Escape Winter and Go to Bermuda

Tobacco Bay Bermuda

So when you tell people you’re going to go to Bermuda for a holiday, don’t be surprised if they tend to look pretty surprised, think for a minute and then say, ‘Oh you better be careful with that Bermuda Triangle’. Huhuh. Well yes it’s true Bermuda is known for that, it’s also known for it’s rum and those famous shorts but there is more to it, I can assure you.

I arrived to see that Bermuda wasn’t spooky or ‘ooky’ at all, in fact I really don’t think Uncle Fester would have had a good time there, like he said he claimed to, in The Addams Family movie. If anything, I imagine he would have found it horrifying, because this place really is paradise.

And because of that, of course, it’s wedding and honeymooner heaven. There are even ‘Moon Gates’ on every corner (archways designed for newlyweds to make wishes under)!

Colourful Bermuda

Another reason I don’t think he would have been a big fan is because, aside from Disneyland, I think this may be one of the most colourful places on earth! As you travel around, your eyes immediately dart across to all these eye-catching buildings. There are rows of houses painted with enough pastel paints to put an Easter egg to shame!

And it’s not just the residences that are colourful, nature is in on the act too. You can expect to see bright hibiscus flowers, clear turquoise waters and pink beaches pretty much everywhere you go.

So, right now you’re probably thinking, ‘well, this place sounds pretty and colourful and all that, but is it really a destination designed for singletons, adventurers and culture addicts?’. Well, as I’m sure you can tell, it’s definitely a chilled holiday spot but your time here doesn’t have to be boring.

Full of culture

If you’re looking for culture, Bermuda is chock full of it, especially of the British variety. It was claimed by our British ancestors in 1609, as they made a pit stop there, on their way to find the ‘new world’. Interestingly, there was no indigenious population here at all, so us Brits certainly left our stamp on the place (finders keepers and all that!).

Quaint streets in St Georges Bermuda

And so upon your arrival in St George’s, an historical UNESCO site, you will probably find yourself feeling quite at home. This quaint parish, is just like wandering around a British countryside town. It’s small, it’s cute and there is even a town crier! Stroll around the boutiques, get a pic posing in the stocks and go for a cream tea. Slice of home anyone?

Getting around the island

And if you’re wondering about getting around, you can do so by private transportation or even by the local pink bus. But personally I think the best way to discover a new place is by foot or cycle, so if getting off the beaten path is your thing, then the Bermuda railway trail is a great way to see it all. The trail allows you to see the fine views that passengers would have once seen from the trains that ran across this route from 1931 to 1948. With the railway lines now removed it can be a bit un-even and narrow, so read online tips about where to watch out for.

Via the trail, you’ll get great views and really get a feel for the countryside but if you’re looking to gain an even wider perspective of Bermuda, then I really recommend climbing Gibbs Hill Lighthouse. Standing 117 feet tall with 185 steps to be exact, it’s an exhausting climb I’m not going to lie, but the views are worth it.

Turquoise clear waters

There is no way you’re not going to want to get into that turquoise water once you’ve had a peek at it. I’ve genuinely never seen water so clear in my life. I must admit I did have the opportunity to go helmet diving on this trip but just missed the boat it seemed. So the moral of that story is, to arrive early to the docking yard and don’t get lost trying to find the meeting point. :/ But absolutely check out Hartley’s Undersea Walk if you fancy a underwater encounter.

Just try and get me away from that clear water!

If you’re happier as a land-lubber you may prefer to stay and sunbathe and in that case it’s worth checking out the Elbow Beach Hotel. It’s one of Bermuda’s oldest hotels at 105 years old and has the most divine private beach I think I’ve ever had the good fortune to plonk my butt onto. Baby powder soft white sand and the clearest warm waters to dip your toes into. But further down the beach, in between the Elbow Beach hotel and Coral Beach Club, there is free public access to this beautiful shoreline too.

Isn't that just a wonderful view?

Wreck capital of the Atlantic

But if the idea of purely sunbathing and bobbing in the sea makes you snore with boredom, then it’s time to check out The Wreck Centre at the Elbow Beach hotel or one of the other many dive centres in the area, where you can go diving and see some of the country’s 300 shipwrecks. I mean, as Bermuda is called the ‘wreck capital of the Atlantic’ maybe there is some truth in that ‘Triangle’ after all…who knows?

Gosling’s Rum

And then after all of that, wouldn’t you say you were entitled to a drink?! Well, this is certainly where you come to enjoy the best rum of the Atlantic, good old Gosling’s. But even though this is an affluent country, which certainly caters for its affluent visitors, it’s not over-run with pretentious cocktail bars. It’s actually a great place to seriously get your party on!

Me and my group ended up having a wild night on the town. We enjoyed great drinks (Gosling’s classic cocktails the Dark & Stormy and Rum Swizzle) and we found pubs and clubs with great atmosphere that stayed open til the very early hours (unlike Shoreditch!). I recommend going to Red Bar & Steakhouse in Hamilton for you party kids. Seriously good times ahead…but yeah watch out for those Dark & Stormy’s for sure! 😉 They’ll ruin you, but hey this is Bermuda, what’s the worst that could happen?! Something to do with a triangle? Nahhhh!