There’s a lot to love about Bermuda. A tight cluster of islands, 650 miles from the North Carolina coast, it’s warmed by the Gulf Stream and washed clean by the Atlantic Ocean — and its waters are teeming with life. Spiny lobsters shelter in its thriving coral reefs, bottlenose dolphins hunt along its steep undersea banks and, in April, 10,000 humpback whales refuel offshore on their annual migration north. Thanks to successful insurance and tourism industries, the scene onshore is pretty vibrant too; and it’s this mix of land and sea, culture and natural beauty that makes Bermuda so memorable. There’s a lifetime of fun to be had here, on boats, on beaches and in seafront bars and restaurants. No wonder so many of the locals have stayed put — the island nation is in fact the most populous of all British Overseas Territories. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
Main photo: Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda (Alamy)
1. Snorkel the coral reefs
Bermuda is ringed by coral reefs. It’s the reason it’s also surrounded by shipwrecks and — when the waters are calm — there are dazzling snorkel sites at every point of the compass. For the quickest access, Church Bay, southwest of the Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse, is the place: you might see flounder, trumpetfish and schools of chub just a short swim from the beach. But for a proper adventure — and the chance to get out on to a boat — jump on a guided snorkelling tour. Your ultimate snorkelling goal should be the Eastern Blue Cut, six miles offshore. Thanks to the rich flow of nutrients, this remote break in the reef is full of life, and the surrounding coral is close to the surface too.
2. Follow the African Diaspora Trail
Although its use was never as systematic as in the Caribbean, slavery is nonetheless a stain on Bermuda’s early history. But what’s remarkable about the nation’s response in the 21st century is the way it celebrates the resilience and resistance of those who were subjected to it, as much as detailing the horror. There’s an intelligent introduction to the subject at the National Museum of Bermuda, but what really brings it to life are the stories you’ll hear along the African Diaspora Trail. So buckle up for an inspiring six-hour guided tour. At Barr’s Bay Park in Hamilton, for example, you’ll learn about the rescue of 78 enslaved men, women and children, who were freed from an American schooner in 1835. And at Cobb’s Hill you’ll see the Methodist Church built by moonlight by both free and enslaved Bermudians.
3. Relax on a pink-sand beach
The first time you see Bermuda’s pink-sand beaches, you won’t quite believe your eyes. They’re not actually pink, more a bright strawberry blonde. Or is it golden apricot? You’ll spend ten minutes trying to decide, before the joy of being on a subtropical strand takes hold, and you kick back and stop caring. Many of the best beaches — such as as Horseshoe Bay beach and Warwick Long Bay — are on the south shore, where the barrier reef is closer to land, and the sea is busier. It’s not rough, exactly: but the suck and pull of the shorebreak — combined with the balmy breeze — create a profoundly refreshing atmosphere. You’ll be swimming in no time.
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4. Visit the Bermuda Aquarium
Your eyes are going to pop the first time you put your head underwater over one of Bermuda’s reefs, and in an instant you’ll want to learn more about what you can see. The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo in Flatts Village is where to get educated. Start with the 140,000-gallon North Rock exhibit — one of the world’s largest displays of living coral — and then move on to the fish. More than 200 species are on display here in several enormous tanks, and it’s bound to inspire you. Note that some shops, such as Marks & Spencer, close on Sundays — for an unusual souvenir look out for the Maria Celestia perfume which recreates a rare scent found in bottles from a 1864 shipwreck. The Aquarium runs whale-watching tours in spring. You might also want to take a trip to the Crystal and Fantasy Caves. Filled with deep salt-water pools and bristling with a stalactites and stalagmites, these limestone caverns are a spooky and intriguing delight.
5. Sip cocktails on a sunset cruise
Want to sip your sundowner like a local? Then get out on the water. The classic Bermudian drinks party is called a raft-up and involves lashing several boats together to create a giant party platform. If you ever get the opportunity to join one, grab it with both hands. If you don’t, worry not: several boats sail out of Hamilton each evening for a sunset cruise. Clear skies can’t be guaranteed but you can be sure of generous refills of your Rum Swizzles — Bermuda’s signature cocktail.
6. Do a rum tasting
Rum is very much part of the Bermuda story and lifestyle thanks to the Gosling family who came here in 1806. Their island-blended Black Seal rum (so named because bottles were once sealed with black wax) powers the ubiquitous Dark ‘n’ Stormy cocktail, made with ginger beer. The same spirit is behind the fruit juice-based Rum Swizzle which dates from 1932 and is consumed with gusto at the scruffy and wildly popular Swizzle Inn pub in Bailey’s Bay. Drinkers will also enjoy the Frog & Onion Pub set in the cavernous former cooperage at the Royal Naval Dockyard; it has a proudly British menu that includes roast beef, fish and chips, curry and a “true English pint” of Bermuda-crafted ale.
7. Go myth-busting at Buei
I say Bermuda. You say Triangle. The words are still inextricably linked: and if you’re wondering if there’s any truth in the stories of rogue waves, methane bubbles and — yes, obviously — alien abductions, then the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (Buei) is the place. All the main theories get an outing here: plus the observation that the mysterious disappearances have themselves vanished in an era of GPS navigation and accurate weather forecasting. Then, for grown-ups, the fun really starts. Buei has a serious purpose — to deepen our understanding of the oceans — and its many other exhibits are fascinating and skilfully curated. Deep-sea submersibles, giant squid, ocean conservation, Spanish treasure: you’ll learn about them all here.
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8. Tee off at the Port Royal’s 16th hole
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On your right lie the immaculate greens and fairways of Bermuda’s favourite golf course. On your left stretches an almost luminous expanse of turquoise ocean. All you have to do is drive the ball over the cliffs, and hope it lands on a flat-topped little peninsula, 235 yards away. It’s no wonder then, that the Port Royal’s 16th hole is regarded as one of the toughest — and most beautiful — par-three challenges in the world. Even better, the course is public, so it’s also open to everyone: provided of course you book your round far enough ahead.
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9. Kayak through Ely Harbour
Once you’ve stopped wobbling, and mastered the paddling, a sea kayak is an extraordinarily serene way to explore Bermuda’s beaches, islands and coves. You can rent your own craft by the hour in both Hamilton and St George’s. But if you want to get the most from a short trip, join a guided tour of the west coast that island-hops through the sheltered waters of Ely Harbour and finishes on the beach at Daniel’s Head Park. Keep your eyes peeled en route. You may spot a sea turtle swimming beside you.
bdawatersports.com/kayaks
10. Scoff a fish sandwich
Here’s another reason to get active in the mid-Atlantic: so you’ll work up an appetite big enough for a fish sandwich. Bermuda’s signature snack is a monstrous mash-up of deep-fried wahoo, coleslaw, tartar sauce and raisin bread. And it’s never better than when you’re eating it on the deck of a dive boat, having picked up lunch from the New Woody’s Sports Bar in Somerset Village. You can also catch an afternoon Green Ferry from Hamilton to Watford Bridge and walk up. And if that’s not an option, target another locals’ favourite — Art Mel’s Spicy Dicy, just north of the capital — for its famous hot sauce variant.
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bermudabeaches.com
11. Dive the wreck of the Caraquet
There are more than 300 shipwrecks dotted around Bermuda, and you don’t have to be an expert to dive many of them — because they’re often scattered in shallow waters over the islands’ barrier reef. Chris Gauntlett, of scuba-diving specialist Blue Water Divers, recommends the Caraquet for starters. This passenger steamer foundered on the reef in 1923, ten miles north of Fort St Catherine, and ocean swells have scattered her remains across two acres. The four boilers from her engine and a giant anchor are among the many eerie and impressive remains: and if the sea’s calm, any confident Padi Open Water diver will be able to get up close to them. Another wreck that’s easy to reach is HMS Vixen, deliberately sunk in 1867, while further out lie the paddlewheel steamer Montana and schooner Constellation which was carrying 700 cases of (now long gone) Scotch whisky. Afterwards, visit the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute in Hamilton to admire a formidable treasury of coins, silverware and coral-encrusted artefacts retrieved by divers.
divebermuda.com
12. Eat lobster overlooking the ocean
Bermuda’s lobsters don’t have claws. But if you eat one on the day it was caught you may well think there’s nothing more delicious than the meat of their tails: especially when it’s accompanied by a sea view and a balmy sea breeze. The season runs from September 1 to March 31 — for the best mix of location and culinary craft, head to the Pink Beach Club at the Loren hotel. Here, on a raised terrace overlooking the ocean, they let the freshness of the meat do most of the work, lightly poaching it with butter and tarragon, and serving it with red wine lentils, lardons and haricots verts. Add a glass or two of white, and you’ll wish dinner could last till dawn.
thelorenhotel.com
13. Ride the Railway Trail
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The railway came late to Bermuda, in 1931 — and vanished only 17 years later. But when the track was pulled up, it left the islands with what is now a considerable asset. OK, so the 18-mile Railway Trail National Park is not continuous. There’s a gap in the middle at the island’s capital, and elsewhere you have to climb steps and cross busy road junctions if you want to connect its sections. But, even so, it provides a serene, car-free alternative to the island’s bustling roads, through cuttings, over hills and along the shoreline. To cycle it, you can join a tour or hire a bike and find your own way. The sections through Southampton and Hamilton Parishes are among the most satisfying and scenic.
bermudarailway.net
14. Sail the Great Sound
Sailing is deeply embedded in Bermuda’s DNA. Its first settlers, in 1609, were shipwrecked sailors, and for 230 years afterwards the only way to make contact with the outside world was by harnessing the power of the wind. So if you want to properly understand the island, jump on a catamaran for a guided tour of the Great Sound. This giant bay was the setting for the races of the 2017 America’s Cup, and lies at the heart of modern Bermudian life. En route you’ll anchor in one of the many coves for snorkelling, kayaking or swimming: but just as much fun is the sailing itself, with an experienced crew in control, and Bermuda’s many other boats bustling around you.
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15. Admire the island’s art
It may be in the middle of nowhere, but Bermuda’s sizeable and affluent expat communities, as well as its close ties to London, Toronto and New York, have contributed to a vibrant art scene — check out the changing exhibitions at the Bermuda National Gallery in Hamilton and the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art at the Botanical Gardens. The pick of the galleries is in fact a hotel. At the Hamilton Princess, the public rooms are packed with top-class works by big-name artists such as Andy Warhol, Banksy, Ai Weiwei and Henri Matisse. See it for free on one of the weekly, 10am Saturday tours.
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16. Jump off a cliff
Don’t panic. The cliffs at Clarence Cove are only from 15ft to 40ft high, with lower ledges to one side for those who prefer a less stomach-churning challenge. But if you’re able-bodied and a good swimmer, give it a go. It’s a rite of passage that will connect you directly with generations of Bermudian teenagers — for whom this has long been one of life’s key thrills. The cliffs are hidden away in Admiralty House Park, and there’s a quiet little beach nearby for those who seek tranquillity rather than eye-popping shots of adrenaline.
gotobermuda.com
17. Climb the Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse
There’s no doubting where the best view in Bermuda is. Climb the 185 steps to the top of the Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse, and — once you’ve stopped gasping — the whole of the western half of this island nation becomes readable. The long, straight line of the south shore, the turquoise spread of the Great Sound, the shrimp-like tail of the western islands, curving northwards: they’re all visible from the top of this 35m (117ft) cast-iron tower. Chances are, you’ll come back down again with a brand-new wish list of things to do.
bermudalighthouse.com
18. Hire an electric car
Fancy exploring Bermuda under your own steam? Regular car rental is banned. But you can hire a zero-emissions electric vehicle; and although they feel a little flimsy at first (we’re talking glorified golf-buggies here, not a Tesla X) they quickly become a liberating experience — especially if you want to tick off several destinations on a single trip. For many visitors, the less-visited, eastern end of the island is the obvious target. In a single day you could take in Bermuda’s original capital at St George’s, as well as the Aquarium and Cooper’s Island Nature Reserve — home to one of Bermuda’s most secluded beaches.
gotobermuda.com
19. See the humpback whales in spring
It’s a long way from the waters of the Caribbean to the coasts of Maine, Canada, Greenland and Iceland. So it’s no wonder the North Atlantic’s western population of humpback whales like to stop off en route. Bermuda is the only service station on the first leg of the journey, and fortunately there’s plenty of food. So if you’re on the island in April, jump on one of Buei’s whale-watching tours for all-but-guaranteed sightings. In fact, you can sometimes see them just off the southern shore, beyond the waves breaking on the barrier reef.
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20. Tour the Royal Naval Dockyard
For hundreds of years, Bermuda was a vital British possession, guarding the western end of the North Atlantic. The Royal Navy built a powerful military base here in the 19th century. Now, the Royal Naval Dockyard offers an elegant mix of museums, shops and visitor attractions — and it occupies the whole of Ireland Island at the mouth of the Great Sound. All the larger cruise liners dock here: but even if you’re not a passenger, it’s worth half a day. Not just for the National Museum, and the magnificent two-storey mural of Bermudian history that decorates its staircase. Alex + Pete’s Artisan Ice Cream is an essential stop too.
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21. Dive into the Blue Hole
For the most part, Bermuda’s natural beauty is found offshore, or along its beaches. But that’s not the case when you burrow into Tom Moore’s Jungle, aka the Walsingham Nature Reserve. Here, not far from the airport, you’ll get a taste of Bermuda’s raw state, from back in the days when mangroves edged the water and the forest cover was so dense you’d have to hack your way through it with a machete. It’s undercut with caves, teeming with wildlife and — if you follow the right path — home to a turquoise pool, known as the Blue Hole. You may not be the only one swimming there: entry is free, and it’s a favourite spot for both locals and guided eco-tours. But the sense of otherness is irresistible.
gotobermuda.com
22. Celebrate a Harbour Night in Hamilton
Front Street in Bermuda’s capital is always fun. There’s a pastel parade of shops and restaurants and first-floor balcony bars gazing at Hamilton Harbour. The joints are jumping here until well after midnight. For many this is reason enough to come: but on Wednesday nights there’s an even bigger buzz, when they close the street to traffic and let loose the island’s multicoloured Gombey dance troupes. Book your restaurant table well ahead if you want a ringside seat, or fill up at the food trucks when you’re not dancing yourself.
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23. Explore St George’s
Top of the sightseeing list should be St George’s,in the far east and close to the airport, which has Unesco world heritage status thanks to its well-preserved 17th-century buildings. These include St Peter’s Church, built in 1612, and the grand Towne Hall, which is decorated with Bermuda cedar. For a memorable insight book a tour by foot or e-bike with Long Story Short, which picks out key landmarks including some on the African Diaspora Heritage Trail.
longstoryshort.life
24. Go foraging
Bermuda’s first shipwrecked inhabitants survived on berries, seabirds, fish, turtles and feral hogs. To get an idea of how they coped, such as by eating hunger-suppressing fennel seeds, take a Wild Herbs and Plants foraging tour with naturalist and vegan chef Doreen Williams. Today most foods are imported but fresh fish including wahoo, hind, rockfish and mahi mahi can be found on hotel menus and at the waterfront Wahoos Bistro in St George’s.
instagram.com/bdawildherbs
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