Applying for a visa and vacation in Bermuda. Bermuda, Bermuda, Bermuda Bermuda where

Representing a group coral islands, located in the northwestern part Atlantic Ocean, approximately 1500 kilometers from east coast. The total area is 53.3 km².

Bermuda consists of 138 islands, of which only about 20 are inhabited. Ten of these twenty islands are connected to each other by overpasses and bridges, thus forming main island- Main Island.

The Bermuda archipelago is a low-lying group of islands composed of coral formations that formed on top of an extinct underwater volcano.

The large islands of the archipelago are characterized by hilly terrain, as well as a fairly rugged coastline with many bays and small areas sandy beaches. There are no mountains on the islands, only hills. Highest point – 76 m.

Since there are no lakes, rivers or streams on the islands, the only source fresh water here are tropical rains.

Administratively, Bermuda is divided into 9 districts and two city municipalities:

Climate in Bermuda

Climate in Bermuda islands - subtropical.

The main weather-forming factor is the Gulf Stream (warm sea ​​current), passing between the Bermuda archipelago and North America. Thanks to it, warm air masses over the islands maintain warm and relatively even weather throughout the year.

The average air temperature in the summer months is about +26...+29 °C, in the winter - about +18...+21 °C.

Precipitation falls evenly throughout the year, so there is no pronounced rainy season here - but powerful and usually short-term tropical downpours are common.

During the hurricane season, which runs from June to November, Bermuda can experience windy and rainy weather, but compared to other countries in the region, the danger of destructive hurricanes is low, as they most often pass well to the west of Bermuda.

But sometimes powerful hurricanes reach here too. The last such hurricane, which caused significant damage to Bermuda, passed here on September 5, 2003.

Best time to visit Bermuda is the period from April to October.

Population of Bermuda

Population of Bermuda- about 68.3 thousand people (2010).

Of these, over 60% are blacks and mulattoes, descendants of African slaves brought here in the distant past, the rest are white people from North America and Europe.

The average life expectancy in Bermuda is 77 years for men, 83 for women.

Official language- English.

The main religion is Christians (Catholics, Protestants).

About money

Bermudian dollar (B$ or BMD) is the official currency of Bermuda.

1 Bermudian dollar = 100 cents. In circulation there are banknotes of 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2 B$, as well as coins of 1 and 25, 10, 5 B$ and 1 cent.

Along with the local currency, American dollars are also widely used and are accepted everywhere on the islands.

It is worth noting that the Bermudian dollar is pegged to the US dollar in a 1:1 ratio. But you won’t be able to pay in the US with Bermuda dollars, since they are not accepted for payment there.

We recommend exchanging currency in banks and exchange offices. This is prohibited by local law on the street or in hotels.

Banks are usually open from 09:00 to 16:30 (Monday-Friday). On Saturdays, only one bank in the capital is open, and then from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Credit cards are accepted everywhere.

Communications

Telephone code Bermuda: 1 - 441

Internet domain: .bm

There are no national dialing codes in Bermuda.

How to call

To call from Russia to Bermuda, you need to dial: 8 - dial tone - 10 - 1 - 441 - subscriber number.

To call from Bermuda to Russia, you need to dial: 011 - 7 - area code - subscriber number.

mobile connection

cellular(GSM 1900 standard) covers almost all the islands of the Bermuda archipelago, with the exception, perhaps, of only the remote uninhabited ones.

Local standard handsets can be rented from kiosks that specialize in mobile communication services or from mobile operator offices.

Where to stay

There are many first-class 5* hotels in Bermuda, but prices for accommodation in them are usually much higher compared to similar hotels in the Caribbean region.

Of course, there are quite a few 3-4* hotels here, but it’s difficult to call accommodation in many of them very economical.

Renting private villas, apartments and studios is also popular in Bermuda.

Beaches in Bermuda

Many beaches in Bermuda have white sand with a surprising pink tint, not often found in nature.

There are both public and private beaches owned by hotels.

There are no nudist beaches in Bermuda at all.

History of Bermuda

Bermuda was originally discovered by the Spanish navigator Juan Bermudez in 1503, after whom it took its name. However, the Spaniards did not begin to develop the archipelago.

The first settlement on the islands appeared only in 1609 - it was founded by English colonists who were heading to Virginia, but due to a strong leak in the ship they were forced to stay here for 10 months while the construction of new ships was underway.

English settlers were engaged in agriculture in Bermuda.

In 1684, Bermuda was officially declared a Crown Dependency of England.

Development Agriculture was accompanied by the active importation of African black slaves. Slavery was abolished here in 1838.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the economy of Bermuda began to specialize in serving tourists.

In the period from 1931 to 1948, there was even a railway connecting the islands of the archipelago with the help of bridges, but now almost nothing remains of it.

Under the 1941 treaty, Great Britain leased a six-kilometer area for a military base to the Americans for 99 years. But in 1995, the States stopped using it ahead of schedule.

Now the islands are visited annually by about 600 thousand foreign tourists, almost 90% of them are Americans.

Helpful information

Due to a series of unexplained ship and plane accidents in the area between Bermuda, the Antilles and the Bahamas, the world-famous term .

By the way, most foreign-made aircraft operated in Russian airlines, registered specifically in Bermuda (registration numbers VQ-BXX and VP-BXX).
The level of insolation in Bermuda is quite high, so before traveling here it is recommended to stock up on protective creams and light summer clothing made from natural fabrics.

Tap water on the islands is usually chlorinated and considered safe to drink, but given that all water is desalinated, it is better to drink bottled water.

Prices for almost all goods in Bermuda are quite high, so it’s better not to count on cheap shopping here. High taxes on imports have an effect, and almost 80% of the food consumed is imported here.
A good selection of shops can be found in the capital Hamilton, especially on its main street - Front Street, located right next to the port.

Diving, windsurfing and golf

Thanks to the beautiful underwater world and the fact that the coastal waters are home to quite a few sunken ships that are of interest to scuba diving enthusiasts, Bermuda is a popular diving destination.

The archipelago also has excellent conditions for windsurfing and sailing. These sports can be practiced along almost the entire coast of Bermuda, but the most popular places in this regard are the Little Sound and Great Sound.

Bermuda is home to many golf clubs, some of which are among the best in the region. Many tournaments are held here every year, some of them of a very high level.

How to get to Bermuda

There are no direct flights between Bermuda and Russia.

The most convenient flight option from Russia, via London with the airline:

Moscow - London - Bermuda (Bermuda International Airport). Ticket price is on average from 50,000 rubles (round trip).

Travel notes, day 5

Finally the cold part of mine is over New Year holidays and I flew to Bermuda in the summer. Anticipating the warm sun and ocean, I managed to put my jacket in my backpack while still in New York. I hurried. Not so. For those who don’t know, absolutely all American airlines consider it necessary to transport passengers like carcasses of cows in a refrigerator. In any American plane, the air conditioner is turned up to maximum, even if it’s summer outside and passengers board in shorts and slippers. The company JetBlue, which took me to Bermuda, was no exception. Okay, I hid my jacket nearby. The last cold ordeal quickly ended and by lunchtime I was walking around Bermuda in Bermuda shorts.

01. Early in the morning I fly from New York to Bermuda. The flight is a little over two hours.

02. There is free Wi-Fi in JFK Terminal 5, but there is no way to buy normal coffee. There is only one coffee shop, Illy, but for some reason they serve some kind of slop. There is a very big problem with coffee in the USA; it is almost impossible to find normal espresso-based drinks.

03. American Airlines. They have chrome planes, very nice. Best livery I've seen. Although the airline itself is shit.

04. Hawaiian Airlines.

05. We're taking off. New York suburbs in the morning fog.

06. Long Beach on the right

07. We arrive in Bermuda. The islands are considered an overseas territory of Great Britain, but people are allowed there with a US visa.

What did I know about Bermuda? Firstly, there are shorts that are worn with knee socks. Surprisingly, many people in Bermuda actually wear these shorts. These are actually short trousers and can be part of business attire. There is also a famous one Bermuda Triangle where everything disappears.

At the airport I take a taxi and go to the hotel. A metered taxi to the capital costs $35. The driver is an annoying woman. All the way she asked why I had come, why I was photographing something from the window, whether I was accidentally recording her on a voice recorder, etc. A 2 dollar tip, which would offend any New York taxi driver to the core, brought the grandmother into indescribable delight. She even came out and tried to snatch my bag from me and help me carry it into the hotel. Apparently they don't tip her often.

There are stories on the Internet about unusual laws in Bermuda.

“Until 1948, Bermuda was prohibited personal cars. That's one of the reasons why there are so many bicycles there." - this is true, but now, of course, it is possible to have one, and there are almost no cyclists, only tourists.

“It is forbidden to drive a car faster than 20 miles per hour (32 km/h)” - bullshit, all restrictions were removed a long time ago and they rush around here as they please. Although, it is physically difficult to accelerate above 60.

“Tourists are prohibited from hiring a car - only mopeds, taxis or buses are allowed.” - yes, there are no car rentals for tourists. I rented a scooter for $50 + $30 insurance.

“You can’t go into a suitcase with a suitcase.” public transport" - haven't checked

“Women are prohibited from wearing skirts shorter than 16 centimeters from the knee” - they walk around in shorts and nothing.

You can have one car per family.

Fast food is also prohibited by law on the island. That is, there is not a single McDonald's-like establishment here. There is only one KFC that was in operation before the law was passed.

10. American tourists are the main consumer of Bermuda holidays. 60% of treasury income comes from tourists.

11. Houses

12. All the houses in the country are small, bright, very neat and all have a white stepped roof.

13. Street

14. Please note that the streets are all very narrow and there are no sidewalks. It’s difficult to walk, you can’t stop almost anywhere by car without parking, there are no curbs anywhere.

15. Another street

16. The capital, Hamilton, is the only official city in Bermuda; just over 1,000 people live here.

17. The islands are very green.

18.

19. Let's look at the roofs again...

20. All white

21. Everything must be steps.

22. Whether it's a big mansion or a small shed.

23. Such roofs are needed to collect water! The only source of fresh water is tropical rains. There are no rivers or streams on the islands, as rainwater is quickly absorbed into the porous limestone. There are desalination plants, but desalination is not cheap, and the local population stores rainwater. To achieve this, the roofs of houses are specially designed to direct water into a reservoir under the house. Under every house there is always a reservoir with cold water, something like a well.

24. Street in the capital

25. More

26. Embankment

27. Street in the village

28. Red mailboxes here remind you of Britain...

29. ...and red telephone booths. There is also a large portrait of the Queen hanging at the airport.

30. English bus, it’s unclear how it ended up here.

31. Modern buses in Bermuda look like this. There are many routes, you can easily travel by bus.

32. Mailboxes

33.

34. From 1931 to 1948 there was a railway connecting the islands using bridges. Now instead of the old one railway hiking trail for cyclists.

35. Beach

36. There is not much to do in Bermuda. One day is enough to completely travel around the entire island. If you are not interested in “vegetable” tourism (this does not mean healthy eating, but a lazy and sedentary lifestyle), then you can safely fly on.

37.

Entire trip:
Day 1: San Francisco, USA
Day 2: Carmel Valley, USA
Day 3: Apple, Facebook, Google, USA
Day 4: 17 Mile Road, Sunset in SF, USA
Day 5: Bermuda
Day 6: Bahamas
Day 7:

Useful information for tourists about Bermuda, cities and resorts in the country. As well as information about the population, currency of Bermuda, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions of Bermuda.

Geography of Bermuda

Bermuda is a British overseas territory located on a group of coral islands in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, 900 km from North America.

Bermuda includes 150 islands and reefs, of which about 20 are inhabited and 10 are connected by bridges and overpasses and form the main island - Main Island.

The main island is characterized by hilly terrain ( highest point- 76 m), a rather rugged coastline with a large number of bays and sections of sandy beaches.

State

State structure

The English monarch is represented on the islands by a governor who manages matters of foreign policy, defense, and police. The bicameral parliament regulates internal life. Chapter executive power- Prime Minister.

Language

Official language: English

IN Everyday life Most often, a peculiar jargon is used, formed from the English language base and a large number of Spanish and Portuguese words and idiomatic expressions.

Religion

The majority of believers are Anglicans, and there is a significant Catholic community.

Currency

International name: BMD

Popular attractions

Tourism in Bermuda

Popular hotels

Tips

In most restaurants, the cost of service (about 10-15% of the total) is usually included in the bill. In hotels, tips for service staff are not accepted, since they are also usually included in the bill. Hotels add a special tax of 7.5% (included in the room rate) and some additional fees to the bill.

Doormen and porters at airports and hotels are usually given a few dollars for their services; taxi drivers expect a tip of 10-15% of the fare, but it is quite acceptable to round up the amount.

Medicine

Emergency numbers

Unified rescue service (fire, police and ambulance) - 911.
Emergency Service Coordination Center - 297-1010.
Central Police Department - 295-0011.
King Edward Memorial Hospital Dispatch Center - 236-2345.

Today, Bermuda, known in Somers' time only for its cedar forests and rugged natural conditions, have turned into one large resort area, famous for its coral reefs, beautiful pink sand beaches, beautiful gardens, quiet coves and clear water.

In addition to relaxing on the magnificent beaches, guests of the islands can devote time to diving, snorkeling, horse riding, boat racing, cricket, rugby; Numerous tennis courts, 8 professional golf courses, SPA centers, centers have been built here aquatic species sports and much more. On the islands you can find a wide variety of hotels with all kinds of accommodation options, more than 150 restaurants: from affordable to extremely elegant and sophisticated.

Location

The archipelago is located in the western Atlantic Ocean, east of the United States. Formed as a result of active volcanic activity, it covers an area of ​​only 53 square kilometers and consists of 157 islands. The Bermuda archipelago was discovered in 1503 by the Spanish navigator Juan Bermudez, subsequently receiving the gloomy name “Devil's Islands”. In ancient times, many ships were wrecked here. Until now, successful treasure hunters have found treasures of British merchant ships and Spanish galleons on the seabed.

Bermuda ( former islands Somers) are located in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of North America, at a distance of 1046 km east of Cape Hatteras (the coast of North Carolina, USA). The archipelago consists of 7 large and about 131 small coral islands, surrounded by reefs (about 230), of which only 12 are inhabited. The eight relatively large islands of the central group are interconnected by a network of bridges and overpasses with a total length of about 40 km, forming the so-called “main island” " - Main Island, which occupies 95% of the island's land area (locals simply call it "the island"). The remaining islands are scattered across the surface of the ocean, occupying an area of ​​almost 1100 square meters. km. The total area of ​​the archipelago itself is only 53.3 square meters. km.

Tourist areas of Bermuda

Beautiful beaches line almost the entire coastline of Bermuda. The largest number of first-class beach hotels is concentrated on south coast islands, including in the areas of Horseshoe Bay, Warwick Long Bay and Jobson's Cove.

The beaches of Elbow Beach near Hamilton, Clearwater Beach and Turtle Bay near St. David are well-deservedly famous, as well as the long coastline exotic John Smith Bay in Paget County. Great places for swimming and diving are located in Church Bay in Southampton County, in the bays of Mangrove Bay, Black Bay, Parsons Bay, Shelley Bay, Somerset Long Bay, Warwick Long Bay, Chaplin Bay, Church Bay, West Vale Bay, as well as in Tobacco Bay north of St. George and in the isolated Clarence Cove.

Bermuda beaches are famous for their white sand with an amazing pink tint, extremely rare in nature. The pinkest sand can be found on the island of Bermuda, on the stretch of coast between Warwick Long Bay and Horseshoe Bay. In Bermuda there are both public and private beaches owned by hotels. Public beaches closed at dark time days. There are no nudist beaches in Bermuda.

Best public beaches

Horseshoe Bay is the most popular beach on the island. Bermuda, so it is often quite crowded. The beach is located in a horseshoe-shaped bay framed by picturesque rocks. On the beach there are bars with soft drinks and ice cream, rental shops for snorkeling equipment; here you can also find sun loungers, umbrellas, showers, changing cabins, etc. The secluded area at the western end of the beach, characterized by calm waters, is especially suitable for children.

Jobson's Cove is a beach in a tiny, idyllic cove surrounded by serene cliffs. Few beaches in the world can match the beauty of Jobsons Cove. The sea in this place is calm, shallow, with a flat sandy bottom.

Tobacco Bay is the most popular beach on the island. St. George's. Here you can not only relax, but also enjoy amazing snorkeling between the impressive rock formations. Tobacco Bay also left its mark on the history of the islands: here local conspirators loaded hundreds of tons of gunpowder onto whaling ships, looted from an English store on the island and intended for the Americans as aid in the war with the British. In response, Congress lifted the Bermuda embargo imposed on Great Britain and all its colonies.

Warwick Long Bay - the beach, even at its peak summer season remaining uncrowded: the length of the beach is 8 km. On windy days, quite strong waves rise here.

West Vale Bay - no big beach on west coast O. Bermuda. In April you can see whales migrating in search of food here. Whale watching can be done from a fort located on a hill or from a boat specially sent out to sea to watch the whales. West Vale Bay – perfect place to watch the most beautiful sunsets.

For newlyweds

Bermuda is the perfect place to host honeymoon And wedding ceremonies. Special island traditions will turn a wedding into the most romantic event in a couple’s life.

A traditional Bermudian wedding involves two wedding cakes: one for the groom and one for the bride. The bride's three-tier fruit cake covered in silver sugar icing symbolizes the sweetness of the wedding, while the groom's single-tier cake covered in gold icing symbolizes prosperity. Both cakes are decorated with tiny cedar trees, which a couple can plant anywhere on the island - and the tree will represent their growing love for many years.

The bride and groom must pass through one of the stone rings (“moon gates”) adorning the island, make a wish, and expect guaranteed prosperity and joy in the future. A kiss in front of such arches is the key to a long and happy life together.

The couple is transported from the wedding venue to the hotel by a romantic horse-drawn carriage decorated with flowers and ribbons. The driver of the carriage is dressed in a formal suit with blue Bermuda shorts, knee pads and a white hat.

• Lines pass over Bermuda air traffic from the USA and Canada to Europe, Central and South America. Due to a series of unexplained plane and ship crashes in the area between Bermuda, Antilles and Bahamas The term Bermuda Triangle appeared.
• From 1941 to 1995 - throughout the 2nd World War and the Cold War - Bermuda was home to several US and British naval and air force bases, which occupied 11% of total area islands.

TOURS TO BERMUDA: The most optimal flight option in terms of price and time spent is through the UK (London) with British Airways. But it is also possible to organize tours to Bermuda through the USA or other Caribbean countries (for example Cuba). There are no direct flights from Russia to Bermuda.

CAPITAL: Hamilton

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: The official language in Bermuda is English. In everyday life, a kind of slang is most often used, formed from the English language base and a large number of Spanish and Portuguese words and idiomatic expressions.

CURRENCY: Bermudian dollar (BMD) = 100 cents. The islands have banknotes in the following denominations: 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 Bermuda dollars.

TIME: from Moscow -7 hours

In Bermuda, the clocks change to daylight saving time and winter time on the last Sunday in March and October respectively.

VISA TO BERMUDA

Citizens of Russia and the CIS to visit BerMouda Islands does not require a visa if you have a valid multiple-entry US, Canadian or UK visa or residence permit in these countries. Since most flights to Bermuda are from the USA or Great Britain, tourists' passports contain visas from these countries.

Typically, the permitted period of stay on the islands is three months, but the immigration officer may increase this to six months depending on the purpose of the stay.

When passing passport control The following documents must be presented:

• a foreign passport with a visa from one of the specified countries. Both must be valid for at least 45 days from the end of the trip;
• return tickets or tickets to a third country.

CUSTOMS REGULATIONS

• There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign and local currency; amounts over $10,000 are subject to mandatory declaration. When importing gold, a declaration is required.
• Persons over 18 years of age are allowed duty free import up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, or 450 gr. tobacco; up to 0.94 l strong alcoholic drinks and up to 0.94 liters of wine.
• The transit of narcotic and explosive substances, items of historical and cultural value and weapons without the appropriate permits from the Bermuda Police Department (issued in advance), as well as harpoon guns for underwater hunting, is prohibited. Any medications containing narcotic substances must be accompanied by a notarized prescription confirming the need for their use.
• The import and export of plants and fauna, all living marine animals, as well as corals and objects raised from the bottom of the sea is prohibited.

TRANSPORT

Driving in Bermuda is on the left (drive on the right).

To drive in Bermuda, you must be local resident and have a local driver's license; foreigners are prohibited from driving here. But you can rent a motor scooter (scooter) - you don’t need a driver’s license to rent it, but you must be over 16 years old. Before you are given a scooter, you will be given a short driving lesson to ensure that you can ride it. A helmet, a lock, a full tank of fuel and a luggage basket are included in the rental price. The use of a helmet is mandatory! Most companies will pick up the scooter from your hotel at the end of the rental period.

Taxi is the easiest way to get anywhere on the main island. Taxi drivers can organize excursions around Bermuda. A blue flag on the hood of the car indicates that the driver is a qualified guide. Fares are set by law ($4 for the first mile (1.6 km) + $1.4 for all subsequent miles). It is customary for taxi drivers to leave a tip of 10% of the cost of the trip.

Bus service is widespread on the main island (11 routes in total). Fares are much cheaper than taxis, and the abundance of routes allows you to reach all parts of the island. The buses are easily identifiable by their pink or blue colours, are all air-conditioned and usually run from 7am to 11pm. Tickets can be purchased from the driver or a travel pass can be purchased at some stores. Buses stop on request and do not accept passengers with large luggage.

Passenger ferries run between the islands, providing a good alternative to buses. This is often a faster and more spectacular form of transport.

CLIMATE: subtropical, marine. Average annual temperatures in July: +27 °C, January: +18 °C are due to the close and warm Atlantic Gulf Stream. Despite the fact that in winter the air temperature occasionally drops to 0 °C (due to the arrival of cold air from the Arctic), frosts are excluded in Bermuda. The Bermuda archipelago is characterized by tropical hurricanes, although due to the rather northern location of the islands they come here (from Caribbean Sea) is not at the peak of its destructive power.

The best time to visit the country is from April to October, when the weather is warm and relatively dry.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS OF BERMUDA

Bermuda Cathedral Bridge-Holy-Trinity is the Mother of the Anglican Church of Bermuda, known not only for its religious, historical and social significance, but also for its beautiful architecture. It is located in the heart of the city of Hamilton, Bermuda Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity.

Gibbs Hill Lighthouse was built in 1844 by the Royal Engineers. Gibbs Hill is the tallest of the two lighthouses in Bermuda. It is also one of the first lighthouses in the world made of cast iron. This is due to the fact that at that time, steel was still poorly processed. The optical part consists of a Fresnel lens from 1904, it rotates on steel bearings. The hill on which the lighthouse stands is one of the highest on the island. Airplanes can see its flashes from 100 miles (160 km) away. Before 1964 for the most part The lights were controlled manually, but in June 2013, the entire system was automated and now runs on electricity.

Elbow Beach is one of the most popular beaches on the main island of Bermuda (a British overseas territory). Elbow is a fairly large beach with very white sand. Part of the beach is privately owned by one of Bermuda's most famous hotels, Elbow Beach, while the other part is open to public access.

Fort St Catherine- a coastal artillery fort located in the north-eastern part of the island of St. George, Bermuda (a British overseas territory). Fort is world heritage UNESCO.

Cave of Crystals located near the city of Hamilton, the capital of Bermuda. Not far from the cave is the coast of Castle Harbor. The amazing discovery of the cave was made by two teenage boys who were looking for croquet balls lost in the grass. So it was discovered fabulous place in 1905. Just 2 years after its discovery, the cave became a tourist attraction in Bermuda. The cave has clean, deep lakes with water so clear that you can see their bottom. Cave of Crystals – amazing place, where you can admire stalactites and stalagmites. According to tourists, it is never cold in the cave.

And also a huge number of tiny islands that can only be reached by boat.

EMBASSY OF THE RF IN BERMUDA

Russia's interests on the islands are represented by the Russian Embassy in Great Britain (London).