Sports and Recreation
The year-round fine weather in Bahrain offers immense scope for a range of sea and land based activities including swimming, fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, water-skiing, parasailing, windsurfing and yachting.
Bahrain is known for its pearl industry, and therefore Bahrain allows visitors to dive for their own pearls with the help of Aquatique Scuba Centre. Else, opt for a 40 minute boat ride to Hawar Islands and enjoy the dolphins playing in the calm seas.
Horses have been part of Bahraini culture for years, and horseback riding is another sporting activity here. Bahrain has a unique collection of pure-bred Arabian horses preserved for more than 200 years by the Royal family. The splendid racetrack in Bahrain is sufficient proof for this. But, for those who are not confident about riding a horse, there are good racetracks in Manama, with maximum seating capacity of 10,000. The horse racing season is from October to March, so that the weather is cooler during that time.
Golf is another popular sporting activity here, and the Riffa Golf Course is amongst the most popular tracks to practice your swing. The 18-hole green is located on a Wadi terrain and incorporates five lakes and is landscapes with hundreds of date palms and desert rough.
Bahrain is also home to one of the best Formula One racing tracks in the region. The country first hosted the Gulf Air Grand Prix in 2004, and since then has continued to host the annual Grand Prix, which usually takes place in March. Visitors can visit the Bahrain International Circuit to watch the impressive race track.
The skating rink and bowling alley at Busheri’s in Budaiya has snooker tables and video rooms. There are also expatriate rugby and cricket teams, although Football is the national game in Bahrain. Bahrain has an olympic-sized sports stadium. Camel racing is also quite popular here.