We saved enough time to go diving again at the Princess. There, one
of
Bermuda's best dive operators, Nautilus Diving, offers a daily
two-tank dive, combining a visit to one of the nearby pristine
coral reefs with a dive on a well-preserved wreck.
For our last night, we stayed in one of Bermuda's distinctive
cottage colonies - resorts of freestanding cottages built around a
main house with a lobby and restaurant. Horizons & Cottages,
the longest continually operated colony, is terraced onto a
hillside overlooking the sea and features a wonderful restaurant in
the main house, with indoor and outdoor dining. Room rates include
the services of a maid who appears in the morning and cooks
breakfast in your cottage's private kitchen.
Guests at Horizons & Cottages have privileges at the adjacent
members-only Coral Beach &
Tennis Club, with its beach, tennis,
and dining facilities, and can play Horizons' nine-hole pitch and
putt course. But by that time, even I had had enough
golf. It was
time to just relax.
taking it all in
getting there
alone in the atlantic, due east of north carolina, bermuda is the
most convenient island escape from anywhere in the northeast u.s.,
with nonstop flights of well under two hours.
local customs
while it remains a crown colony, modern bermuda is decidedly
un-british. yes, there are pubs, croquet, afternoon tea, and a few
other concessions to the queen, but the vast majority of bermuda's
inhabitants are of portuguese descent and have developed their own
habits and customs. only bermudan citizens can drive, making it one
of the world's only tourist destinations without rental cars;
visitors use scooters, ferries, or cabs. business attire consists
of pastel-colored bermuda shorts worn with jackets, ties, and
knee-high socks.
golf courses
belmont golf club, (441) 236-6400; greens fees $68-$73