Pearling was central to trade in Bahrain for thousands of years and in this half-day tour you’ll discover the rich history of what’s known as the pearling pathway – 3.5km of walkway connecting three oyster beds, the Bu Mahir Fort and 17 buildings in the historical section of Muharraq.

Before travelling to the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the pearling pathway, you’ll be collected from the port and taken to the Bahrain National Museum, where a section dedicated to the pearl diving tradition can be found in the Hall of Traditional Trades and Crafts.

Having set the context for the next part of the tour, we’ll move on to the Bu Maher Fort. This part of the pearling pathway is a tribute to famous jeweller Jacques Cartier, who travelled to Bahrain in the 1920s to source its pearls with their unequalled lustre and roundness; the result of freshwater springs in the saltwater sea surrounding Bahrain.

The old houses of Muharraq have been painstakingly renovated and retain all the charming touches of old Arabia with narrow lanes and houses clustered together. You’ll visit the Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research, a Kurar house and the Iqra Children’s Library before enjoying a cup of tea or coffee at the restaurant on site and departing to port.