Visas, maps & paperwork, Bahrain

Favorite thing: The 2 week on-arrival visa is now available to the following nationalites :

EU-16, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or Hong Kong as well as any person resident in one of the GCC countries. The price is 5 BHD. In addition 72 hour transit visas are available to some additional nationalites, but these are more expensive.

The process is simple. Just go up to the immigration counter and hand over your passport. You don't have to fill out any forms. The 5 BHD fee can only be paid in cash, credit cards are not accepted. There is an exchange both adjacent to immigration, but they offer rather bad rates, so exchange some Bahraini money beforehand if you're coming from elsewhere in the region.

Favorite thing: Bahrain is a group of about 30 islands situated off the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia. Well, almost; we're no longer an island but are connected to Saudi Arabia by a causeway.

If you enlarge the map you'll just about make out the causeway at about 10 o'clock. The second biggest island, at 1 o'clock is Muharraq - where you'll land if you come by plane. At five o'clock are the Hawar Islands.

And yes, the sea here really is this colour

Favorite thing: Visa Requirements: Citizens of the EU can obtain a two-week visa on arrival at the airport for Bd5($13). Citizens of the US, Canada and Japan must all apply for a visa in advance. This will cost Bd20($55)

Currency:Approx. 0.377010 Bahrain Dinars = $1.00 USD

Departure Tax: Bd3

Area Code: 973

Favorite thing: Make sure that you do not have anything that you are not allowed to have because they cheque you everywhere when they stop you.I got stopped in the custome,even if we where only there for brekfast in the transithall.All organised as well.

Favorite thing: It takes only one week to obtain a vist visa in Bahrain. If all the papers are filed properly by the sponseror's then one dosen't have to wait long.