Who has never heard of Bermuda? We all know the myth of theBermuda Triangle that puts some travellers off exploring the archipelago on holiday. If this is your case, you don't know what you are missing out on because it really is paradise. Most people just don't think it's possible to go there. In this travel blog OneDayOneTravel, we'll tell you how to get to Bermuda and what to do there.
In this blog post, we will share our experience of this exceptional stay and give you all our tips and tricks to inspire you and help you go on holiday to this string of islands in the Atlantic Ocean that are Bermuda. But beware, this dream destination is not for all budgets.
Bermuda, the best kept secret of the Atlantic?
We start this article with our inspiring 1 minute video, just to dream and show you how unique and paradisiacal the landscapes of Bermuda are.
Bermuda, an undiscovered dream destination in the sun
1. Experience the America's Cup in Bermuda
2. Practicalities of Bermuda
3. What to see? What to do in Bermuda?
1. Experiencing the America's Cup in Bermuda
Thanks to Land Rover, we had the privilege of attending several rounds of the oldest sailing regatta in the world: the America's Cup. The famous British car brand, this time with Sir Ben Ainslie at the helm, has been participating in the event for ages but has never won it. Their 24-metre high R1 boat is the result of over 35,000 hours of work. It is unimaginable.
Technology and innovation are the watchwords of these sea monsters. The British yacht brings back 175 GB of data to be analysed after each race. We're keeping our fingers crossed for the Land Rover team as soon as we arrive in Bermuda, even if a French team is also taking part in the race. We are citizens of the world!
Six teams are participating in the America's Cup: the Defender Oracle (USA), Ben Ainslie Racing (Great Britain), Artemis Racing (Sweden), Emirates (New Zealand) (NZ), Groupama (France) and SoftBank (Japan).
Of course, this race does not go smoothly. If a boat has a problem, the technicians only have 12 hours to repair it. It's hard to imagine the monumental effort that the whole team has to make.
The America's Cup is a competition of tension and excitement.
On the first day, we were on board a yacht for the first semi-finals of the challenger playoffs. On the programme, the USA against New Zealand, then Japan against Great Britain. We are lucky, it is the Land Rover Bar team that wins the round against the Defender Oracle from the USA. It's euphoria on board the yacht. The happiness is evident on the part of the Land Rover Bar team, the public who have come to support them and the television viewers from all over the world who support them.
The third semi-final pitted Sweden against France, who unfortunately ended up losing.
Finally, the last race of the day was again between Sir Ben Ainslie's team and the United States. Unfortunately, luck was in the American's favour, but this race did not eliminate the Land Rover crew.
The next day, the wind never wanted to pick up. The race was postponed until the following day as we returned to France. We then learnt that after the French team Groupama, Land Rover was also leaving the 35th America's Cup. In any case, they have all their chances for the next edition.
Land Rover also relies on young people under 22 years of age, whom they sail in the Extreme Sailing event that we had already followed in Lisbon last year in Lisbon.
2. The practical side of Bermuda
2.1. Where on the planet is Bermuda? The map
Bermuda is located in the Atlantic Ocean, 2 hours flight from New York.
The Bermuda archipelago is the result of a volcanic eruption that took place 100 million years ago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This piece of land at the end of the world has all the characteristics of a paradise destination: white sandy beaches, pink sandy beaches, crystal clear water and turquoise water in 50 shades of blue. What's more, this dream destination has quite a history. In addition to the activities on and in the water, you can also find happiness on land. We'll tell you more about that below.
Bermuda is not huge. It can be done in one day.
2.2 How to get to Bermuda?
Contrary to what you might think, Bermuda is a dream destination easily accessible by air. There are no direct flights from France, but with a stopover in Boston, New York, Miami, Philadelphia, Atlanta, London or Toronto you can reach paradise.
Please note that if you choose to fly via the United States like us, you will have to go to the official ESTA website website to fill in your application for a residence permit/transit. The cost is 14 dollars per person and is valid for 5 years. Be sure to allow enough time for the application to be processed, as the queue at the airport can last for hours. For information, we queued for 2 hours when we arrived in New York to go through the controls.
For information, a flight from Paris to New York takes about 6 hours. We flew Delta Airlines on the outbound leg and Air France on the return leg. We were particularly satisfied with the return flight between New York and Paris.
A piece of advice: choose a flight via London which will be less restrictive in terms of procedures but not always the cheapest.
And we advise you to read our article where we give you all our tips to buy your cheaper plane ticket on the internet.
2.3 How to get around the Bermuda archipelago?
You can't rent a car in Bermuda. Indeed, even the locals are limited to 1 car per family. Otherwise there would be traffic jams all the time. If you want to visit Bermuda by car, you can rent a car with a driver, which can be a great way to meet people.
On our side, it was with a very nice local driver working for the America's Cup who made us discover his island in a Land Rover. A whole fleet of vehicles had been specially imported for the occasion. A very good moment of sharing with him. He even ended up taking us to his favourite restaurant in the heights of the capital, Hamilton, where we never see tourists. Local food guaranteed!
The speciality of the house is the fish sandwich. When you put it like that, it doesn't sound much more attractive than that, but we give it a try anyway. The results: a pure delight and a home-made recipe that will remain a secret, just like the place itself.
Another possibility to visit Bermuda independently: rent a scooter. It will inevitably cost you more than in Southeast Asia. A day's scooter rental costs $105. And despite the price, don't expect to rent a scooter. All scooters rented in the archipelago are limited to 35 km/h. We rented our scooter directly from the Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa.
Bicycles can also be rented as the distances between each point of interest are not too great. You will have to pay $40 for a day's cycling and be very careful with the sun. Be sure to bring water, sunscreen and a cap.
2.4. What is the local currency in Bermuda?
The local currency is the Bermuda dollar which is pegged to the US dollar. The US dollar is therefore accepted everywhere. However, sometimes you can get change in local currency. Remember to get rid of it before the end of your stay unless you plan to come back one day ^^.
2.5. Where to sleep in Bermuda?
We are not going to lie to you, the Bermuda archipelago is not a destination for backpackers but you can still spend a pleasant stay there without necessarily spending thousands of euros. If you have a large budget, there are a wide range of very nice resorts like the Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa where we stayed and which offers villas looking like seaside cottages with all the services you can imagine on this kind of island.
Located not far from the village of Somerset on a private peninsula, this resort has several swimming pools, 4 private beaches with waterfront restaurants, a spa, a gym, tennis courts, a marina, massage services, two excellent restaurants to spend a pleasant moment facing the sea.
In almost 100 years, this resort has become one of Bermuda's most famous resorts. Many powerful people, authors and celebrities have even stayed here over the years. So we are staying in a place steeped in history. There is even a restored 300 year old cottage. The motto of the establishment is "The first and the best". The property was a pioneer in chalet-style accommodation, which has since been adopted by many others.
The most loyal visitor has been to this resort over 100 times!
All the chalets in the resort are scattered around a huge park. We sleep in one of them. We are lucky because it is directly facing the open sea. What a joy to wake up in the morning facing the sea and the perpetual movement of the waves with the straws in the tail animating the sky without forgetting the palm trees in the foreground to finish the picture.
The pink chalet, which is the traditional Bermuda chalet, is more like a small house with a huge bathroom with a walk-in shower, toilet and 2 sinks, a dressing room with a large safe, a very large bedroom with comfortable bedding, storage space and a terrace with a view. And the icing on the cake, at the end of the garden below, there is a small secret beach. The place is just beautiful and so romantic. You can breathe!
Breakfast is excellent and can be served in the chalet or on the terrace in one of the resort's restaurants. From sweet to savoury, there is something for everyone. The coffee could be better.
On the restaurant side, we had lunch once and dinner several times. The gourmet food served was excellent. We particularly enjoyed the last meal at sunset on one of the beaches of the Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa.
Tip: If you don't want to drive, you can take a 20-minute ferry ride from Somerset village to Hamilton.
For the less fortunate, there is still the possibility of staying in Bermuda in the few guesthouses present on the archipelago, of doing Airbnb or couchsurfing. This involves sleeping in the homes of local people in one of the colourful mansions with white roofs that are characteristic of the entire Bermuda archipelago.
3. What to see? What to do in Bermuda?
In Bermuda, there is no shortage of activities on the water, underwater and also on land.
On the water, there is no shortage of nautical activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking or discovery cruises by boat or even deep-sea fishing. And let's not forget the more sporting activities such as jetskiing. A lot of fun and thrills at sea guaranteed! Underwater, it's in snorkeling with the turtles if you are lucky and certainly in the middle of a multitude of tropical fish that you can enjoy the turquoise waters. Diving is also possible. There is plenty to do if you ever come back to Bermuda.
On land, nature first, we have of course the right to palm trees, oleanders, mangroves and other tropical plants that make the happiness of birds. We will note the presence of many straws in tail in the sky of Bermuda.
Rare birds that cannot be missed thanks to their long white tails. Emblematic of Reunion Island, they are also found in Bermuda. Only 50,000 individuals are known to exist in the world. These sublime birds magnify the sky with their elegance. When they are not in flight, they take refuge in the cracks of the volcanic cliffs above the holidaymakers lying on the beaches without them noticing... except for us, as you must have seen in our video!
3.1 Our favourite beaches
Horseshoe Bay Beach
This is themost famous beachin Bermuda and is included in many TOP beaches in the world.
It is one of the best beaches for families but not only. Unlike most of the island's beaches, Horseshoe Bay with its pink sand is supervised from May to September.
The part of the large beach near the car park can get very crowded very quickly. But don't stop at this picture and go to the left. First you have to go to the seaside and then take a path that leads you to small heavenly coves and here is what you will discover in pictures.
Sometimes you have to go back on the sandy path which goes partly inland, to find yourself on a new heavenly beach, alone in paradise.
Warwick Long Bay beach
Warwick Long Bay is a kilometre long sandy beach. Very well explored, the bay is ideal if you are looking for a quiet beach in Bermuda.
The water is crystal clear and there are a few waves to enjoy in the water.
Tobacco Bay Beach
Tobacco Bay Beach is a beautiful pink sandy beach that is located right next to Fort St. Catherine in St. George.
The location is absolutely heavenly. The beach is protected from the wind and currents by rocks and is therefore completely safe. The beach of Tobacco Bay is more like a natural swimming pool with turquoise waters. Pure happiness. You can rent a deckchair on the spot and enjoy a snack or a cocktail. What more could you want?
Just on the other side of the fort, there is also this dreamy beach which was completely deserted when we visited. Check it out!
3.2. Our favourite visits in Bermuda
On the land side, we don't have time to get bored either. You realise this from the start when you drive the first few kilometres from the airport.
The architecture of the houses and buildings is typical of the island of Bermuda. All the roofs are indeed painted white. We learn from a local that all the inhabitants collect all the rainwater through the roof and store it in tanks in the basement. And yes, there is no fresh water source in Bermuda.
In addition to the colonial houses with their distinctive white roofs, there are a few other places of interest to visit in Bermuda, such as the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse and Fort St. Catherine. Don't forget if you have time to visit the "Crystal Cave", a pure marvel of nature, it seems. As far as cities are concerned, Hamilton, the current capital of Bermuda, is not to be missed. There are many fine shops and restaurants, especially upmarket ones.
Two cities to visit in Bermuda: Hamilton and St. George.
St. George's is the former historical capital of the Bermuda archipelago. It is interesting to walk through the narrow streets of the town, where there is more of a village life. Fort St. Catherine is a short distance from the quiet little town in the western Archipelago.
Gibbs Hill Lighthouse
The Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, unusually dressed in America's Cup colours, dominates much of the Bermuda Archipelago. Built in 1846, the lighthouse is one of the oldest cast iron lighthouses in the world. To reach the top of the lighthouse, you have to climb 185 steps. At the top, you can enjoy a 360 degree view of the islands.
You can buy your entrance ticket directly from the gift shop under the lighthouse. The entrance fee is $2.50 per person.
Gibbs Hill Lighthouse is open daily from 10am to 4pm. For maintenance purposes, the lighthouse closes at Christmas and in February.
Gibbs Hill Lighthouse address: 68 St. Anne's Road, Southampton Parish.
Fort St. Catherine in St. George
There is such a thing as a spectacular fort to visit in Bermuda!
Join us at Fort St. Catherine, a fort overlooking the sea and built next to a beautiful pink sand beach. Built in 1614, the fort underwent many improvements in the 19th century. Today, the fort is a museum.
You can explore the old artillery, the ramparts but also the tunnels of the fort. We did not expect such underground labyrinths at first sight and yet.
We like this visit because we juggle between the interior of the historic site and the exterior where we enjoy incredible views of the bay during the visit.
Admission: $8 per adult
The Commissioner's House
Formerly the house of the port commissioner, the monument built in 1920 now houses the Bermuda Museum which takes us back into the history of the archipelago through very rich exhibitions on the triangular slave trade and English colonialism in particular. Don't miss to visit the basement of the building. The thickness of the loopholes is impressive.
The commissioner's big house is made of local stone and cast iron. The frame was actually made in England and then shipped to Bermuda. It's crazy when you think about it!
To conclude this trip to Bermuda,
We had no image of Bermuda in our minds before we landed. The vast majority of the islands that make up this archipelago are still uninhabited. In any case, we fell in love with the ones we visited. Between the charm of thecolonial architecture of the coloured houses, the bays and the dream beaches which follow one another, and the sunsets which go well, the archipelago of Bermuda has all the assets of a dream destination. A trip to Bermuda is bound to be an extraordinary journey.
Bermuda, an ideal destination for an unforgettable honeymoon or honeymoon but not only.
As you may have read, we discovered this heavenly destination in privileged conditions because we were present for the America's Cup with the whole Land Rover team. An exceptional event that we hope to relive one day and that allowed us to tell you about this destination that is not very popular with French travellers. Now it's up to you to build your own story about Bermuda!
So are you ready to travel to Bermuda?
Other destination : The Bahamas
This trip is the result of a deal with Land Rover. This does not affect our work, honesty and sincerity in our stories, advice and opinions.
