Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Walking between sights, you'll notice two sets of landmark buildings: the World Trade
Centre with three wind turbines sandwiched between the segmented towers, and the
gracefully sloping twin towers of the Financial Harbour. Completed before the global eco-
nomic downturn of 2008, they have become symbols of the city's boom years and look
spectacular when lit at night.
IS BAHRAIN SAFE TO VISIT?
Until the Arab Spring of 2011 Bahrain had very little in the way of dangers and annoyances. With the possible ex-
ception of occasional greedy taxi drivers and the slightly nefarious nature of some of the city hotels, the worst
that was likely to befall a visitor was a hangover or sunburn.
If truth be told, the same is pretty much the case today but what has changed dramatically is the
perception
of
safety. With political tensions still running high at the time of writing, a ban on public demonstrations and distin-
guishable no-go areas around A'Ali and other towns outside the capital, there is an underlying feeling of unease.
The slump in tourism will no doubt be exacerbated by the bombings in Manama in November 2012, injuring one
and killing two Asian expatriates, and ongoing protests at the start of 2013.
As expert opinion suggests the political situation is likely to deteriorate, the best advice we can give to visitors
is the following:
»
monitor the situation in Bahrain through your consulate and the international media before booking your stay
»
take local advice from the concierge at your hotel before venturing out
»
avoid large gatherings of people
»
restrict your visit to the main areas of tourist interest.
Bahrain National Museum
MUSEUM
( 17 298 777;
www.bnmuseum.com
; Al-Fatih Hwy; admission 500 fils; 8am-8pm; )
Deserving its
reputation as the most popular tourist attraction in Bahrain, the Bahrain National Museum
is the best place to start for an intriguing, well-labelled introduction to the sights of the
country. The museum, housed in a postmodern building with landscaping that brings the
waterfront location up to the windows, showcases archaeological finds from ancient
Dilmun. Among these finds are beautiful agate and carnelian beads and earthenware buri-
al jars - used for the body as well as its chattels.
Don't miss the section on contemporary Bahraini culture - the reproduction souq on the
1st floor is particularly worth the stairs, as the barber could double for Sweeney Todd.
The museum also includes a wildlife hall, several gallery spaces used for contemporary
exhibitions of art and sculpture, a shop selling Bahraini crafts, and a chic cafe. There's
plenty to keep the family amused for several hours, but it will reward even a quick
10-minute visit and is particularly worthwhile if you want to gauge the progress of up-
