What are the shopping options like in Manama?

Manama city is a small urban city that lies in the heart of Bahrain. It is a very humbling unpopulated place that people from all walks of life (the expatriates down to locals) enjoy navigating around. You can enjoy strolling in the Avenue Mall and Seef Area, you can splurge in a shopping spree at Bahrain City Center, you can also have a good time in their humble and clear wet market where fresh fish and veggies are such a delight if you are in a budget. Above all, Manama is known well for the values of the locals who welcome you as their own. It is a home away from home.

Manama, Bahrain, is in a Muslim country, which can create a bit of a cultural learning curve for newcomers. The workweek isn’t Monday to Friday, but Sunday to Thursday. This is to accommodate Friday as a holy day in Islam, the same way Sunday is for Christianity and Saturday is for Judaism. Muslim holidays are recognised by the local governments, so grocery stores will have big Ramadan and Eid sales events every year. You can hear the sounds of prayer broadcast from local mosques at certain times throughout the day.

Despite its diminutive size, Manama, Bahrain, is quite the international community. In addition to Bahrain National Day, which celebrates Bahrain’s independence from the British empire, the country celebrates Bahrain International Day, which promotes the sharing of cultures and emphasizes the cosmopolitan nature of the country. English translations are provided everywhere from restaurant menus to mall directories you can even go to a local movie theatre and watch the latest blockbuster without needing to read subtitles.

Manama has high cost of living. It is not beneficial for those people who would like to save money. The neighborhood is calm and safe. The people are mainly Indians. There are a few schools nearby and other facilities such as supermarkets, shops, laundry are close by if required.

There are plenty of what could be described as strip malls, but arranged in such a way as to feel like their own “thing,” such as the Avenues one long line of indoor shops designed to look like an outdoor street and the Lagoon a triple-floored strip mall curved around a pond that boasts some of the country’s best eateries.