Bermuda Beaches

[meyer4two]

Does anyone know which beaches have chairs you can rent? We'll be in Bermuda in August & thought we'd take the ferry to Hamilton & then the pink bus to the beach but we would need a beach where you can rent chairs and/or umbrella.

If anyone knows, it would be very helpful & then we would know which beach to head for.

Thank you.

[GMoney]

You can rent at Horseshoe Bay. Very nice beach, but also very popular which = crowds. I think the chairs go for $10 a day, but it meven be a bit more. I remember that they give you a receipt, and then once you return the chair with the receipt at the end of the day they give you some portion of that back. I don't recall how much (sorry), but I remember thinking the chairs were pricey. They have different models of chairs that you can rent though, and I know I didn't get the bargain basement model.

 

They also have a small food stand where they prepared fried goodies and sell some bottled drinks.

[meyer4two]

Thank you for such a quick response. I was checking out the excursions for the beach and there is only 1 which gets you back to the ship too early. Silly to get back that early & then take the ferry back again for the rest of the day. So we thought we'd just do it on our own, have more time on the beach.

I'll head for Horseshoe Bay. Have heard its very nice so thank you for letting us know you can rent chairs.

Hopefully the ferry & bus is easy to do but then again, I wouldn't mind being a permanent resident of Bermuda, haha.

[GMoney]

I agree - Bermuda is very nice!

 

I was on a scooter, so I don't recall much about the buses, except that they are easy to spot, with many stops and seem to run regularly. The only other thing I can tell you is that to get to Horseshoe Beach from the main road, you have to walk down a steep hill. I'm betting the bus will stop at the top of that hill, rather than dropping you off at the bottom of it, but I could be wrong. The hassle will be walking up that hill at the end of the day, but if I remember correctly, some enterprising person offers rides up the hill for $1.

[meyer4two]

You're full of very interesting information. Scooter, I think not. Driving a car in N.J. is bad enough and Bermuda they drive on the other side of the road. Would be so confusing.

I was just on the bus & ferry schedule and it doesn't sound too hard. Sure we can find out info on the ship also.

Again, thanks for the info.

 

Sandy

[phillychick]

That's correct about Horseshoe Bay, the bus & the hill. The bus does drop you off at the top of the hill but the beach is beautiful.

 

A nice story on the buses, last time we were there (10 of us) we wanted to go to the Swizzle Inn. We waited at a bus stop & as the bus approached we noticed the "not in service" sign. But to our surprise, the bus stopped, the driver asked us where we were going & said to hop on board because he was going to be passing by the Inn on his way to the depot. He didn't even charge us but, of course, we collected alittle something for him.

 

I can't imagine that happening in NJ or Philly, can you?

 

 

Barbara from Philly

[GMoney]

A nice story on the buses, last time we were there (10 of us) we wanted to go to the Swizzle Inn. We waited at a bus stop & as the bus approached we noticed the "not in service" sign. But to our surprise, the bus stopped, the driver asked us where we were going & said to hop on board because he was going to be passing by the Inn on his way to the depot. He didn't even charge us but, of course, we collected alittle something for him.

 

I can't imagine that happening in NJ or Philly, can you?

 

 

Barbara from Philly

 

That's a good story Barbara. Having lived in Philly for 8 years, I can't imagine that happening there for sure. I wish I was at the Swizzle Inn right now!

[meyer4two]

No I can't imagine that happening in N.J. or Phila. We go to N.Y.C. and you can't even get a cab.

Sounds like the Bermuda people are very friendly & helpful. So if I get lost, I probably won't have trouble asking questions & getting answers.

Looking forward to seeing Bermuda.

I know where Cheltenham is, my daughter lives in Upper Darby/ Drexel Hill area.

[maxs mom]

Horseshoe Bay is one of our favorite all time beaches. Yes....it's crowded, but that's OK.....it is so beautiful. We were there a couple of weeks ago. Get there early. It seems a bit pricey for the chairs and the umbrella but they give you a $5.00 deposit back on each item that you rent. It's not too bad. The bus system is quite easy. we didn't use it this last time, though. Just took a taxi......split it between 3 couples....not bad at all. And you don't have to walk up that hill!

[meyer4two]

Everyone keeps mentioning 'the hill'.

I checked the weather for Bermuda in August and it said 90's and very humid. The hill will be rough in that heat.

Hopefully we will get a ride up. Sitting in the heat all day & being tired, the hill would be hard to walk.

[Sue L]

We are docking at King's Wharf with the explorer how long is the bus ride to horseshoe beach from there?

[GMoney]

We are docking at King's Wharf with the explorer how long is the bus ride to horseshoe beach from there?

 

By scooter it's about 20 minutes...

[Sue L]

By scooter it's about 20 minutes...

 

 

Sorry I have too much respect for my skin! LOL. Any clue on the bus time?

[starlake]

Hi---Do go to Horseshoe, I think it is absolutely beautiful. The chairs and umbrellas are expensive, but as previous poster said you will get money back.

The bus ride can be anywhere from 20-35 minutes. The ride will depend on how many local stops the bus makes on the way to the beach. It is fun, with a variety of people on board, people going to work, on their way to Hamilton, to the beaches, etc. The walk down the hill is not bad, but the walk up is a killer. There is normally somone with a small van running people to the top of the hill for $1.00 each, it is well worth it.

Do some exploring while at horseshoe, go to the left and view the little coves and the more you get away from the main beach, the more you will notice the pink sand.

I have been to Maegans Bay in St.Thomas and I feel Horseshoe Bay is much more beautiful. Enjoy Bermuda.

[meyer4two]

I will definitely go to Horseshoe. Sounds wonderful with the pink sand.

I have another question. I was searching info from Kings Wharf on taking the ferry. Does the ferry take you to Hamilton or St. George? The bus web site said to buy tickets for the pink bus at the terminal on Church St. in St. George. I thought the ferry takes you to Hamilton. So if thats the case, how do you get to St. George for the bus? Getting off the ferry, I don't want to be in the wrong place.

[shell03]

We were there a few weeks ago and Horseshoe Bay is incredible.

 

Once you get off your ship, you can purchase a bus pass right at the wharf for $10.00 pp for the day, and take a local bus from Kings Wharf to Horseshoe Bay (it will be on your right side on the bus).

 

The transportation personnel in Bermuda were very helpful. It took us about 40 minutes to get to Horseshoe Bay from the wharf. It was really nice to do it on the bus. We got to see a bit of the island that way and the bus was air conditioned.

 

The ferry goes from Kings wharf to Hamilton and leaves every hour. Horseshoe Bay is some distance from Hamilton and St. George...they are on different parts of the island.

 

Bring sunscreen and have fun!

[meyer4two]

Hi---Do go to Horseshoe, I think it is absolutely beautiful. The chairs and umbrellas are expensive, but as previous poster said you will get money back.

The bus ride can be anywhere from 20-35 minutes. The ride will depend on how many local stops the bus makes on the way to the beach. It is fun, with a variety of people on board, people going to work, on their way to Hamilton, to the beaches, etc. The walk down the hill is not bad, but the walk up is a killer. There is normally somone with a small van running people to the top of the hill for $1.00 each, it is well worth it.

Do some exploring while at horseshoe, go to the left and view the little coves and the more you get away from the main beach, the more you will notice the pink sand.

I have been to Maegans Bay in St.Thomas and I feel Horseshoe Bay is much more beautiful. Enjoy Bermuda.

 

Starlake...

If you've been to Maegans Bay, next time you're in St. Thomas, go to St. John's. It was absolutely beautiful & I'd go there over and over again.

[meyer4two]

Shell..

Thank you for the info on the bus. I think that would be the way to go.

Did you also take the bus back from Horseshoe? Does it pick you up at the top of the hill & you go directly back to the ship or did you catch the pink bus & then the ferry back?

[Writeratsea]

I will definitely go to Horseshoe. Sounds wonderful with the pink sand.

I have another question. I was searching info from Kings Wharf on taking the ferry. Does the ferry take you to Hamilton or St. George? The bus web site said to buy tickets for the pink bus at the terminal on Church St. in St. George. I thought the ferry takes you to Hamilton. So if thats the case, how do you get to St. George for the bus? Getting off the ferry, I don't want to be in the wrong place.

There are multiple ferry routes. One goes from the Dockyard (Kings Wharf) to St George. This takes about an hour, but it has terrific views of the Northern side of the island and St George is nice to visit. The ferry drops you off at the dock right next to where the cruise ship dock. Fort St. Catherine is a neat fort and Tobacco bay is a nice beach. You could either take the ferry back (last one is 3:45) or take the bus back from St. George to Hamilton or the South shore beaches. On the way back, you could stop at the Swizzle Inn, an ice cream shop accross the street or try the Crystal caves. If you went to Hamilton from St. George, then you would take either the ferry to the dockyard or the bus by the South Shore beaches (going by Horseshoe bay) back to the dockyard. The express ferry between Hamilton and the dockyard takes 15 to 20 minutes. There is another ferry which goes around the harbor in Hamilton, stopping in many small little places with quaint names. It is a nice scenic route and takes about 30 to 40 minutes. So make sure you get on the right ferry. They are color coded to make it easier. You pick up schedules for both the ferries and the buses when you get your transportation pass. It is good for unlimited use of both the bus and the ferry. You can buy the pass at the dockyard. It is $12 pp for one day, $20 for 2 days and $28 for 3 days. We loved the ride on the ferries. Beautiful views, fresh air and sunshine and best of all, already paid for. We had thought to take a sightseeing excusion by boat for $60 pp, but did essentially the same thing on the ferries, saving that excursion cost.

NCL Majesty Aug 2004

NCL Majesty Sept 2005

NCL Majesty Sept 2006

[meyer4two]

Wow, thank you for the info. Very informative.

Thats why I love cruise critic, you learn alot & everyone answers my questions.

Thanks,

 

Sandy

[shell03]

Shell..

Thank you for the info on the bus. I think that would be the way to go.

Did you also take the bus back from Horseshoe? Does it pick you up at the top of the hill & you go directly back to the ship or did you catch the pink bus & then the ferry back?

 

We intended to take the bus to Hamilton for some sight seeing before taking the ferry back to the ship, however, we were having such an amazing day at the beach with our daughter, we decided we'd just stay there and enjoy it. We were on the NCL Dawn and had a relatively early departure from Bermuda, so there just wasn't time to do it all. You can rent umbrellas and chairs at Horsehoe Bay. There are changing facilities and refreshments also (albeit pricey). We took a lightweight cooler from home and packed water bottles with some snacks and took them with us to the beach.

 

Yes, you can take the bus directly from Horseshoe Bay (at the top of the big hill, just look to your right for the bus stop). We happen to be there on the day of the "strike" (which apparently happens once a year) so we had to take a private taxi back to the ship.

 

The people of Bermuda are so wonderful and treated us so well. There was a transportation worker at the top of the hill, and he hailed us a cab and we made it to the ship in no time. When we arrived back to Kings Wharf, we went to the ticket window and they refunded the entire cost of our transportation passes! :D We couldn't believe it.

 

As writeratsea said, there are several options for you once you arrive and they will all have their own benefit. We decided that the bus route to the beach was best for us. Everyone is very helpful so ask questions and you will be on your way to paradise. :)

 

The strike didn't damper our day one bit. The beach must be one of the most beautiful in the world. You will have an incredible time. Keep in mind that the bus will probably become "standing room only" at some point(we had no problem getting a seat from Kings Wharf but there are many local people that board on the way) but everyone is very respectful and we met a lovely local woman who gave us all sorts of pointers and history about the island. We're looking forward to going back.

 

Have a fantastic trip!!

[Diesel Dog]

When in Bermuda we alway take a cab. Quicker ride to beaches, not stopping at bus stops. Air Conditioned, and if you get a good driver, he will basically give a guided tour while enroute to your destination.

 

Horseshoe bay is awesome. Yes the hill can be a pain in the neck, espcecially when walking up to go to the bus stop. However, there are always cabs, tons of them, waiting to take you back to the ships. I think the maximum they will hold is 6, some crazy law, so if you want team up with someone else on line at taxi stand for a cab ride back to the ships.

 

True the cabs cost more, but you are on vacation.

[phillychick]

I've been to Bermuda a few time but the last time we rented mopeds & had a blast. I was alittle bit leery about driving on the "wrong" side of the street but if you take your time & stay closer to the curb you'll do just fine. Before you actually rent them you take a test drive around the parking lot of the dealership to see how comfortable you feel. The only problem was the circles but I liked the convenience of them. It also gave us a chance to just drive around the island to check things out on our own time.

 

Barbara from Philly

[CRUISE BUG BIT HARD]

You can also rent chairs at Warwick Long Bay. I think it was $10 also. This beach is practically empty and it is beautiful. There are 3 coves off to the side that you can walk to and it is like having your own private beach. We went there last year for a day because Horseshoe was so crowded and loved it. We only saw about 10 people all day while we were there. They do also have bathrooms and the gentleman that rented us the chairs also had drinks and snacks.

Enjoy your trip.

Suzanne