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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- North America
- Bermuda
- The West
- King's Wharf
King's Wharf
A former Royal Naval Dockyard (between 1814 and 1951), turned
holiday resort, King's Wharf is a favourite port of call for cruise
liners visiting Bermuda. The old Georgian maritime fort has been
re-invented into a playground for the thousands of cruise
passengers who come ashore to enjoy themselves, do some
sightseeing, head off for nearby beaches or world-class golf
courses, or take any of a number of shore excursions on offer. The
old buildings of the dockyard, constructed by convicts from prison
ships and once known as the 'Gibraltar of the West', have been
cleverly adapted to suit the new resort role. The old Keep is now a
fascinating Maritime Museum and headquarters for dolphin
excursions, and what was once the Royal Navy administrative
headquarters has become the Clocktower Mall shopping centre. A
lively pub now occupies the old cooperage, where barrels were made,
along with an art centre, craft market and cinema. In the buildings
where strategic repair work was once carried out there are now a
pottery studio and glassworks enterprises in operation, and the
victualling yard has become the Visitor Information Centre. The
original purpose of the dockyard was as a base for the Royal Navy
to launch a raid on Washington DC, but now it is itself invaded
every day by hundreds of American citizens, and others from around
the world, who come for fun in the sun.
Information & Facts
Activities
If you can dream it, you can probably do it at King's Wharf,
where local operators offer a vast range of activities to amuse and
amaze the thousands of holiday visitors that flock into the
Dockyard every week. Of course those interested in history need
only step ashore from ship or ferry to begin their quest for
interesting sights, and those who just want to soak up the sun and
sea can head off by bus or taxi to any one of several pink-sand
beaches in the vicinity. There are watersports aplenty on offer,
from parasailing to scuba diving and swimming with dolphins.
Golfers are especially well catered for, Bermuda being famed for
its world-class courses, several of which are in easy reach of
King's Wharf. Visitors can also shop till they drop, and watch
artists and artisans at work.
Language
English is the official language.
Money
The Bermudan Dollar (BMD) is divided into 100 cents, and is tied
to the US Dollar (US$1=BD$1). US currency is accepted almost
everywhere and other major currencies can be exchanged at banks and
bureaux de change. Banking hours vary, though most are open
weekdays from 9am to 4.30pm. Visa, MasterCard and American Express,
and travellers cheques are widely accepted and ATMs are extensively
available. To avoid additional charges, it is best to carry
travellers cheques in US dollars. Visitors are advised to exchange
all their Bermudan Dollars before leaving, as it is impossible to
exchange once outside the country.
Negatives
Most tourists find the King's Wharf resort quite expensive.
Restaurants
There are plenty of restaurants at King's Wharf where holiday
visitors can linger over a tasty meal. Local dishes include fish
chowder enhanced with rum and peppers, or shark hash. Don't miss
out on anything that comes with Bermuda onions. Recommended is the
Frog & Onion Pub, with its speciality conch fritters, or more
simple delights like bangers and mash. For excellent local seafood
(including the best fish and chips in the area) it is hard to beat
the Freeport Gardens Restaurant. Afternoon tea is a tradition
enhanced to perfect proportions at the Lighthouse Tea Room where
delicious berried confections come amply doused in whipped cream,
while for a quick burger or pizza try Pirate's Landing.
Shopping
A Bermuda holiday offers duty-free shopping where holidaymakers
can pick up UK imports like tweeds and cashmere as bargains. King's
Wharf offers a shopping mall and several craft stalls where it is
easy to spend your holiday savings on gifts and souvenirs.
Favourite buys are cedar-wood items, hand-crafted jewellery,
ceramics, candles, fabric art, local ginger beer and rum and so
much more. Everywhere you can pick up the famous Bermuda shorts,
which are a must-have.
Time
GMT -4 (GMT -3 from the second Sunday in March to the first
Sunday in November).