Bahrain Is The New Dubai

The island nation has glitzy skyscrapers and a rich heritage

- Lubna Amir

Bahrain’s sunlit sea shimmers as my airplane slices through its clear skies. Peering down, all I see are island clusters dotted with palm trees and glittering skyscrapers. In the 30-minute drive to the hotel, Maseratis and Audis whizz past me, and I am flanked by blingy hoardings of Bahrain’s Formula-1 racing circuit and those advertising ‘indoor skydiving’. I also pass by gigantic malls. “Very glamorous, no?” my guide Abdul Nabi remarks, trailing my gaze. “All big labels and latest collections. People from Dubai come to shop here now.”

The Kingdom of Bahrain, like Dubai, is built on reclaimed land, and in the mirrored facades of this island nation’s modern buildings I do see a hint of Dubai. And yet in my five days here, I realise one thing: Modernisation in Bahrain seems measured. Bahrainis take pride in their smooth infrastructure and manicured cityscape, but they are also very passionate about preserving their heritage.

The Bahrain National Museum is my first stop, and also my first window into Bahraini history. It is here that I learn that Bahrain traces its roots to the Dilmun civilisation, one of Middle-East’s oldest civilisations. Seals, crockery, coins and other artefacts, excavated as recently as the late 1950s, and now showcased behind glass panels at the museum, offer me a glimpse into the Dilmun era.