Bermuda travel guide
Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory made up of a hook-shaped chain of islands in the North Atlantic, about 1,000 kilometres off the coast of North Carolina. It is known for pink-sand beaches, pastel houses with white stepped roofs and a very British-feeling colonial history. It suits beach holidays, sailing, golf and travellers who like a tidy, compact island.
Places worth the trip
Horseshoe Bay
Bermuda's best-known beach, a curve of pink-tinged sand on the south shore, coloured by fragments of tiny red organisms called foraminifera. Paths lead to quieter coves to the east.
St George's
A UNESCO World Heritage town founded in 1612, with narrow lanes, St Peter's Church and a replica of the Deliverance, the ship built by shipwrecked settlers to continue their journey to Virginia.
Royal Naval Dockyard
The former British naval base at the western tip, with stone buildings now holding shops, restaurants and the National Museum of Bermuda inside its fortress.
Crystal and Fantasy Caves
Limestone caves in Hamilton Parish where floating walkways cross clear underground pools beneath stalactites.
The Bermuda Railway Trail
A walking and cycling path along the route of a railway that closed in 1948, passing through cuttings, along the coast and over bridges across the island.
Gibbs Hill Lighthouse
A cast-iron lighthouse in Southampton Parish. Climb the stairs to the balcony for views over the whole island chain.
Hamilton
The capital, with pastel buildings along Front Street, the harbour, the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity and the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.
Shipwreck diving
The reefs around Bermuda have caused hundreds of shipwrecks over the centuries, and many are now popular dive and snorkel sites.
Interesting facts about Bermuda
- Visitors cannot rent conventional cars in Bermuda; instead they use buses, ferries, taxis, scooters or small electric vehicles.
- Bermuda shorts, worn with knee-high socks and a jacket, are accepted business attire on the island.
- The white stepped roofs on Bermudian houses are designed to collect rainwater, which is stored in tanks beneath the house.
- St George's is the oldest continuously inhabited English town in the New World.
- Bermuda is in the North Atlantic, well north of the Caribbean, which gives it cooler winters than most beach destinations.
Best time to visit Bermuda
May to October is beach season, with warm sea temperatures and long, sunny days. Summer is hot and humid, and the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, with the highest risk from August to October. Winter (December to March) is mild but often windy, with sea temperatures too cool for many swimmers; it is good for walking, golf and sightseeing.
Getting around
Public buses and ferries are reliable and cover most of the island chain, including Hamilton, the Dockyard and St George's. Transport passes cover both. Taxis are widely available, and scooters and small two-seater electric cars can be rented; driving is on the left and roads are narrow and winding. Many visitors walk or cycle sections of the Railway Trail.
Practical details
- Capital
- Hamilton
- Currency
- Bermudian dollar (BMD); US dollars accepted at par
- Languages
- English
- Plug types
- A, B
- Voltage
- 120 V, 60 Hz
- Emergency
- 911
- Driving side
- left
- Tipping
- Many restaurants add a service charge of around 17 per cent; check the bill. Taxi drivers usually receive around 15 per cent.
Staying online in Bermuda
Mobile coverage is good across Bermuda because it is small and densely settled, with 4G widely available. Signal can weaken on some beaches beneath cliffs and out at sea on boat trips. Wi-Fi is standard in hotels and common in cafés and public areas in Hamilton. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
Bermuda eSIM plans
1 GB
1GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for Bermuda, V2
Ilimitados
Unlimited eSIM Data for 1 Day for Bermuda, V2
Ilimitados
Unlimited Plus eSIM Data for 1 Day for Bermuda, V2
3 GB
3GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for Bermuda, V2
Useful apps
- Google Maps: Walking directions and the Railway Trail; bus and ferry details are better checked locally.
- Windy: Wind and wave forecasts for sailing, diving and beach days.
- WhatsApp: Commonly used to contact tour operators, guesthouses and boat-trip companies.
Bermuda travel FAQs
No. Bermuda is in the North Atlantic, roughly level with the US south-east coast, so it is cooler in winter than the Caribbean islands.
Yes, modern phones work on local networks, and coverage is good across the islands. Roaming on a US or European plan can be expensive; a travel eSIM gives you local data without roaming charges.
No. Visitors cannot rent standard cars, but buses, ferries and taxis cover the island, and scooters and small electric cars are available to rent.
Not necessarily. US dollars are accepted everywhere at the same value, and cards are widely used. You may receive change in Bermudian dollars.