[Travel] Holiday in Bahrain?

[Psychobilly freakout]

In a nutshell, Mrs Nose is pretty 'front line' in critical care for the NHS at the local Hospital, she hasn't had a holiday for coming up to 2 years as she's been working mercilessly doing 12 hour shifts (which almost always became 14 hour shifts) thanks to you-know-what, she's burnt out - as am I, and we've saved like mad throughout COVID. We now have a small holiday fund, which we feel very lucky to have - and we both need a break.

Tell your wife, she is an angel and thank you.

I understand the need for a break and by golly does she deserve it.

I hope you have a wonderful time, but I will never set foot in any middle eastern country as long as their human rights records are so poor. I am sure if you stick to the hotels and beach, you should be fine, after all I am sure it will be about just kicking back and doing nothing, recharge the batteries so to speak. All the best to you and your wonderful wife.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Before yet another poster advises the OP to go somewhere else, he has already bought the flight tickets.

No one on here ever takes any notice of simple facts like that!

 

[Knocky's Nose]

Thank you everyone for your input! Crazy day ta work so haven't had chance to read my own thread...

Reasons for choosing Bahrain :

I have an Amex 2 for 1 Avios voucher which expires soon.

I have a load of Avios to burn

I wanted maximise the 2 for 1 voucher and fly Business Class

The Dubai seats had all gone (someone reads HfP on here.. LOL)

Mrs Nose wanted sun and warmth, with a near guarantee of no storms (a la the Caribbean)

We didn't want 10-12 hour flights. 7 to 8 maximum.

We've been to Dubai a few times and liked it.

and finally...

It was Hobsons choice as the only flights we could find which fitted the dates were to Bahrain....

We can, of course, cancel them - but for now I think we'll stick. All we want to do is lay by a pool, in the sun, sleep, relax, and have some sun.

 

[knocky1]

Thank you everyone for your input! Crazy day ta work so haven't had chance to read my own thread...

Reasons for choosing Bahrain :

I have an Amex 2 for 1 Avios voucher which expires soon.

I have a load of Avios to burn

I wanted maximise the 2 for 1 voucher and fly Business Class

The Dubai seats had all gone (someone reads HfP on here.. LOL)

Mrs Nose wanted sun and warmth, with a near guarantee of no storms (a la the Caribbean)

We didn't want 10-12 hour flights. 7 to 8 maximum.

We've been to Dubai a few times and liked it.

and finally...

It was Hobsons choice as the only flights we could find which fitted the dates were to Bahrain....

We can, of course, cancel them - but for now I think we'll stick. All we want to do is lay by a pool, in the sun, sleep, relax, and have some sun.

Have a great time. Sun, beer, relaxing and food. Sounds good.

 

[dazzer6666]

Thank you everyone for your input! Crazy day ta work so haven't had chance to read my own thread...

Reasons for choosing Bahrain :

I have an Amex 2 for 1 Avios voucher which expires soon.

I have a load of Avios to burn

I wanted maximise the 2 for 1 voucher and fly Business Class

The Dubai seats had all gone (someone reads HfP on here.. LOL)

Mrs Nose wanted sun and warmth, with a near guarantee of no storms (a la the Caribbean)

We didn't want 10-12 hour flights. 7 to 8 maximum.

We've been to Dubai a few times and liked it.

and finally...

It was Hobsons choice as the only flights we could find which fitted the dates were to Bahrain....

We can, of course, cancel them - but for now I think we'll stick. All we want to do is lay by a pool, in the sun, sleep, relax, and have some sun.

Get that entirely….2 for 1 vouchers are often barely worth having the availability can be so crap - we’ve gone to places that wouldn’t otherwise be on our preferred list just to use them up occasionally. If you need a hotel recommendation I can check with someone locally but there is loads of choice at reasonable prices - and given your requirements, a nice pool, a beach and a bar will probably do it. Hope Mrs KN in particular gets a decent break, 100% deserved.

 

[cloud]

I've spent a couple of weeks there. Not sure it would be be first choice of destination, but here are a few ideas:

Go on a day trip somewhere https://www.farhat-tours.com/
Go and see the Grand Prix circuit
Go and see the desert
Camel ride
Camel racing
Scuba diving

 

[Weststander]

Have a great time. Anyone working frontline in our hospitals over the last 18 months deserves a lovely break.

 

[happygull]

Trying not to put a dampener on it ... Bahrain was one of our visit places when the First Gulf War ended .... only went ashore once, to an all you can eat seafood night at one of Bahrain's top hotels.

Unfortunately caught Dysentery along with about 6 other shipmates ..... is great if you or the wife have put on a few lbs over lockdown .... i lost about 3 stone in body weight until i recovered

 

[Wardy's twin]

it has a rugby team run by ex-pats and also has a club house

 

[Springal]

Get that entirely….2 for 1 vouchers are often barely worth having the availability can be so crap - we’ve gone to places that wouldn’t otherwise be on our preferred list just to use them up occasionally. If you need a hotel recommendation I can check with someone locally but there is loads of choice at reasonable prices - and given your requirements, a nice pool, a beach and a bar will probably do it. Hope Mrs KN in particular gets a decent break, 100% deserved.

Kind of disagree on the 2-4-1s and actually the new vouchers are a lot better. But you do need to be organised - but 355 days out every flight had a pair of Business Seats. I’ve never struggled to use mine to NY, LA, Las Vegas, Barbados, St Lucia …

Fuel surcharge on the other hand !!!

 

[Spearritt of the Albion]

Probably best to stick to Manama but I'm sure the hotels will know of any organised tours to places such as the F1 stadium and the National Football stadium. I found it a great place to visit in December when it was warm but not too hot. It's changed a lot since I was there for 2 weeks in December 1982 and there's probably a lot more to do but, at the end of my holiday, I still felt that another week would have been nice. My parents lived in Awali for 10 years. They loved Bahrain but 10 years was just about enough.

 

[basque seagull]

I've only ever been for a couple of work meetings, but one of my colleagues is originally from there. I asked her for a list…

Tourist sights
Bahrain Fort
Pearl Museum
Manama Souk
Military Museum
Royal Camel Farm
Gold Souk
Al Fateh Mosque
Tree of Life – national landmark, basically a 400-year old tree in the middle of nowhere. Gets lit up at night.
Bahrain Museum, from here you can also take the boat to Bu Maher Fort

Activities
Marasi Beach
Paddleboarding on Bahrain Bay
Gravity indoor skydiving
Solymar or Reef Club – beach clubs: so pools, beaches with loungers and watersports, plus food and drink, music etc. Good bet if you just want a day of sun and chilling.

Eating and drinking
Emmawash for cheap traditional Bahraini food – go for breakfast.
Adliya – a street with cafés, restaurants and pubs
The Avenues – mall with shops and restaurants by the water
Cafe Sego – good for coffee and snacks
Florence – Italian restaurant
Water Garden City – new development with marina and cafés
Escobar – happy hour 5–8pm every day
Attic – Greek food, good for music
McGettigans – pub chain that's across the Middle East. Likely to be showing football etc. 2-for-1 deals Thur/Fri 3–8pm
Alto Rooftop Lounge – good views, nice spot at night
Hazel – good music
Kyro – does good deals like steak night Tues, pasta night Sat, 2 meals and wine for a set price etc, ladies night on Wed with 3 free drinks for women
JJs – Irish Pub unlimited drinks for a set price on Sat, Sun, Tues, Wed


Good luck. TBH it's not somewhere I'd ever really pick if coming to this part of the world, but hopefully the above will help you make the most of it.

The Avenues is quite a nice mall with outside seating overlooking water and some nice architecture. Might be a bit warm outside now. In Addliya, try having a few cheeky cocktails at Calexico then popping next door to Coco's (no booze) for lunch. Reserve at Coco's first then pop next door to Calexicos. Coco's is a very Bahraini/Saudi family crowd but nice food.

 

[dazzer6666]

Kind of disagree on the 2-4-1s and actually the new vouchers are a lot better. But you do need to be organised - but 355 days out every flight had a pair of Business Seats. I’ve never struggled to use mine to NY, LA, Las Vegas, Barbados, St Lucia …

Fuel surcharge on the other hand !!!

Agreed on both points but if you’re trying ti do what the OP is doing and book something quite soon, it’s difficult. Now I’m not working it’ll be less of an issue for me as won’t be accumulating miles at anything like the same rate………

 

[Jesus Gul]

It is fun https://youtu.be/POhMg_iO6Vw

 

[Birdie Boy]

I went there for a day/night... I had a 30 minute job to do in the city. Turned up and the locals all took the day off to try and **** me up. I managed to get the job done which really pissed them off. So, I don't like the locals.
The city, where the airport is reminded me of Beirut. The hotel I stayed in d very nice, £30 a night for a double. Went to an Indian restaurant within the hotel, my wife and I were the only ones in there. Live band playing so got a bit tiresome clapping every song but we had all the waiters to ourselves! We went back to dubai the next day. I was told that the hotels by the sea are pretty good.

 

[Live by the sea]

A few people have recommended Dubai as a holiday destination on this thread saying it’s more liberal than Bahrain .

Really !


A British football coach has been jailed for 25 years in Dubai after four small bottles of vape liquid containing cannabis oil were found in his car.

Billy Hood from from Notting Hill, West London, was given the harsh sentence despite being able to prove the vape liquid belonged to a visiting friend who had mistakenly left them in his car.

The 24-year-old fitness fanatic, who is anti-drugs and doesn’t smoke, was convicted by a court of drug trafficking with intent to supply.

Police in Dubai are thought to have singled out Hood after monitoring WhatsApp messages and looking for key words related to drugs. A week before his arrest the friend who owned the vape liquid sent a message telling Hood he had mistakenly left it behind in his car.