Bermuda Tourist Information
Plus Travel Tips
Visitors Information Centers
This probably should be the starting point of your travel plan to Bermuda. Because these centers that are located in the island in various places along with their offices in countries like US, UK and Canada, can provide a wealth of information.
Pick up the Handy Reference Map from one of the centers that can guide you to easily navigate through the island.
Also do not forget to ask for the Bus and Ferry schedules if you are planning to avail the local transports. The centers also offer free brochures and self guided tours that you may like to have.
Check out
Visitors Information Centers to know about the location of the centers, their contacts and offices in the other countries. You can also request them to mail the maps and literatures to your address.
How is Bermuda weather?
Bermuda weather conditions remain clear and temperate. Bermuda has a remarkably mild climate that seldom sees extremes of either hot or cold.
During winter months (December through March), temperatures average 65-70°F. The hottest part of the year is between May and mid-October, when temperatures range from 75°F to 85°F.
The summer months are somewhat drier, although rainfall is spread fairly evenly throughout the year. Most tourists come during the summer months although you can enjoy Bermuda anytime you come to the island.
During the winter time the hotel rates are cheaper and there is far less rush for anything that you want to do. Check out
Bermuda weather for details and month by month weather information.
What is Bermuda's time zone?
Bermuda is located in the Atlantic time zone, which is four hours behind GMT and one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.
Unlike islands in the Caribbean, Bermuda does observe daylight savings time. This means that the eastern coast of the U.S. is always one hour behind Bermuda local time. So to give you some examples, the clocks in Bermuda read:
One hour ahead of New York
Two hours ahead of Chicago
Four hours ahead of Los Angeles
Four hours behind London
Five hours behind Rome
Five hours behind Munich
What is the population of Bermuda?
The population of Bermuda is about 65,000. However, over 600,000 tourists visit the island every year and therefore inflate the population by almost 10 times. And the island looks far more crowded during the high season than what it should be.
How big is the island?
Bermuda is a string of tiny islands. Many of them are not even inhabited. All the major islands are connected by bridges or causeways to the main island. The total area is about 21 square miles with about two miles as its maximum width.
So if you imagine that the Dockyard is at the west end, Hamilton City at the center and St. George at the east end, a bus ride from Dockyard to Hamilton takes about an hour, and from Hamilton to St. George takes another hour.
So you can go end to end of the island in about 2 hours by bus plus whatever time it takes for the transfer at Hamilton, because there is no direct bus from Dockyard to St. George.
What are the health and safety concerns?
Bermuda is generally quite safe. But there can be some surprise risks like Portuguese Man of War or Rip Currents at the beaches, or pick-pocketing and thefts of unattended baggage, like from rental scooters.
Valuables left unattended on beaches or in hotel rooms are also subject to theft. Popular tourist attractions such as museums, beaches, restaurants and hotels, and transportation systems are often areas where such incidents take place.
Check
Bermuda Health and Safety to know all about risks and dangers in Bermuda, and what are the right ways to mitigate them.
How is theft and crime in Bermuda?
Incidents of violent crime in Bermuda is low but rising in the recent times. However, they are generally not targeted towards visitors or tourists. Check out
Bermuda Theft for information on theft, robbery and other criminal activities in Bermuda and safety guidelines.
Where can I find my country's Consulate or Embassy?
While there are no embassies maintained in Bermuda by any country, there are consulates of some countries. Here are some of them:
US (American) Consulate General
Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire Parish DV 03.
Phone: (441) 295 1342 (Monday to Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm)
Emergency phone: (441) 335-3828
Canadian Consulate
The Canadian Consulate is located at 73 Front Street in Hamilton City.
Phone: 441/292-2917, Fax: 441/292-9307.
Portuguese Consulate
Melbourne House, 11 Parliament Street
Hamilton. Tel: (441) 292 1039
Other Consulate offices, mostly honorary (all located in Hamilton)
Germany: (441) 295 0614
Irish: (441) 295 6574
Italian: (441) 295 5391
Jamaican: (441) 295 5264
Swiss: (441) 295 5588
Can I drink tap water?
I shall not recommend drinking tap water in Bermuda. Remember, there is no fresh water lake or rivers in Bermuda. In most of the private houses and establishments, rain water is stored in tanks and used as drinking water.
Where are the best stores for shopping in Bermuda?
There is no sales tax in Bermuda. Good buys include French perfumes, English bone china and doeskin, Swiss watches and chocolates, Danish silver and jewelry, Irish linen, Scottish tweeds, Italian silks and shoes, European fashions, leather goods, cashmere sweaters, bathing suits, sports clothes, cameras and Cuban cigars.
Duty-free shopping is available mostly at the airport and also at the cruise port. Duty-free items include watches, perfume, liquor and cigarettes. Local souvenirs include pottery, cedar carvings, Bermuda honey, banana-leaf dolls, blown glass, fashions, jewelry, linens, candles, rum cake and paintings by local artists. Check out
Bermuda Shopping for details.
What are the store hours in Bermuda?
Shops in Hamilton and other places are usually open from 9:30am to 5pm, Monday through Saturday. The stores at the Clocktower Mall in dockyard (cruise port) however remain open on Sundays as well.
During the summer (May through September), stores on Front street (Hamilton) remain open till about 9pm and beyond on Wednesdays because of Harbor Night celebrations.
The Supermarkets remain open for longer (usually from 8am to 10pm, Monday-Saturday and 1pm - 5pm on Sundays).
Which are the Bermuda Public Holidays?
Can I use credit or debit cards?
Master, VISA and American Express are accepted at virtually every store, restaurant and hotel. Go through
Using Cards in Bermuda for more info.
What local Bermudian Food can I try?
Here are some of our favorite local items:
Savory cassava pie (eggs, cassava, chicken, pork, sugar, nutmeg and mace), spicy fish chowder (made from the stock of fresh local de-boned fish, including heads and tails, papaw, black rum, sherry peppers, onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes, potatoes and spices)
Savory Hoppin' John and papaw Montespan (black-eyed peas, top round ground beef, tomatoes and papaw) served with rice,
Local mussels (steamed, as a thick curried stew in pastry, in a pie, or deep fried fritters),
Locally caught wahoo and baked red snapper and local onions made into onion casserole, onion biscuit bread, onion soup, onion pie and onion soufflé.
For a traditional breakfast try dried mullet roe (mullet roe and guts) or salted codfish served with bananas.
What are Bermuda's own alcoholic beverages?
The legal drinking age in Bermuda is 18. Bermuda is well known for several island drinks including cocktails such as Rum Swizzle, Dark n' Stormy, etc. Goslings Rum is a rum produced in Bermuda itself an is used as an important ingredient in local concoctions.
What are the taxes?
Hotels add a 9.75% government tax to the bill, and most add a 10% service charge in lieu of tips. Other extra charges sometimes include a 5% energy surcharge (at small guest houses) and a 15% service charge (at most restaurants).
What are the Custom Duties on goods brought to Bermuda?
Bermuda unfortunately is not too lenient when you bring in stuff from your own home country particularly if they are food items, electronics, wine/liquor etc. That's obvious.
This small island survives to a large extent on its tourism industry and clearly wants you to buy such items here in the island rather that importing them.
So what can you bring and to what extent? And how much duty do you need to pay on such items? Check out
Bermuda Custom Duties for the answer.
How should I dress in Bermuda?
Dress code in Bermuda in general is conservative. Bathing suits, cropped tops, short shorts and bare feet are only acceptable at the beach or around a pool. It is an offence to appear in public without a shirt or wearing only a bathing suit top.
Standard running shorts and shirts are acceptable for runners. During the daytime casual sportswear is acceptable in restaurants. In the evenings many restaurants and nightclubs require men to wear a jacket and tie. Check
Bermuda Clothing for more information.
Where are the 'clothing-optional' beaches?
There are no nude or semi nude beaches in Bermuda and indecent exposure is an indictable offense.
Can I use my hair dryer and electric shaver?
Bermuda's electrical voltage is 110V, 60Hz AC. So if you are coming in from the US or Canada, no problems. Others would mostly require an adapter to adjust the voltage.
How much to tip?
In general tip about 10-15%. Many hotels and restaurants in Bermuda automatically add a 15 - 17% gratuity in lieu of a tip. So check first, as it is not necessary to tip more unless you feel the service was really superlative. Taxi drivers expect around 15% tip.
Using Cell Phones in Bermuda
You can use your own cell phone or rent one in Bermuda for making international and local calls. Optionally you can also use a calling card from a public phone or a hotel phone for making calls. Check out
How to Use Cell Phones in Bermuda to know how exactly to do so and what are the implications.
How is Internet and WiFi availability?
There are Internet cafes in Hamilton and St George. Most of the luxury and mid class hotels also provide wi-fi access. Check out
Bermuda Internet Cafes for detailed information.
What travel documents do I need to visit Bermuda?
Passport is now required for all nationals to enter Bermuda. However there are relaxation for visas for nationals of some countries. There is no visa-on-arrival mechanism in Bermuda. So in all cases where visas are required, one would need to get that in advance in his or her own country before arriving at Bermuda.
What is Bermuda's currency?
The Bermuda dollar equals the US dollar, and the two currencies are accepted interchangeably. Check out
Bermuda currency for complete details on how Bermuda's currency trades, ATMs, good ways to carry and use money and more.
What is the language used in Bermuda?
English is the official language. There is a small community of Portuguese speakers.
How do you drive in Bermuda?
There is no car rental available in Bermuda. However, you can rent a scooter or a moped. Driving is on the left hand side of the road. So if you are coming from US or Canada, and planning to ride a Scooter in Bermuda, be careful.
Price of Gasoline and Diesel (May 2023)
The gasoline price in Bermuda is $2.34 per liter. Diesel is $2.07 per liter (Unlike in The US where the rate is per gallon, here it's per liter).
Where is the Bermuda airport?
Bermuda International Airport (BDA) is 16km (10 miles) from Hamilton (travel time - 30 minutes). Bermuda Hosts (buses) meet all arrivals. Taxis are also available.
There are duty-free shops, cafes, bar and money exchanger at the airport. Duty free goods may also be purchased in town shops for collection at the airport on departure. Location of the Airport: 2 Kindley Field Rd., St. George. Phone: 441/293-2470 Ext. 4814.
Can I bring my pets to Bermuda?
There are strict requirements for importing an animal to Bermuda. In advance of your arrival you must obtain an Import Permit from the Department of Environmental Protection.
Upon arrival you must present the Import Permit as well as a health certificate issued and signed by a licensed veterinarian from the animal’s home country and issued no earlier than 10 days of the animal’s arrival in Bermuda.
What are Bermuda Moon Gates?
A number of narrow limestone arches locally called "moon gates" can be found all across Bermuda. They have been borrowed from the Chinese gates set to bring luck to those who walk through them.
Moon Gates are particularly lucky for lovers who should make a wish as they walk through in unison. They are, therefore a particularly popular venue for weddings where bride and groom finish their ceremony by passing through the gate and making a wish for their new life together.
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 By Raj Bhattacharya
Raj, a seasoned travel writer and Bermuda destination expert, has extensive global travel experience. This website reflects his profound insights, garnered over nearly two decades of dedicated findings and research on the island. Raj has assisted countless Bermuda-bound visitors by providing direct, personalized responses to their queries and imparting his wealth of knowledge through this platform. This site serves as an indispensable guide for those seeking informed and reliable insights into Bermuda's treasures.
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Visitors' Comments and Messages
Johnny Britt Waddell (September 2014)
Can people that live in the usa can they use there debit cards at the store, thanks
Raj (bermuda-attractions.com) September 2014
International Credit and Debit cards are accepted in most places. You may be required to pay international bank charges.
Paul Tetley (December 2012)
As an update, the Canadian Consulate is now "temporarily" closed. The sign is still on the address on Front Street, but the Canadian Government website refers Canadian Citizens to call the Consulate General of Canada in New York, 1-212-596-1759. Though it's listed as temporary, in a time of government cost cutting I would not expect it to re-open again.
Curt Knapp (July 2012)
Dear Sir, I live in Sweden. When is the best time to visit Bermuda? How long should one stay? Is the island cheap or expensive? Should one rent a car or bicycle, moped or a small car? What is the food like? Is it better to get a total inclusive package or go shopping for different hotels, airline companies? Best regards,
Raj (bermuda-attractions.com) July 2012
Hello, Best time to visit Bermuda is between May to October, after that it becomes a little cold and the tourist attractions mostly close down. Tourist visa is offered for up to 3 months, but 4-5 days of stay should give you a good flavor of the island. If you are used to driving along the left side of the road, then renting a scooter will give you all the flexibility. It is relatively cheap and you can explore all the nooks and crannies of the island.
Most things including food in the island are relatively expensive, since almost everything here is imported. So compared to the U.S, Canada and even England, the island is more expensive. You will get all sorts of food here including British, Italian, Continental, American, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and of course Bermudian.
Only Grotto Bay Beach Resort presently offers a proper All Inclusive package (but not air tickets). You can take a look at that. It is better to shop for airlines, hotels, food and transport separately. Hope this helps!
Barbie Newman (October 2011)
Hi, My husband and I have just celebrated our 35th Wedding Anniversary and as we are both rugby fanatics are treating ourselves to the tournament. We will be staying for two weeks, with the tournament right in the middle. We just wanted to know the best way to travel around the island, what we shouldn't miss and also the best way to use money i.e cash, travelers checks or a currency card? Would appreciate your views. We can't wait. Roll on November!!! Many thanks. Regards
Raj (bermuda-attractions.com) October 2011
Hi Barbie, There are plenty of attractions and activities in Bermuda that are more than worth experiencing. Please explore the following links to choose the ones that you like the most.
However, remember that other than the public beaches, many of the other attractions and activities may remain closed during the winter time or work in reduced hours. But there will be still enough for you to enjoy through the two weeks in November when the Rugby Tournament is held. It's best to check with Bermuda's Department of Tourism to make certain what will remain open and what will not during your time of stay. Here are the contacts:
Phone (24 hours toll free): 1-800-BERMUDA
If you buy transportation passes for the duration of your stay, that will be valid for both buses and ferries, and you can avail them any number of times during the period. This turns out to be the cheapest and one of the best ways of travelling around the island. If you want more flexibility and are able to ride a two-wheeler, then rent a scooter. For longer duration, scooter rental also turns out to be a cost effective solution. Please explore the relevant sections under the link: Bermuda Transportation
Best way to use money in Bermuda: Check out the link Bermuda Currency and read the section under 'Modes and ways of using money in Bermuda'.
Have a great time in Bermuda,
Karen Friedman-Hanna
Hello, My daughter was on a cruise from Boston to Bermuda this week, and she lost her wallet at the Clocktower Mall. Someone on the ship told her they had found it and turned it in at the mall, but she doesn't know how to contact security there. It was lost in a mens/womens clothing store, but we don't know the name. Any suggestions on how to track this down? It had some sentimental things in it that we would really love to retrieve. Thanks very much.
Raj/ www.bermuda-attractions.com
Hi, The Dockyard complex where the Clocktower Mall is located is under the administration of WEDCO (West End Development Corporation). If I were you, I would first try to contact them. Here are their contact info:
Phone: 441/ 234 1709
Fax: 441/ 234 3411
P. O. Box 415, Mangrove Bay MA BX, Bermuda
Let me know how it goes. Regards,
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