Kangiebibi's Blog: Bermuda

I got lost in the Bermuda Triangle, kissed a dolphin in Bermuda & I liked it!

Does that make me a mermaid??

I believe that Bermuda has the most picturesque beaches on Earth. It's a wonderful stretch of islands that you can escape to for a long weekend or a short vacation. Even if you don't sign up for any activities, a trip to Bermuda is necessary just for the sight of the pristine pink sands against the backdrop of turquoise waters alone.

1. Dolphin Encounter

Before I swam with sharks in The Bahamas, my 1st encounter with a sea creature was with a dolphin. Dolphin Quest at the National Museum of Bermuda has several options where you not only learn about dolphins up-close, you also get to see them show off their talents and swim and even kiss them!

I did the 45 minute encounter (~$285/person) to maximize my time with the dolphins. They include the entrance ticket to the National Museum in your dolphin encounter price, so you will have time before and after to explore the museum and the grounds to learn about the history of Bermuda. You will also find out how the legend of the Bermuda Triangle came to be!

There were about 6 dolphins and 5 people in our group. Our guide taught us little trivia about the dolphins and helped us to interact safely with them so that the dolphins would feel comfortable around us.

Oh, and a dolphin's skin feels smooth, like a peeled boiled egg!

2. Elbow Beach Park

Elbow Beach was my favorite beach in Bermuda by far. The photos do not do the pink sands justice. It really looks pink in real life, especially in the sunset!

There are two ways to access Elbow Beach. One way is to stay at the Elbow Beach Resort, which costs ~$500 to ~$1000+ per room. Another way is to get the day pass for about ~$70.

Elbow Beach is the largest private beach in Bermuda and is much less crowded than Horseshoe Bay. I highly recommend setting aside a day for here.

The sands are pink because of the skeletons of foram, which are very small, single-celled animals that grow under reefs. When they die, the waves wash and toss the skeletons about. By the time they reach the shore, the skeletons have been ground into fine, powdery sand.

Another reason to visit Elbow Beach besides the actual beach is because of Mickey's Bistro:

Mickey's Bistro is a very popular seafood bistro/bar on the actual beach. There is no other restaurant quite like Mickey's in Bermuda. It is quite an experience to feel the soft pink sands and see the beautiful views while enjoying a moonlit dinner and a sweet Rum Swizzle, "Bermuda's national drink".

3. Horseshoe Bay

Horseshoe Bay is the most famous and popular pink sand beach in Bermuda, located in Southampton. It is often rated as 1 of the top 10 beaches in the world. There are stands and bars (Rum Swizzles are sold pretty much everywhere in Bermuda!) nearby to get some snacks and drinks to relax in the pink sands after swimming in the glass-clear waters.

4. Crystal Caves

One of the main attractions that made me decide to go to Bermuda was a picture of the Crystal Caves I came across online. The Crystal Caves of Bermuda is believed to have been formed millions of years ago around the Ice Age.

I still remember the story of how the caves were discovered because it was so interesting and unique. In the early 1900s, 2 teenage boys were playing cricket. One of them threw the ball too far and the other chased after it into a hole. He was amazed to discover these frozen stalactite crystals over a clear, turquoise lake.

This Banyan tree at the entrance of The Crystal Caves was unlike any tree I had ever seen before:

5. Nightlife/Hamilton

There are bars and small clubs mostly in the Hamilton area. They are low-key and I saw mostly tourists here. I do recommend going out to Hamilton for a night to take a look around, but you are not going to find NYC-type rooftop bars or swanky nightclubs here.

My outfit for the night! Most of the ladies were dressed in summer and sun dresses, nothing too fancy and no stiletto heels.

My favorite espadrille wedges by Christian Louboutin:

6. Bermuda Aquairum, Museum, and Zoo (BAMZ)

BAMZ is the biggest aquarium in Bermuda and is one of the oldest aquariums in the world, built in 1926. BAMZ is open every day from 9AM to 5PM and tickets are only $10 per person, so if you don't have time for any other museum, I recommend BAMZ for the most comprehensive experience.

Did you know Bermuda was called the "Devil's Isle" because of the random stormy weather, loud birds, and hard-to-navigate coral reefs near the island that bedeviled approaching ships?

I wish I had written down the name of this gorgeous blue fish with a toothy grin!

7. Clock Tower Shopping Mall/Royal Naval Dockyard

Bermuda was once a part of the British Empire. The Royal Naval Dockyard was around for ~150 years, but is now a major cruise port. It's also a major port for shopping, dining, and entertainment. You can find the Clocktower Mall here, where you can find all kinds of unique Bermudian items to suit your souvenir needs.

I had to pick up a bottle of Bermuda's famous pink sand:

Glass art is ~2000 years old and is a very prominent part of Bermudian art culture. There are glass blowing classes at Glass Blowing Studio, too.

Some of the prettiest hand-crafted items I saw at Bermuda was this pottery made by the artist Jon Faulkner:

A majority of Bermudians are Christians, so you will find many churches and a lot of shops and stores will be closed on Sundays.

8. Clearwater Beach

This was the last beach I visited. Clearwater beach is a man-made beach located at the southern tip of Bermuda near St. David's. This beach is relatively secluded and the waters are very shallow. I even saw a feral chicken and her chicks strolling along the shoreline!

The mini painted boats were absolutely creative and stunning, too:

I will never forget my little vacation to Bermuda, one of the most beautiful countries I have been to.

I would say the only big downside was the lack of public transportation--this is not exclusive to Bermuda as most island countries near The Caribbeans also have this same problem.

There were no car-sharing services. However buses and taxis were available. Buses were not so frequent so a big chunk of your spending money will go into taxis if you don't plan to rent a car or a moped.

Also, since Bermuda is an island, everything was very expensive--almost twice as expensive as everything in NYC! As it is NOT a cheap destination, you will have to save up if you want to do a getaway to this wonderful island paradise~