Bahrain Moves Alongside New Marine Tourism Through Hawar Islands

Written By: Abhirup Gan

Abhirup Gan

I'm Abhirup Gan, a Mass Communication graduate and digital marketing professional. Driven by a passion for storytelling, I create insightful, research-led content that explores tourism trends, destination stories, and hospitality developments with depth and clarity. Through my writing, I hope to inspire readers to discover not only where to travel, but the stories, cultures, and experiences that make every journey meaningful.

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September 7, 2026 1:29 PM

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Hawar Islands, located off the coast of Bahrain, have increased their importance in terms of nature and island tourism in the country through the integration of protected marine and terrestrial ecosystems with modern, ecologically conscious hotels. Hawar Islands Reserve, which covers an area of 51.4 sq km and includes six major and over 30 small islands, is situated about 26 kilometres to the southeast of Bahrain. In addition to this, the territorial waters surrounding the islands have been included in the conservation area, thus making a significant conservation area in the southern part of the Kingdom. The development of tourism on the islands is concurrent with their conservation status, with bird watching, coastal activities, kayaking, boating and hoteling being the activities that characterise the tour. According to the Tourism Department of Bahrain, Hawar Island is a destination where one can observe turtles, dolphins, migrating birds and other marine life in the vicinity of the islands.

Protected Waters Form the Foundation

Hawar Islands have long been recognised for their ecological importance. The Bahraini government identifies the islands and the surrounding territorial sea as a protected area, noting that the archipelago’s relatively undeveloped environment has attracted numerous bird species that live and breed there during different periods. The reserve is also included among Bahrain’s sites under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.

The protected environment provides a different tourism setting from Bahrain’s highly developed urban coastline. Visitors travelling to Hawar encounter open sea, sandy shores, low-lying island landscapes and wildlife habitats rather than a dense urban waterfront.

The reserve’s geographical separation also contributes to its appeal as an island excursion. Hawar Island is approximately 20 kilometres from Bahrain’s mainland according to the official tourism authority, with the current resort accessible by a 25-to-30-minute boat journey.

Marine Wildlife Adds a Major Tourism Attraction

Marine wildlife is central to Hawar’s nature tourism potential. Bahrain’s tourism authority states that waters around Hawar contain flourishing seagrass beds where visitors can encounter endangered dugongs, alongside migratory birds and other marine life.

Bahrain’s wider waters support one of the world’s largest dugong populations. The country’s official tourism platform currently cites estimates of between 5,800 and 7,300 dugongs in Bahraini waters based on 2022 estimates, describing the population as the world’s second largest.

This distinction is important when considering Hawar’s tourism role. Rather than attributing a specific population of nearly 700 dugongs exclusively to the archipelago without current official evidence, Hawar can be positioned within the larger marine ecosystem supporting Bahrain’s nationally significant dugong population.

The seagrass environment also provides habitat for other marine species and contributes to the ecological character of the islands.

Birdwatching Extends the Visitor Experience

Hawar’s protected islands provide important habitat for birds, adding another dimension to wildlife tourism. The government describes the reserve as an environment that attracts numerous bird species for living and breeding at different times of the year.

The archipelago’s isolated setting allows birdwatchers and nature travellers to observe coastal and migratory species away from the more intensively developed areas of Bahrain. The marine environment, mudflats, beaches and shallow waters create varied habitats within a relatively compact destination.

Boat journeys around the islands can therefore become part of the wildlife experience, allowing visitors to view the coastline from the water while looking for birds, turtles, dolphins and other marine species.

Hawar Resort Adds an Eco-Luxury Dimension

The development of Hawar Resort by Mantis has introduced a substantial hospitality component to the island. Bahrain’s tourism authority currently lists the property as a 104-room eco-conscious resort located on Hawar Island and surrounded by a wildlife sanctuary.

The accommodation includes rooms, beachfront villas and overwater villas, while facilities include restaurants, a private beach, spa and leisure facilities. The resort also provides kayaking, paddleboarding, horseback riding, fishing and other outdoor activities.

The property has incorporated several sustainability measures. According to Bahrain Tourism, the resort operates without single-use plastics, maintains an on-site water bottling plant and recycling systems, and is progressing towards off-grid operation through a solar farm. Guest transfers, materials and experiences are also described as being shaped by conservation principles.

Island Activities Connect Tourism With Nature

Hawar’s location makes water-based experiences a central part of the tourism offer. Kayaking and paddleboarding allow visitors to travel at low speed through coastal waters, while boat trips provide access to the wider archipelago.

Bahrain Tourism also promotes Hawar as a destination for encounters with marine wildlife. The country’s current boating guidance specifically identifies the islands as a location where travellers can see migratory birds, coral reefs, turtles, dolphins and dugongs around seagrass habitats.

These activities provide a nature-based alternative to Bahrain’s urban attractions, shopping destinations and conventional beach tourism. Visitors can combine a stay in Manama with an overnight or multi-day island experience.

Hawar Adds a Different Bahrain Itinerary

The official Bahrain tourism platform currently features Hawar Island within a five-day leisure itinerary, recommending a stay at Hawar Resort and highlighting activities such as horseback and camel riding alongside the island environment.

This positions the archipelago as an extension of a wider Bahrain holiday rather than an isolated specialist destination. Travellers can begin with Manama’s cultural, shopping and dining attractions before travelling south to Hawar for coastal and wildlife experiences.

The island setting also provides a different pace of travel. The absence of urban development within the reserve creates opportunities for visitors to focus on open landscapes, marine habitats and outdoor recreation.

Conservation Remains Central to Hawar’s Tourism Role

Hawar’s tourism development operates within an established protected-area framework. The Bahraini government identifies the islands and their surrounding territorial sea as protected, while the archipelago’s Ramsar status recognises its importance as a wetland environment.

The protected status places the marine ecosystem at the centre of destination management. Seagrass beds, coastal habitats and bird breeding areas form part of the natural environment that visitors encounter, making responsible access important to the continued operation of wildlife and nature tourism.

For tourism operators, this creates a destination where accommodation and outdoor experiences exist alongside conservation requirements rather than replacing them with conventional high-density development.

Bahrain Strengthens Its Island Tourism Network

The Hawar Islands are growing more prominent on Bahrain’s list of nature tourism attractions. The destination includes such elements as a protected landscape, marine wildlife, birdlife, water-based activities, and eco-conscious accommodation. It should be noted that the significance of this destination is not confined to the destination itself. First, the location of this destination in the overall Bahraini marine ecosystem links the destination to the overall approach towards conservation in the Kingdom. Second, the wildlife that includes dugongs, turtles, dolphins, migratory birds, and seagrass habitat can be used as the basis for the wildlife tourism attraction. Having protected waters in its proximity and an eco-luxury resort providing accommodation, Hawar is developing the tourism destination based on the use of island, wildlife, and nature.