How to sell: Bermuda
Just 24 miles long and averaging less than a mile wide, Bermuda is made up of seven islands joined by bridges, plus 170 islets and rocks.
Pretty pastel houses and vibrant tropical blooms splash the islands with colour, and its British colonial history gives Bermuda a familiar feel: residents drive on the left and the Queen’s birthday is marked with a military parade in Hamilton, the elegant harbourside capital.
“Bermuda offers a fascinating mix of
American, Caribbean and African influences, with a quintessentially British flavour,” says Heidi Blades, Head of Travel Services at Premier Holidays, which offers tailor-made trips to Bermuda.
She adds: “I love spotting the traditional red post boxes and English-style pubs around the island, and I’m always impressed by the locals' love of cricket and afternoon tea. The island's
ften mistaken for 'the Caribbean', Bermuda actually lies 1,000 miles north of the West Indies, in the North Atlantic, 600 miles off the coast of North Carolina, USA.
TIME: -4 GMT.
FLIGHT TIME: Seven hours VISAS: None required CURRENCY: Bermuda dollar U.S. dollars are also accepted LANGUAGE: English
CAPITAL: Hamilton POPULATION : 61, 662 cuisine is as diverse as its history and heritage.”
Two things Bermuda doesn’t share with the UK is its year-round warm climate and powdersoft pink beaches, which makes it a magnet for sun lovers and water-sport enthusiasts, while divers enjoy exploring wrecks and reefs in turquoise seas. BOOK IT
A week at Hamilton Princess and Beach Club is from £1,869pp, including return midweek flights with British Airways from Gatwick, seven nights (room only) in a deluxe garden room and private transfers. Prestige Holidays is also offering two nights free, a saving of £612 per couple, on selected stays prestigeholidays.co.uk
GETTING THERE
British Airways flies direct to Bermuda from Gatwick. Clients can also fly via the USA. horizontal, with one of Bermuda’s famous Rum Swizzle cocktails to hand. But that would mean missing out on so many of the revitalising outdoor pursuits have been attracting an increasingly younger crowd to the archipelago.
A hotspot for international sporting events, Bermuda hosted the prestigious America’s Cup in 2017 but non-professionals can also indulge in some sailing fun with RYA-approved courses at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in Hamilton.
In 2018, it’s the turn of triathlon, with the first of three International Triathlon Union World Series events taking place in Bermuda in April. With its warm waters, and stunning, uncrowded cycling and running routes along the coast, this is also the perfect place to train for your own challenge.
Every December Bermuda hosts the Goodwill Golf Tournament, the oldest pro-am golfing competition. Visitors will have no trouble finding their own picturesque place to tee off on one of the islands’ six award-winning courses - that is more courses per capita than any other place on the planet.
Set sail: Calm seas and a balmy climate makes Bermuda the perfect place to sail. Learn the ropes with a 16-hour beginner’s programme at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. rbyc.bm
Go on a spooky stroll: The UNESCO World Heritage Site of St George, founded in 1612, was the first English settlement in Bermuda.