BAHRAIN

The most relaxed place in Arabia with the possible exception of Dubai, but very expensive. Joined to Saudi by a huge causeway. Most hotels have bars with live entertainment, occasionally western, but usually Philippino, South African or E. European, and usually ranging from excellent to complete rubbish in that order. Best hotels have water conditioned pools. It is always stunningly hot. Nothing worth seeing away from the town centre.
Mikes tips:- Don’t pay more than 2 Dinar for a taxi in town. Hotel Intercontinental is tops. BJ's nightclub is last place open and is great if you like a good rave. Find out the gold price from an ex-pat before going to buy. Take it very easy when shopping or the heat will get to you. If there for several days get straight down to a tailors and get your suit or dress ordered, then to the top floor of the gold souk to get jewellery custom made. If a local offers money for one of the younger members of your party he is not joking, but do not take offence. Do not get drunk or punchy. Bahrain is very western until the moment you get arrested! Do not drink and drive. Local Indian/Chinese restaurants are crap decor but superb food. Full meal with drinks for around 3BD/GB£6 (try Al Osara or Viceroy). 'Western' restaurants can go up to 15BD per head or more! In th spice souk you can get fabulous curry powder from the 'spice hills' for 1.5BD/Kg. You'll know what I mean when you see them. Ultra colourful material is another speciality. Spend 2BD on material and 2BD in the tailors and get a fantastic party shirt! The Warbler does some of the worlds best burgers, a great quiz night on Sunday, and almost always has a good band. Holiday Inn has a very nice pool. Most hotels, even the 5* ones, have an expensive club where some sort of deal operates where you buy flowers for girls and get quite a lot more in return, but it's really best avoided as we did. There are 1200 Gulf Air stewardesses and 600 stewards based in Bahrain, plus quite a lot of military on R&R from Saudi, and they keep the bars lively. Fiddlers Green is a nice Irish Bar.