Awali
عوالي
Begun in 1934 near the first oil well, Awali was the earliest modern oil town in the Gulf and is still a working community.
About Awali
Awali is the town the Bahrain Petroleum Company built for its staff after oil was found at Jebel Dukhan in 1932. Temporary housing went up near the well in 1933 and construction of the town began in 1934. Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, then Ruler of Bahrain, gave it its name. It is often described as the earliest modern oil company settlement in the Arabian Gulf.
The town was planned with homes, offices, services and leisure in one place. Housing ranged from bunkhouses to family bungalows, with a hospital opened in 1937, a school, a church, a swimming pool and the Bapco Club, a social hub of the early oil era. Awali was the first place in Bahrain with central air conditioning plants, and its green streets still feel different from the rest of the island.
Historians also note the divisions of the time, with many Bahraini workers housed outside the camp in simpler homes. In 2026 the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and Bapco Energies opened an exhibition at Bahrain National Museum marking 90 years of Awali, and the town has been proposed for UNESCO's tentative World Heritage list.
Awali remains a quiet residential community, home to Awali Golf Club, the oldest golf club in the Gulf. It suits visitors interested in architecture, oil history and town planning, and works well with a drive to Jebel Dukhan, the first oil well and Riffa Views.
Highlights
- Construction began in 1934
- Gulf's earliest modern oil company town
- First central air conditioning in Bahrain
- Bapco Club and 1930s bungalows
- Home of Awali Golf Club
- 90-year exhibition at Bahrain National Museum
Good to know
- Awali is a residential community; respect private homes and company property.
- The best way to learn its history is the Awali exhibition at Bahrain National Museum, which is closed on Tuesdays.
- Combine a drive through Awali with Jebel Dukhan and the first oil well.
- Some facilities, such as clubs, may be for members or residents only.
Getting there
By car in the centre of the main island, between Riffa and the southern oil field. Riffa Views and Royal Golf Club are nearby.
Questions people ask
When was Awali built?
Bapco began building Awali in 1934, after temporary housing for oil workers was set up near the first oil well in 1933.
Who named Awali?
Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Ruler of Bahrain at the time, named the township Awali.
Can you visit Awali?
Yes, you can drive through the town, which is still a residential community. Respect private property and members-only facilities.
