Travel Agent - June 23, 2008 - (Page 60) BERMUDA unique beauty and VIBRANT CULTURE ith its pink beaches, turquoise waters, pastel-painted whiteroofed cottages, and businessmen dressed in colorful shorts and kneehigh socks with jackets and ties, Bermuda looks different from anywhere else on earth. And it is. A string of small islands connected by bridges and a causeway, Bermuda sits in the Atlantic Ocean, some 650 miles from the next nearest land mass, Cape Hatteras, North Carolina — although it only takes about two hours by plane to reach it from many U.S. East Coast cities. And while its coral reefs and beaches feel quite Caribbean, its climate is sub-tropical; tempered W by the Gulf Stream, temperatures in winter rarely drop below 55 degrees F. Bermuda boasts one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, thanks to its success in tourism and international business. With only 21 square miles of land, Bermuda strongly regulates development. Fast food chains are banned and cars are limited to one per resident family; visitors travel via moped, taxi and public transportation, which includes a delightful ferry system. While there are a handful of large resort hotels —including one featuring a major water park —most accommodations are on a smaller scale: guesthouses and sophisticated Bermuda-style cottage colonies set in manicured gardens around a central clubhouse. Many properties feature gourmet restaurants and several have spas. GOLF, DIVING AND MORE Bermuda boasts the world’s highest concentration of golf courses per square mile, with challenging greens laid out by top architects such as Robert Trent Jones. Horseback riding, bicycling and hiking are also popular ways to enjoy the scenery. BERMUDA GEOGRAPHY: Bermuda is about 650 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. There are about 181 small islands, the seven largest of which are connected by bridges and one causeway. Total land area is 21 square miles. LANGUAGE: English. POPULATION: 62,059 residents (Bermuda Census 2000). CLIMATE: Temperate climate throughout the year. TEMPERATURES: The golf and spa season ranges from 75°F in November to 68°F in March. April through mid-June, between highs of 70°F and 79°F. Summer can reach as high as 84°F. Bermuda has no “rainy season”; rain is spread out throughout each month with a monthly total of around five inches. TIME: EST +1. GMT -4. Daylight Savings in effect the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. 60 www.caribbeantravel .c om http://www.caribbeantravel.com
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