Hidden Gems of Bermuda

[hdw4sting]

Does anyone have any experience of this tour through DCL? We’re on the WBTA in Sept and only have one day on the island so are looking for something that gives us a flavour of Bermuda with a tour as well as some beach time.

We’ve looked at horseshoe bay and the crystal caves too but wondered if this would give us a bit more of a rounded experience?

If anyone has any other suggestions we’re totally open to them, we’re a group of 4, two 40 somethings and 2 seniors if that helps!

Thanks!

 

[Lilias]

We talked to someone who did the Hidden Gems tour and he said it was pretty rigorous, but amazing! I didn't book it because I was worried about injuring myself cliff jumping. I'm also not a great swimmer and you swim in a cave on that excursion. Funnily enough, I STILL injured myself because we explored the rocky side beach of Horseshoe Bay, ha. No regrets!

We were disappointed with the crystal caves and aquarium and considered it a waste of a day. Luckily, we had two days! But we overheard people at guest services getting refunds for their cave excursions, too. We booked ours through tripadvisor because I could never get the Disney Caves and Flamingoes excursion. I wonder if the Disney Caves/Flamingoes excursion was for that same one we were on? It must have been, because there was only one Disney cave excursion (and there were mostly other DCL people on the tour with us). It promised we'd go to a zoo and we never did! But the cave WAS very pretty. They're just so far away that you might risk wasting your whole day to see them (and it's just a 30 minute tour for each of the two caves. Our excursion ran late and we only did one of the the two promised caves...). It was supposed to be a 4 hr excursion and it ran closer to 6--lots of people losing their minds about missing the first dinner.

Horseshoe Bay is a 30 min bus ride, Crystal Caves etc are by Hamilton so they're more like 1 hr away. On our way there, our bus driver took us on a scenic route that added about 20 minutes. 1 hr 20 minutes on a bus, whew! On the way back, he went a more direct route and went really fast so that the people complaining about missing dinner would make it on time. That time it was like 50 minutes, lol.

With just ONE day, I would just shop around the port and catch a bus to Horseshoe Bay. But, we're beach people!

 

[Michele&Jessica]

I did it and loved it! I am 69 years old and had no problem. I do not even swim but did go into the water in the cave. Enjoyed watching others cliff diving. Guide was very informative and learned a lot about the 'jungle'. After we went to secluded beach and snorkled. Lunch was good too. You can also check out trip advisor for reviews.

 

[AquaDame]

We talked to someone who did the Hidden Gems tour and he said it was pretty rigorous, but amazing! I didn't book it because I was worried about injuring myself cliff jumping. I'm also not a great swimmer and you swim in a cave on that excursion. Funnily enough, I STILL injured myself because we explored the rocky side beach of Horseshoe Bay, ha. No regrets!

We were disappointed with the crystal caves and aquarium and considered it a waste of a day. Luckily, we had two days! But we overheard people at guest services getting refunds for their cave excursions, too. We booked ours through tripadvisor because I could never get the Disney Caves and Flamingoes excursion. I wonder if the Disney Caves/Flamingoes excursion was for that same one we were on? It must have been, because there was only one Disney cave excursion (and there were mostly other DCL people on the tour with us). It promised we'd go to a zoo and we never did! But the cave WAS very pretty. They're just so far away that you might risk wasting your whole day to see them (and it's just a 30 minute tour for each of the two caves. Our excursion ran late and we only did one of the the two promised caves...). It was supposed to be a 4 hr excursion and it ran closer to 6--lots of people losing their minds about missing the first dinner.

Horseshoe Bay is a 30 min bus ride, Crystal Caves etc are by Hamilton so they're more like 1 hr away. On our way there, our bus driver took us on a scenic route that added about 20 minutes. 1 hr 20 minutes on a bus, whew! On the way back, he went a more direct route and went really fast so that the people complaining about missing dinner would make it on time. That time it was like 50 minutes, lol.

With just ONE day, I would just shop around the port and catch a bus to Horseshoe Bay. But, we're beach people!

The aquarium and zoo are attached... if you go outside the aquarium down the walkway by the museum area you go out into the zoo portion. It is small like the aquarium but it IS there!

 

[Lilias]

The aquarium and zoo are attached... if you go outside the aquarium down the walkway by the museum area you go out into the zoo portion. It is small like the aquarium but it IS there!

Ahh! He only gave us 15 minutes, though, so no time for both

 

[hdw4sting]

We talked to someone who did the Hidden Gems tour and he said it was pretty rigorous, but amazing! I didn't book it because I was worried about injuring myself cliff jumping. I'm also not a great swimmer and you swim in a cave on that excursion. Funnily enough, I STILL injured myself because we explored the rocky side beach of Horseshoe Bay, ha. No regrets!

We were disappointed with the crystal caves and aquarium and considered it a waste of a day. Luckily, we had two days! But we overheard people at guest services getting refunds for their cave excursions, too. We booked ours through tripadvisor because I could never get the Disney Caves and Flamingoes excursion. I wonder if the Disney Caves/Flamingoes excursion was for that same one we were on? It must have been, because there was only one Disney cave excursion (and there were mostly other DCL people on the tour with us). It promised we'd go to a zoo and we never did! But the cave WAS very pretty. They're just so far away that you might risk wasting your whole day to see them (and it's just a 30 minute tour for each of the two caves. Our excursion ran late and we only did one of the the two promised caves...). It was supposed to be a 4 hr excursion and it ran closer to 6--lots of people losing their minds about missing the first dinner.

Horseshoe Bay is a 30 min bus ride, Crystal Caves etc are by Hamilton so they're more like 1 hr away. On our way there, our bus driver took us on a scenic route that added about 20 minutes. 1 hr 20 minutes on a bus, whew! On the way back, he went a more direct route and went really fast so that the people complaining about missing dinner would make it on time. That time it was like 50 minutes, lol.

With just ONE day, I would just shop around the port and catch a bus to Horseshoe Bay. But, we're beach people!

Ahhhhh thank you so much for this super detailed reply!!! I think it’s definitely down to hidden gems or horseshoe for us now then, it’s so useful to hear back from people that have actually done the trips and reflected on them, sometimes even a YouTube video is too “in the moment” to get a balanced view!

 

[hdw4sting]

I did it and loved it! I am 69 years old and had no problem. I do not even swim but did go into the water in the cave. Enjoyed watching others cliff diving. Guide was very informative and learned a lot about the 'jungle'. After we went to secluded beach and snorkled. Lunch was good too. You can also check out trip advisor for reviews.

The reviews on TA are incredible for it aren’t they? I was a bit wary that it might be too much for my parents but this has given me that reassurance!

I’m still swaying between this and horseshoe bay, just because it has that “iconic to Bermuda” feel and this is our only beach-type stop on the WBTA but maybe that’s a good excuse to get onto a Panama sailing next year and hit up the beaches that way instead!

 

[jkeilty]

We did the NY to Bermuda cruise last September. We ended up doing Crystal Caves one day and Horseshoe Bay the next on our own. It was very easy to grab a cab right from the port, saved us a lot of money, and allowed us to move at our own pace. I recommend both of them!

 

[dismiss]

Hidden Gems is the Best tour on the Island and you will go places that the general public cannot access on their own. Very knowledgeable guides who have lived on the island all their lives