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Bermuda
- a balmy island bastion of
beautiful beaches and British character
Legendary
author Mark
Twain was anything but wishy-washy about Bermuda. From 1867 to 1910 he
spent long holidays there often referring to it as a tourist paradise
and a social Eden. It was clearly his favourite place on earth which he
consistently called his second home.
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Bermuda's famous pink
sand beaches
are in sheltered coves
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Over
the years, millions of others have likewise been smitten by this
sub-tropical island where 75 miles of coastline is punctuated by unique
pink sand beaches. In addition, its distinct British flavour is the
core of its character.
With early European explorers seeking to establish lands in the New
World, Bermuda could easily have ended up becoming Spanish or French
had it not been for a storm that shipwrecked a boat load of British
colonists on its shores. This unplanned landfall in 1608 (the colonists
were on their way to an established settlement in Jamestown, Virginia)
marked the beginning of island country it became. Covering a mere 21
sq. miles and lying in the Atlantic Ocean 650 miles east of North
Carolina, it remains to this day an overseas territory of the UK.
In many ways Bermuda is like a little
England. British pubs, uniformed Bobbies directing traffic, shops
selling goods direct from the auld sod, together with judges in black
robes and powdered wigs are features that create a "forever England"
flavour.
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Golf is a popular
sport year 'round
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The other
half of the island's
character is defined by lush Caribbean-type flowers and greenery,
pretty pastel-coloured homes, silky sand beaches and men in Bermuda
shorts and knee socks.
This charming dual personality plus a
pleasant climate, a grand selection of hotels and resorts, and several
premier golf courses, have contributed to making the island a
perennially popular vacation destination.
Bermuda is divided into nine different parishes and its two main
centres are Hamilton, its capital, and the historic town of St. George.
It's entirely possible to travel the island end-to-end in a very short
period of time; however, exploring its many layers of things to see and
do can take several days.
Getting
around
To
protect the island from air pollution, rental cars are not available.
Instead,
one of the most popular ways to see Bermuda is on a rental
scooter, moped or bicycle and just like England, driving here is on the
left side of the road. People not comfortable with operating a scooter
or moped can take advantage of Bermuda's highly developed bus system.
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Many of the world's
top designers have courses in Bermuda
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The island's famous pink buses cover almost every square inch of
terrain from coast to coast and there's virtually no place tourists
might want to go that isn't serviced by the system. Visitors can pay
per ride or purchase a multi-day Transportation Pass for continuous
on/off privileges. Other options include horse-drawn carriage tours and
local tour operators.
What to see
One of
the most popular
tourist attractions is the World Heritage site town of St. George.
Situated on the east coast, it was here
the first colonists landed
making it the island's most historic center. Famous for its old town
square and replicas of stocks and pillories (devices used by the
British to punish criminals) together with an official dunking chair
(there are live demonstrations) said to be used by colonials to
penalize gossips.
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Bermuda's first
settlers chose to stay
after being shipwrecked on their way to Virginia
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St.
George is a wonderful walking community with quaint narrow streets and
several of its centuries-old homes have been turned into museums filled
with period furniture and antiques. Many of Bermuda's old forts are
still standing and one of the oldest is Fort St. Catherine just outside
St. George.
Located on the north shore approximately mid island, Hamilton is
Bermuda's chief center of commerce and certainly the place every
tourist wants to spend time. Streets that feed to the harbour are lined
with countless shops where you can buy everything from British linen to
Bermuda shorts. There is also an abundance of English-style taverns,
pubs, restaurants and stores selling Bermudian souvenirs. Best views of
the city and harbour can be seen from Fort Hamilton where every Monday
at noon, live shows are staged featuring bagpipes and traditional
dancers.
Beyond the two main towns, one of the island's premier attractions is
its famous Crystal Caves where visitors can tour a subterranean
wonderland of stalactites, stalagmites and a clear underground lake.
Like most of Bermuda's sites of interest, the Caves are on the pink bus
route.
In
Paget Parish, there's a 36-acre
Botanical Gardens well worth seeing and on an island known for its
fragrant flowers, it's not surprising the Bermuda Perfumery was
established where there are free behind the scenes tours.
Indeed, each
and every parish has its own special attractions that make up an island
so pleasing celebrities such as former U.S. presidential candidate,
Ross Perot and English musician, David Bowie are among those who have
built vacation homes there.
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Bermuda is still an
overseas territory of the United Kingdom
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What to do
On Bermuda, the sky is pretty much the limit when it comes to
activities. Golf has always been one of the main attractions and the
island climate accommodates year-round play. There's a fine selection
of premier courses designed by some of the top names in golf. The
island is equally well known for diving and snorkelling opportunities.
Often referred to as the "shipwreck capital of the world," there is an
abundance of dive sites, excellent underwater visibility and 650
species of fish. In terms of water sports there's everything from
sailing to deep sea fishing. On land, there's tennis, horseback riding,
plenty of spas and--last but not least--there's Bermuda's famous pink
sand beaches
| Travel
Planner |
| Information: For
more information see www.bermudatourism.com or call 1-800-BERMUDA. Air Canada has
scheduled flights to Bermuda. Norwegian Cruise Lines offers a 7 day
Boston-to-Bermuda cruise from April to October that stays in Bermuda
for 3 1/2 days. |
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