Best places to watch sunset in Bermuda

 

 

Bermuda is a gorgeous sub-tropical piece of paradise and it’s hard to find a piece of scenery here that’s not totally beautiful. There are umpteen beaches in Bermuda from where you can admire the setting sun and many of them offer excellent nature watching opportunities. There are also many great resorts with patio and terrace bars from where you can watch the sunset and have the DJ play the latest world hits while you sip on the latest rum cocktails. 

 

The big question you should be asking yourself while scouting the island for the best sunset opportunities is that ‘what’s my goal’. Do you want to watch the sunset as a part of an entertainment package with a lively party and great drinks in a good resort? Or do you want to watch the sunset in perfect harmony with nature and get some serious photography goals accomplished. 

 

Both goals will have very different list of places as their partner. This article will cater to both of these needs and will guide you on the coolest resorts to whip up sunset cocktails as well as the geographically most relevant points (beaches, parks, coves, forts, bridges etc) to catch the Bermudian sunset. 

 

Sunset in Bermuda 

 

David Broad/CC BY 3.0 

 

Sandy’s

 

Any person studying the fishhook structure of Bermuda on the map will understand that the best sunsets are found at the west end.  Sandy’s Parish is the westernmost part of Bermuda and it contains Somerset Island, Watford Island, Ireland Islands (north and south) and Boaz Island…all excellent sunset watching points and all connected by picturesque bridges. 

 

And the best part of west end is the idyllic Somerset Village with its sleepy charm and couple of great pubs. One good place to watch the sunset here is the terrace of Somerset Country Squire. Great views of Mangrove Bay, great drinks and a great sunset are on offer. Another good place is the Salt Rock Grill where the open balcony offers views of the Mangrove Bay…the setting sun only makes it more beautiful. 

Other attractions here are the tiny Somerset Bridge and walking trail. 

 

Sunset on Mangrove Bay 

 

Larry Lamb/CC BY 3.0 

 

The former railway track is now a walking path that winds from Somerset to Evans bay covering Fort Scaur in the middle; truly good for people who want to experience a sunset photo walk. One of the best stops on this photo walk will be the Hog Bay Park that’s wildly beautiful despite its ugly name. 

 

Royal Naval Dockyard

 

Dockyard is one of the busiest and tourist heavy areas of Bermuda and though it falls in the west end (part of Ireland Island North) there is so much construction near the shoreline that it’s difficult to get a great view. The major impediment that comes in the way of watching the sunset in Dockyard are the massive real estate growths that have sprouted up here... Plus it’s rather hard to watch a good sunset from the Dockyard as it’s the wrong side of the harbor. 

 

However sunset cruises often set sail from this area to show the tourists stunning sunset views from the west end… to know more about them visit Great Sunset and Sightseeing Cruises in Bermuda. 

 

Sunset view from Turtle Cove 

 

Source: Reef Explorer Cruises Bermuda 

 

The best place to watch the sunset near the Dockyard area is the Lagoon Park and there is a solitary well marked road leading to it from the main dockyard so it isn’t hard to get there. All you have to do is exit from the southern exit point of the dockyard and walk along Pender road and Cockburn road before you reach this park with beautiful lagoon full of ducks. If you go a little further and cross the Grey’s bridge to reach Boaz Island you will come upon a delightful secluded spot called the Mangrove bay. The undisturbed mirror like water here will reflect the sunset beautifully. 

 

West Whale Bay Park and Beach is also a good place for a sunset view but it’s about 6.4 miles away from the Dockyard (in Southampton). You can take a short bus ride and then walk about 0.4 miles from the bus stop to reach this beach. West whale beach is actually at the westernmost tip of Southampton Parish and it’s known for its crown of craggy cliffs that flank the beautiful pink sand. 

 

Sunset at West Whale Bay Beach 

 

 

The beach’s name is a throwback to the 18th century when this area was a whaling hotspot. The waters are shallow enough for kids to jump in so visiting the beach can be a family entertainment experience of a couple of hours around sunset. 

 

A sunset destination par excellence is the Black Bay Beach (Ireland Island South) in Sandy’s. The Sea Glass beach is also nearby and yes…true to its name there are throngs of sea glasses here. Both these beaches are very accessible from the Dockyard. 

 

Cambridge Beaches Resort and Spa on Kings Road in Sandy’s prides itself on its sunset views and with good reason. Their restaurant Breezes offers dinner and cocktails on tables sitting in the sand facing the Long Bay…a sunset experience par excellence!! 

 

And if by chance you don’t want to wander far from the dockyard then spending the sunset and the rest of the evening at the Bonefish Bar and Grill’s alfresco patio is a good idea…the view is of the waters flanking the dockyard and the giant cruise ships. 

 

Hamilton

 

Hamilton…the capital of Bermuda is a buzzing place but it’s rather difficult to get great sunset shots from here as the entire area faces south. The only viable places are places with really high altitude like the terrace of Fairmont Princess Hotel. However you can take a ferry ride from Hamilton (the ferry hub of Bermuda) to a number of places nearby like the Salt Kettle Wharf, Lower Ferry and Darrel’s Wharf and all of these are great places to watch the sunset. Simply take a ferry to and fro from Hamilton following the Pink ferry route as all of these are reachable via their respective tiny ferry docks in Paget and Warwick that are right across the Hamilton Harbor. Get ferry schedule and route information. 

 

At Salt Kettle Wharf there is a family run establishment called Salt Kettle House that has a strong colonial touch and a commendable drinks menu. Sitting in one of their finely crafted Adironack chairs on the front lawn and watching the sunset over the Great sound is a good experience. 

 

Darell’s Wharf is a part of Warwick and this exquisitely pretty spot offers a nice view of the Great Sound and all the tiny islets of Bermuda. Its location in the flag end of the north shore channel of Hamilton Harbour makes it a good place to watch the cruise ships entering and leaving the harbour escorted by tugboats. You can journey from here to the nearby Hinson’ island (described under Paget parish). 

 

Belmont, in sharp contrast is a resort hub with lots of fancy hotels and nice amenities. The best of the lot is Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort and Spa that has great spots for watching the sunsets. The rooms have excellent water views and so do two of the restaurants (Beau Rivage serving French cuisine and Blu Bar & Grill serving steaks) are perfect for some sundowners and a meal to complement the setting sun. A good sunset meal can be had at Harry’s that stands on Pitt’s Bay road in Hamilton and offers exceptional rum cocktails and equally exceptional views of the Pembroke waterfront. 

 

The sunset view from Hamilton Princess Gold Lounge is great… in case you want to stay centrally located and yet want to enjoy the sunset with luxury frills. Marcus (Hamilton Princess terrace dining) is commanded by a superstar chef and has fantastic views of Hamilton Harbour's waters. Their open air bar and grill called 1609 Bar is also nice for a sunset meal. 

 

Crow Lane in Hamilton has a nice restaurant called Harbourfront that stands on an elevation and overlooks the harbour. You get fresh seafood, fresher salads and the freshest sunset view in this part of the town. Flanagan’s Irish Pub is the only Irish pub in Bermuda and it’s known for its fish and chips and water views from its second floor outdoor patio. The Pickled Onion is a more upscale sunset cocktail place (open balcony seating) near the Flanagan’s on Front Street and it offers live music too. 

 

Paget

 

The star of the Paget Parish is the glamorous Elbow beach. The beach stretches for half a mile with Coral Beach and Tennis Club at west end and Coco Reef and Elbow Beach Hotel at the other end. There aren’t any budget eateries here so you can buy your own picnic supplies from Modern mart on South Road and have a picnic on the beach. Otherwise walk down to Mickey’s Beach Bar & Bistro (X Temporarily Closed) located on the sands of Elbow beach and run by Elbow Beach Hotel. Food and beverages here are by no means cheap but sunset view over the ocean would be awesome. Sunset watching on Elbow Beach is not a solitary activity…expect sophisticated crowds here. 

 

If you want to live up your sunset hour then the Friday night celebrations at the Lido Complex of Elbow Beach Hotel should be a fitting post sunset activity. Café Lido’s idyllic dining room faces the beach and so does it Sea Breeze lounge and Terrace…both good places to complement the sunset. 

 

The secluded Grapes Bay Beach is located in a residential neighborhood but offers excellent sunset views. Although the beach is private to the local residents, nobody will mind if you go down there to watch the stunning sunset. 

 

Sunset view at Grape Bay 

 

Photo: Grape Bay Cottages 

 

Hinson’s …the private residential island has to be only reached by boat. No cars here and no street lights and motorised vehicles so it’s rather an old Bermuda feel. Watch the sunset in this quiet atmosphere amongst the tree lined paths and enjoy fine water views. Catch views of the Doctors Island, Spectacle Island and Red Island from Hinson’s. 

 

Southampton

 

If you have been to Southampton parish then you must have had a look at the iconic Glibbs Lighthouse that probably is its most famous attraction other than Horseshoe Bay Beach. This 117 feet high lighthouse provides a broad range view of the whole Bermuda Island and its fantastic shoreline. If you can manage to climb the 185 step spiral staircase to the top of the lighthouse then you will be rewarded by the best ever sunset view in Bermuda. 

 

Patio at the bar of The Reef Resort is a very good place to watch the sunset and so its restaurant Coconuts. In fact this resort that falls on the south shore road has most of its rooms facing westward so if you happen to stay here you can watch spectacular sunsets each evening. 

 

The south shore beaches of Bermuda are very beautiful and some of them fall in Southampton while others falling Warwick parish. The Horseshoe Bay beach has consistently ranked as one of the best beaches in the world thanks to its exquisite pink sands and fabulous rock formations and it’s definitely a popular place to watch the sunset. You could grab some cocktails and snacks at its Rum Bum Beach Bar or some Italian food at the Gulfstream restaurant nearby. 

 

If the idea of watching the kaleidoscopic sunset colours flood the sky as you are sitting in a tiny secluded cove… appeals to you then South shore Park itself is full of opportunities. There is Astwood Cove that’s a pretty sand wedge hidden beneath a big cliff…a very popular wedding spot. Then there are Chaplin Bay and Stonehole Bay; twin rock dotted secluded beauties. 

 

The Warwick Long Bay with its jagged outcrop and pretty coral island is also a good sunset watching point. If you are visiting South shore Park then you will find it easy to connect to Warwick long Bay around sunset time by using the South Road or the South Shore Trail. 

 

The Fairmont Southampton property has its own gorgeous private beach with a beach club, and a great restaurant aptly named The Dock. All these places are good for watching the sunset. Fairmont Southampton has a restaurant called ‘Windows on the Sound’ and the property does full justice to its name. Savour the setting sun over the great Sound as you dig into Bermudian food like codfish potato and Johnny bread. 

 

South Road has Henry VIII with a great outdoor terrace and kingly water views. Then there is Waterlot Inn that holds an AAA Four diamond award and is lodged inside a 350 year old water facing cottage overlooking Jews bay. Obviously, a good place to sip on artisanal cocktails and enjoy the setting sun. 

 

Sunset view from Waterlot Inn 

 

Photo: Wikimedia Commons 

 

And if you happen to wander around the Port Royal side of Southampton then walk in to Bella Vista (literally translates into beautiful views)... a bar and grill that’s just off the luxuriant golf course. Another Southampton sunset jewel is the Ocean Grill on Pompano Beach road with its water facing floor to ceiling windows. 

 

St. George

 

The historic St George town is UNESCO listed and one of the best areas to stay in Bermuda. There are quite a number of good sunset watching places around St George. 

 

Flatts is lovely drowsy village that lie midway between Hamilton city and St George's town. The Flatts Inlet links Harrington Sound with the Atlantic…the whole of this area faces westward so the dying light of the sun actually colors it up beautifully. The old buildings around the inlet, luscious coconut groves and vessels nodding down the greenish waters under the bridge makes up for great pictures especially around sunset. Just take a short bus ride to the Flatts from either Hamilton or St George and after enjoying the sunset  take the bus ride back into town. 

 

Achilles bay is a lovely spot just north east to the UNESCO world heritage site of St George. The Bay offers a wonderful undisturbed sunset view and calm waters plus some good entertainment packages. A great beach bar here is the Blackbeard’s Hideout and they have good dinner and drinks packages. You will find the property just beside St. Catherine’s fort. 

 

Tobacco Bay is a sensational rocky beach on the northernmost end of the island i.e. the St George parish. A good place to hang out here is the Tobacco Beach Bar and Restaurant that’s a very popular family run place. Tobacco bay’s Friday bonfire and bohemia event is a rage right now in Bermuda with live guitar music, blazing bonfire and unlimited supply of drinks and nibbles (wahoo nuggets are a local favorite). Tobacco Bay is walking distance from St George center so it’s pretty easy to get here. The beach bar even has its own website and they regularly publish stuff there about upcoming events, bar menus and special musical nights. Tobacco Bay presents the perfect opportunity of being out there in the open air and yet having loads of entertainment facilities to complement your sunset watch. 

 

Sugarloaf Hill with its Look Out point can be reached from the Railway Trail (enter from Mulley Bay road near Rocky Hill Park in St. George’s parish)… your gift will be a sweeping view of Bermuda against the setting sun. 

 

If you want to watch the sunset inside St George Town then the Tempest Bistro in Water Street serves good views and French food. St George’s Club has the famous Blackbeard’s Hideout that serves Mediterranean food and is known for offering one of the best sunset views over Achilles Bay. A 17th century building at kings square is home to the White Horse (town’s oldest pub). You can feel the sea breeze from the windows here as you take sundowner shots. 

 

Bridges of Bermuda

 

As you must have noticed Bermuda is a collection of small isles connected together by bridges. And it’s these bridges that span across bodies of water of varying volume…that provide perfect sunset watching opportunities. You will get clear unhindered views of the waterfront and the construction along the shoreline will not affect your view much. 

 

Amongst 10 of the major bridges in Bermuda, the Somerset Bridge (incidentally the world’s smallest draw bridge) provides the best sunset photo opportunities over Evan’s bay. The Somerset Bridge is a Historic Monument listed building. The Causeway (links Main Island with long bird island at the eastern end) and Swing Bridge (links long bird island with St George) are both good and very convenient places to watch the sunset from. 

 

If more undisturbed exotic area bridges appeal to you then Grey’s Bridge that links Ireland Island with Boaz Island and Little Watford / Bridge/Piano Bridge that connects Watford Island with Boaz Island have good potential. Then there is the Watford Bridge connecting the Watford Island and Somerset Island and Ireland Island South’s Lagoon Bridge that faces the Great Sound. And of course, the lovely Flatt’s bridge has been a much photographed sunset spot. 

 

Forts of Bermuda

 

Bermuda’s history has been entwined with military operations since forever and so the many forts and historic points that sit on its hills and shores aren’t surprising. Forts are typically built to provide clear unobstructed long views and so automatically they become good sunset watching points. Whichever part of Bermuda you may happen to be in…visiting that areas fort around sunset time will be a good option. Bermuda forts normally don’t have dazzling aesthetics but they do have rich history and great vantage points for photos.  

 

Hamilton Fort on Happy Valley Road in Hamilton City is very convenient spot to visit. There are lovely gardens all around and from November to March the Bermuda Isles Pipe Band plays stately melodies. The undisturbed view over Hamilton Harbour is good for sunsets.  Very near Achilles Bay (already mentioned as a superlative sunset point) there is St Catherine Fort…one of the grandest of Bermuda forts. There is a lot to see inside the fort but if you have sunset on your mind then Blackbeard’s Hideout Restaurant here has good facilities for letting tourists watch the sun set over Bay of Achilles. 

 

View wise, a more apt fort for watching the sunset is Scaur Hill Fort that’s perched on top of a hill in Somerset (Sandys). There is a nice view of the Great Sound from here and the adjoining parkland can be a good sunset picnic spot. 

 

Fort Cunnigham in St George Parish is a world heritage site and lies on the Paget Island which means that you need to take a boat to reach this place. Once you reach, the sunset view is awesome. Ferry Island Fort (St George Parish West) has to be reached through Ferry Reach Park and its 18th century history coupled with vantage position makes it a good sunset watch. Whale Bay Fort on Southampton Parish is now in shambles but the barracks, ruins and the magnificent views of the south shore (whale bay beach lies just below) makes for an interesting sunset combination. The fort site is open till late and the place can be accessed via bus route 7 and 8 and then a short walk on whale bay road. 

 

Read: Historic forts of Bermuda 

 

For transport to and fro amongst these amazing Bermudian sunset places check out our exhaustively researched local transport page. For ferry schedules, updated bus schedules etc. contact the Visitors Service Center at the Royal Naval Dockyard, Hamilton City or St. George.  

 

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