Travel Guide to Bermuda

Introduction

An overseas territory of the UK, Bermuda lies approximately 650 miles east of the US state of North Carolina making it a much shorter flight (around seven hours from London) than the islands of the Caribbean. With extraordinarily pleasant weather and a distinctive island landscape, it impossible not to fall in love with Bermuda wholeheartedly.

Contrary to popular opinion Bermuda is not one island – but a string of over 100 islands linked by causeways and bridges. Marine geologists say that 100 million years ago, this chain of islands was part of the lip of a huge volcano, now long dormant. Surrounded by a wide platform of underwater coral reefs, Bermuda’s inshore seas come in colours you won’t soon forget – stunning blues and greens that lap at the pink sand of its beaches.

The people ofBermuda are a diverse group numbering approximately 65,500. English is the official language, flavoured with a Bermudian lilt, and many people also speaking Portuguese. Bermudians have a reputation as some of the friendliest people in the world.

Location

Located in the North Atlantic off the east coast of the United States, Bermuda is situated around 1,100 miles northeast of Miami, Florida and 840 miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about 640 miles west-northwest.

Shopping

Well known as an international shopping destination, Bermuda and its shopkeepers greet visitors with a warm welcome and one-of-a-kind items. All of Bermuda’s merchandise is well crafted and many premiere brands are stocked at a lower cost than other locations.

You won’t want to miss the variety of unique local items — known as Bermudiana — that include handcrafted gold trinkets and cedar-wood gifts. Bermuda shorts, of course, are a perennially hot item.

The island’s premiere shopping centre is the city of Hamilton, where charming shopkeepers conduct business from pastel-painted storefronts.

Geography

Bermuda is renowned for its pink sand beaches and natural beauty. Surrounded by crystal clear waters warmed by the Gulf Stream, Bermuda’sterrain is composed of a picturesque archipelago dotted with low, rolling hills perched in a relatively flat landscape.

Bermuda may seem like one continuous landmass to visitors, but is actually made up of 181 islands, islets and rocks. Most of these are uninhabited, but eight of the larger ones, linked by bridges and one causeway, form the subtropical paradise visitors cannot resist.

Local species of wildlife include serenading tree frogs, endangered sea turtles, 350 types of birds and 650 species of fish.

History

The discovery of Bermuda in around 1503 is attributed to a Spanish explorer, Juan de Bermúdez. Both Spanish and Portuguese ships used the islands as a replenishment spot for fresh meat and water, but legends of spirits and devils, now thought to have stemmed only from the callings of raucous birds (most likely the Bermuda Petrel) kept them from attempting any permanent settlement on the Isle of Devils.

Bermúdez and Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo ventured to Bermuda in 1514 or 1515 with the intention to drop off a breeding stock of hogs on the island as a future stock of fresh meat for passing ships. The inclement weather prevented them from landing however.

For the next century, the island is believed to have been visited frequently but not permanently settled. The first two British colonies in Virginia had failed, and a more determined effort was initiated by King James I of England and VI of Scotland, who granted a Royal Charter to The Virginia Company. In 1609, a flotilla of ships left England under the Company’s Admiral, Sir George Somers, to relieve the colony of Jamestown, settled two years before. The flotilla was broken up by a storm, and the flagship, the Sea Venture, was wrecked off Bermuda (as depicted on the territory’s Coat of Arms), leaving the survivors in possession of a new territory. (William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest is thought to have been inspired by William Strachey’s account of this shipwreck.)

Most of the survivors of the Sea Venture had carried on to Jamestown in 1610 aboard two Bermuda-built ships. Intentional settlement of Bermuda began with the arrival of the Plough, in 1612. With its limited land area, Bermuda had difficulty achieving population growth. In the first two centuries of settlement, it relied on steady emigration to keep the population manageable. A steady trickle of outward migration continued as, by the end of the eighteenth century, with seafaring being the only real industry, at least a third of the island’s manpower was at sea at any one time.

After the American Revolution, the Royal Navy began improving the harbours and built the large dockyard on Ireland Island, in the west of the chain, as its principal naval base guarding the western Atlantic Ocean shipping lanes. As a result of Bermuda’s proximity to the southeastern U.S. coast, it was regularly used by Confederate States blockade runners during the American Civil War to evade Union naval vessels and bring desperately needed war goods to the South from England.

In the early twentieth century, as modern transport and communication systems developed, Bermuda became a popular destination for American, Canadian and British tourists.

Climate

The subtropical climate of Bermuda is warmed by the nearby Gulf Stream. The climate is humid and, as a result, the summertime heat index can be high, even though mid-August temperatures rarely exceed 30°C (86°F). Winters are mild, with average daytime temperatures in January and February around 20°C (68°F).

Basic Information

Language

English

Currency

Bermudian Dollar (BMD)

Electricity

110 V, 60 Hz AC

Banks

Banks are open from 9:00am until 4.30:00pm, Monday to Friday.

Driving

Driving is on the left-hand side

Time difference

GMT -4 hours.

Tipping and local customs

Most restaurants in Bermuda will include the tip in your bill so look over the bill carefully to ensure you don’t end up tipping twice. In general the tip added is 15% but you can always add more if you feel the service was exceptional.

Water

Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated drinks in cans or bottles.

Tourist Board information

www.bermudatourism.com

Visas

UK nationals do not require a visa for stays of up to of six months.

What makes it so special ?

Bermuda has been long recognized as a great holiday destination. Many people come from far and wide to enjoy lazing on our beaches, playing the beautifully manicured eight public and private golf courses dotted across the island, and sailing or swimming in the azure blue waters of the Atlantic.

Bermuda’s prime location also means it is a relatively short flight away from London (approximately seven hours) making it an excellent place to enjoy some winter sun.

Where to visit?

Go to one of Bermuda’s lovely pink sand beaches including Horseshoe Bay Beach, Tobacco Bay or Clearwater Beach.

Town of St. George - a scenic UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest, continually inhabited British settlement in the New World. It boasts small winding streets with typical British Colonial architecture with fountains, gardens and squares, cobbled streets and plazas.

Dolphin Questat the Bermuda Maritime Museum Royal Naval Dockyard where visitors can learn about and swim with dophins!

Crystal Caves is one of the largest cave systems on our island. Its dramatic stalactites and stalagmites will astonish and inspire.

Most Popular Tours

Town of St. George

Dolphin Quest

Crystal Caves