What to do in Bermuda in August
August is one of the busiest months in Bermuda in terms of tourist footfall with the maximum number of tourist attractions to explore. Tiny, though it is, the island offers a vast choice in exciting activities and interesting things to see and do during this time of the year.
Get to the pink beaches
The island is graced with nature's bounty and its unique pink sandy beaches and turquoise waters are the best places to spend most of your time here. Home to some of the best beaches in the world like the Horseshoe Bay beach, the island has several other beautiful beaches like the Warwick Long Bay beach, Elbow beach, Tobacco bay etc which remain open all throughout the year.
Sign up for snorkeling or diving adventures
The water temperature in August is quite warm... the average sea temperature is around 83ºF and it's ideal for you to go snorkeling, take a swim, dive to explore wrecks and reefs, or engage in various other water sports. The water visibility varies from 60 to 80 feet.
There are numerous
offshore coral reefs around the island of Bermuda that are only short distances away and are teeming with marine life. The depth range for many varies from 25ft to 55-ft making them ideal for both snorkelers and divers to explore the reefs and the colorful marine life there. And there are
over 300 shipwrecks that are scattered in the waters of Bermuda... several of such wreck sites are also a paradise for divers and some even for snorkelers. However you can also snorkel or dive from few beaches in Bermuda to explore several reef and wreck sites.
Visit the top tourist sites
A great attraction in the island is the
Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo which is open to visitors all year round. It houses a captivating collection of marine creatures, including corals, turtles, seals etc along with a number of endangered species.
Beauty abounds even below the surface of the earth on this island and the
Crystal and Fantasy caves showcase some of the most beautiful limestone formations that will mesmerize you.
You can even climb the 185 steps to the top of the
Gibb's Hill Lighthouse and soak in the views around, if you are up to it. This is one of the oldest cast iron lighthouses in the world.
The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art that is located inside the
Botanical Garden in Paget parish, showcases a staggering collection of artwork that you can look at.
While touring Hamilton City, you can visit a good number of churches. The Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, St. Andrew's Presbyterian church and St. Paul's church which take you back to the 1800s . Other buildings of interest here are the House of Assembly, which is the oldest parliament in the western hemisphere, the National Gallery or the Society of Arts Gallery.
The dockyard also houses a lot of attractions you can visit when on the island in August. The
National Museum of Bermuda and the Clocktower Mall are places you can spend a few hours exploring. The Craft Market and Bermuda Arts Center here are great places to view the local art.
Try some of the top activities and tours
There is a huge number of water activities and other sports like jet skiing, cliff jumping, fishing, rock climbing etc that you can try your hands at this time of the year. And there are numerous boating and land based tours that are offered by operators such as sunset and cocktail sail, sightseeing and glassbottom boat tours, minibus tours of the island and so on.
May through November is also the time of the spectacular glow worm tours. It takes place once in each of these months when the glow worms have their mating season and they emit a surreal green light that illuminates the entire surface of the ocean. You can do specialized boat tours that will take you to watch this spectacle.
Explore the historic forts
There are many historic forts here, being an erstwhile outpost of the British Empire, some of which are now part of the UNESCO world heritage sites like the fort St. Catherine and the smaller Gates fort which you can visit while in St. George. Fort Scaur in Sandys Parish and Fort Hamilton at the outskirts of Hamilton City are two other formidable well preserved fortresses which you can visit.
Soak in the nature
A great way to see the "hidden gems" on the island is by taking a walking or bike tour along the
Bermuda Railway Trail. Although the trail is shaded with trees and canopies of leaves, biking during this time of the year could get tiresome due to heat, so wear a cap and carry along adequate water with you.
If you want to spend some time in the laps of nature, the
Spittal Pond Nature Reserve is a good option. Although the best time for bird watching here is from October to May, you can still visit here in the month of August for a tryst with the island's flora. Another great option is the
Blue Hole Park, walk along the forested trails, see the wonderful blue holes, hidden caves and flora.
A wonderful means of going about the island is by ferrying across the waterways on the
SeaExpress ferries. The summer schedule of these services run from mid April to early November. These are comfortable air-conditioned boats (most have open decks as well). The ride along the north shore (the Blue route between dockyard and St. George) particularly offers spectacular views of the water and shoreline.
Savor unique Bermudian cuisine
Don't miss out on the island’s sumptuous culinary fares as most of the restaurants, bars, cafes, food joints remain open throughout the year irrespective of high or low season. You can start your day with coffee and breakfast at some of the coziest of outlets around the island like Devil's Isle, Mama Angie's Coffee Shop, Village Pantry etc. You can cool off with treating yourself to some of the delicious ice creams or frozen yogurts at Yo Cherry, Temptations or Bailey's Ice Cream. Pubs like Swizzle Inn or Frog and Onion offer island style brunch or lunch menus that you can try.
Indulge in island shopping
You can also explore the various shopping avenues on the island. There are some unique island made goods that you can look out for. A few hours at the Bermuda Perfumery at St. George is a great way to sample fragrances very unique to the island. Drop into the Dockyard Glassworks for a visually stunning experience of seeing beautiful glass pieces in vibrant colors being created.
Jewelry stores like Alexander Mosher in Hamilton and Davidrose in St. George offer some beautiful hand crafted island inspired designs that will prove worth your while. You can drop into the stores for picking up small gifts or even a statement piece that you would like to add to your collection. At Alexander Mosher you can also take a peek into the studio where these unique designs are crafted.
Other popular shopping areas are the Front Street in Hamilton, Clocktower Mall in Royal Naval Dockyard and Somers Wharf in St. George. These shops remain open throughout the year giving you ample opportunities to shop here.
Enjoy the local events and festivals
There are number of events and festivals that take place during this time that show case the local traditions and culture of the island.
Harbor Nights celebrations on every Wednesday in Hamilton city May through August. The stretch along Front Street is closed to traffic between around 7-10pm and is open for pedestrians. Local artists and craftsmen take to the streets displaying their wares and even entertainers showcase their talent through live performances and expositions. You can also sample some of the island's delicacies and authentic cuisine here as vendors set up stalls.
Destination dockyard: Held every Monday from July to September, this comprises of several cultural shows and events complete with local cuisine, music and dance. Other outlets like the Frog and Onion Pub, Swizzle Inn, Bone Fish Bar and Grill, The Terrace etc hold summer special events on all/several days of the week which include live music, piano concerts and other entertainment.
Non-mariners Race: This yearly event of people taking to "sailing" in a jocular fashion on just about any non-seaworthy vessel is a highly entertaining if not humorous event that takes place on the island.
Sand Sculpture Competition: This is a yearly competition that takes place around the end of August or beginning of September and is held on Horseshoe Bay beach. Amateur and professional artists make amazing sand sculptures and prizes are given away for different categories.
Gombey Saturdays are weekly events that are organized at the Queen Elizabeth Park in Hamilton starting June through October or November. You can view this great spectacle of the local dance in traditional attire in tune with the island's music.
Bermuda Cup Match: This is a very popular cricket match that takes place between the two arch rivals - the two island teams of St. George's and Somerset. It's a two day affair that is usually organized in end of July or early August and is replete with party, festivities and revelry for the spectators.
St. George Historical Re-enactment: These events usually take place around midday Monday through Thursday and then again on Saturday from April to November. The enactment of punishments that were doled out to transgressors centuries ago, takes place at King's square at the town of St. George. You also get to witness firsthand how a nagging wench used to get dunked in the water. This is free of any admission charge and you can get more information about this from the
Visitor Service Centers.
Soca vs Reggae: this after party to the cup match takes place on the last day of the cup match. It starts in the evening and continues till very late. Akin to a war of DJs, this event features international and home teams of DJs fight it out.
Bermuda Beach Tennis Tournament: This event is held either in August or September every year where you can watch exciting face-offs between local and overseas teams right on the beaches of Bermuda !
St. George heritage nights: A weekly event usually held from July through August every Friday night in the town of St. George. There is live entertainment, activities, kids zone, food and shopping to be done out on the streets of the old town starting at King's square.
Summer entertainment at
Snorkel Park Beach: there is a host of events and entertainment scheduled for each day of the week at Snorkel Park. Starting at 11am it continues till very late in the night. There are different party themes, sports, adventures planned out for visitors who can get access by paying an entry fee ranging from $5-$10 depending on the day of the week/event.
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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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