Western Asia · UN member
Bahrain: Travel Guide & Requirements
Kingdom of Bahrain · مملكة البحرين
Bahrain is a country in Western Asia with its capital in Manama. It has a population of 1.6 million (#152 in the world) and covers 760 km². The official language is Arabic. The currency is the Bahraini dinar (BHD, .د.ب).
Where is Bahrain? Map of Bahrain
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia.
- Region
- Western Asia
- Coordinates
- 26° N, 50.55° E
- Neighbours
- none (no land borders)
- Coastline
- 161 km
- Bahrain
- Capital
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to Bahrain
- Passport
NPRA asks eVisa applicants for a passport copy valid for more than 6 months.
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 5 need no visa, 126 need an eVisa, 66 get a visa on arrival, 1 needs a visa from an embassy. Check yours or see Bahrain entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
NPRA lists proof of a return air ticket and a copy of a hotel reservation or proof of residential address in Bahrain among the required documents for the two-week eVisa, and NPRA's eVisa portal lists proof of a valid co…
- Proof of funds
NPRA's two-week eVisa page lists among its required documents a bank statement for the past 3 months, showing a regular income of at least $1000.
- Travel insurance
No official requirement. Canada's travel advice says to make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.
- Vaccinations
WHO lists Bahrain as requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers aged 9 months or over arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, and from travellers who transited for more than 12 h…
- Customs allowance
Under entry maximum and exit maximum, the US State Department says 6,000 Bahraini dinars must be declared (approximately US$16,000).
- Travel advice
High risk — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
9 things to know before you travel to Bahrain
- Safety: Travel to Bahrain carries a high risk: the US State Department rates Bahrain Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), and the UK Foreign Office has no warnings against travel there.
- Best time to go: March to April and November — when daytime highs in Manama are around 24–28°C.
- Money: the Bahraini dinar (BHD) — 1 US dollar is about 0.3760 BHD.
- Plugs: type G, 230 V, 50 Hz — standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
- Emergency numbers: Police 999, Ambulance 999, Fire 999.
- Language: Arabic is official; English is also spoken.
- Driving: on the right — speed limits are 60 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h outside built-up areas.
- Time zone: UTC+3 in Manama.
- Capital: Manama. About 1.6 million people live in Bahrain.
Key facts
Bahrain at a glance
Languages spoken: Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu
Geography & history
About Bahrain
In 1783, the Sunni AL-KHALIFA family took power in Bahrain. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Ar…
Read the full history
In 1783, the Sunni AL-KHALIFA family took power in Bahrain. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Arabia, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Its foreign policy activities usually fall in line with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In 2022, the United States designated Bahrain as a major non-NATO ally. The Sunni royal family has long struggled to manage relations with its Shia-majority population. In 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government responded to similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces. In 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed the US-brokered Abraham Accords with Israel. In 2023, Bahrain and the United States signed the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement to enhance cooperation across a wide range of areas, from defense and security to emerging technology, trade, and investment.
Location
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Climate
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Highest point
Jabal ad Dukhan 135 m
Natural resources
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls
Natural hazards
periodic droughts; dust storms
National symbols
a white serrated band with five white points on top of a red field
Driving
Speed limits & road rules in Bahrain
The default speed limits in Bahrain are 60 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h outside built-up areas. Posted signs always take priority over these defaults.
- 6060 km/hBuilt-up areasTowns and cities
- 100100 km/hOutside built-up areasCountry roads
- International Driving PermitRecognised: 1968 Vienna, 1949 GenevaCarry the IDP together with your national licence
- Driving sideDrive on the rightOvertake on the left
- Road deaths (2021)8.1 per 100,000 peopleSafer than most countries (median 12.4)
Speed limits: OpenStreetMap wiki — Default speed limits (CC BY-SA 2.0). Road-safety laws: WHO Global Health Observatory. Compare speed limits and alcohol limits by country. Defaults for cars; local signs, weather and vehicle type can lower them.
Safety
Is Bahrain safe to visit?
Travel to Bahrain carries a high risk: the US State Department rates Bahrain Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), and the UK Foreign Office has no warnings against travel there.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: Updated information about Bahraini-UK dual nationality, laws and cultural differences, and air quality in Bahrain ('Entry requirements’, ‘Safety and security’ and 'Health' pages).
Updated 8 Oct 2026 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit Bahrain
The best time to visit Bahrain is March to April and November, when daytime highs in Manama are around 24–28°C. December to February are also a good time to go. August is the warmest month (38°C by day), January the coldest (16°C at night).
- Jan20°C16°C
- Feb20°C16°C
- Mar24°C19°C
- Apr28°C23°C
- May33°C27°C
- Jun36°C30°C
- Jul37°C32°C
- Aug38°C32°C
- Sep36°C31°C
- Oct33°C28°C
- Nov27°C24°C
- Dec22°C19°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in Bahrain
Plugs & sockets
230 V, 50 Hz · Standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
Emergency numbers
Save the local numbers before you travel — 112 or 911 may not connect here. All countries →
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Currency · 26 October 2026
Bahraini dinar exchange rates today
Bahrain uses the Bahraini dinar (BHD, .د.ب). One US dollar buys 0.3760 BHD; over the last 30 days the BHD has gained 0.0% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in BHD
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where Bahrain ranks
How Bahrain compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in Bahrain
21 airports and airfields — 1 large, 1 medium and 1 small, plus 18 heliports. 1 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
No land borders
Bahrain has no land borders with other countries. Coastline: 161 km.
Military
Bahraini armed forces
Bahrain ranks #79 of 145 in the Global Firepower military strength ranking, with a defence budget of $1.5 billion (2025).
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Manama (709,000)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizers, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism
Export partners
UAE 16%, Saudi Arabia 15%, South Africa 8%, USA 6%, India 4% (2023)
Top exports
refined petroleum, aluminum, iron ore, aluminum wire, jewelry (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to Bahrain
Next public holiday
National Day — Wednesday, 16 December 2026. Then National Day (17 Dec).
Bahraini passport
Ranked #103: 50 countries visa-free, 34 with visa on arrival, 5 with an eTA and 25 with an eVisa.
Bahraini passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for Bahrain's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling Bahrain
Dial +973 before the local number. Internet domain .bh.
Climate footprint
39.0 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 24.27 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting Bahrain: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about Bahrain
UAE trips: US advisory adds terror, conflict risk; check plans before you fly
The United States updated its United Arab Emirates travel advisory on 24 October 2026 to add terrorism and armed conflict risks. The alert stays at L…
Kuwaiti Passport Holders May Join Gulf States With Visa-Free Russia Entry
Russia is negotiating visa-free entry with Kuwait and Bahrain, Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko said. Visa-free travel for ordinary passport …
Bahrain Stays Level 3 as US Advisory Warns of Houthi Attack Risk
The U.S. travel advisory for Bahrain was updated on 23 October 2026 to flag a greater risk of armed attacks by Iranian-supported Houthis. The advisor…
Frequently asked questions about Bahrain
What do I need to travel to Bahrain?
How long must my passport be valid for Bahrain?
Where is Bahrain?
What is the capital of Bahrain?
What language is spoken in Bahrain?
What currency does Bahrain use?
What is the calling code of Bahrain?
Does Bahrain have land borders?
How strong is the Bahraini passport?
What is the speed limit in Bahrain?
Is Bahrain safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit Bahrain?
What plug type does Bahrain use?
How many airports does Bahrain have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.