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Voykit pocket guide · Bahrain
Sitrah
سترة
Skip Sitrah as a destination: it is a residential and industrial island with one resort and a yacht club, best visited only if you stay at Al Bandar or need to cross the causeway.
Sitrah is a small island town split between the Capital and Southern governorates, connected to Bahrain Island by a causeway and two bridges. It has no major sights: the main draw is Al Bandar Hotel & Resort on the south coast, with chalets, pools and a marina. Most travellers will not need to visit Sitrah at all; it is about 15 min by car from central Manama (check) and offers little beyond the resort.
- Country
- Bahrain
- Local name
- سترة
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (extreme heat and humidity)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BHD
- Money
- Bahraini dinar (BHD, BD) is divided into 1,000 fils and pegged to the US dollar (BD 1 ≈ US$2.66); prices look small because one dinar is a high-value note.
- Daily spend
- Budget BD 5–10 (if staying in Manama and day-tripping) · Mid BD 15–25 (includes a meal at the resort) · High BD 40+ (resort stay with meals) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Three networks: Batelco (Beyon), Zain and stc; tourist SIMs at BAH arrivals and malls, registered to your passport.
- Emergency
- Police / Fire / Ambulance 999
- Plugs
- Types G · 230 V · 50 Hz · UK three-pin sockets; adapters in any supermarket.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Check for a service charge; if none, 10%.; Taxi / ride-hail: Round up or add BD 0.5–1.; Hotel porter: 500 fils – BD 1 per bag.; Driver or guide day: BD 5–10.
- Water
- Tap water is desalinated and treated; most residents drink bottled water, which is cheap.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in malls, hotels and petrol stations, with a bidet hose; mosques and older buildings may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Taxi Manama → Sitra | BD 4–6 |
| Meal at Al Bandar resort restaurant | BD 8–15 |
| Soft drink at resort | BD 1–2 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BAH · Bahrain International Airport
- About 20–25 min by car via the Sitra Causeway (check)
Typical fares
- Taxi Manama → Sitra
- BD 4–6, about 15 min (check)
- Taxi Airport → Sitra
- BD 6–10, about 20–25 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car or taxi is the only practical option; public transport options are check. The causeway and two bridges connect to Bahrain Island.
See and do
Known for
- Al Bandar Hotel & Resort
- Yacht club at Halat Um al-Baidh
- Sitra Causeway
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Manama | Car or taxi via Sitra Causeway, about 15 min (check) | 15–20 min (check) |
| Muharraq | Car or taxi via the causeway and Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway, about 25 min (check) | 25–30 min (check) |
| Qal'at al-Bahrain | Car or taxi, about 20 min (check) | 20–25 min (check) |
Sleep
- Al Bandar area (south Sitra)
- The only accommodation on the island; resort with chalets, pools and a marina.
- Manama
- Better choice for most: 15 min drive north (check), far more hotels, restaurants and sights.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | كم السعر؟kam as-si'r? |
| Where is the hotel? | أين الفندق؟ayn al-funduq? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'As-salamu alaykum'; shake hands with men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Right hand: Eat, pass and receive with the right hand; avoid: Using the left hand for food
- Feet: Keep soles on the floor when sitting in a majlis; avoid: Pointing your soles at people
- Mosques: Visit outside prayer times, covered, shoes off; avoid: Walking in front of people praying
- Hospitality: Accept coffee and dates when offered; avoid: Refusing outright
- Politics: Listen; avoid: Discussing the ruling family, 2011, sectarian issues or the war with strangers
Scams and watch-outs
- Transport options on Sitra are limited: you likely need a car or taxi (check).
- The island is mostly industrial and residential; restaurants and cafés outside the resort are check.
- Al Bandar Resort is near Sitra, not in it: check the exact location before booking.
Sitrah is a quiet residential area with low crime. The main risk is road safety on the causeway and summer heat.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Sitrah yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Al Bandar Hotel & Resort
- Yacht club at Halat Um al-Baidh
- Sitra Causeway
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Sitrah, revision 5291206 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5291206
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Sitrahسترة
إلى هذا العنوان، من فضلك
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / Fire / Ambulance999
Most embassies are in Manama, about 15 min north (check).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/sitrah). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.