Hey everyone I'm going to be sharing some Bermuda travel tips and information, let's jump right into the tips these are things that I learned through my own experience exploring the island and I hope they can be helpful to you if you're planning your own trip to Bermuda
1. Bermuda is Quite Expensive
They have to import most of their goods and materials so things like a loaf of bread or a bag of sugar are much higher than you would pay back in Canada or the US these prices are also reflected in how much things cost at restaurants and stores if you're renting a car gasoline is way more expensive in Bermuda than it is back in Canada in the US so keep that in mind when you're budgeting for your trip to Bermuda.
2. The Currency of the Island
The official currency of Bermuda is the Bermudian dollar, but it is on par with the US dollar so you can use either Bermudian or US dollars wherever you shop on the island, just note that if you're paying in US dollars you may only get change back in Bermudian dollars, so just something to note if you're shopping on the island.
3. Driving on the Island of Bermuda
They drive on the left hand side there which is different from Canada and the US, so if you're driving you want to know that for sure and if you're a pedestrian you want to make sure that you're looking right before you cross the street so that you don't get hit by a car.
Another interesting thing about Bermuda is that you can rent a Twizy so if you're not familiar with what a Twizy is I definitely wasn't before I got there it's a two passenger car one person sits in the front and someone with really short legs can sit in the back so it's juicy and it's completely enclosed so that if it's raining you're not gonna get wet and you drive it just like you would drive a car
4. Franchises are not allowed on the Island
If you're looking for a McDonald's or a Starbucks or a Walmart you won't find it because actually not allowed to come to Bermuda, there is one exception and it is a KFC downtown Hamilton and the KFC was there before this law came into effect so it is the only franchise that is on the entire island, the reason they have this law in effect was so that the locals could have their own small businesses and when people went they would be able to support the locals rather than supporting a franchise.
5. Public Transit the Buses
In Bermuda were really easy to navigate we purchased a day pass that cost us 19 US dollars per person, so if you're planning on taking multiple trips and you'll get your money's worth then I would definitely recommend buying the day Pass, one thing to note is that you cannot buy the day pass on the bus you can only buy those at designated retailers including the information centers, if you're just taking a ride here or there if you can pay with exact change on the bus or you don't have exact change you just won't get change backs so that's something to note if you're taking the buses and the routes were very easy to follow and the buses came at a very frequent pace so, definitely enjoyed the buses and if we go back I would take them again.
Also another tip to note if you're taking the bus is do not stand up until the bus comes to a complete stop I know it's common practice to do that in other countries like Canada and the US but in Bermuda people will look at you funny and tell you to sit down because that's not what they do on the island of Bermuda so make sure you're sitting until the bus comes to a complete stop the bus driver will let you out so don't worry about getting stuck on the bus
6. Ferry
There are lots of ferries that run to get people to and from cities on the island and if you're on a cruise they often offer these ferries for free so, we had two options of ferries to take because we were on a Norwegian cruise and we could go to safe George or Hamilton from the Royal Naval Dockyard and back we did one from st. George back to the Royal Naval Dockyard and we got a great view of the island and it took much less time than it did to take the bus .
7. Taxis in Bermuda
There are plenty of taxis on the and they can get you to your destination more quickly than a ferry or the bus, but they are more expensive so just note that if you're planning to go somewhere and you need to get there quickly a taxi might be your best bet but it will come at a hefty price compared to the bus or our ferry, you can basically wave a taxi down in any public area on the main streets or in the city or you can call and reserve your trip try and split the cost with some other tourists or just note that it's going to be more expensive to get to your destination.
8. Tourist Attractions on the Island
There are many things to see on the island like Horseshoe Bay Beach lots of pink sand beaches actually the Crystal Caves, the fantasy caves, there's lots to see and do on the island so you won't be bored at all, but one thing I want to point out is that it does get very busy especially if there's a cruise ship in port and especially if there are more than one cruise ships there, so if you're trying to see some of the more popular attractions like Horseshoe Bay Beach or the Crystal Caves you definitely want to get there as early as possible and try and book your tickets in advance if you can or take an excursion through the cruise ship because they go through much faster than if you go on your own.
Another thing to point out is that if you aren't on a cruise ship and you're exploring the island and there are cruises in tour that day you definitely want to get there as early as possible because there will be hundreds if not thousands of tourists coming through the tourist attractions because they only have a short time to see the island, so if you can avoid tourist attractions on a day that a cruise ship is in it would probably be better and you would probably have more fun and a better experience if you explored on a day that there were no cruises in port.
9. Bermuda Beaches
Horseshoe bay Beach might be the most popular a notable Beach on the island and it is very beautiful with its pink sand a nice little cove area and it has lots of amenities for beachgoers but it also means it's a very popular tourist attraction and gets very busy so if you're looking for a more quiet beach experience this might not be the Beach for you, I would suggest getting off the beaten path and trying one of the other beaches on the island, there are so many to choose from and you could be like us and have the entire Beach to yourself for the day, so try one of the other beaches and definitely stop by Horseshoe Bay just so you can see how beautiful it is and see some of the amenities but I definitely recommend trying one of the other beaches on the island.
10. Bermuda Travel authorization
Before you travel to Bermuda Island, there are several conditions that you need to do, I will help you to accurately complete the bermuda travel authorization form. all visitors two years and older must complete and submit a bermuda covet 19 travel authorization
- Go to www.gov.bm you will see the apply for a travel authorization form link at the top of the page click on, it read the information which category do you fall into, select the correct category.
- Click on Immunized, read the information, are you a resident or a visitor ?, if you are a resident, click on Resident Travel Authorization, if you are a visitor click on Visitor Travel Authorization or you can return to the main page.
- Click on the visitor tab, read the information and click on apply for travel authorization, once you click on the tab you must select your arrival day in bermuda and then confirm the date, carefully review all the information that you provide. before you fill in the form make sure you have the following items:
- Passport
- Address in Bermuda
- Coronavirus pcr negative test result taken within four days of arrival
- Vaccination certificate
- Credit card
If you are unimmunized instead of your vaccine certificate, you must provide the approved exemption document for in-home quarantine or a payment receipt for a quarantine hotel.
Take your time and fill in the form completely ensure your information is accurate then upload all required documents. double check to make sure your email address is correct. be sure to upload your vaccination certificate, if you do not receive a response check your spam, it might be in there
Overall Bermuda is a fantastic Island and I would definitely like to go back in the future, if there's one thing to take away from all of these tips it would be the cost, make sure that you do your planning in advance so that there are no surprises and that you set your budget appropriately for your trip.
those are all the tips that I have for you today for the island of Bermuda and I hope that they can be helpful if you're planning your own trip in the near future and as always you like articles please consider giving it a like and share this articles, I'll be posting more travel related videos in the near future and I hope to have you back