Information on Riffa

Hello there and welcome to the forum,

First of all, you should read our guide for new expats in Bahrain which will answer most of your questions about Bahrain.

Riffa is about 20-30 mins drive away from the centre of Bahrain but it is a beautiful area with lots of green sights (which is rare in Bahrain). Some members of the Royal Family lives around there so everything is maintained perfectly - but this all depends where you live.

You do not need to live in Riffa. As I said, commuting 30 mins is not much considering the 2 hour commute I was doing each way when I was back in the UK.

If there is anything else I can help you with, let us know and good luck.

Thanks a lot for the information. Your guide is also really helpful and informative.

As for my location, the school told me that I cannot choose my place of residence, but there will be an apartment allocated for me by the school, which has to be in Riffa. I'm not driving, so my only option would be public transport. 

My main concern is that Riffa may be a residental/villa area (albeit very nice but) where I would have to walk or travel quite a bit to find a supermarket, a shopping mall or a place to play squash or a gym.

Do you have any information about shops, leisure facilities and public transport in the Riffa area?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Riffa is like a small town, you have gyms, shops, golf course and everything you require on your doorstep. It is a lovely, safe, friendly place. I have lots of friends who live there and they totally love it.

Trip advisor link here Riffa Golf Course gives you a feel for the place, also on the top tabs you will see a tab with Riffa on it. That will give you lots more information

Thank you for the answer. This sounds quite reassuring

It really is lovely. You will be fine there

I live in Riffa and I too wish to reassure you about it being very liveable and lively place. It is one of the safest places in Bahrain.

There are a few international schools in Riffa. I know that one of these provides staff accommodation within walking distance from the school. Not sure about the others.

Public transport is a bit of a challenge in Bahrain generally. You should try to get a driving licence and vehicle eventually. Until then you may need to rely on taxis, which could be expensive.

Best wishes.

Thank you all for the information and reassurance.

The school I'll probably work for is Naseem International School, and the way things are looking at the moment, I think I'll sign the contract tomorrow. I have an EU driving licence, so the only thing I need is some driving practice if I decide to get a car. Now I feel good about the prospect of living in Riffa and once I sort out my transportation issue, my only challange left will be to find a squash club

Thank you once again, and see you in Bahrain (maybe)!

I can help you find good car hire when you get here if you like. You really do need transport in Bahrain otherwise you can feel quite secluded. There are plenty of gym's and clubs in Bahrain so I feel very confident that you feel at home very quickly here.

I appreciate your help. I think I'll contact you when I get there around the end of August.