I’m at the Art Rotana, an ultra-stylish five-star hotel perched on the edge of the Amwaj Islands, a man-made pleasure peninsular in north-east Bahrain.

It’s a truly luxurious place to stay, with an illuminated grand entrance, vast marble floors, and eight themed restaurants, including an Italian featuring a Vespa scooter for diners to pose astride.

There’s also a beach club, water park, spa and nightclub. Bahrain, known as the Island Kingdom, has been investing its riches with tourists in mind.

Slick, modern hotels, gleaming waterfronts, a growing food and cultural scene, as well as its own Formula One race, are enticing visitors.

It’s a popular stop-off for luxury cruise ships, enjoys guaranteed year-round sunshine and, because of its mix of Arabic and Western influences, was recently voted the best destination for expats in a global survey by InterNations.

We grab a bite at the Hala Cafe, overlooking the lagoon. The lamb ghouzi (lamb stuffed with rice and spices) is a traditional Arabian Gulf showstopper, and served with bright blue lemonade – the perfect accompaniment to the Bahraini sunshine.

Then we head for The Al Fateh Grand Mosque, one of the largest in the world, encompassing 6,500 square metres and accommodating more than 7,000 worshippers.

Open to all faiths, it was built in 1987 and named after Ahmed Al Fateh, the founder of Bahrain. A guided tour gives an insight into Islam, one of the world’s oldest religions, and you can feast your eyes on its astonishing design, ornamented with Kufic calligraphy and crowned with the largest fibreglass dome in the world.

Next stop is the Bahrain National Museum. Burial mounds and ancient artefacts are around every corner.

Its vast manuscripts hall is an absorbing 4,000-year journey through time. As the sun sets, we head to Block 338, a bustling pedestrian quarter crammed with restaurants, art galleries and small boutiques.

We spend the night in Calexico, a Mexican eaterie, drinking margaritas, singing along to a live band and applauding a group of locals in a salsa dance-off.

We take a walking tour of Manama Souq where street vendors haggle over shimmering sari dresses. The exotic aromas of saffron and rose wafting from the multi-coloured spice stalls add to the heady experience.

For the finer things, pop into the Gold Souq or one of Bahrain’s famed pearl shops. The market is mostly sheltered, and ideal for escaping the hottest part of the day.

As the temperature cools we drive 30 minutes to Muhurraq Island, Islamic Cultural Capital 2018, for a walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Pearling Trail.

There are plenty of photo opportunities while following in the footsteps of Alexander the Great and esteemed jewellery designer Jacques Cartier, who travelled Bahrain in the search of the world’s most perfect pearl.

We also visit the house of Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa. Constructed around 1800, it gives an interesting look at pre-oil life in Bahrain and is one of the finest examples in the Gulf of a traditional house.

After a tongue-sizzling chicken biryani at Saffron, a traditional Arabic restaurant in Muharraq with a glass floor looking down on to an excavated factory, we head to the Qal’at Al-Bahrain – or Bahrain Fort.

Once the capital of Dilmun civilisation, it is one of the Gulf’s few UNESCO world heritage sites and dates back more than 4,000 years.

For our evening meal we go to Swiss-Belhotel, where we feast on a fab buffet of Arabic and Western cuisine while sipping beers and cocktails on its outdoor terrace.

Up early, we head to the Beit Al Qur’an (House of Qur’an), an arts centre and museum in Hoora. It has some of the oldest versions of the Qur’an.

Venturing further into Manama, we stop at Craft Industries Development Centre to learn traditional handicrafts like ceramics.

This is a real hands-on experience and I leave with paint all over me. On a boat trip from the sandy beach at the Art Rotana, I finally get to dive into those stunning blue waters.

Floating in the sea, taking in the deep red of one last Bahraini sunset, I realise there is one way to afford a trip back here a little sooner.

I take a deep breath and plunge beneath the waves in a quest to find that elusive pearl.

FactFile:

Getting there: Gulf Air, national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, serves 42 cities in 25 countries. Gulf Air flies twice a day direct from London Heathrow to Bahrain.

Return flights from £370 including taxes. Book at gulfair.com. Where to stay: Stay B&B at the five-star ART Rotana in Bahrain from BD90 or £182 per room, per night, based on two sharing a classic room. Book at rotana.com.

Things to do: Guided tours with AtBahrain start at £51 per person. Book at at-bahrain.com/daily-guided-tours/ or call +973 1710 0024.

Flames Steak & Seafood at ART Rotana costs from £61 including starter, main and wine. Book at rotanatimes.com/artrotana/ dining.

Buffet at Swiss-Café from £17 per person. To book call +973 6631 0041 or visit swiss-belhotel.com.

For more information on the Kingdom of Bahrain, events and attractions visit Bahrain Tourism & Exhibit