Our Favorite Caribbean Island Isnt in the Caribbean

It’s not in the Caribbean Sea. Less than 90 minutes from New York and under two hours from pretty much everywhere on the East Coast, Bermuda is on the same latitude as North Carolina–north of the Caribbean–smack dab in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

It bears repeating: a subtropical island less than 90 minutes from NYC. That’s a quicker trip than to the Hamptons. Everyone in the Northeast loves to escape the city to the Caribbean, but the plane ride south can eat up your travel time. Even with close islands like the Bahamas, it can be a four-hour plane ride, while Aruba’s more like five. Bermuda’s hop, skip, and a jump means you have plenty of time to enjoy the destination, even on trips that only last a weekend. 

But besides “Kokomo,” Bermuda’s infamy feeds its geographical confusion. The wedged area angled between Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Florida has (as the legend goes) disappeared planes, ships, and people within the bounds of the Bermuda Triangle. While mostly disproven, the appearance of the Bermuda Triangle and its mysteries have shown up in pop culture across media, from Fleetwood Mac to The X-Files; in Atari and Milton Bradley Games, and in episodes of Scooby Doo. Everyone is worried about the conspiracy of what goes on within the Bermuda Triangle; there isn’t much pop culture conversation about its namesake. The supposed mystery of the triangle feeds even further into the where of it all.

Bermuda has many distinctive qualities, but perhaps its most fascinating is its existence as a destination at all. The island should be uninhabitable since it lacks freshwater springs, natural rivers, and lakes. But ingenuity rules Bermuda: the population relies completely on rainwater harvesting. Bermudians have built terraced limestone roofs to collect rainwater for their daily use. The steppes serve to slow down the rainwater and guide it to a cistern or collection tank positioned under every Bermudian home and building. Law requires that every house collect 80% of the water that falls on its roof, and each building is self-sufficient. While other destinations boast about sustainability efforts, Bermuda has been making it a reality on the island for over 400 years.

While you can expect rain in every season–the island receives an annual average of 55 inches of rainfall spread fairly evenly throughout the year–it won’t ruin your vacation. The storms are heavy yet fast-moving.

Bermuda has its own unique culture. An uninhabited island discovered in the early 1500s, Bermuda is a melting pot, with Spanish, Afro-Caribbean, Portuguese, British, and Native American influences. Gombey, a vibrant Bermudian dance tradition dating back to the early 1800s, fuses African, British, Native American, and Caribbean influences. “Gombey,” likely derived from an African word for “rhythm,” underscores the central role of drumming and percussion in these dynamic street performances. Originally, enslaved people danced once a year in masks to protest injustices safely. Bermuda was emancipated from slavery on August 1st, 1834, and today, Gombey troupes—adorned with peacock‐feather headdresses, painted masks, bells, and tassels—perform at holidays and festivals as a proud symbol of island identity. Today, Bermuda’s population is diverse, resourceful, tight-knit, and proud.

The geography and topography of Bermuda are also unique. Millions of years ago, the island formed as part of a volcanic seamount near a section of the Atlantic known as the Sargasso Sea. Bermuda’s rugged coastline is defined by towering aeolian limestone cliffs—so ubiquitous that locals affectionately call the island “de Rock.” Beneath its aquamarine waves lie more than 300 sunken vessels, earning Bermuda the moniker “shipwreck capital of the world.”

Off the South Shore Beaches, Bermuda’s famous “boiler” reefs send surging currents through coral formations, creating a frothy, churning effect that looks as though the sea itself is boiling. Together, these cliffs, caves, shipwrecks, and dynamic reefs form a uniquely dramatic and unforgettable seascape. This isn’t just an island with white sand stretches, though its beaches are also incredible.

Of its many distinct and incredible qualities, Bermuda is perhaps best known for its pink sand beaches. The white sand mixes with foraminifera (or “forams”), tiny single-celled creatures with calcium carbonate shells (not unlike corals, mussels, and lobsters). When forams die, their shells wash ashore and combine with white quartz sands, giving the beaches a blushing tint. The time of day and the intensity of the sun play into the saturation of the pink, but the beaches are pristine and perfect regardless.

Bermuda offers plenty of great places to stay, but it’s not an island that insists you stay within a resort. It’s easy to get around by rideshare, e-bikes, motorized scooters, and the ferry. You’ll find islanders eating famous fish sandwiches at Mamma Mia and drinking rum swizzles at The Swizzle Inn.

If you happen to visit during Cup Match (August 1-2), prepare to pick a team: it’s east versus west with St. George’s versus Somerset, and everyone on the island has a side. Then prepare to defend that choice voraciously against its rivalry with raucous celebrating. Over a two-day celebration of emancipation, Bermuda hosts cricket matches, barbecues, camping, boating, and a total party atmosphere where everyone wins.

The hands-down best way to see the island is via the Railway Trail. Over 22 miles long, the former train tracks have been converted into a hiking and biking trail that carves the coast and winds through lush foliage. It’s not a continuous route, but there are many recommended paths within the greater trail map. Choose your own adventure: explore hidden coves, climb to historic forts, and witness the world’s smallest drawbridge. Be aware that the annual End-to-End charity walk and ride (usually held in May) closes many parts of the trail.

And don’t forget, Bermuda runs on island time. There’s no running late when you’re cruising on a boat or lounging by the pool. So, chill out about schedules and to-do lists.

The Crystal Cave, buried beneath the eastern edge of Bermuda’s coast, is a stunning ecological wonder full of sparkling mineral formations and a cerulean underground lagoon. To behold it is to be ensconced in sparkles.

Michael K. Frith, a Bermudian native who grew up on the island, used the cave as his inspiration for the co-creation of Fraggle Rock, a 1980s Jim Henson puppet production. But it wasn’t just the spectacular environment of the quartz-like limestone and calcium carbonate stalagmites and stalactites, but the story of the Cave’s discovery that catapulted the series’ origin story.

In 1907, two local boys, Carl Gibbons and Edgar Hollis, were playing cricket when they lost their ball down a crevice. They began to dig and drop rocks down the hole to see how far it went. The boys got a rope to tie around their waists and see if they could drop to the bottom; instead, they splashed into the water. In the pitch-black darkness of the cave, the boys swam for two hours before eventually finding and crawling their way out.

Today, the cave is a wonder to behold–the short tour takes visitors across floating bridges in subterranean rivers with plenty of time to admire the crystalline icicles dangling from the cave’s ceiling and protruding from its turquoise still waters.

It makes sense that Bermuda is best explored by boat, and even if you don’t have access to a superyacht (though there’s plenty to rent), there are ways to check out the island via the water. For one, the ferry is an incredibly affordable way to get around and sightsee. At just $5, the ride will get you across the island faster than a car. Many hotels offer catamarans for hire, jet skis, kayak rentals, and other water activities and access. If you happen to come in time for the Non-Mariners Water Raft-Up, you’ll find that every boat on the island is anchored out on Mangrove Bay, celebrating and “racing” sea-faring vessels not necessarily designed to float.

There’s no luxury experience quite like staying at an incredible modern art museum: the Hamilton Princess Bermuda, a Fairmont Hotel, offers top-notch accommodations alongside a priceless exhibition of contemporary art. From a Banksy hanging in the spa reception to Jeff Koons by the elevator and one of Yayoi Kusama’s pumpkins out by the pool, this hotel has one-of-a-kind pieces all over the place, and they aren’t kidding when it comes to artist royalty: original works by Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, KAWS, Rene Magritte, Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, Bridget Riley, Nelson Mandela and more. A private art tour with a local art docent can be scheduled through the concierge.

Between the hotel’s moniker and its invaluable art collection, you might start feeling like royalty lounging around infinity and adults-only pools, strolling the marina dock to your private catamaran excursion, or blissing out in its luxe spa.