Bermuda Like No Other

Bermuda is an island of extraordinary natural beauty. Its lush greenery, pink sandy beaches and spectacular azure waters lend themselves to relaxation and to a wide variety of vacation pursuits. Enjoy a picnic on the sand, an alfresco lunch at a harbor-side or ocean view cafe, dine under the stars or in the elegant setting of an historic restaurant.

From five-star resorts to intimate guesthouses, Bermuda has accommodations to suit every lifestyle. Many of the intimate bed & breakfasts are old Bermuda homes nestled in garden settings and modernized with cozy guestrooms. Inns are more spacious than the bed & breakfast facilities and provide comfortable and informal accommodations.

Larger cottages and suites are situated on landscaped estates, some with their own beach/waterfront or pool. The smaller cottages and suites offer less expensive accommodation in comfortable surroundings. Some have a pool, but all have a kitchen and minimal daily maid service.

Cottage Colonies are uniquely Bermudian and feature a main clubhouse with dining room, lounge, and bar. The cottage units are spread throughout landscaped grounds and offer privacy and luxury. Most have kitchenettes for beverages or light snacks. All Cottage Colonies have their own beach and/or pool. Bermuda's small hotels offer the intimacy of a bed & breakfast, but with considerably more facilities. At a small hotel, you'll feel more connected to the Island and its people.

Most large resort hotels have their own beach or beach club and pool(s), and several have their own golf course. Most offer luxury amenities including porter, bell-and-room service, planned activities, sports, social desk and/or director, shops beauty salon, spa(s) cycle livery, taxi stand, and bars, restaurants, nightclub and entertainment on the premises.

All room rates are subject to a 7.25 percent Bermuda tax, which is added to your bill. A service charge, ranging from 10-15 percent is also added to your room rate in lieu of tips; remember that service charges do not cover bar tabs.

The island has over 150 restaurants to choose from, the question isn't where to eat in Bermuda, but what. The island's cooking reflects the diversity of its population -- a mixture of African, English, Irish, North American, West Indian, Portuguese, Italian, French, Chinese, Mexican and other ethnic cuisines supplement this local flavor. Enjoy traditional Bermudian Specialties such as spiny lobster, Bermuda fish chowder and grilled Wahoo.

There is always something to do in Bermuda. Cultural and theatrical entertainment throughout the year includes open air concerts, musicals and plays, night-
clubs and live jazz - like the Annual Bermuda Jazz Festival in September. You may choose to attend per- formances by Bermuda Gombey dancers, folk bands, and calypso and soca performers. Lush Bermuda grass, fairways, seaside rough and enchanting winds lure golfers to the Bermuda shoes year-round, Bermuda is also a favorite destination for scuba divers and snorklers.

An afternoon in Bermuda's quaintest shops, found mostly through- out the city of Hamilton, is a must. Enjoy highly-personalized service as you browse over Irish linens, crystal, local art, and antiques from around the world. You can bring home $400 worth of items duty-free if you've been out of the country at least 48 hours.

Eco-Tourism in Bermuda
This winter Bermuda opened Nonsuch Island to visitors. Nonsuch Island will take you back to the Bermuda of 400 years ago. Learn all about Bermuda's marine environment as you cruise to and from Nonsuch Island. Enjoy a picnic lunch on board.

Paget Marsh, a leafy green nature reserve, is a unique 25-acre natural treasure containing the last remnants of Bermuda's natural history - a native Bermudian ecological community. Bermuda is also a haven for birds migrating along the Atlantic Ocean Route, making Bermuda a bird watcher's paradise.

Daniel's Head Village, Tent Cottage Resort, is an out-of-the -ordinary, nature oriented, environmentally sensitive vacation spot in which guests stay in their own personal tent cottages on a private 20-acre peninsula including ten beaches. Most of the cottages are at the water's edge and some of them are on stilts over the water with a window in the floor for viewing underwater life.

Bermuda's rich history reflects influences from settlers and visitors around the globe. The island is protected not merely by coral reefs around its coastline, but by a ring of British military fortifications, including Fort St. Catherine located in St. George's, Fort Hamilton, Scaur Hill Fort, at the southern end of Somerset Island, and the Royal Navy Dockyard, at the northern end of Sandy's Parish.

This winter, the old town of St. George's with its surrounding fortifications, was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The town of St. George's, with it's many old buildings and forts, falls into the cultural category. Of all the historical military installations, the Royal Naval Dockyard is Bermuda's most-visited site.

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Published in the June 2001 issue of the AAA Traveler.