Bahrain, a group of 33 islands, with an area of 707 square kilometers, is situated in the Arabian Gulf, off the East Coast of Saudi Arabia. The local time is GMT + 3 hours. Arabic is the official language, although English is widely understood and it's used by most businesses.
The best time to visit Bahrain is between November and February, when it's not too hot. Avoid visiting during Ramadan, the Muslim month of daytime fasting, when things slow down considerably. You might also want to stay away during the Muslim festivals marking the end of Ramadan and the annual pilgrimage to Mecca ,or over New Year's Eve. At these times the country is swamped with merrymakers from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and accommodation becomes very hard to find, especially at the lower end of the scale, where prices sometimes double.
Europe has the best air connections with Bahrain; the best fares are usually from Italy or Greece. Flights from the US tend to be expensive and harder to find; fares are cheapest during the low seasons of early January to mid-June and mid-October to mid-December. Routes between Bahrain and other Arab countries in the Gulf are well served. There's an airport departure tax of around US$8.
Bahrain has a decent bus service linking most of the major towns with Manama and Muharraq. You can easily cover Manama and Muharraq on foot, though renting a car will make it easier to get to farther-flung attractions. There are agencies in Manama at the big hotels. You'll need to get an International Driving Permit before entering the country (you can't get one once you're there); driving is on the right. Bahrain's taxis are metered, and you can hire them by the hour for sightseeing trips outside Manama.
Money can be changed easily at any commercial bank or at one of the moneychangers found in the Soukh. There are no restrictions on the import and export of currency.
Visitors to Bahrain require entry visa unless they hold a passport of the GCC states or UK. Visas are available from all embassies and consulates. Extensions can be arranged inside Bahrain.
72-hours transit visas are available at Bahrain Airport, ports or causeway. 7-day visitors' visas may be obtained by businessmen, delegates, families and dependents.Tourist group can arrange 7-day through their travel agent.
If you're a resident expatriate of the GCC and want to visit Bahrain again, there's no need to contact embassies or travel agents for your visa. You can pick up an instant visa upon entry to Bahrain, either at the Airport or the Causeway.
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