Lapped by the calm waters of the Sargasso Sea – the only sea in the world without a land border – in the middle of the North Atlantic, Bermuda is pastel houses fringed with fragrant frangipani and bougainvillea.
But who are we kidding, you’re here for those pink-sand beaches. From tiny secluded coves or long sandy stretches framed by dramatic cliff formations, Bermuda offers the kind of tropical beauty that feels like a fairy tale at times. Here are the best, listed clockwise from the capital of Hamilton, beaches in Bermuda.
Elbow Beach – Paget Parish
Best beach for a party
A mile-long stretch of white sand lined with palm trees and three of Bermuda’s more exclusive resorts, Elbow Beach is the closest beach to the cruise-ship port, just a short ride from the city of Hamilton.
A protective barrier formed by offshore reefs keeps the waters here primarily calm and the beach attracts active travelers with its range of water sports, from snorkeling and kayaking to stand-up paddleboarding. Divers may wish to check out the wreck of cargo steamer Pollokshields, which sank offshore in 1915. Impromptu beach parties take place here during spring break when the beach is busiest.
Get more travel inspiration, tips and exclusive offers sent straight to your inbox with our weekly newsletter.
Astwood Cove – Warwick Parish
Best beach to avoid the crowds
Accessed via a steep, winding trail from Astwood Park, this intimate sandy cove, surrounded by jagged limestone cliffs, is a spot you’ll likely have all to yourself. A couple of boulders jut out from the sand on the beach itself, and there’s decent snorkeling around the underwater rocks just offshore. There are sweeping ocean vistas from the park above the cove, with parking for easy access and picnic tables beneath the trees.
Warwick Long Bay – Warwick Parish
Best beach for snorkeling
Bermuda’s South Shore star – Warwick Long Bay – is the island’s longest beach. The half-mile stretch of pink sand, backed by sand dunes and cedar trees and shielded from the Atlantic’s waves by the reef. Come here to swim with blue angelfish, parrotfish, trumpetfish, and other reef denizens – snorkeling equipment is available for hire from beachside concession stands during the summer months.
The beach is facility-free (unless you count the bathrooms in the car park), and if it gets too crowded on the weekend, you can check out one of many coves just west of the beach, reachable via a coastal trail through the dunes.
Jobson’s Cove – Warwick Parish
Best beach for couples
If you were going to propose to your significant other in Bermuda, you’d probably do it here, at the prettiest of the island’s many pink-sand coves. Surrounded by a horseshoe of jagged volcanic rock formations, the swimming hole is deep, clear and calm, and good for snorkelers as well. The nearest facilities are a several minutes’ walk east through the sand dunes, on Warwick Long Bay.
Horseshoe Bay – Southampton Parish
Best beach to watch the sun rise
If there’s such a thing as a perfect beach, then this long sweep of pink-white sand is it. Arguably one of the top beaches in the world and one of the most popular beaches in Bermuda, Horseshoe Bay is well worth visiting early in the morning, before anyone else arrives, to catch the sunrise from one of the rock formations bookending the beach.
The northern side of the beach gets rather busy with sun loungers and cruise-ship passengers, while the southern side is quieter. You can rent snorkeling equipment and umbrellas, and there are usually lifeguards on duty during the May to September peak season. A bar above the beach serves burgers and other snacks.
Just south of the main beach, the enclosed Horseshoe Bay Cove has particularly calm waters, ideal for small children, while the caves in the limestone cliff provide a natural playground for older kids.
Church Bay – Southampton Parish
Best beach for whale watching
Rated the top beach in Bermuda for underwater wonders, this small pink-sand beach and its aquarium-like waters attract the island’s largest contingent of snorkelers. Bring your own gear, or rent it from beachside concession stands, then float out to the reef to see why Bermuda is known as the parrotfish capital of the world and swim among darting angelfish. Deepwater makes this beach less suitable for families with kids. West Whale Bay – Southampton Parish
True to its name, it’s also an excellent place for spotting pods of humpback whales as they migrate, from February to April, from the Caribbean to their summer feeding grounds near Greenland and Iceland. Bring along a pair of binoculars and keep watch from the top of the cliffs for the breaching leviathans.
Somerset Long Bay Beach & Daniel’s Head Beach – Sandy’s Parish
Best beach for kitesurfers
Just north of the town of Somerset, these two crescent-shaped beaches are relatively isolated and offer a welcome escape from crowds. While the waters are sometimes choppy and not great for swimming, both beaches attract kitesurfers when the wind conditions are right. Daniel’s Head Beach also has glass-bottom kayak rentals and stand-up paddleboards, while snorkelers may wish to check out the Vixen shipwreck offshore.
Shelly Bay Beach – Hamilton Parish
Best beach for families
Together with Smith’s Parish, Hamilton Parish forms a ring of land around the saltwater lagoon of Harrington Sound. Shelly Bay Beach, partially shaded by palm trees on Bermuda’s north shore, is the only beach to speak of in the parish.
Quiet on weekdays, it tends to get busy with families on weekends, as its waters are shallow and calm even at high tide; nearby, a park with a playground and picnic tables is a favorite for al fresco lunches and football and cricket games.
Tobacco Bay – St George’s Parish
Best beach for watersports
On the northern shore of St George’s Island and reachable on foot or by bus from the Unesco World Heritage town of St George, this appealing, sheltered bay is one of Bermuda’s top spots for snorkeling, as the offshore corals between Tobacco Bay and Achilles Bay are home to shoals of colorful reef fish.
The waterfront kiosks have paddleboards, kayaks and snorkeling equipment for hire, while the eponymous onsite restaurant serves burgers and other light bites. Come here on summer evenings for live music.
St Catherine’s Beach – St George’s Parish
Best beach for history buffs
Flanked by a row of palm trees on Bermuda’s northernmost tip, this small, quiet sandy beach lets you combine sunbathing with some local history – a visit to the 17th century Fort St Catherine. Bermuda’s largest naval fortress houses a worthwhile museum that displays artifacts from the early 1600s onwards, and you can climb its towers and wander through its tunnels.
Clearwater Beach & Turtle Bay – St George’s Parish
Best beach for lovers of nature
The shallow, calm waters are family-friendly, and the park behind the beach features a kids’ playground, several nature trails and the vistas of the offshore Castle Island. Over the headland, Turtle Bay is a smaller sandy cove with a lifeguard on duty in summer, while the nature reserve, a few minutes walk south, is home to nesting loggerhead turtles and numerous species of tropical birds.
Long Bay Beach – St George’s Parish
Best beach for the adventurous traveler
In the middle of the Cooper’s Island Nature Reserve, near the tip of the peninsula, is this secluded sandy beach, accessible via a dirt trail from Clearwater Beach car park. There are no facilities here, just tranquil teal waters, very little shade, and pink-white sand you’re likely to enjoy in complete solitude.
A short stroll south takes you to the Cooper’s Island Wildlife Observation Tower; scale it for expansive views of the coastline, occasional whale sightings and display boards on the US Airforce and NASA base that used to occupy this tip of land.
John Smith’s Bay – Smith’s Parish
Best beach for a picnic
Popular with local families due to its shallow, limpid blue waters and bathroom and changing facilities, John Smith’s Bay is a compact, half-moon beach with pale pink sand. From May to September there’s a lifeguard on duty – an additional boon – and the surrounding park is ideal for picnicking.
Nature lovers may wish to combine a visit to John Smith’s Bay with that to the Spittal Pond Nature Reserve, a 10-minute walk west along the shore.
Its marshlands, freshwater ponds and woodlands are home to herons, hawks and several species of wading birds, which can be spotted from the steep, partially overgrown walking trails.
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Find your pink-sand bliss at Bermuda's top 14 beaches - Lonely Planet Travel News"
Post a Comment