Bermuda, We Just Revisited Our Honeymoon Destination 38 years Later; WOW!!
Written: Aug 05 '09 (Updated Aug 21 '09)
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Pros: Some of the best beaches in the world!
Charming country, fine people
Cons: The festival in Hamilton at night offered no local customs or charm.
The Bottom Line: Bermda 38 years ago and in 2009 gave my wife and I memories we will never forget.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Bermuda |
My wife and I honeymooned on Bermuda over 38 years ago. I had posted an Express Review of that experience a little while back, without knowing my wife was booking a trip there for us. Now that my wife and I revisited, I have current experiences to share but first I would like to share the information in my original short review.
My wife and I were married 39 years this June. We honeymooned in gorgeous and memorable! Bermuda.
The island is just 22 miles long with good public transportation (we loved the mopeds...look out for afternoon showers) and lovely English speaking people who cater to tourists. The island beaches, pastel coloured homes and clean downtown areas are charming as well as beautiful.
Bermuda is expensive but there are some bargain rates from the NY area for flight and few day stays that attracted recently our attention. Cruises though have been popular in recent years since a hurricane devastated much of the island a few years back. From everything I have read, the island is once again top notch.
We loved Crystal Caves and our visit to the Bermuda Botanical Garden with leisurely lunch was one we will never forget.
Bermuda is the first place I ever snorkeled. I've been hooked ever since!
This island, unlike many of those in the Caribbean well south, does have seasons where sunning and swimming isn't as comfortable but the temperatures do allow for exploration and digging into the long history of the island via the forts and museums. My wife loved shopping Hamilton and I loved the pubs.
Much of what I posted of experiences of the past hold true today. Having used their public transportation more on this trip I can say it was excellent. The buses stopped regularly, the drivers safe in driving and the ferry system, excellent. Mopeds are no longer seen on the roads of Bermuda. Scooters are all over. They are faster and a bit safer than the mopeds were. Please read on as I share other new experiences.
Bermuda 2009 by Cruise
My wife and I sailed the Norwegian Dawn to Bermuda a couple of weeks back. It was a wonderful experience and I can't get back to that island soon enough!
We docked in Kings Wharf, a small destination with historic tours, shopping and a few pubs. I had a good time trying their sampler of six beers of their served in 8 ounce glasses. The staff upbeat and friendly and the atmosphere really cool.
Hamilton and St George
Kings Wharf offers ferry service to other parts of the island. We made two trips one to Hamilton and one to St George. Hamilton at night wasn't as intimate and "British influenced and feeling" as it was so many years ago on our first visit. There was an extraordinary change on the waterfront. The new buildings and new shops looked great...from the outside. We went into Hamilton in the evening because we were told of a festival in reference to Bermudas 400 year anniversary. We were very disappointed seeing only mediocre crafts sold under tents on the closed street. Most of the better stores were closed then. Also, there was no feeling of anything "Bermuda". We missed the dancers that we were told would dance at night and there was absolutely no music, none. Hey, it was a street festival. Even one steel drum band or player would have been nice. We never returned to Hamilton for the day. There was just too much other "good stuff" to do on the island.
St George was a very pleasant surprise. We did our own historic walk using a Frommers guide. The streets and building were charming and beautifully kept. It was easy to stroll the streets. I'll be posting a very detailed review of it and places we visited in a week or so. I'll link them to this review. Highlights were historic boats, a lovely garden, the first church in the new world built in the early 1700s, the unfinished church "really cool!" and a walk to Tobacco Bay Beach, a must.
That beach had all facilities, a small restaurant, good snorkeling, safe swimming and all in an incredibly beautiful setting. One can take a cab, but we walked there and enjoyed the slow one mile stroll. We just didn't have time to walk to nearby Fort St Catherine that really was close by.
South Shore Beaches of Bermuda
The book, 1,000 Places To See Before You Die, includes Bermuda's South Shore Beaches as one of those destinations. Long ago we stayed at the Sonesta Beach Hotel, now gone. They had three small beaches. Nearby the popular Elbow Beach hotel has a glorious beach that we saw years back.
For the first time ever my wife and I tried Church Bay beach. Absolutely beautiful. This year we once again visited the most popular tourist beach in Bermuda, Horseshoe Bay. We loved it so much we spent two of our three days there.
The bus system to and from those beaches to Kings Wharf was excellent. We paid $38 for an unlimited 3 day pass. It was well worth it.
I'll mention here that we did enjoy snorkeling on the island. Unfortunately our day at Church bay beach had seas that were a bit too rough for good swimming and visibility. We did find some nice/good snorkeling at Tobacco Bay beach in St George. Overall Bermuda is OK for snorkeling but you don't have to rush there for that sport...but the beaches...heaven.
In Closing
Though I wold have to have visited Crystal Cave and the arboretum again, there's just so much to do and see on the island without repeating. The pubs remain excellent and though we didn't drink in the Hog Penny Pub, Hamilton, where we spent time 38 years ago it still had a timeless and rustic charm inside the doors.
Though we loved cruising on the Norwegian Dawn out of New York to Bermuda for a week, three days on the island was just a tease. That said, I do want to do it again but we are also looking for relatively inexpensive places to stay. Bermuda is expensive. They have to import everything including their food. Jet Blue now has some great rates to the island but accommodations are still dear in price.
Once again we loved the people, easy transportation and the beaches of Bermuda. Kings Wharf was interesting and St George a real find.
Bermuda, It's well worth a stay.
Bermuda
Town of St George, Bermuda
St Peter's Church 1615
Unfinished Church
The Deliverance, St George
moongate at Somers Gardens
Kings Square on the Eastern Side of Bermuda
Tobacco Bay Beach, St George, Bermuda
Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda
Church Bay Beach, Bermuda
King's Wharf on the Western Side of Bermuda
Recommended:
Yes
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