Crystal Caves

• Bermuda is an island located in the Atlantic Ocean.
• It is just less than 600 miles from the coast of the United States.
• It measures only 21 square miles and is divided into 9 parishes and two municipalities; Hamilton, the capital, and St George.
• A main driver for Bermuda’s economy is tourism. Most of the visitors being from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
• Bermuda has great weather, beautiful beaches, golf courses, fantastic architecture, low crime rate, and a friendly local population.
• About 60 percent of visitors to the island arrive by cruise ship. There are docks at Kings Wharf, St George, and Hamilton. Bermuda only has one airport, with scheduled flights to the US, Canada and the UK.

HISTORY

• Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists
• After US independence, Great Britain found itself without access to the ports now on the US east coast. Because of this and Bermuda’s convenient location between British Canada and Britain’s Caribbean possessions, Bermuda became a principal stopover point for the British Navy Fleet
• During the Second World War, Bermuda served as the main intercept center for transatlantic cable messages to and from occupied Europe.
• Tourist travel to Bermuda to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times
• Tourism continues to be important to the island’s economy, and Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center
• A referendum on independence was overpowered in 1995
• In 1995 US Navy and British Royal Navy closed their bases in Bermuda
• In 1998 The Progressive Labour Party wins its first general election
• In the year 2000 Town of St George was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List

FACTS

St. Peters Church

• Bermuda shorts are the most famous attire for men in Bermuda.
• Bermuda is the oldest British Colony.
• The typical breakfast in Bermuda is codfish and potatoes
• Bermuda is made up of 181 coral covered lava based islands and has about 155 miles of roadway
• The famous tree frog, also called the whistling frog, is difficult to find. You can hear them at night and have a chance seeing them when it rains.
• Bermuda has the most golf courses per capita of any location in the world.
• The unofficial name for Bermudians is Onion.
• Cup Match takes place the end of July and it is the biggest holiday in Bermuda. The 2 day cricket game between the east end and west end team is the focal point.
• Harbour Nights is a street fair celebration that takes place every Wednesday evening (seasonal) when the entire area of Front Street closes down for food, fun, music and local Artists and craftsmen exhibits.
• Bermuda roofs are made from Bermuda slate and timber. They are whitewashed and collect rainwater into tanks stored under each house. The water undergoes a filtration process with each dwelling having their own water supply.
• Kite flying is customary on Good Friday. It is a public holiday when families gather to fly kites that many have made themselves.
• Dark “n” Stormies are a drink made of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and Bermuda Ginger beer.

Bermuda Beach

• Hotels are usually very expensive. All hotels include a cooked breakfast and start at 200 BMD a night.
• Groceries for one month can cost about 600 BMD
• Eating out at a restaurant for two people can cost 100 BMD
• Most hotels and restaurants add a service charge to the bill. If a service charge is not part of the bill, 15 percent is standard, for taxis 10-15 percent.
• Average meal cost 15-20 US, Fast food 5-10 US
• Dining – midrange restaurant 20-30 US/person , high-end restaurant 35-45 US/person
• One day transport pass 12 US

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Bermuda Fort

• Bermuda has a relatively low crime rate and most visits are trouble free.
• Violent crime in Bermuda does exist but mostly involves disputes between gangs of local youths.
• Petty thefts do occur, mostly unattended baggage, items from rental bikes and thefts from hotel rooms.
• Don’t leave valuables lying around and put them in the hotel safe.
• Knowing how to respond if caught in a rip current is very important. The most common mistake a person caught in a rip current makes is to try and swim directly towards the shore. The correct thing to do is go with the current until it dissipates, or swim parallel to the shore until free of the rip current. When free of the current swim diagonally back towards the shore.
• The Portuguese man-of-war is a jellyfish-like marine creature occasionally found in Bermuda. For the average sting treatment remove any visible tentacles with a gloved hand or stick, rinse the sting with salt or fresh water, and apply ice to control the pain. For more serious reactions, such as chest pains and breathing difficulty, medical attention should be sought immediately.
• Sharks are extremely common in Bermuda’s waters. The good news is that sharks on the whole, and especially the ones found around Bermuda, are extremely harmless creatures which rarely come close to the shore. More often than not, sharks will try and avoid direct contact with humans. The last reported shark attack in Bermuda was a minor incident over 30 years ago.

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Bermuda House

• Bermuda has a sub-tropical climate.
• Bermuda is warmed by the Gulf stream.
• The average annual high temperature is around 75 F, while the average annual low is about 67 F.
• May to October are the warmest months with an average high of 81 F and an average low of 73 F.
• The coldest months are January to March, seeing average highs and lows of 68 F and 59 F.
• Humidity is high all year round.
• There is no specific rainfall season with rainfall being distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.
• It tends to rain in short heavy downpours rather than continual English-type drizzle, meaning that it’s extremely unlikely that your entire holiday or even a whole day is ruined by rain.
• It’s a common occurrence to find one part of Bermuda drenched in rain while other areas bask in the sun.
• The official hurricane season lasts from June to November.

Kings Wharf

Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo (BAMZ)

• Located along North Shore Road across Flatts Bridge in Hamilton Parish.
• BAMZ has more than 300 birds, reptiles and mammals from oceanic islands.
• The Aquarium houses more than 200 species of fish, and features the award-winning North Rock Exhibit.
• BAMZ is one of the top Bermuda sightseeing places.

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Kings Wharf Bermuda (Royal Naval Dockyard)

• Located in Sandys Parish.
• A great dockyard and naval base built by the British in early 19th century is now a top Bermuda sightseeing and tourist attraction.

Bermuda Maritime Museum (BMM)

• A fascinating story of Bermuda’s maritime heritage captured in a 19th-century fortress at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Sandys Parish.

Dolphin Quest Bermuda

• A fantastic Dolphin center in Royal Naval Dockyard.
• If you have a dream to swim with dolphins, touch or feed them, there is no better place than the Dolphin Quest in Bermuda.

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Crystal Caves and Fantasy Caves Bermuda

• There is a guided tour within the caves complex to experience the spectacular Crystal and Fantasy Caves.
• You will see some dramatic formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and a crystal-clear Cahow lake.
• Crystal caves are located in Hamilton Parish.

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St. Peter’s Church Bermuda

• Believed to be the oldest Anglican church in the Western hemisphere
• Stunning in its simplicity with its rough-hewn pillars, exposed cedar beams and candlelit chandeliers.
• The church is located at St George.

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Gibbs Hill Lighthouse

• This is the oldest cast-iron lighthouse in the world and located at Southampton Parish.

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St. Catherine Fort

• Located at the north-eastern tip of St. George Island
• Fort St. Catherine’s provides historic exhibits & artifacts, and a well-preserved interior

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Spittal Pond Nature Reserve

• This is the largest and the most premium nature reserve of Bermuda covering 64-acres of land and is the best bird watching location in the island.
• This is located at Smith’s Parish.

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Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI)

• This institute has helped us enormously to understand the mysteries of the ocean with its exhibits and great collection of artifacts.
• This is located in Hamilton.

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Port of St. Georges

Communication Etiquette:
• Very British influenced, English feel in the islands
• Polite to greet people, politeness is highly valued

Business Etiquette:
• Bermudians have a different view on formality
– Tux is formal, but so are Bermuda shorts, a coat and long socks
– They take their dress code very seriously
• Punctuality is important for meetings
• Introduction with a handshake and exchange of business cards
• Business hours are generally 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday