Cave, Cycle, and Catamaran: Explore Bermuda

By Bianca Bujan

From a jaunt through a jaw-dropping cave, to an end-to-end island bike tour, to whale-watching by catamaran, Bermuda is full of beyond-the-beach bucket list adventures.

Crystal Cave

Stunned by the sparkling stalactites that dangle above my head like dripping icicles, I stop to take in my surroundings. I’m in Bermuda’s Crystal Cave, standing on a floating pontoon pathway that stretches deep into the underground cavern.

I grasp the railing with my hand and look below into the cyan-coloured, crystal-clear water that flows beneath my feet. Beyond my reflection, I see sharp stalagmites stretching up toward my face. They look close enough to touch, but are still more than 50 feet below the surface, the clarity of the water playing tricks on my eyes.

I had been in caves before, but this time, no headlamp was required, and I didn’t have to creep through dark, tight spaces to reach the stunning large opening found deep within the cave. Instead, I was engaging in spelunking for the soft adventurer, strolling along wide, well-lit pathways, deep into the underbelly of Bermuda.

CRYSTAL CAVE

©BIANCA BUJAN

Mark Twain (one of the first tourists to ever visit Crystal Cave) once said, of the awe-inspiring natural attraction, that it was “the most beautiful cave in the world,” and he was absolutely accurate. Of all the caves that I’ve visited throughout my travels, this one is the most breathtaking.

While the island’s dazzling underworld is enough to entice a visit, Bermuda is brimming with above-ground adventures as well, like the island’s end-to-end cycling path, known as the Railway Trail. Beckon a bike (many properties offer rentals), and take a two-wheel tour of the British Isle – the Railway Trail covers 28 kilometres of the 35-kilometre-long island.

ST. GEORGE’S

Once home to the railway of the “Old Rattle and Shake” train that transported Bermudians from one end of the island to the other in the 1930s and 1940s, the stretch of track is now an official National Park, providing unparalleled access to Bermuda’s most beautiful and beloved spots, including intimate pink sand beaches, plant-lined pathways, and stunning ocean viewpoints.

Please your senses by cycling through small scenic towns (be sure to stop in St. George’s Parish for a coffee and a tasty treat), snapping photos of historic spots (look for the old drawbridge), smelling the fragrant flora that lines the pathways, and cooling off with a dip in the ocean as you trek along the trail by bike.

BERMUDA RAILWAY TRAIL

©BERMUDA TOURISM

If you’d prefer to tour the island by water, and get an up-close look at the area’s majestic marine life, catch a catamaran whale-watching tour from Flatts Inlet, located in front of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo. A pitstop for North American humpback whales during the spring months, Bermuda is a top spot to see the massive mammals, as thousands of humpback whales swim past the island between March and April.

BERMUDA WHALE WATCHING

©BERMUDA TOURISM

In recent years, Bermuda has become a new breeding ground for humpback whales, with baby whales breaching a more common sight in the area. As you search for the giants of the sea, keep an eye out for other wildlife as well, many of which can be found as you pass by some of Bermuda’s most famous shipwrecks, and in the island’s surrounding reef, which comes alive with sea life as you sail on by.