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Bermuda's Best Buys for visitors

Gifts and souvenirs to remember these islands

By Keith Archibald Forbes (see About Us) exclusively for Bermuda Online

To refer to this webfile, please use "bermuda-online.org/bestbuys.htm" as your Subject.

Introduction

The author will welcome e-mails with relevant contact and/or up-to-date information from Bermuda organizations. Please note it is up to the organizations to give correct information, it is not in Bermuda Online's remit to research it. Free courtesy hyperlinks (links) to the main websites of places and organizations, which include full details of their histories and operations, will be shown gladly, to give their full details as Bermuda resources, once they return the courtesy with a  free reciprocal link to our main Bermuda Online website at http://www.bermuda-online.org. See our Links and Mentions policy at http://www.bermuda-online.org/links.htm. 

Artwork

Bermuda has many artists and artisans, some very talented. Their creations are beautiful, original and unique to Bermuda. They make splendid gifts in acrylics, watercolors, or oils. Their colleagues in photography create new works daily. Local sculptors welcome visitors wherever their works are exhibited. If you have an eye for future appraised value, ask if the artist has an affiliation to a well-known overseas arts society or gallery.

Bermuda Books

These range from cookbooks featuring Bermuda's recipes to history, sailing, sociology and more. Many are described briefly in Bermuda Books. Definitely including: 

• Bermuda Atlas & Gazetteer. Daniel Blagg. 1997. US$ 120.00. The American author who until recently lived in Bermuda and taught at Saltus Grammar School. He re-located to Italy. His father was once stationed at former Kindley Air Force Base, Bermuda. 400+ pages of historical text, new color maps and original watercolors by West Indian artist Luca Gasperi. Outstanding but very heavy.
• Sea Venture. The Tempest Wreck. Sea Venture Trust, 1986, compiled by Allan J. Wingood, DFC, his wife Peggy Wingood and Jonathan Adams. A definitive souvenir of Bermuda. Mr. Wingood, a World War 2 bomber pilot, former diver, former Chairman of the Bermuda Historical Society, has personally dived on the wreck. From the Bermuda Historical Society Museum, City of Hamilton.

Bermuda cedar trays, figures and furniture

A fragrant local juniper, fully described in Bermuda Plants. Once common as a wood supply but no scarce and expensive, but unique.  Still being made are book ends, carvings, sculptures, picture frames, trays and more. Available from a number of suppliers. Cedar-framed shell maps of Bermuda are available.

Bermuda fragrances, lotions and perfumes

Establish to your satisfaction if indeed they are actually made in Bermuda, or whether only the essence is Bermudian. 

Bermuda Gombey rag doll

Bermuda Gombeys are one of the treasured local traditions. 

Banana Leaf Dolls

Made from Bermuda banana leafs.

Bermuda Longtails jewelry

• Bermuda's national birds, Harbingers of spring, they nest in Bermuda's mainland and island cliffs in summer, spend their winters at sea, and return in the spring. In 14 and 18 carat gold. By the Goebel sculptors of Hummel figurines. 

Bermuda Moongate jewelry

As described further in Traditions, the moongate, originally from the Orient, imported to Bermuda in the 1800s by a sea captain, is a national symbol and feature of many Bermuda gardens.  In China, moongate gardens are a symbol of Peace and Prosperity. A local tradition was born of honeymooners walking through a moongate to be granted their wish for peace and happiness. Lladro Bridal Couple figurine.

Bermuda Rum Cakes

By Horton's of Bermuda. Retailers of Original Bermuda rum cakes. An exquisite reminder of Bermuda.  These cakes are made with Bermuda-bottled Black Seal rum. 

What you're allowed duty free by your authorities in your country

If you're from Britain, the current duty free allowance is £145 (increases to twice that, to £290 from 1 January 2008) as Bermuda is a non European Union country. If you are a resident of Canada, a stay in Bermuda of 7 days or more entitles you to up to a personal exemption allowance of Canadian $ 750. There are separate/specific limits on alcohol and tobacco so check those separately.

If you're from the USA and have been in Bermuda for at least 48 hours, you're entitled to a duty free exemption of $800 per person on returning home (compared to only US$30 per visitor here or US$100 per person if you are an incoming resident). Additionally, if you are from and returning to the USA, gifts under $50 in value may be sent home, to people other than to yourself, every 24 hours, duty free. And antiques (over 100 years old), prints, maps, coins and stamps are all duty free. Duty free allowances and exemptions don't prohibit you from buying more.

When duties apply in specific countries on goods purchased in Bermuda beyond the duty-free allowance for returning residents, you'll often find them very reasonable compared to Bermuda's (30% of value).