The Beetle has just come back from a diving expedition to Bermuda and can share all the do’s and don’ts. Bermuda is without doubt a beautiful green and lush island in the Atlantic, some 775 miles off New York. It is very pretty with some great caves, lovely secluded little sandy bays, nice walks (although walking anywhere other than the beach and the disused railway tracks is very much discouraged – there are very few pavements) and lots of history.
First off, tourists are not allowed to hire cars. To get around, you have two options. You can pay $36 for a 7 day bus pass (which includes the use of the ferry) or you can hire a scooter for about $175 a week. The buses are clean and the network is reasonably extensive, but don’t rely on them at night. Taxis are expensive – very expensive. Scooters, on the other hand are just plain dangerous. The roads in Bermuda are for the most part narrow, hilly and windy – and don’t forget, they drive on the left! Scooter accidents are frequent. The speed limit is 35 kph, but you cannot tell how fast you are going because all of the speedos are disconnected – for obvious reasons!
If you are planning to sit by the sea and sun and swim, it is advisable to stay somewhere on the north coast because the sea is calm enough to swim without any worry on this side of the island. The sea has large waves that sometimes preclude swimming on the south coast.
Bermuda is very expensive in terms of accommodation and eating out. Both are poor value for money. In fact, it is cheaper to both eat and stay in New York, comparing like for like. Take some basic essentials with you, like ground coffee for your coffee maker, cookies etc.
The diving, quite frankly, is very mediocre. This is a great pity as there are over 400 documented shipwrecks off the coast of Bermuda. The dive boats resemble cattle trucks with up to 20 divers on them and the wrecks are disappointing. It is also not possible to dive to depths greater than 10 metres because the bottom of the ocean around the reef of Bermuda is seldom deeper than 10 metres.
It is not a destination the Beetle would whole heartedly recommend to anyone when there are so many other places in the world with similar activities on offer at a fraction of the price with considerably less hassle. A final warning, if you plan on staying at a certain guesthouse in Salt Kettle – do not turnover your valuables for safekeeping. Somehow, somewhere on the way, the Beetle’s wallet was $20 lighter.
If anyone would like to comment on an over rated travel destination or share a disappointing experience – e-mail the Beetle on: Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk