Bahrain

Bahrain is an island linked by causeway to Saudi Arabia, where the Gulf feels calmer and looser than next door. There is no income tax, rent is cheaper than in Dubai or Qatar, and English-language services and schools are built around expatriates. Summers are hot and humid, winters mild and pleasant, and rain is almost absent. The country is small: work sits in finance and oil services, landscape and leisure options are limited, and status is tied to an employer.