors should avoid village areas especially after dark. It is polite to drink 2 small cups of tea when offered.