A day out shopping in Bahrain Where to go and what to buy!

Date: November 2022

Everyone enjoys shopping and brings mementos and trinkets home from their travels. Bahrain, an island nation, is among the best destinations to shop in the Middle East thanks to its thriving souqs, incredible street markets, and sizable malls. The best malls in Bahrain may be found as you explore the cities; these buildings not only define luxury but also provide a chance to buy international brands. With the entertainment, food options, and other amenities available, you can certainly plan a fun filled day. Bahrain is one big shopper’s paradise, and you will quickly notice that for yourself.

 

What can one buy in Bahrain? Real pearls, priceless Persian rugs, local spices, fresh dates, and many more things are available in Bahrain that genuinely capture the country's essence. Malls featuring well-known fashion labels and high-end brands are plentiful here. These are a few of the malls you must visit when in Bahrain.

The Bahrain City Center mall is located in Manama's Seef neighborhood. This upscale mall, which is also the biggest in Bahrain, includes everything from budget-friendly boutiques to expensive luxury labels. More than 340 stores, including Saks Avenue, Debenhams, Centre Point, Pottery Barn, and Home Centre, as well as 60 restaurants and the largest Carrefour hypermarket, are here to make your shopping experience spectacular. If you still have some time afterward. The Moda Mall inside the iconic Bahrain World Trade Centre houses over 80 fashion luxury high-end brands like Louis Vuitton, Emporio Armani, Dior, Fendi, Versace, Bottega Veneta, and Gucci. It has the largest luxury brand portfolio of international designers. Of course, when you go to Bahrain, you will definitely want to shop for jewellery and the jewellery court in the mall is just spectacular with brands like Piaget, Chopard, and Cartier etc. The designs and glittery jewels will just leave you astonished.

The Avenues is a waterfront shopping centre situated along Bahrain Bay, and the location of this mall will entice you. It is located directly on the shimmering turquoise sea of the Arabian Gulf. With its distinctive 1.5 km long oceanfront location in the middle of Manama, it is the first shopping and leisure destination of its sort in the Kingdom of Bahrain. There are over 130 brands to explore here, along with over 60 restaurants and cafes to choose from. What’s really amazing about this mall is that after a day of shopping, one can just relax by taking a stroll along the waterfront or by enjoying a boat ride around the breath-taking Bahrain Bay. If you still have time, then you can also check out Dana Mall, Saar Mall, Dragon City, Juffair Mall, and the Bahrain Mall.

Seef Mall is the second largest mall in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is renowned for its unusual architecture and energizing ambiance. With 360 locations, it serves a variety of lifestyles with top-tier retail brands of clothing and jewellery for clients who care about quality. It also has 40+ eateries offering both local and foreign food. Seef Mall is a popular place for family outings because of the family entertainment options it provides, especially for kids. It features a kid-friendly play area, nurseries, and the indoor Magic Island theme park. Additionally, it has a Seef Megaplex with ten screens and a Seef Cineplex with six screens.

A shopping trip in Bahrain wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the vibrant souqs of this island destination. Inside the souq, you have all kinds of shops selling spices, clothes, and other traditional items. Allow yourself to be enchanted by the exotic spices, vibrant crafts, and sparkling jewellery as you stroll through the meandering, tiny streets. For an authentic local shopping experience, there is no better place than the Manama Souq. It is also known as Bab Al Bahrain (literally, the Gateway of Bahrain), and the history of the marketplace goes back to 1949. Right next to it, you will also find the two-story Gold Souq, in which you can admire several jewellers selling glittering gold and silver jewellery. Al Qusayrya Market, one of the oldest markets in Bahrain, is another that has grown tremendously popular over time. What makes it stand out in particular is its lovely architecture. If you want to shop for the best natural pearls that are certified, this market is the right place for it. What is interesting is that Al Qusayrya Market which is part of the Pearling Path was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012.

Now that we have told you which top places to shop in Bahrain are, here are the names of some of the must-have items to shop for. Exotic Persian rugs and other homewares, Bakhoor, which is basically a sweet-smelling incense extracted from the wood chips of fragrant trees, Arabic perfumes that usually have strong fragrances and come packaged in the most immaculately designed bottles, Abayas and scarves, dates, beautifully crafted pottery, some local spices, traditional Bahraini sweets etc. There isn't a more fitting memento to take home as a reminder of Bahrain's vibrant culture than a Bahraini pearl and gold.

Shopaholics don't miss out on this event. The largest shopping event in Bahrain is the Autumn Fair. This nine-day shopping event will start on December 22 and run through December 30 at Exhibition World Bahrain. From handy household items to mouth-watering food stalls, popular fashion to children’s toys, new products to old favorites this consumer fair has something for everyone!

While you can experience Bahrain’s trendy and exclusive side up close in the large malls, the souks score with their traditional flair. It’s best to take enough time to get to know both sides of the island country. So what are you waiting for? Book your flights to the stunning destination of Bahrain and literally shop till you drop.

About BTEA

Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority was established in 2015 under the Royal Decree number (76) for the year 2015 issued by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain.

Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA)’s scope of work includes all sectors related to national tourism affairs in the Kingdom: organize conventions and trade exhibitions in the Kingdom of Bahrain; attract international, regional and local conferences to be hosted in the Kingdom; establish, manage, promote and maintain the Authority’s conventions and exhibitions centers directly or through specialized companies or firms BTEA establishes solely or in partnership with others for the same purpose; grant licenses for conventions and trade exhibitions, supervise and assess them.

The Tourism sector aims to attract prominent international events that engage large number of tourists and strengthen the position of Bahrain as an important tourism attraction on a regional and international level.

BTEA also aspires to boost the Tourism sector’s contribution in the national economy, in line with the Bahrain Economic vision 2030 and toward achieving the goals of the Economic Development Board.