Travel Bermuda - Your Complete
Information Guide To This Quintessential Island by Sarah White
In the middle of the Atlantic
Ocean, 570 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, lies an island
filled with pink sand beaches, pastel cottages and quintessential British
traditions. With a landmass of only 21 square miles, it is one of the smallest
territories in the world. Bermuda actually consists of around 140 islands,
of which 8 of these are linked by bridges to form a continuous fishhook
shaped area of land that runs 22 miles in length and only 2 miles across
at its widest point. This is the Bermuda that most everyone knows because
the other islands are uninhabited and some are only rocks.
Bermuda is a different island
in many ways from those that you generally think about such as the Caribbean.
It is very polite and slightly restrained in the sense that you won't find
laid-back locals wandering around barefoot and offering you piña
coladas. It is somewhat formal in dress, as you'll see the female residents
in stockings and heels and the men in jackets, ties, Bermuda shorts, and
knee socks despite the beautiful weather. Golf and tennis are popular pastimes
and you will find that most visitors, as well as Bermudians, are over 40.
It is a wonderful and charming island that offers many things to see and
do with great places to go.
If you're looking to rent
a car while you travel Bermuda, you are going to be out of luck, as there
are no car rentals available there! You can get around with public buses,
ferries, rent a moped or scooter, you can use taxis - or even hire a horse
and carriage. The bus system is fantastic, running on schedule all day,
although there is no late system. Exact change, tokens or tickets are required.
Tokens can be purchased at some hotels and guest houses, sub-post offices,
and at the Central Terminal in Hamilton on Church Street. You can also
get multi-day Transportation Passes for three or seven days that allow
for unlimited bus trips which will save you some money. Metered taxis can
be found at the airport and most large hotels and they can also double
as tour operators if you want to put together your own sightseeing tour
of the island.
Bermuda taxi operators are
among the world's finest and their knowledge and commentary can make for
an unforgettable tour. You can rent them by the day, hour or mile. All
taxis are metered and the tariff is fixed by law so rates are the same
for all: $4 for the first mile, $1.40 for each additional mile and higher
rates after 10 pm. Ferries are a scenic way to get around and can sometimes
be much faster than the bus. They connect Hamilton with Paget, Warwick
and the Somerset/Dockyard area. Moped rentals are available by the 1/2
day, day, week and long-term. The cost varies according to length of rental
and type of cycle. Horse and Carriage tours are a nice way to see Bermuda.
By day the drivers will point out the sights, and for the evenings it is
very romantic.
The currency here is the
Bermuda dollar and it has a 1-1 ratio to the US dollar. Both currencies
are equally accepted at all establishments but the US dollar is the currency
of choice because unlike the Bermuda dollar, it's exchangeable everywhere
in the world. Average room prices vary as such: Low - $100/120 Mid - $120/180
High - $200+, average meal prices are: Low - $5/10 Mid - $10/25 High -
$25-30. All hotels in Bermuda are subject to a 7.25% hotel tax which is
added to your bill at check-out and there is also a departure tax but this
is included in the price of your air ticket. When it comes to tipping,
most restaurants add a 15% service charge to your bill, so just check to
see if it is there so that you don't end up tipping twice and of course,
if it's not there, this is the average. Hotels also generally add a service
charge and this is 10%. For taxis, a tip of around 10% is average.
Bermuda has more sights to
see than you will be able to visit in a single vacation, here are a just
a few of the highlights. Visit the awesome underground of Bermuda, with
one of the highest concentrations of limestone caves in the world, it offers
a dream world that has even been the inspiration for many creative achievements
including Hensen Associates "Fraggle Rock" muppets. Make sure to take a
visit to the Crystal Caves or Leamington Caves, both are along the Harrington
Sound Road. The Royal Naval Dockyard which began in 1809, can be seen today
restored as an entertainment and shopping complex, with restaurants, crafts
market, arts centre, Bermuda Maritime Museum, historic Commissioner's House,
cinema, and the Clocktower shopping mall.
The Botanical Gardens which
feature over 1000 varieties of plant life spread out over 36 acres of landscape
and are open all year from sunrise to sunset. Take time to visit the Bermuda
Aquarium, Natural History Museum and Zoo where you can take self guided
tours if you choose and learn about Bermuda's beginnings, whaling industry,
captivating undersea exploration, and fragile environment. The aquarium,
museum and zoo are internationally recognized as a centre for the preservation
and reintroduction of threatened species.
If diving and snorkeling
are your thing, you will find some 350 shipwrecks that are scattered among
the reef formations, making it an ever changing, living museum under the
sea. Another great way to see this amazing world is through a Glass Bottom
Boat Tour, offered during the days and nights. And let's not forget the
endless array of the beautiful Bermuda beaches. With their pink sand and
limestone dunes, you will find that the beaches on the south-shore are
more scenic than those on the north-shore. The most popular, also the most
crowded by tourists and locals is Horseshoe Bay Beach. Your best bet is
to pick up "Bermuda's Guide to Beaches and Transportation," a free publication
available at most hotels and in all Visitors Service Bureaus. It combines
map and bus/ferry schedules, showing you the locations of the beaches and
how to reach them.
Whether you are looking to
visit a bustling city like the capitol of Hamilton, which offers plenty
of shopping and sightseeing during the day; dinner, drinks and dancing
by night to a lazy day on the beach, to the World Heritage Site and historic
Town of St. George; Bermuda will cater to all of your needs. It can be
a relaxed vacation destination or an international business center. It
is a mix of ancient and new worlds, friendly people and there are so many
things for you to take part in and enjoy. Whatever your desire, Bermuda
is sure to welcome you."
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