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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2009Travel

By DAVID LAHUTA

BERMUDA has lots to celebrate

in 2009. Four hundred yearsago, an English sailing vesselwas shipwrecked on thismid-Atlantic archipelago,

giving birth to the island nation of Ber-muda, one that is now in full-swing par-ty mode. With regattas decked out inChristmas lights, folk dance perform-ances and star-studded music festivals(Quincy Jones and John Legend any-one?), it’s a gala four centuries in themaking. Yes, the quirky charms are stillthere — men in namesake shorts andknee-high socks, pink sand beaches,folks zipping around on scooters — butwith 400 years of maturity, Bermudawouldn’t have it any other way.

Friday4 p.m.

•1 Tea in ShortsIn a country with a Union Jack on itsflag, it’s no surprise that many Britishtraditions endure. Tuck in for tea atHeritage Court (76 Pitts Bay Road; 441-295-3000; www.fairmont.com/hamilton), a white-tablecloth diningroom in the Fairmont Hamilton Prin-cess, a 124-year-old hotel where guestsnibble on cucumber sandwiches, petitsfours, and fresh baked apricot and figscones served with kumquat jam andDevonshire clotted cream (34 dollars;Bermuda dollars are pegged to the U.S.dollar, and both are widely accepted).

6 p.m.

•2 Happiest HourBermudans are serious about Fridayhappy hour, when the island clocks outand rum-punches in for the weekend.Well-dressed locals make their way tothe Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Re-sort & Spa (27 Harbour Road; 441-236-6060; www.newsteadbelmonthills.com), which hosts a weekly outdoor fi-esta, live band and all, on its harborfront patio. Try a dark ’n’ stormy: rumand Bermuda stone ginger beer.

9 p.m.

•3 Fish on Front StreetMost guests at Port O Call (87 FrontStreet; 441-295-5373; www.portocall.bm) stick to the specials — fresh localfish simply pan-seared and served with

a citrus vinaigrette. From Septemberthrough March, try the spiny lobster,split, and finished on the grill. After arecent renovation, this Front Street fa-vorite is looking smarter than ever withhalf-moon banquettes, wood-paneledwalls and a granite-topped bar jammedwith island power brokers. Dinner fortwo, about $70 not including wine.

Saturday8 a.m.

•4 Dive a WreckWhen Peter Benchley was researchinghis novel “The Deep,” he found inspira-tion underwater from the Constellation,a four-masted schooner that sank offBermuda in 1943. Even neophytes canexplore the well-preserved wreck in amere 30 feet of water with an introduc-tory dive given by Bluewater Divers &Watersports (Robinson’s Marina, Som-erset Bridge; 441-234-1034; www.dive-bermuda.com; $165). In a great two-for-

one deal, about 50 feet from the Con-stellation is the wreck of the Montana,an English steamer that sank 80 yearsearlier. Spot pieces of its cargo likeshattered china, glass bottles, even apool table, among thick schools of dam-sel fish, grouper and barracuda.

1 p.m.

•5 Chowder ShowdownIt’s hard to find a restaurant thatdoesn’t serve Bermuda fish chowder, aspicy seafood-and-vegetable stew tra-ditionally eaten with a dash of Gosling’sBlack Seal rum and Outerbridge’s Orig-inal Sherry Pepper sauce. Two of the is-land’s favorites, both in Hamilton, arethe Hog Penny Restaurant & Pub (5Burnaby Hill; 441-292-2534; www.hogpennypub.com; $6.50), a classicEnglish pub, and the Lobster Pot (6Bermudiana Road; 441-292-6898; www.bermuda.com/lobsterpot; $6.75), anautically themed cafe with a new out-

door patio. When you’re done, catchsome rays at sweeping Elbow Beach,minutes away in Paget Parish.

3 p.m.

•6 Island ArtistsThe arts community was abuzz whenthe Masterworks Museum of BermudaArt (183 South Road; 441-236-2950;www.bermudamasterworks.com)opened at the Bermuda Botanical Gar-dens last spring to show its collection ofisland-inspired paintings, includingworks by Georgia O’Keeffe and Mard-sen Hartley. Its latest exhibition, “WeAre Sailing,” examines Bermuda’s con-nection with the sea, and includesWinslow Homer’s watercolor “S.S.Trinidad.”

4 p.m.

•7 Grab a GiftFor designer handbags and shiny bau-bles, bring your wallet to Hamilton,Bermuda’s port capital. For authenticBermudiana, however, head to quieterSt. George, on the island’s east end. TheBook Cellar (Tucker House Basement,Water Street; 441-297-0448) specializesin historical, nautical and architecturalbooks about Bermuda. Sniff handmadescents at the Bermuda Perfumery (5Queen Street; 441-293-0627; www.bermuda-perfumery.com) housed inan 18th-century cottage with coralstone walls and exposed cedar beams.And buy authentic Bermuda shorts atthe English Sports Shop (30 WaterStreet; 441-297-0142), where you’ll findall colors of the rainbow (from $39.95).

8 p.m.

•8 Outdoors or In?If it’s dining with sea spray you’re after,head to Mickey’s Beach Bistro & Bar(60 South Shore Road; 441-236-9107;www.mandarinoriental.com/bermuda)an open-air restaurant at the ElbowBeach Hotel in Paget Parish, whichserves pasta and seafood (dinner fortwo about $60, not including wine). Pre-fer dining indoors? Sit near the windowat Ocean Echo in the Reefs Hotel (56South Shore Road; 441-238-0222;www.thereefs.com). Perched on a cliffin Southampton Parish, the restaurantfeatures inventive spins on local favor-ites like Bermuda fish cake in blackplum sauce ($16.50) and pan-fried rock-fish with apple beurre blanc ($37.50).

11 p.m.

•9 Martini TimeThere are plenty of hotel bars for after-dinner cocktails. But for more local ac-tion, make your way to a tree-linedstretch of Hamilton known as restau-rant row. There you’ll find LV’s (12 Ber-mudiana Road; 441-296-3330;www.lv.bm), with dim mood lighting,low-slung sofas and nooks for canoodl-ing. When you’re done checking out thehandsome 30-something crowd, headnext door to Opus Café & Lounge (4Bermudiana Road; 441-292-3500;www.opus.bm) a thumping one-roomcocktail bar that plays pop and R & B.

Sunday7:30 a.m.

•10 Water HazardsReopened in June following a $14 mil-lion renovation, Port Royal (5 PortRoyal Drive; 441-234-0974; www.portroyalgolf.bm; green fees, $165) isarguably Bermuda’s finest golf course,with water views from nearly everyhole. Don’t forget your camera on the16th. The 235-yard, crescent-shaped parthree hugs the coast with nothing butocean between tee and pin.

11 a.m.

•11 Go to ChurchChurch Bay, that is, a small cove withsome of the island’s prettiest snorkel-ing, with blue angels, parrotfish andthriving coral just 100 yards offshore.Rent gear from the dive shop at nearbyFairmont Southampton Hotel & Resort(101 South Shore Road; 441-238-2332;www.fairmont.com/southampton, $20for two hours). When you’re done,avoid the cruise ship crowds at Horse-shoe Beach and head for quieter War-wick Long Bay. With over a half-milestretch of fine pink sand, you’re boundto find a slice to call your own. Æ

36 Hours

Bermuda

Newstead Belmont HillsGolf Resort & Spa

Mickey’s Beach Bistro & Bar/Elbow Beach Hotel

Ocean Echo/Reefs Hotel

Port RoyalGolf Course

Church Bay

FairmontSouthampton Hotel

& Resort

MasterworksMuseum of

Bermuda Art

Tucker’s PointHotel & Spa

Bluewater Divers& Watersports

Hamilton Harbor

Little Sound

Great Sound

SOUTH RD.MID

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HARBOUR RD.

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Airport

HarringtonSound

CastleHarbour

ST. GEORGE’SISLAND

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St. George

SOUTH SHORE RD.

NORTH SHORE RD.

Area ofdetail

Area ofdetail

Hamilton

AtlanticOcean

BERMUDA

4

6

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11

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Port O Call

Hog PennyRestaurant

& Pub

Lobster Pot

LV’s

Opus Café& Lounge

FRONT ST.

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Smatt’sCycle

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Hamilton Harbor

Hamilton

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5

9

1

BookCellar

English Sports Shop

BermudaPerfumery

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St. George’sHarbour

MULLET BAY RD.

WATER ST.

7

THE NEW YORK TIMES

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See a slide show of Bermuda. Also,share your suggestions on where to

stay, where to eat and what to do.nytimes.com/travel/bermuda

ONLINE: READERS’ THOUGHTS

Several airlines fly nonstop fromNew York to Bermuda. A recent Websearch found round-trip fares in Octo-ber starting at $308.

Tourists cannot rent cars on Bermu-da, so take a $30 (Bermuda and U.S.dollars, of equal value, are both accept-ed) taxi from the airport to Hamiltoncity, where a scooter can be rented. Areliable place is Smatt’s Cycle Livery(74 Pitts Bay Road; 441-295-1180;www.smattscyclelivery.com)with rent-als starting at $80 for the first day, $45after. Rather not drive on the left? Con-

sider the bus, which departs Hamiltonfrequently and covers much of the is-land ($3).

The elegant Fairmont Southampton(101 South Shore Road; 441-238-8000;www.fairmont.com/southampton) hasamenities galore including a par threegolf course, 31,000-square-foot WillowStream spa and a free ferry to theHamilton Princess, its sister propertyin Hamilton. Doubles from $189. Re-opened in spring 2008 as an all-suiteshotel, Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Re-sort & Spa (27 Harbour Road; 441-236-

6060; www.newsteadbelmon-thills.com) has tastefully decoratedrooms with granite countertops, sisalrugs and harbor view balconies or pati-os. Doubles from $290. Tucker’s PointHotel & Spa (60 Tucker’s Point ClubDrive; 866-604-3764; www.tucker-spoint.com) is Bermuda’s newest re-sort, a luxurious east end retreat thatopened in April with an 18-hole golfcourse, tennis courts and a trendywhitewashed beach club. Doubles from$340.

T H E B A S I C S

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICHAEL NAGLE FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

FROM LEFT Newstead Belmont Hills Resort is a popular spot for happy hour; Opus Café & Lounge; meals with a view at Mickey’s Beach Bistro; and a coral-covered boiler from a shipwreck.

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