Bermuda: A Travel Survival Kit [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

I spent two weeks in Bermuda, and was very glad I brought this book along with me. I doubt very much that there are many interesting corners of the country that have been overlooked by the authors of this guide -- some of which I never would have thought to investigate had this book not alerted me to their existence. I especially appreciated all the historical and cultural details, and found that it was an invaluable tool in keeping costs down in a country where just about everything is VERY pricey. This book has since been re-used by other members of my family on their own trips to Bermuda, and has paid for itself several times over.

The major obstacle which hinders the performance of Lonely Planet and other guidebooks is that they often try and cover a very wide country or region, such as "Lonely Planet China" or "Lonely Planet USA", not to mention things like "Lonely Planet Africa on a shoestring". This often means that, in over 800 pages of a bulky book, only few are really relevant to what the reader is looking for. Indeed, the reader can be lost among lots of information, data, etc., which she or he has no interest in: if I find myself in Nairobi and am looking for a restaurant, do I really need to find myself browsing information about the visa procedures for Cameroon or the hotels of Sierra Leone ? Luckily, Bermuda is a much smaller place, and this has enabled the author and editors to truly produce a well-focused, condensed and overall excellent guidebook. The information for the visitor is complete and accurate, up-to-date, and indeed extremely useful (even in a place which does not present particular cultural or social obstacles for the average visitor): while Bermuda may still be possible to get to know on one's own, the aid of this little guidebook will be paramount. Its sections on hotels, restaurants, entertainment, are excellent. Coverage of things to see and do, sports and other activities, is down-to-the-point and very full. The sections on history and culture are also of great value, excellently written, easy-to-read in a captivating and pleasant prose, making this truly enjoyable and worthy reading for everyone. It is indeed a book one should surely pack before setting off to Bermuda.

I'm a fan of Lonely Planet guides, as I like to get out and explore offbeat places on my own and meet the locals. Their Bermuda guide was a great planning tool to do so. Coupled with Insight's laminated [eraseable] map, it was all I needed for my 9-day trip. The Guide is set up by Bermuda's parishes, which is a bit cumbersome until you get a grasp of the island's geography. Even when you do, it's a bit difficult to figure out if the place you saw on the road by bus is in Warwick or Southampton or Somerset Parish. So the really map helped orient me before I hit the tarmac.

As my work keeps me indoors when at home, I like to spend as much time as possible physically engaged in the outdoors when I'm on vacation. The only portion of the guide which should be changed is the part about biking the Old Railway Trail. This "trail" ranges from grass with a tire rut, to dirt and rocks through the woods, to becoming synonymous with the main roads of the island, depending on whether it's been taken over by development. Very little of the trail is paved off of the main road, and there are places with steep grades with steps. Also, about every quarter to half mile on the real "trail," there are metal barriers over which you have to lift your bike, making a continuous pedal cumbersome. The scenery is great on many portions of Warwick and Somerset in particular, but I wouldn't plan on a cycling vacation for exercise or for primary transportation. Cycling the roads is precarious, as they are barely wide enough for two cars, and I never saw a straight segment of street on the island. Shrubbery juts out from stone walls at bike level in yards all over the island, making the situation even more difficult. I did about 40 miles of trail and road, and although I'm happy I did it, I wouldn't recommend it for the faint of heart.

Scooters look pretty dangerous, and accidents and fatalities are rampant, even amongst locals. I took a ride my last evening on the back of one, and the curvy roads are precarious even when seated behind an experienced local. I'm a big risk taker, but I respect limits of common sense. No rental cars are available on the island, but the bus and ferry service is good. So get a multiple day buss/ferry pass and enjoy the public transportation after perhaps one full day on a pedal bike. Rentals are steep at $25 a day published, but I got the shop to reduce it to $15 with some quibbling. My Huffy 18 speed mountain bike was sufficient, and you do need those speeds on the steep hills!

Do a lot of online research on the Bermuda sites listed in the Guide when planning your trip and email or phone ahead of time, as Bermudians tend to change printed schedules on a whim.

The guide should emphasize that cab fares are very, very expensive, with a minimum fare of about $5 for a very short ride to $20 or more to traverse from one hotel to another for dinner. Cabbies are independent and subscribe to a call service.

The other part the guide left out is that single women are pursued by Bermudans to no end. The first question I always seemed to get is "Where is your husband?" to confirm I was fresh meat on the island. It seems that American women traveling alone are curious commodities and perhaps seen as "easy" by local men.

The other part the guide leaves out is that the tourist industry is heavily supported by guest workers from Europe, Asia and Latin America, making communication sometimes problematic. All in all, a great source to give you planning tools, costs, and the inside scoop on the island.