Top Manama Cultural Tours

As of 2012, “Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy” has become the second World Heritage Site of the Kingdom of Bahrain as the testimony of its millennia-old pearl collecting tradition and the globally significant single-product island economy and social system it produced. “Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy” is a serial nomination consisting of 15 property components: three vast oyster beds located in the northern territorial waters of Bahrain, one seashore site at the southern tip of Bahrain’s Muharraq Island, and nine clusters of historic buildings consisting of seventeen architectural structures embedded in the urban fabric of Muharraq city. Taken together, the fifteen individual sites reflect the final expression and last remaining – and thus outstanding – example of a cultural tradition that dominated the Arabian Gulf from prehistory to the early 20th century.

Before Bahrain’s oil boom, pearl divers were a big source of economic prosperity. Get to know more about the pearling lifestyle as you explore the country’s UNSECO-listed Pearling Trail on a private tour. Visit a local souk, see a dhow boat construction yard, the Diver’s House, and more over the course of a few hours. There’s even a chance to shop for this precious “jewel of the sea.”

Muharraq was the country’s capital in the 19th Century and still has much of the attraction of an old-fashioned traditional Bahraini city, with its charming buildings, narrow streets, and fine historic houses with their traditional Arab-Gulf style of architecture. Traditional Bahraini lunch will be served during the tour.

Check out the best of Riffa on this group tour of southern Bahrain. You’ll visit several sites on this tour, which would be difficult to organize if you were on your own. Your guide and driver will take you to places like the Royal Camel Farm, Bahrain International Circuit, the Oil Museum, and much more on this approximately three-hour tour. Entrance fees are not included at Bahrain International Circuit, so plan accordingly.

The small nation of Bahrain packs a lot of punch. See the highlights of the island in just one day on this full-day sightseeing excursion. Join a small group and visit the Great Mosque, the national museum, the 5,000-year-old fort, and more. You also see more modern sights like the Bahrain F1 Circuit and the first oil well and enjoy a stop for a traditional Bahraini lunch.