Bermuda Beyond Beaches

What makes Bermuda memorable in any season

Beaches in Bermuda are tinted pink even in stormy weather. Photo by Kua Lina

What are the two things that usually come to mind when Bermuda is mentioned?

The first would be the notorious Bermuda Triangle. Many ships and aircraft lost. The danger zone. The mystery unsolved.

The second is pink Bermuda beaches — this is what you will see on any tourist brochure, and it is true; they are charmingly pink. The colour comes from tiny organisms with red shells that live in Bermuda reefs. Microscopic pieces of shells get mixed up with the sand to create the rosy hue.

But there is much more to this small island (or, technically, an archipelago) dropped far away from anything else, almost in the middle of the Atlantic.

Its history is similar to many Caribbean islands under centuries of colonization. It is a self-governing territory, politically stable and safe for visitors. Yet behind this façade, you will find dark pages of history, as in many other parts of the world.

We read some of the historical accounts when visiting Bermuda museums and churches, — what was it like to be a British colony in 16–19th century. This is something we often forget when travelling to places like Madrid, Lisbon, or London — how their empire glory was built.