Bermuda – Travel Guide

 

First of all, let me start by saying that I am utterly surprised at the fact that I never had Bermuda on my travel bucket list. If you are planning to visit Hawaii, Burano, Amalfi Coast, Thailand or Philippines, then you might as well go to Bermuda and get a taste of all these cities and countries. To top it off, it is super close to Canada and the United States (the flight is only 3 to 4 hours)!

My family and I decided to spend our Christmas week in Bermuda this year. A lot of people will warn you that it is off season to visit Bermuda and not that warm. However, the weather was actually nice (around 21-25 degrees) which is waaay warmer than Canada and it only got chilly at night. My recommendation is to just pack a light cardigan or cashmere scarf if you are travelling during winter season and you are all set for your vacation.

If you have gotten this far on my blog post, you are probably planning a trip to Bermuda (hooray)! Here are some tips on hotels, restaurants, transport, beaches, and other touristy spots that are a must see in Bermuda. I hope that this guide was helpful and let me know if there are any spots that I missed which are your favourite as I definitely plan to go back 😊

WHERE TO STAY

We decided to stay at the Hamilton Princess hotel by Fairmont which is one of the most instagrammable and popular hotels in Bermuda. The reason why the hotel is favoured by many is due to its closeness to the city and the airport. I will be writing another blog post about the hotel if you want to know more, but we will leave the details for now.

My other top five hotels in Bermuda are:

1. Fairmont Southampton Hotel – this is the largest resort located in the West end of Bermuda and is very close to many of the popular beaches such as Horseshoe bay and Warwick Long Bay. The hotel has its own private beach which is also very picturesque.
2. Rosewood Bermuda – this is a luxury hotel located in St. George’s and the East end of Bermuda within Tucker’s Point and is a golfer’s paradise.
3. The Loren at Pink Beach – this hotel is also located in St. George’s and the East end of Bermuda
4. Grotto Bay Beach Resort – this hotel is also located in St. George’s and the East end of Bermuda and is famous for its spa and ancient caves at the resort which you can also swim in!
5. Elbow Beach Bermuda – this hotel is located in Hamilton and Central Bermuda and has its own private pink-sand beach. The Elbow beach is one of the best spots in Bermuda to watch the sunset.

DINING AND RESTAURANTS

Food in Bermuda is a little expensive, so be prepared to enjoy all that deliciousness that comes with the price tag. There was not a single restaurant where I disliked the food. Following is a list of restaurants that my family and I visited and loved:

1. Portofino restaurant – Italian restaurant located in the City of Hamilton (most popular Italian spot in Bermuda)
2. The Pickled Onion – upscale and trendy pub-style food (everything tasted delicious)
3. Rustico restaurant and pizzeria – hands down the best pizza I tried and it has a nice outdoor patio overlooking the Flatts harbour
4. Café Lido – this is a fine dining restaurant located at Elbow beach with gorgeous views of the water and pink sand
5. Lobster Pot and Boat House Bar – this restaurant is one of the most famous seafood restaurants in Bermuda
6. Marcus’s Bermuda – this upscale restaurant is located inside Hamilton Princess hotel and has gorgeous scenery and delicious food

TRAVEL WITHIN CITY

If you are not already aware, tourists are NOT allowed to rent cars in Bermuda. Your only option to get around is to either taxi everywhere, take the public bus or ferry, or rent scooters. A new type of two-seater mini-car called ‘Twizy’ was launched in Bermuda this year which can also be rented for around $79 per day. However, many locals warn you to be careful if you are renting scooters or mini-cars as the roads are winding and narrow in Bermuda and the locals drive fast in the city. As long as you are careful, I say why not!

My family and I mainly used taxis to travel around the city. However, it can be very expensive especially if you aren’t travelling in a big group. We also tried the public bus one time and it was pretty easy to navigate and get around. In Bermuda, a bus stop with a pink pole is going in bound to the city of Hamilton and a bus stop with a blue pole is going out bound away from the city of Hamilton. It costs around $4 each way for the public bus. So if you are tight on money, it could be a cheaper alternative to taking taxis everywwere.

An advantage of staying at the Hamilton Princess hotel was also their ‘Jitney’ shuttle that takes you to the hotel’s private beach located in the West end of Bermuda. Once there, it is a lot cheaper to take taxis to touristy spots and beaches in the area.

BEACHES AND BAYS

The water and beaches in Bermuda are one of the clearest that I have ever seen. Not to mention, the best part is that the sand in Bermuda has pink crystals in it which makes the sand look pink! If it was this nice during Winter, then I can only imagine how gorgeous the beaches look during Summer season. There are tons of beaches and bays in Bermuda and even though I couldn’t visit them all, here are my favourite ones:

1. Warwick Long Bay and Jobson Cove

These two public beaches are located adjacent to one another. If you are fond of cliffs and scenic beaches, then this has to be the top one on your list (it was definitely my favourite beach in Bermuda). The bay is quite long and as you walk the stretch, there are different shapes and sizes of rocks and cliffs which give a unique appeal to it. I remember just sitting down on my beach towel, listening to the roaring wind as the waves crashed onto the shore and the sand glistened under the sun. This is definitely an amazing spot to have a picnic or get a little tipsy with your friends and loved ones.

2. Horseshoe Bay

This is one of the most popular public beaches in Bermuda loved by locals and tourists alike. It is mainly known for its pink sand and scenic coves along the bay. Be careful as you climb the coves though as it can be very slippery. I would definitely recommend wearing comfortable shoes and not climbing the rocks barefoot!

3. Elbow Beach

This pink-sand beach is located below the Elbow Beach Bermuda resort, with a gorgeous restaurant perched at the top in case you are starving. I had the opportunity to watch the sunset twice at this spot and needless to say it was wonderful both times. If you are a sunset-lover like me, then this needs to be on your list!

4. Hamilton Princess Beach Club

A perk of staying at the Hamilton Princess hotel was that we got to visit this beautiful and private beach club every single day. If you hate packed beaches, then this is your best bet. The beach club provides many amenities including alcohol and snacks, kayaks and canoes, etc. There are also trails and hikes at the beach club at the back side of the beach, as well as a restaurant located at the beach club. The resort also offers day passes for non-guests for around $50.

5. Fairmont Southampton Beach

This private beach was another one of my favourites and you can go snorkeling from this beach as well. Even though it is a sister hotel to the Hamilton Princess, the beaches are reserved for guests staying at the specific resort only and you can no longer enjoy the perks of both private beaches if you are staying at one of the Fairmont hotels in Bermuda.

6. Admiralty House Park and Spanish Cove

This park is quite honestly one of the best parks I have ever seen in my life! If you are adventurous and an avid cliff-diver, then this is your place to be. You can swim in this park, have a picnic, cliff jump and explore the nearby caves and it makes for a great spot to take pictures.

OTHER TOURIST ATTRACTIONS TO VISIT

There are many other tourist attractions and things to do in Bermuda:

1. Visit the Crystal and Fantasy Caves – these are natural underground caves made out of limestone foundation that were discovered in 1905 by two young boys playing cricket and since then have been a very popular tourist attraction
2. Spend a day in St. George, Bermuda – there are so many attractions to visit in St. George that you definitely need a full day to make the most of it. The most popular spots are Fort St. Catherines, Bermuda National Museum Trust, the Unfinished Church, St. Peter’s Church, Tobacco Bay and St. George’s Harbour
3. Visit the Royal Naval Dockyard – a major historic tourist attraction which is home to a major cruise ship port and serves as a hub for sightseeing, shopping, dining, etc
4. Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse – you can get excellent panoramic views of Bermuda from this lighthouse
5. Flatt’s Village – this houses Bermuda’s aquarium and zoo, has some nice Italian restaurants and offers great harbour views of the village
6. City of Hamilton – take a stroll in the city of Hamilton and snap pictures of the colourful shops and houses

This was my fun-filled and packed week that I spent in Bermuda. I hope that you found my Bermuda travel guide helpful and I wish you an amazing vacation.

Until next time lovelies xx

– Dee