Bermuda sits some 600 miles off the American coast in the Atlantic. It isn't as hot as the Caribbean islands and its waters are certainly not great for swimming year-round, but Bermuda is warm enough to host the Atlantic's northernmost corals. The beauty these corals afford, as well as the lure of numerous shipwrecks, makes diving in Bermuda's coastal waters an appealing prospect - that is, in summer when the Atlantic is warm enough.

Bermuda was first settled by the Brits in the early part of the 17th century. Culturally, Bermuda draws heavily on British influences. For some diversity, African slaves and American Indians have contributed to the island's music and dance styles.

The coastal cliffs and rocky headlands of Bermuda are interspersed with magnificent beaches and sheltered sandy coves. In place of the hotel strips, busy promenades and amusement arcades, which are commonly found associated with beaches, you will find sand dunes, tropical vegetation and picturesque rocky outcrops.

Its small, hilly limestone ground with lush, sub-tropical vegetation is 15 miles (25 km) long and less than 1.5 miles (2 km) wide. Travel time from one end of the island to the other is about 1 hour. The capital, Hamilton, is in the middle of the island, from which the airport is about 1/2 hour away, at the eastern end.