Turquoise waters

The wintery, cold month of December is upon us and Christmas is near. Looking for an escape? Consider Bermuda. Here’s what the guidebook would tell you: Located a mere 700 miles east of North Carolina, this island paradise offers beautiful beaches, diverse culture and great nightlife. Whether you want to explore underground caves, take a horse and buggy ride or experience world-class shopping with a view- Bermuda’s got it all. And, it’s less than 2 hours from the East coast!

Bermuda Calendar

I’m going to be honest- all of the things described in the “guidebook” above are true. We do have awesome beaches and cool shopping and rowdy clubs. But there’s a lot about Bermuda that tourists should know before booking plane tickets to “the Triangle”.

First, the year can be broken into two seasons- high and low. Tourism, our major industry other than insurance, revolves around the weather and increases starting in April to reach a peak in mid-summer. Cruise ships run infrequently, if ever, during the winter months, which means that Dockyard is ghost town from November to March. Hell, if you like being the only cat in town, low season is perfect for you- but don’t come expecting blue skies and boat tours every afternoon. What I have noticed is that tourists rarely find even the “colder” months that bad, so don’t let weather be your deciding factor. Instead, plan your vacation around the overall atmosphere you’d like to experience:

  • If you want a quiet vacation and don’t need the beach to feel you’ve gotten everything out of your trip, consider visiting during the low season. Be warned, though, Bermudians don’t like the cold. You won’t see locals roaming through town without at least 3 layers of clothing, and you surely won’t find many boating or fishing trips. It also doesn’t help that the sun sets so damn early. One major highlight of this time of year is the mid-January HSBC miracle mile, 10K and marathon weekend. The event draws runners from around the world to this 21-mile-long piece of rock in the middle of the Atlantic. 
  • Bermuda is by far the prettiest in early spring. And, as a bonus, the temperatures are still well below their sweltering summer highs. The catch is that weather tends to be quite variable, ranging from very gusty to flat calm and from cool to balmy. May 24th officially marks the beginning of summer and the date after which locals consider it “safe to swim”. Early spring is definitely the time of year when tourism kicks off.
  • For those not afraid of the heat, summer is gold. Not only are the beaches alive, but there’s nothing like the threat of a hurricane to keep things exciting. You’ll have plenty of fellow tourists to cavort with through town and an endless list of islandy activities to sign up for. Bermuda’s weekly art and culture fairs flood the streets in Dockyard (Destination Dockyard every Monday), Hamilton (Harbor Nights every Wednesdays) and St. Georges (for Special Events). The best part? Admission to these summer festivals is free. Booking a reservation for Wednesday during Harbor Nights (7-10 pm) can also be a great way to see Bermuda from the safety of your dining table.
  • Lastly, if you’re looking to party, there’s really only one time of year to visit: Cupmatch. Imagine a full week of nonstop boozing, cricket, bar-hopping and boating. It is truly a glorious, once-a-year event. Beginning with a concert on Wednesday night, the weekend opens with two island-wide holidays, maybe even more beloved than Christmas and Boxing day. Many locals camp overnight on Thursday to experience both days of Beachfest at Horseshoe Bay before making the trek to Cupmatch to catch “de game” between Somerset and St. Georges. This epic “sporting event” is unlike anything you can imagine in both its length and absurd scoring. The holiday concludes, after a much-needed day of rest, with a massive boating raft-up. Known as “Non-Mariners”, the event has evolved into a ridiculous mockery of Bermudian maritime tradition, featuring transvestite parades, satirical float races and hilarious amounts of drunken swimming. If there’s one thing you’ll want to buy it’s an inflatable armchair with two cup holders.  Cupmatch is typically held the first Thursday and Friday of August

My Bermuda travel series will continue with a post describing the revival of the once-mega-popular Bermuda “Spring Breaks”. In an attempt to boost visitors in the 20-30 age range, the Department of Tourism is, for the second year, offering Spring Break 2013 passes for serious drink, restaurant, attraction and hotel discounts. I definitely recommend checking out these deals if you are planning on visiting between February 16 and March 16, 2013. Stay tuned for more.

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