BERMUDA
TOURIST
ATTRACTIONS
Bermuda is a self-governing British overseas territory in the Atlantic
Ocean north of the Caribbean. The archipelago of Bermuda consists of
about 140 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but
no rivers or freshwater lakes. Magnificent pink-sand beaches, tidy
coastal towns with British colonial architecture, relaxed and friendly
people, excellent opportunities for water sports, cricket matches,
abundant marine life make a trip to Bermuda memorable for everyone.
Hamilton
is both the capital city and the commercial centre of the island.
Hamilton's pulse is located in Front
Street, facing the harbour with turn-of-the-century Victorian
buildings painted in bright colors.
South
Shore Park
coastal reserve protects some of
Bermuda's best beaches. Stroll a coastal trail that runs through the
park and
links a series of coves and bays.
The dozen beaches range in size and color of sand.
Cristobal
Colon's ship wreck is an excellent diving spot. Sunk in
1923, this cruise Spanish ship and another cargo ship sit in 50 feet of
clear water. The famous
Horseshoe Bay has
one of the best Bermuda beaches with soft pink sand. It is very popular
among locals and tourists, and gets overcrowded on hot days.
Shelly
Bay near Hamilton with a nice beach with shallow water and
a large playground suits best for families with little
children.
The
Keep is a limestone fortress on
the edge of the dockyard, was first used by the British navy as a base
to launch their
raid on Washington, DC, in 1814. Now the renovated buildings and
old munitions warehouses serve as shops
and museums.
Town
of St.George is a scenic site on the UNESCO World Heritage
list. It is the oldest British settlement
in the New World. Its small cobbled streets wind around fountains,
gardens and squares.
Bermuda
Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo is one of Bermuda's main
attractions with several hundred birds, reptiles, mammals and 200
species of fish.
Explore unique
Crystal
and Fantasy Caves in the Bailey’s Bay. Visit the
Bermuda
Maritime
Museum,
Bermuda
Snorkel Park, swim with dolphins and shop for souvenirs at
the local craft
market.
TRAVEL
TIPS
When
To Go
The summer season in Bermuda lasts from April through
October, when Bermuda enjoys its warmest air and water temperatures and
sees perfect conditions for swimming, snorkeling and diving. Summer is
also the most vibrant time on the island, with better entertainment options
and crowds of tourist. Air humidity is high throughout all summer and
peaks in August.
The winter season goes from November through March. Bermuda is
not actually in the Caribbean Sea and has a colder climate than Caribbean islands. It
is too cool for swimming during winter months, and many
tourist-related agencies are closed for part of the
season. Accommodations are much cheaper during winter, and resorts are
less crowded.
The hurricane season is from June to
November.
Getting
Around
Bermuda is a favorite destination for many
cruises.
There are three main ports of call for
cruise
ships in Bermuda:
-
Hamilton,
the capital city, where cruise passengers have access to the shops and
restaurants of Hamilton, and can reach the rest of the islands using
the bus and ferry systems;
-
St.George,
near the main square of the small town and historic
former capital. Cruise passengers can reach Hamilton and Flatts Village
directly by bus, and other locations by changing in Hamilton;
-
Dockyard,
which is situated in the historic naval dockyard complex at
the western end of the island. It can accomodate the
largest of cruise ships. Cruise passengers can reach Hamilton directly
by bus
or ferry, and other locations by changing there.
Tourists are not permitted to drive cars in Bermuda. Small
scooters
are available for public hire. Bermuda drives on the
left, as in the UK. Roads are narrow, winding and undulating;
and traffic is getting heavier. The speed limit in Bermuda is
35kpm (22mph).
The islands benefit from an excellent and frequent
bus
service, which connects all parts of the islands to Hamilton. The buses
are used equally by locals and visitors. When catching a bus look out
for the pink and blue painted poles which denote bus stops; pink
indicates buses to Hamilton; blue from Hamilton.
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. Transportation
passes valid on both buses and ferries are available for unlimited use
for periods of 1 to 31 days.
Taxis
are another easy way of getting around the islands. All taxis are
fitted with a meter and charge $4 for first mile plus $1.40 for each
subsequent mile.
Personal Safety and Security
Bermuda has a moderate crime rate
driven in part by the drugs trade. Serious incidents,
including use of weapons, do occur.
You should take sensible precautions
to ensure your personal safety, and to safeguard your
possessions. Common crimes include mugging, theft of
unattended baggage and belongings, and theft of items from rental
scooters.
Particular caution should be
exercised after dark. You are advised to stick to well-lit
parts of the island and avoid the quieter, dark streets.
There have been incidents of sexual offences.
Scooters are very frequent targets
for theft. Make sure
that you properly lock up any rented scooter when leaving them
unattended.
The hurricane season in Bermuda
normally runs from June to November. You should monitor local
and international weather updates.
Air services can be disrupted during
heavy storms and in worst cases may not return to normal for several
days.
Local
Laws and Customs
You should not become involved with drugs of any
kind. Possession or importation of even small quantities
attracts severe penalties.
Bermuda is a conservative place and you should dress modestly.
Bathing suits, abbreviated tops and short shorts should only be worn at
the beach or pools. There are no nude or topless beaches and it is an
offence to appear in public without a shirt or just wearing a bathing
suit top.
Drinking alcohol in public outside of a licensed premise is not allowed.
Avoid any political/ideological/religious discussions.
Homosexuality is seen as taboo
in Bermuda and showing significant affection in public to the same sex
might result in a fine.
Entry Requirements
British, US, Canadian and EU
passport holders do not require visas to enter Bermuda as a visitor but
an
accommodation must be booked prior
to arrival. The usual length of stay automatically permitted
to a visitor is twenty-one days. If you want to extend your stay,
permission must be sought from the Department of Immigration before
your initial twenty-one day stay ends.
Check the list of
Embassies of Other Nations to Bermuda
for more details.
Health
Bermuda has good modern medical
facilities with a fully equipped General Hospital and numerous doctors
and dentists.
You should seek medical advice before travelling and ensure that all
appropriate vaccinations are up to date.
Healthcare in Bermuda is very
expensive. Ensure that your
travel
insurance covers medical repatriation by Air‑Ambulance as
cases that cannot be dealt with in Bermuda are usually referred to
either Baltimore or Boston in the USA. You should also ensure that your
insurance covers any additional medical expenses incurred in the USA.
You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for
all the activities you want to undertake.
Money
Matters
Major credit cards and travelers checks are widely accepted by
businesses on the island. Bermuda's currency is the Bermudian dollar.
The currency is directly tied to US currency, so USD $1 always equals
BMD $1. US dollars are accepted everywhere in Bermuda at par.
Bermuda has steep import duty taxes. Each person
arriving on the island is allowed a $100 exemption, but if a visitor is
deemed to be carrying more than that amount he/she will be subject to
the duty on the excess value.
For the best prices stay away from the more "touristy" areas. When
shopping, go to where the locals go.
BRIEF
HISTORY
Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists
headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American
winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be
important to the island's economy, although international business has
overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly
successful offshore financial center. Although a referendum on
independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present
government has reopened debate on the issue.
GEOGRAPHY
Area:
total: 53.3 sq km; land: 53.3 sq km,
water: 0 sq km.
Climate:
subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter.
Terrain:
low hills separated by fertile depressions.
Natural
Resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism.
Natural
hazards: hurricanes (June to November).
PEOPLE
Population:
70,000.
Major
Ethnic Groups: black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other
races 4.3%.
Religions:
Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%,
other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none
14%.
Languages:
English (official), Portuguese.
GOVERNMENT
Type:
parliamentary; self-governing territory (overseas territory of the UK).
Capital
City: Hamilton.
Time
Difference:
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time). Daylight
saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in
November. Check
current time.
National
Holiday: Bermuda Day, 24 May.
ECONOMY
Bermuda enjoys the highest per capita income in the world, more than
50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on
providing financial services for international business and luxury
facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to
the island following the 11 September 2001 attacks and again after
Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, contributing to the expansion of an
already robust international business sector. Bermuda's tourism
industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US -
continues to struggle but remains the island's number two industry.
Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial
sector is small, although construction continues to be important.
Agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable.
Unemployment
Rate: 2.1%.
Agriculture
Products: bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy
products, honey.
Major
Industries: international business, tourism, light
manufacturing.
Export
Commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals.
Export
Partners: Spain 35%, UK 18.4%, Sweden 8.7%, Germany 4.1%.
Import
Commodities: clothing, fuels, machinery and transport
equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals.
Import
Partners: South Korea 21.5%, US 16.7%, Germany 16.1%,
Italy 13.4%, Spain 8.8%.
Currency:
Bermudian dollar (BMD). Check
current rate of exchange.
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