Bahrain: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Bahrain feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 33 written places.
The easygoing corner of the Gulf; courtesy is warm, unhurried and taken seriously.
✓ Considered polite
- Accept coffee or tea when offered - hospitality is the opening move of every meeting
- Wait for a Bahraini woman to offer her hand before extending yours
- Dress modestly in souks and older neighbourhoods - shoulders and knees covered
- Use your right hand for eating, greeting and passing anything
✗ Better avoided
- Eat, drink or smoke in public during Ramadan daylight hours
- Show the soles of your feet when sitting
- Photograph people without asking, especially women
- Schedule anything for Friday morning - it is the quiet heart of the weekend
Worth knowing
- The weekend is Friday and Saturday; the working week runs Sunday to Thursday
- Alcohol is served in licensed hotel bars and restaurants, and venues enforce a minimum age of 21
- Tipping is around 10%, and hotel bills often already include a service charge
- Cards are widely accepted, though souk stalls prefer cash and expect a little bargaining
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.