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Kings Wharf is a popular cruise destination in Bermuda.
Bermuda is a self-governing British overseas territory in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Caribbean, off the coast of North America east of North Carolina. It is one of the last remnants of the British colonial empire in North America. Although it is not located in the Caribbean, it shares a lot of cultural similarities with much of the English-speaking Caribbean and so is treated as such here.
Bermuda consists of about 138 islands and islets, with all the major islands aligned on a hook-shaped, but roughly east-west, axis and connected together by road bridges. Despite this complexity, Bermudans usually refer to Bermuda as "the island." In terms of terrain, the islands are comprised of low hills separated by fertile depressions and interspersed with a complex set of waterways.
The... Read more
Kings Wharf is a popular cruise destination in Bermuda.
Bermuda is a self-governing British overseas territory in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Caribbean, off the coast of North America east of North Carolina. It is one of the last remnants of the British colonial empire in North America. Although it is not located in the Caribbean, it shares a lot of cultural similarities with much of the English-speaking Caribbean and so is treated as such here.
Bermuda consists of about 138 islands and islets, with all the major islands aligned on a hook-shaped, but roughly east-west, axis and connected together by road bridges. Despite this complexity, Bermudans usually refer to Bermuda as "the island." In terms of terrain, the islands are comprised of low hills separated by fertile depressions and interspersed with a complex set of waterways.
The inhabited island chain is actually the southern sector of a circular pseudo-atoll, the remainder of the coral ring being submerged or inter-tidal reefs (Bermuda was formed volcanically but is not a true atoll). As a result, the northern shores of the inhabited islands are relatively sheltered, whilst the southern shores are exposed to the ocean swell. Consequently, most of the best beaches are on the southern shore.
The best time to visit Bermuda is spring to autumn. Although the island is an associate member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), it is not actually in the Caribbean Sea and has a different climate. It is much farther north, but the warm waters of the Gulf Stream help give it a quasi-tropical atmosphere.
The islands have ample rainfall but no rivers or freshwater lakes. As a result, drinking water is collected on the roofs of all buildings (by law) and in special catchment areas, and stored in tanks under the ground for each home or property. Bermuda has a mild, humid subtropical maritime climate though gales and strong winds are common in winter. The hurricane season is from June to November.
The islands benefit from a good bus service, which connects all parts of the islands to Hamilton. The bus is the cheapest way to get around, and it can be a good idea to use it, but it has some negative sides. The timetable is not always respected and, especially outside of Hamilton, Bermudians will often wait 15 or even 30 minutes at the bus stop (don't blame them, if they say the bus will come in a moment: time is relative in such a beautiful place)! Bus drivers are well educated, however the first time you catch a bus, you will be scared by the fact that buses will regularly hit the leaves of palms and other plants as they travel very very close to the side of the street, and by the speed reached in some streets, despite the official low-speed limit. Bus frequency is very good in some areas, but this is only until about 6 PM; afterwards it is impossible to reach many parts of the islands by bus. The buses are air-conditioned and used equally by locals and visitors. If you plan to use the bus, it will be much more convenient if you buy a multiple-day travel pass in a post office in St.George or Hamilton. When catching a bus look out for the pink and blue painted poles which denote bus stops; pink indicates buses heading into Hamilton; blue heading out from Hamilton. Buses will not accept passengers with a lot of luggage, thus they are not a recommended means of transportation from or to the airport. More information available from:
There are also passenger ferries which ply the waters of Hamilton Harbour and the Great Sound and are a great way of getting to Somerset and the Dockyard. There is also a ferry service between the Dockyard and St. George. Transportation passes valid on both buses and ferries are available for unlimited use for periods of 1 to 31 days. Ask the bus driver for a transfer if you must connect to another line. If embarking from a cruise ship at the Dockyard the ferry is the most cost-effective way to get to Hamilton. If you wish to visit St. George by ferry, do this on a day your cruise ship does not embark from Bermuda.
Taxis are another easy way of getting around the islands. They are available at taxi stands on Front St. in Hamilton, at the major hotels or by phone. All taxis are fitted with a meter.
With many services in Bermuda, but especially with taxis (though not with buses and ferries, which are very punctual), there is a concept of "Bermuda Time." You may find that when you call for a taxi to pick you up, they may not be as prompt as you would like. This may mean waiting an extra ten minutes, but remember that Bermuda is not at all fast-paced like many cities, it is much more laid back and relaxed here. So relax; you are on Bermuda time. Enjoy the views while you wait.
Until the arrival of the US military during the second world war, cars were entirely banned from the islands. Even now hire cars are banned, and only residents are permitted to own cars. Motorized bicycles or mopeds are available for hire and heavily used by locals and tourists as well. If you wish to use mopeds, rentals are very common, regulated and priced competitively, but beware: "Road Rash" is a very common affliction affecting many tourists. The rule of the road is to drive on the left side of the road - like many Commonwealth countries.
There is a surprisingly large number of excellent sightseeing places in this 21-square mile tiny island.
Main Sightseeing Attractions :
Go to one of Bermuda's lovely pink sandy beaches:
Bermuda has many golf courses and driving ranges spread out along its length.
Bermuda Railway Trail
The bed of the former Bermuda Railway which was dismantled in 1948 after 17 years of service. Many sections still exist as a public walking trail stretching from St. George Town in the east end, through Pembroke Parish near the City of Hamilton and on toward Somerset Village in the west end. Many station houses, trestle footings, and railway ties can be found. It offers spectacular views of the island and waters along its length.
Bermuda Forts
Bermuda has many examples of large fortifications and smaller batteries spread throughout the island which were built between 1612 after first settlement and manned until 1957. For its small size, the island had approximately 100 fortifications built. Many have been restored, primarily the larger ones, and are open to the public with dioramas and displays. Many have their original cannons in place. Some lie on outlying islands and islets and can only be accessed via boat, or have been incorporated into private properties and resorts. Some of those which can be accessed are:
Two relatively unique Bermudian dishes are salted codfish, boiled with potatoes, the traditional Sunday breakfast, and Hoppin' John, a simple dish of boiled rice and black-eyed peas. Shark hash was made, fish cakes were traditional on Fridays, hotcross buns at Easter, and cassava or farine pies at Christmas. With the high-end tourist market, great effort has been expended by hotel and restaurant chefs in developing an ostensibly 'traditional Bermudian cuisine', although this has usually meant adapting other cuisines, from West Indian to Californian, in line with the expectations of visiting clientele. Most pubs serve a typical British Pub fare, although the number of these establishments has diminished as premises are lost to development, or establishments are redeveloped to target the tourist market (note the loss of the Ram's Head, the White Heron, the Rum Runner, and the Cock and Feather (redeveloped into the Pickled Onion, with a nouveau menu)). On the other hand, over the same period Bermuda gained its first and only Irish pub, Flannagan's. While lobster and other seafoods are often featured on the menu, virtually everything is imported from the US or Canada. Although this shows in the price of even casual dining and groceries, it should be noted that locally produced foodstuffs are typically less varied, poorer quality, produced in smaller quantities, and more expensive. Most bananas, for instance, will have a 'Chiquita' sticker and are larger than those grown locally (which do have the advantage of ripening on the plant).
Restaurants can be found all over the island, with the largest concentration in the city of Hamilton and St George town. Also, there are several at some of the hotels which are outstanding, although pricey. At Elbow Beach Hotel, Cafe lido is excellent, and Southampton Fairmont Waterlot Inn, although sometimes crowded and noisy, has excellent dining.
Remember that with most restaurants, the closer you are to the cruise ship docks, the more expensive the menu will be. Most cruise ship passengers have a short time in which to experience Bermuda, and if they don't eat on the ship, most will be reluctant to leave the town to eat. The restaurants in proximity to the cruise ship docks in, say, St. George's can be as much as three times as expensive as a comparable one in, say, Somerset Village.
Local specialties include:
Bermuda has two popular drinks:
Both drinks are comparatively very sweet.
Bermuda's currency is the Bermudian dollar (International currency code BMD) symbolized as $ (sometimes also B$), which is divided into 100 cents. It comes in all the same denominations as US currency, except for a more widely used dollar coin and a two dollar bill. The currency is directly tied to US currency, so one US dollar always equals one Bermudian dollar and US dollars are accepted everywhere in Bermuda at par. Bermudian dollars are not, however, accepted in the United States.
Bermuda can be expensive. Because of Bermuda's steep import tax, all goods sold in stores that come from off the island carry a significant markup. When buying groceries or other (non-souvenir) items of that nature, be aware that the best prices are usually away from the more "touristy" areas. Go to where the locals go.
A nice assortment of stores exists in Hamilton, especially on Front Street, which faces the harbor and is one of the main shopping streets. The area can be explored easily by foot. In recent years, two of the largest and oldest department stores on Front Street have closed. However, A.S. Coopers, first established in 1897, remains.
Shopping can also be found in the easily walked town of St George as well as in Dockyard, which has a small shopping mall. Smaller stores can be found throughout the island offering a variety of goods.
LOCAL TIME
3:03 pm
July 2, 2022
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Bermuda is a sunny British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic Ocean with bright houses, fantastic landmarks, and the world’s best beaches. Here you can choose any beach you wish – lively or secluded, tiny or large, with white sand or with the pink one. You can spend your day exploring... |
Bermuda
.
This country is expensive, sunny, and interesting.
Local beaches are included in the world Top 10. There are wild beaches, there are well-equipped ones. There are beaches with white sand, with pink sand, of many miles long, tiny beaches, etc.
Nature is volcanic.
There’s a lot of... |
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Bermuda
. One of the most interesting forts is Scaur Hill Fort & Park located on the west of the island. The British engineers began to build the fort in 1860. During the World War II, American soldiers were stationed here, and even a 64-pound cannon remained... |
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Bermuda
. The city has an unfinished church. Its construction began in 1874 and ended in 1894 when the city council decided to restore the church of St. Peter.
The
Fort St Catherine
is the first building in Bermuda built in 1614. Since... |
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. There is another gorgeous beach, the Warwick Long Bay!
This beach is more deserted because there are periodic waves when a strong wind blows, and there is no bar, changing rooms, etc. The beach is 5 miles (8 km) long. The sand is pink here as well.... |
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Bermuda
has beckoned us for a long time!
Bermuda
is a British Overseas Territory and a group of coral islands in the north-western part of the Atlantic Ocean. It was discovered at the beginning of the 16th century by Spanish sea captain Juan de Bermudez and called... |