Must See

A'ali

Located in the centre of the country, north of Riffa, A'ali is famous for its ancient burial mounds, which are considered to be the largest historical graveyard in the whole world, with approximately 170,000 burial mounds dating from between 3000BC and AD600. The town is also well known for its traditional pottery.

Al-Areen Wildlife Park

A small conservation park which is home to many of Arabia's indigenous species, including the Arabian oryx. There are also zebras and other animals introduced to the island from elsewhere.

Bani Jamrah

This little village to the west of Manama is famous for its weavers, who sell their clothwork at shacks on the outskirts of the settlement. Visitors may also watch demonstrations of weaving.

Barbar Temple

An ancient complex of temples, probably dedicated to Enki, the god of wisdom and freshwater, and his wife Nankhur Sak. A series of walkways provides a viewpoint of the excavated buildings. One temple is built on a spring of water, thought to have held spiritual significance for the worshippers.

Manama

Manama is Bahrain's new capital, dominated by a Manhattan-style skyline. Brand new hotels and official buildings are situated on areas of reclaimed land. The souk that lies in the centre of the old town, near the archway of Bab al-Bahrais, is enchanting, especially after dark.

The National Museum, housed in a modern building, has excellent exhibits marked in both Arabic and English and covers 7,000 years of the country's history. Visitors may see the archaeological development of Bahrain, along with an ancient burial mound dating from 2800 BC.

Bait al Quran (The House of the Qur'an) is Islamic museum built to accommodate a comprehensive and valuable collection of the Holy Qur'an and rare manuscripts, which reveal beautiful Islamic art and calligraphy. The complex comprises a mosque, a library, an auditorium, a school and museum consisting of ten exhibition halls.

The House of Beit al-Jasra, built in 1907, is the birthplace of the Amir, the ruler of Bahrain. The building is a wonderful example of traditional Bahraini architecture, constructed from local building materials such as coral stone with delicate simplicity.

Bahrain's largest mosque, the al-Fateh Grand Mosque (Grand Masjid), is topped with a massive 60 ton fibreglass (to make it cooler during summer time) dome. It is particularly awe-inspiring under floodlights at night. Guided tours are conducted throughout the day.

Just outside Manama is the ancient city capital of Bilad al-Qadim, which dates from AD 900. Visitors may see the 'wind towers' of ancient houses; built 5-6 metres (16-20 ft) above the houses and open on all sides to serve as primitive air-conditioning units.

The Tree of Life

This unique tree stands alone in the desert about 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) from the Jebel Dukhan. Hundreds of years old and the only tree for miles, this large green mesquite tree, astonishingly spouting from sterile desert ground, offers a welcome respite from the glaring heat.

Activities

Bahrain Grand Prix

A new addition to the Formula l calendar, the Bahrain GP, early in the season, takes place at one of the most advanced tracks in the world, with ultra modern facilities and exciting oasis-to-desert racing.

Beaches

Bahrain has some excellent stretches of sandy beach, fringed by abundant reefs. The best is Al Jazair, which is complete with beach huts, pavilions and picnic areas. From there, you can take a trip by traditional dhow to some of the nearby islands.