Bermuda Activities

The Crystal & Fantasy Caves

The views of Bermuda’s beaches are stunning and the sunsets are the most dazzling anywhere. But to see the most breathtaking views on the island, you must get down to the underground, and discover the astonishing wonders of The Crystal and Fantasy Caves of Bermuda.

The moment you complete your descent down the walkway into Crystal Cave on your guided tour, you know you are on a journey of amazing natural beauty. Pathways of floating pontoons spread out before you, spanning a crystal clear underground lake. As you peer into the water, spectacular formations seem to exist mere inches beneath the surface. In fact, they are over 50 feet below you, a testimony to the incredible clarity of the lake. Above you, a mind-boggling profusion of pristine white stalactites covered with crystallized soda straws are affixed to the roof of the cave. The great American humorist Mark Twain was one of the first to experience this wonder of Mother Nature that has delighted generations of visitors since. Treat yourself and your family to an awesome, out-of-the-ordinary adventure at Bermuda’s stunning underground natural attraction!

Fantasy Cave is a virtual jewel box of stunning formations. Your guided experience will bring you face-to-face with entire walls covered in calcite mineral deposits nature has shaped to resemble majestic waterfalls frozen in time. Reflections from the deep pools dance before you on the surfaces of the cave. Gazing into the crystal clear water, you can see the beginnings of the passageways connecting the caves with the ocean. It is a journey to delight kids and adults alike. A state-of-the-art lighting system allows you to focus on the intricacies and impressive details of the formations. Your experienced guide will provide facts on the history and geology of the cave to enhance your overall experience.

Royal Naval Dockyard

The Royal Naval Dockyard is a picturesque way to break from the pink sand beaches, and if you’re visiting during Bermuda’s chillier seasons, it could end up being the highlight of your trip. The site was once the principal base of the Royal Navy in the Western Atlantic Ocean, but it’s now a tourist-slanted marina and cruise-ship dock that’s stocked with waterfront restaurants, art galleries, quaint (though overpriced) shops and a few pubs. Cruise ships dock at The Royal Naval Dockyard and it’s the formal naval base where you can shop for souvenirs and browse local wares for a sense of culture.

The Clocktower Mall is a good place for comparison-shopping and getting great bargains. For example, I bought a lovely painted glass ring for $3.50 at The Bermuda Triangle Shop. You can also find island art, crafts, jewelry, clothing, fragrance and more at duty-free prices.

 You can also visit the National Museum of Bermuda and Dolphin Quest. Or see crafts in the making at the glass-blowing shop at Dockyard Glassworks or the Bermuda Craft Market.

Historic Town of St. George

A UNESCO World Heritage site, The Town of St. George is one of the first English urban settlements in the New World. It will have you travelling back in time while strolling down narrow alleys and gazing at ancient architecture.

 Free guided tours depart from King’s Square at 10:30 a.m., Monday to Thursday during summer. And on Wednesdays and Saturdays from November to March.

 While touring about, you’ll learn about Juan de Bermudez, the Spanish sea captain and navigator who discovered the uninhabited islands of Bermuda in 1505.

 Hop aboard the replica ship Deliverance ($3/admission for adult. $2/children). English castaways who shipwrecked off St. George’s coastline built the original ship in 1610. They were on their way from England to Jamestown of Virginia and built a new ship to continue their voyage to the U.S.

The Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute

Go for the insights into Bermuda’s underwater character and see fascinating exhibits, stay for the dazzling and diverse Lightbourn Shell Collection.

The Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute is filled with unique shells from all over the world, including pretty and poisonous shells like the Conus Marmoreus with its alluring black and white patterns.The name is a real mouthful so from now on we’ll just call it the BUEI. Opened in 1997, the BUEI’s purpose is to enhance our understanding of the mysteries of the ocean. Set in an impressively constructed modern building, it accomplishes this through a series of exhibits, many of them interactive. It’s a great attraction for families and kids and a good option for a rainy day.

Visitors enter on the upper floor. A life-size replica of a 500 pound, 27 foot long squid hangs in the entrance hall and reminds you that it’s not just pretty fish that live in the ocean. One of the highlights on this level is the amazing collection of shells collected by a local man, Jack Lightbourn. There are over 1,000 shells on display, less than one quarter of his entire collection.

The Teddy Tucker Shipwreck Gallery showcases many of the items discovered by its namesake, a renowned Bermudian diver, archaeologist, and honorary chairman of the BUEI. Among its many exhibits are ampoules of opium from the Constellation which sank off Bermuda in 1943. The wreck inspired <em>Jaws</em> author, Peter Benchley, to write his novel The Deep. The subsequent movie, starring Jacqueline Bissett and Nick Nolte, was shot largely on location in Bermuda. The Treasure Room displays gold, coins, and other items recovered from some of the hundreds of shipwrecks around Bermuda. One of the most interesting items on display is the replica of the Tucker Cross, a gold cross recovered by Teddy Tucker in 1955 from the wreck of a 16th century Spanish ship. In 1975 Queen Elizabeth II visited the island and opened the Bermuda Maritime Museum. Teddy Tucker was supposed to show her the cross, but on unpacking the box discovered that it has been stolen and replaced by a plastic replica. Since then the cross has not been seen or heard of. A recreation of the cross is now on display.

Another highlight is a full size replica of the Bathysphere. It was in this steel spherical device that Charles Beebe submerged to a depth of 3,028 feet off the coast of Bermuda in 1934. The dive smashed the previous record depth for a human dive (525 feet) and stood for 15 years. Also on show is an Exosuit. Similar to an astronaut’s suit, but constructed from titanium, it allows divers wearing it to reach depths of 600 feet and can be used for rescuing the crew of sunken submarines.</p>
<p>If you need to eat, the BUEI offers a fine onsite restaurant. The Harbourfront boasts magnificent views of Hamilton harbour and offers steak, seafood and sushi dishes. The BUEI also has a lovely gift shop with and is fully wheelchair accessible.

Harbor Tour

Bermuda’s landscape might be best observed from a boat. So hop on the “M.V. Destiny,” a 78-ft motor boat that departs from Albouy’s Point and cruises in the Hamilton Harbour ($40/tour).

You’ll hear about how Bermudians once set fires at night to mimic lighthouses, luring ships to the rocky shores. Once shipwrecked, helpful natives would rescue the castaways and then rob them. You’ll float past islands that were used to quarantine sick Bermudians and, on a brighter note, gaze at dreamy seaside homes.

Harbor night celebration takes place on every Wednesday during high season (May through September) on Front Street of Hamilton Bermuda.

So what is Harbor Nights? Basically, Bermuda at its best. The front street in Hamilton gets closed to all vehicles after sunset. The shops and the restaurants remain open till late at night. And the street comes alive with sparkling lights and music. Large number of vendors wearing colorful dresses sell various kinds of local arts and crafts. Many of them will be the local artists themselves who are generally willing to chat with you and explain their artwork.

There will also be a number of food sellers selling different kinds of food – both Bermudian and ethnic. And then comes the Gombey dancers with their lively music and rhythmic drumming. They are huge crowd pullers. It’s a great experience even if you just take a stroll along Front Street and enjoy the ambience of the Harbor nights. People mix freely and talk to each other. This is a great family event and gives a wonderful insight into Bermudian culture.

Horse and Carriage Rides

Not really a means of getting anywhere in particular, but more of a short, romantic excursion for tourists in Bermuda. Carriages can be hired on Front Street in Hamilton, next to the Number 1 Passenger Terminal. My husband and I took a Horse drawn carriage ride and it was romantic until we pulled up in front of the main unloading spot in Hamilton. A car was honking its horn and the horse had blinders on, to keep the horse from seeing peripheral vision and because of this the horse bucked and took off!! My husband had already exited the carriage and was shocked to find me in the carriage while the horse went wild!! I was so shocked I didn’t know what to do!! It was EXCITING but everything turned out OK.