Keep the family entertained in Bermuda

Famous for its legendary cursed triangle, plentiful diving opportunities and beaches that are a sandy pink colour, Bermuda is a great place for a family holiday.

Around a two-hour flight away from America's east coast, Bermuda is the oldest British colony, and boasts world's the second oldest parliamentary democracy (after Great Britain).

Not actually located in the Caribbean as many presume (Nassau in the Bahamas is nearly 1,000 miles away), the fish-hook shaped islands are 23 miles long and at most 1.75 miles wide.

A year-round mild semi-tropical climate makes Bermuda ideal for family beach holidays with sunshine guaranteed.

But Bermuda has more than just beaches to keep young ones entertained.

The islands also have child-friendly activities that include sailing, water-skiing, snorkelling, and glass-bottom-boat trips (from April to October), plus tennis, museums, a chance to explore caves, an aquarium and a wide array of walking tours.

The Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo (BAMZ) has plenty of local marine life on show as well as animals from the Caribbean, Australia, Asia, Madagascar, the Galapagos and Brazil, including the endangered lion tamarind monkeys, which have thick, brightly-coloured manes.

For more information about BAMZ visit www.bamz.org

For more adventurous water-loving kids, there is a safe diving experience they will not want to miss.

A helmet dive will let kids over eight years (as well as adults) try out walking on the ocean floor, and have sea creatures eat right from their hands.

There are three different recommended operators running the helmet diving adventures that take small groups by boat to dive sites for some training, before being fitted with the special underwater helmet.

The helmets work with a hose that supplies air into the roomy helmet from the boat.

These leaves divers free to just climb down the boat's ladder and take a walking tour along the coral reef with a guide from the company, and enjoy the schools of fish and sea creatures.

For the list of recommended operators see www.bermudatourism.com/161.aspx

Once you are out of the water then you can learn about the Bermuda's seafaring past at the Maritime Museum.

Set within a large fortress at the edge of the Royal Naval Dockyard, families can visit an old munitions warehouse, the world’s first wrought iron house, and take peaks out at the ocean from the ramparts.

Inside the museum itself there are exhibits of Bermuda's nautical history including historic vessels and cannons, though what will probably excite the kids the most is the Dolphin Quest centre.

Dolphin Quest lets holidaymakers get close to one of the world’s friendliest and most intelligent mammals - the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin.

The whole family are able to touch, play and interact with the dolphins in their own lagoon, while also learning about the vital role humans play in conserving their habitat.

For more information see dolphinquest.org/destinations/bermuda

For more information, visit www.bermudatourism.com
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