Take the tour!

BAHRAINS major tourist attractions are quite widely spread apart, and not always easy for a visitor to find.

Perhaps the best advice we can give you is, go in for a guided tour of Bahrain early into your visit, and then explore on your own the sights the tour didnt take in.

There are several tour operators, most of whom will show you around the major attractions.

One that offers a more unusual series of tours, taking in the true flavour of Bahrain, is Arab World Tours (tel 9637737/fax 254297).

Among the options are photo tours, where a professional photographer joins you on the guided tour, offering picture tips and making sure you wont be missing from your holiday snaps either!

There are also fishing trips, camel rides, sailing expeditions and the ultimate Bahrain experience ­ an evening at a traditional desert camp.

Starting at sundown, the camp lasts well into the early hours of the morning, and offers a taste of what life was like before the age of modern conveniences. Dont miss!

Gulf Tours (tel 211025) offers daily guided tours to the leading attractions. The themed tours all start at Bab Al Bahrain, and include packages such as Islamic Bahrain, Bahrain Heritage, Bahrain Ancient and Modern, Wildlife and Ancient Dilmun, Archaeology and Crafts and Desert Delights.

Bahrain Explored (tel 211477) offers a choice of island tours, with flexible timings to suit tour groups. The Northern Bahrain Tour offers a comprehensive background to the history and culture of Bahrain, and includes visits to dhow builders and blacksmiths, apart from a trip to Bahrain Fort and the A'ali burial mounds. The Muharraq Tour takes in the Grand Mosque, National Museum and Arad Fort. Bahrain Explored also hires out traditional Arab dhows to groups for a fun day out and arranges parties under a Bedouin tent in the desert.

Al Reem (tel 710868) has just the package for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. From date palm fields to coral reefs and rare animal and bird species, this tour covers it all.

Orient Tours (tel 582003) offers tailor-made tours within Bahrain as well as to other Gulf states. Tour guides are multilingual (German, English, Italian and French).