Our destination wedding was fantastic... and so is Bermuda!
Where in the world is Bermuda?
Bermuda Tourism has a great website chockful of great information - want to know what the weather will be like at a particular time of year? Or what kind of wildlife you might encounter? What festivals are on? How to get there? Where to stay? Or where to find the best Rum Swizzles? It's all there.
Books about Bermuda
Travel guides, the Bermuda Triangle, etc
How to get to Bermuda
Umm... two choices really - airplane or boat
The Bermuda Tourism website has a complete listing of what cruise ships and airlines dock at / fly into Bermuda, but here's a sampling of the ones I know of.Many major airlines fly into Bermuda's little airport - Air Canada, American Airlines, and British Airways, to name some major ones. I never really appreciated the colour "bermuda blue" until we were approaching Bermuda by plane. As we dipped down in preparation for landing, you could see the shallows coming up, and the striking blue of the ocean in that area. It was breathtaking.
As well, cruise ships dock all the time in Bermuda. Although we took a plane there this last time, I think next time, we'll take a cruise ship there... just for a change... and yes, we are definitely going back! Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruiselines and Carnival Cruiselines are some of the cruise lines that come to Bermuda (we saw the cruise ships at the Naval Dockyards).
The photo: A cruise ship tied up in the Naval Dockyards
Book a trip to Bermuda!
See what travel deals are out there
What's the weather like?
I believe the word most people use is: temperate
Bermuda doesn't have wild swings in its temperature - it rangew from about 20C to 29C (70F to 85F). So, it's warm, but not horribly so. But... it is humid!! That was the biggest thing we noticed. Getting off the plane, and walking across the tarmac was well... interesting. Hot, humid air up the nether regions when you've been in a dry and air-conditioned plane is a bit of shock :) That said, dress appropriately and all is good. I wouldn't go for a run there, but a nice leisurely stroll down to the bus stop to go to the Dockyards or the like is pleasant. It's warm but you're not sweating horribly. And you're never far from an ocean breeze!The photo: my husband and two of his nephews at the Naval Dockyard... dressed appropriately for the beautiful weather.
The Forecast for Bermuda
Want to know what the weather is like right this second (or so)?
Current weather conditions in Hamilton, Bermuda
Local Pollen Reports
17°C (Feels like 17°C)
Last update: 12/25/09 7:55 PM Local Time
Humidity: 59%Visibility: 10.0 km
Dew Point: 9°C
UV Index: 0 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 1022.0mm steady
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: 14km/h From: Airport Conditions

Tonight
Low
Low: 16°C
Sunrise: 7:19 AM
Sunset: 5:21 PM

Saturday
Dec 26
N/A
High: 18°C
Low: 17°C
Sunrise: 7:19 AM
Sunset: 5:21 PM

Sunday
Dec 27
Mostly Cloudy
High: 20°C
Low: 19°C
Sunrise: 7:19 AM
Sunset: 5:22 PM

Monday
Dec 28
Rain / Wind
High: 21°C
Low: 17°C
Sunrise: 7:20 AM
Sunset: 5:23 PM
What to Wear
It was quite warm and sunny the entire time we were there (14 days) - there were some rain showers in the morning on the last two days - but it was still very humid no matter what. Now I don't tan well, and even if I did, I wouldn't go anywhere without a shirt to cover my shoulders at some point, a good layer of sunblock, and a nice wide-brimmed hat! Even my husband had a wide-brimmed hat he took with him.The photo: Me... pulling a face... but wearing my sunhat!!
Bermuda shorts...
You have to at least one pair to wear while there ;-)
Don't forget your sunhat...
I never went out in the day without mine!
And bring your sunblock!
In my opinion, the higher the SPF the better
Where to Stay
Some suggestions
By the way, if you are looking for cheap accomodations... well, nothing is cheap in Bermuda. You just have to aim for "less-shockingly expensive". Our resort was $500 a night and we had a deal...
- Bermuda Tourism site - Accomodations Search
- You can do a search for the type of accomodations you want, what facilities (like restaurants, spas, internet access...), etc. It features the main hotels/resorts, but some of the small bed and breakfasts aren't incuded.
- Cambridge Beaches Resort
- This is the resort where we stayed (along with some of our relatives/friends) and where we got married. It is on Somerset Island and quite near to the Naval Dockyards - a quick bus ride away.
- Grotto Bay Beach Resort
- A little more kid-friendly than some places, and relatively near to Hamilton, the major city (and its Capital) in Bermuda
- 9 Beaches Resort
- This resort is just across the bay (Long Bay) from Cambridge Beaches and is quite an interesting place. First, you stay in a "tent"... it's a proper room, but they are all separate, and have tent siding, and they are on stilts - some of them are even out over the water and have a glass bottom so you can see the fish swim past when you're sitting on the couch.
Another interesting fact (especially for Canadians) about this resort, is that it is located on the former Canadian Forces Station (CFS Bermuda). The radar station closed in the '80s, and they converted it to a resort. Some of the old station buildings are still there and are now things like staff accomodations and the check in/guest services building.
How to Get Around
Bermuda is not large... but the traffic is somewhat sedate, so don't expect to get anywhere fast.
The speed limit is 35 kph (21 mph), yes, you read that right, 35 kph. You drive on the left side of the road (like the UK) and even the main roads are quite narrow and quite often don't have much of a shoulder on them. Get off the main roads, and they become even smaller - two way traffic is a challenge on some of these. It took us nearly an hour to get to our resort as it was on one of the furthest away islands - that and the taxi driver stopped and showed us the sights along the way.One thing to note - you can't rent a car in Bermuda, only scooters... only residents are allowed to drive cars. So what's left?
Well, taxis, as I noted previously. Nothing is really that far away in Bermuda, so even a longer trip doesn't cost that much, relatively speaking. And the taxi drivers are also all licensed as tour guides, so are more than happy to take you around the island to all its hidden treasures for a reasonable fee.
But my favourite way around the island was actually by bus. They were cheaper than a taxi and there are about a dozen routes covering all parts of Bermuda. We would usually wander down the hill from the resort, into Somerset Village to the bus stop and head to the Naval Dockyard where we could shop, wander, and perhaps chat a ferry into Hamilton. By the way, while you can pay cash for the bus, you need exact change, so I'd advise you get some bus tokens. Most hotels/resorts will have bus tokens available for you to purchase in their main reception area.
So that takes us to ferries... As we were near to the Naval Dockyards we had a couple of routes available to us, and could get to Hamilton or St. George, the two main cities in Bermuda. Travel by boat is great. They have open air upper deck seating so you get a lovely breeze as you move along and through the islands. I loved it!
Okay, so public transportation isn't for you, and you're not a fan of ferries and/or taxis... what's left? Scooters (mopeds). I can't personally recommend them as we didn't rent one, but it is apparently a nice way to get around. Personally, I wasn't keen simply because my husband didn't have a drivers' license at the time (he has epilepsy and hadn't been seizure free for a year yet), so I'd have had to do the driving. That coupled with driving on the left side of the road (I'm Canadian, we drive on the right) with a passenger, just scared me too much.
The photo: From the top of the ferry heading from the Naval Dockyards into the city of Hamilton. Lovely white rooftops reflecting the sun in the distance across the water.
So you want to get married in Bermuda?
Many of the resorts have wedding planners...
I recommend a Wedding Planner
As I said above, it'll save headaches and stress!
- Luxe Destination Weddings
- This was our Canadian wedding planner. They were great! They had us fill out a questionnaire to get a good idea of what we wanted, looked at what the various resorts in Bermuda could offer, and then matched us up with the right one. And they worked out the extras as I mentioned above. I'm glad I had them phoning Bermuda while I was working. That time difference thing (even a couple hours) can be frustrating and I'm glad I didn't have to deal with it. They also helped our friends and family plan their stays as well.
- Cambridge Beaches Resort - Wedding package
- Cambridge Beaches Resort was fantastic. Mind you, it is probably the most expensive resort in Bermuda, but from our perspective, it was well worth it! It was the perfect setting for a wedding. They only allow one wedding on any given day, so essentially you have the run of the property. Want to have your wedding on the beach... done, and you have to figure out which of the beaches you want it on! Want it on a cliff overhanging the ocean... again... done! Want an inside reception... no problem... outside on the terrace... equally easy! The resort has an on-site wedding planner who makes sure everything is perfect on the day of your wedding. She ferried me down the hill on the back of a golf cart so I wouldn't be sweaty :)
Some Wedding photos
So, I had to add these in... what's the good of having a lens about it if you can't brag?
Us and the minister. Yes, a sunglasses and bermuda shorts wearing minister... it is Bermuda afterall.
Where to Eat and Drink
There are great restaurants and pubs all over Bermuda - truthfully, we didn't encounter any bad ones, although some are more expensive than others. And again, if you're looking for deals, they are hard to come by in Bermuda... although if you hit Happy Hours, it's not too bad.The photo: The menu for our wedding reception (Cambridge Beaches - Tamarisk restaurant)
Most places we went were great
So pick a place, any place...
- Tamarisk restaurant (Cambridge Beaches resort)
- This was the main restaurant at the resort where we were staying. Very old style in a Bermuda kinda way... men had to wear a buttoned shirt, and proper shoes (not runners/flip-flops). Women could get away with nice flip-flops...
They were really good about accomodating specific dietary needs - my husband had diverticulitis at the time (it's all fixed now, and yes, it's my husband's lens that I'm linking to here), and they made sure things were prepared properly for him, without seeds and nuts and things. - Breezes restaurant (Cambridge Beaches resort)
- Dine alfresco... the dining room is outside under cover. We actually used it as our wedding venue. It was closed that day, so they set it up so our guests could be seated on one level, and we were down just below them. It's a fairly small venue, so it suited us and our 19 guests perfectly.
We did also eat there a couple of times. It was of course, on the resort, so very handy, and it is much less formal... casual resort wear okay. Aside from my side glimpse of a rather large spider (they are apparently harmless) one of the evenings, it was great eating out in the fresh air. I hate spiders... - Shutters restaurant (Cambridge Beaches resort)
- The most casual of the restaurants on the resort itself... it is pool side, so of course, you can wear your bathing suit there if you want. Good buffet, and the bar is right there too, so you can have barbeque chicken, corn-on-the-cob, and a rum swizzle, and then go for a refreshing dip in the pool, or go wading in the water along one of the beaches which is right out in front of the pool!
- The Swizzle Inn
- We didn't do much eating here... just drinking... it's the home of the "original rum swizzle" and they do it well! Went to the Crystal Caves and then hopped over to the Swizzle Inn for a few bevvies... um, that's all I remember that day...
- Dark N Stormy's
- This is on the Nine Beaches Resort, and is another place where we didn't do much eating... they had specials on most days - Happy Hours and the like, and it's where we went to meet our friends who were staying at Nine Beaches. Beachfront and fun!
- The Frog and Onion
- This is in the Naval Dockyards and while it's a bit pricey, the food (and drink) was very good. We have several beer/drink glasses from there!
- Beethoven's
- Another restaurant/pub in the Naval Dockyards. Not too badly priced by Bermudian standards, and the food was good.
- Salt Rock Grill
- Yum, sushi... nice location, good food.
- The Somerset Country Squire
- A nice restaurant in Somerset Village. Good food, good drinks, friendly people at the bar...
- The Hog Penny Pub
- In the city of Hamilton... we went there to drink, but the food wasn't bad either :)
Do you have a favourite restaurant in Bermuda?
Did I forget it... or maybe I haven't been there?
Add it, and be sure to vote for it! I'll add it to my list above if it's popular enough - or if it's one I forgot :)
Wedding Favors
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Woody's Drive Inn (Sandys Parish)
Fun0 points
Fresh Water - an interesting fact
Did you know that there are no fresh (non-salt) rivers, springs or ponds in Bermuda?
Bizarre eh? What do they then? Simple, they collect rainwater! The beautiful white roofs of Bermudian houses are specially designed to collect rainwater which is then stored in underground tanks - all houses have one. There are also some groundwater (pockets of water under the ground) "lenses" from which water is also extracted and can be bought if a household doesn't have enough rainwater for their purposes.So water is a valuable commodity in Bermuda, and you are asked in hotels, etc to ration your use if you can!
Our Honeymoon
The photo: Did I mention the frogs? They have singing tree frogs... every evening the air is filled with this rhythmic hum. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it grows on you. They are tiny but very loud. There are also giant toads. We spent about half an hour one evening (after a few bevvies, I do admit) chasing one around the croquet court!
Frog Stuff
Okay, I like frogs, so I actually brought back a number of frog-related things like a hand-blown glass frog (Naval Dockyards glassworks)
Somerset Village
Tiny but lovely
And as I mentioned in the How to Get Around section, buses are the way to go, and the bus stop was only a short walk down into the village from our resort.
The photo: My husband posing as a garden gnome in front of some gigantic vegetation in Somerset Village - on our way to catch the bus to the Naval Dockyards.
The Naval Dockyard
Cruise ships, the ferry, artisans, museum, dolphins... and... pubs
The ferries also go back and forth between Hamilton/St. George and the Naval Dockyard (mentioned already in the How to Get Around section), and more often than not, you'll see a cruise ship tied up there too.
What else... hmmm, restaurants and pubs... but I already mentioned several in the Where to Eat and Drink section.
Dolphins are amazing
I also have a thing for dolphins... brought home a stuffie of one...
The Crystal and Fantasy Caves
The Crystal and Fantasy Caves are also a bit of fun, and a nice escape to somewhere cool on a hot day. We went through both of them. It was quite interesting to see all the formations and the pools of water. They have lights throughout that they turn on and off as you travel through the caves with your tour guide. We really enjoyed it. Gibbs Hill Lighthouse
If you want to get a great view of Bermuda, a trip to Gibbs Hill Lighthouse is a must. It's a bit of a climb to the top (180+ steps I believe), but once you're up there, you can see quite a bit of Bermuda. And you can finally appreciate how isolated these islands really are. You look out all around and everywhere in the distance is blue sea. No blue sea, then specks of mountains or coastline... just blue sea. Bermuda is all alone out there! Jet Skiing - and an interesting fact (or maybe just a rumour)
Yes, it's lots of fun
Go... go... it's fun! I suspect they gave me a slow jet ski, as I was way behind my husband and the tour guide when we were out on the open water... and despite having the throttle wide open!We went up the west side of Somerset Island and into Long Bay. On the south side of the bay is the Nine Beaches resort which I mentioned in the "Where to Stay" module, and on the north side is Cambridge Beaches resort (where we were staying). Right in between the two is a beautiful house where - here's the rumour - David Bowie lives when he's in Bermuda! Had to mention that - he's one of my fave singers! And it's also rumoured that he's hung out at the pub at Cambridge Beaches resort a time or two. We are so going back... maybe we'll see him and/or Iman strolling down the road between Nine Beaches and Cambridge Beaches or in Somerset Village.
The photo: Long Bay - looking across from Nine Beaches resort over to "ours" (Cambridge Beaches). Sorry couldn't fit in DB's house - trees were in the way ;-)
A Tour of Bermuda
Flickr style...
Here are some random photos from Flickr showcasing Bermuda. Enjoy!
Some blogs mentioning Bermuda vacations
... and weddings...
- How To Pick The Perfect Bermuda Cruise | TravelBo.com
- There is nothing more romantic for a couple than sailing off into the sunset together on a spectacular Bermuda cruise, so it is no surprise that Modern Bride magazine rated Bermuda in the top ten wedding and honeymoon destinations. ... This article has tried to point out just a few of the critical elements that can help ensure that you have a great Bermuda cruise; one that is custom designed to meet your own specific Bermuda vacation needs. ...
- Have Fun During a Cruise to Bermuda Summer 2010 | Vacation Cruise ...
- Bermuda is a tiny island that attracts countless tourists from different parts of the world with the majority of them coming from the US. A cruise to Bermuda is an important part of summer fun for these happy people starting from May all the way to October. This small island is not a ... In fact it is a perfect place to carry out a destination wedding or honeymoon in since the natural beauty can easily be remembered than sophisticated manmade features like houses. ...
- ArticleSite.info Travel: A Honeymoon in Bermuda - Newly-weds ...
- ... is over the couple may not make it back especially when kids and responsibilities sets in. About the Author: You can find more information and ideas about a Honeymoon in Bermuda on http://bermudahoneymoonideas.blogspot.com/ Keyword tags : honeymoon,honeymoon destinations,bermuda,wedding,marriage,newlywed,newlyweds,travel,newly weds ... Scottsdale vacation home rentals - HomeAway has a great selection of 400+ vacation rental homes, condos and villas in Scottsdale. ...
- Travel Writer: Interview with Passionate Bermuda Specialist, Linda ...
- I'm also a Certified Bermuda Specialist and a Certified Destination Wedding Specialist with Travel Agent University. As well, Bermuda Travel is an Accredited Agency with the International Association of Travel Agents (IATA).? ... First of all, the closeness to the eastern seaboard makes it a perfect getaway for those that cannot take a week or more of vacation time. Bermuda is less than 2 hours from Boston, DC, or New York, and just a little more from Philadelphia.? ...
The Bermuda Triangle
No discussion on Bermuda is complete without a mention or two of the Bermuda Triangle
Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the subject...
The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the 'Devils Triangle''', is a region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean in which a number of aircraft and surface vessels are alleged to have mysteriously disappeared in a manner that cannot be explained by human error, piracy, equipment failure, or natural disasters. Popular culture has attributed these disappearances to the paranormal, a suspension of the laws of physics, or activity by extraterrestrial beings.
A substantial body of documentation reveals, however, that a significant portion of the allegedly mysterious incidents have been inaccurately reported or embellished by later authors, and numerous official agencies have stated that the number and nature of disappearances in the region is similar to that in any other area of ocean.
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Ever been to Bermuda?
Or just dreaming of going?
Have you had adventures in Bermuda that you'd like to share? Or maybe you have a suggestion of what to add to this lens to make it better? What island treasures have I missed?
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- dustytoes dustytoes Jul 7, 2009 @ 8:28 am
- Happy upcoming anniversary! I have been to Bermuda, long ago and I am featuring this lens on my seashells lens which also contains tropical wedding information. Looks like it was a beautiful wedding, I enjoyed your photos!
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- isabella isabella Jun 9, 2009 @ 12:17 am
- nice lens
Thank you for joining Best Islands' Guide! It will be hosted in the groups main page
You can visit also my lens about Santorini Weddings
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- Light-in-me Light-in-me Jun 7, 2009 @ 11:22 pm
- I really enjoyed my visit, lots of great information and you have a great writing style.
Thank's for sharing.
Take care,
Robin

























