Bermuda

Britain's oldest colony, Bermuda is a land of pink sandy beaches, clear turquoise seas, picturesque old colonial towns and brilliantly colourful flowers, shrubs and trees. It is hard to believe that sailors once knew Bermuda as Devil's Island; the shallow waters and coral reefs, which once wrecked countless ships, now make for a wonderful playground for swimming, sailing or diving.

Bermuda is an archipelago of almost 200 coral islands and islets situated not in the Caribbean but 650 miles (1,045km) off the east coast of America, in the Atlantic. The mainland comprises the seven main islands linked to each other by causeways and bridges and stretches just 20 miles (32km) from tip to tail.

Most visitors to the islands are mature Americans who tend to regard the country rather fondly as being English in style. The few British visitors disagree and find it Americanised. In truth, Bermuda has its own flavour that draws on the best of both worlds melded with a traditional island culture. Yes, businessmen may wear a jacket and tie with Bermuda shorts even on formal occasions, but bikinis are banned more than 25 feet (7.5m) from the water!

With the mixture of colonial style and proximity to America, Bermuda has managed to become not only one of the world’s most coveted holiday destinations but also a centre of high finance. Generous tax advantages and satellite communications have induced a stream of major corporations to set up offices on the island, and have helped the country become one of the richest, per capita, in the world.

Travel guide content sourced from wordtravels.com