Little India

Manama

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Close your eyes in this little corner of Manama's historic souq and you would be forgiven for thinking you were in downtown Delhi. The lingua franca is Hindi, and the shop owners trace their roots back to the subcontinent. Walking along these narrow alleyways, a cup of chai (tea) in hand, stopping off for a quick bite in Swagat and witnessing puja (worship) inside the 200-year-old Khrishna Temple really is a one-off experience in Bahrain.

Little India covers an area of 5000 sq m spread over three streets (Bab Al Bahrain Ave, Al Tijjar Ave and Al Hadrami Ave) where historically many houses were built using Indian wood.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Museum goers inside the purpose-built Bahrain National Museum which covers 6,000 years of Bahrain's history.

    Bahrain National Museum

    1.45 MILES

    Deservedly the country's most popular attraction, this is an outstanding introduction to Bahrain's history, with signage in English and Arabic. It's…

  • The Manama Souk, Bahrain.

    Manama Souq

    0.17 MILES

    Manama Souq is a warren of narrow streets and alleyways emanating south from Bab Al Bahrain. Here you can pick up everything from electronic goods and…

  • Beit Al Quran

    Beit Al Quran

    1.06 MILES

    The finest collection of ancient Qurans in the region, this wonderful homage to Islam's holiest book displays Qurans from almost every century since the…

  • Al Fatih Mosque

    Al Fatih Mosque

    1.6 MILES

    This is Bahrain's grand mosque, built as a grand statement in honour of the founder of modern Bahrain, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Muhammad Bin Khalifa, who was…

  • Beit Sheikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa

    Beit Sheikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa

    2.71 MILES

    Offering a fascinating look at pre-oil life in Bahrain, this building was constructed around 1800 and is one of the finest examples of a traditional house…

  • Riffa Fort

    Riffa Fort

    7.89 MILES

    The completely restored Riffa Fort was built in 1812 by Sheikh Salman Bin Ahmad Al Fatih, the 19th-century ruler of Bahrain. A classic piece of Bahraini…

  • A'Ali Royal Burial Mounds

    A'Ali Royal Burial Mounds

    6.15 MILES

    There are more than 100,000 Dilmun-era burial mounds scattered across Bahrain, but none come close to the magnificence of these. That A'Ali was an…

  • Ithra

    Ithra

    29.15 MILES

    Ithra is a world-class cultural venue like no other in Saudi Arabia. The building resembles a space station, and is home to a cinema, a museum, exhibition…

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Nearby Manama attractions

1. Jai Shri Khrishna Temple

0.03 MILES

This 200-year-old Hindu temple is the oldest in the Gulf and a testimony to Bahrain's ancient Indian community. Situated down a narrow alley in the heart…

2. Bab Al Bahrain

0.17 MILES

This handsome twin-arched gate is a fitting entrance to Manama Souq. Built by Sir Charles Dalrymple Belgrave, British adviser to the royals, in 1949, the …

3. Manama Souq

0.17 MILES

Manama Souq is a warren of narrow streets and alleyways emanating south from Bab Al Bahrain. Here you can pick up everything from electronic goods and…

4. Yateem Mosque

0.2 MILES

Built in 1992 by Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, this mosque is easily identified by its unique minaret, which (unusually for a mosque) also serves as a…

5. Manama Craft Centre

0.43 MILES

Home to a variety of showrooms and workshops, this centre promotes the revival of traditional Bahraini crafts, such as weaving, palm-leaf paper making,…

6. Financial Harbour Towers

0.45 MILES

These iconic twin towers, resembling two huge glass slides, belong to the Financial Harbour and are amongst Manama's most distinct examples of modern…

8. World Trade Centre

0.58 MILES

Built in 2008, these 240m-high, 50-floor office towers were inspired by the traditional badqeers (wind towers) seen in historic Bahraini homes. They are…