125+ web files in a constantly updated compendium on Bermuda's business, culture, cuisine, customs, districts, economy, education, food, geography, government, history, internet access, laws, parishes, politics, religions, traditions, wildlife etc. For tourists, business visitors, employers, employees, newcomers, researchers, retirees, scholars. Funded by and linked to The Royal Gazette, Bermuda's only daily newspaper.

Bermuda's Best Buys for visitors

Gifts and souvenirs to remember our 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

To be free courtesy linked to their website and e-mail addresses, shown in bold as recommended by this website and shown by name, all persons and organizations who wish their products to be shown here must link to Bermuda Online, in accordance with its Links policy.

They include:

Annual Sterling Silver Ornaments

All exclusively from and made solely by Walker Christopher at 9 Front Street, Hamilton, at phone (441) 295-1466 or fax (441) 292-6656. They are unique. They can be worn on a chain year-round. You'll pay $75 each. Those issued to date are:

• 1985. Bermuda Longtail
• 1986. Bermuda Onion
• 1987. Bermuda Fitted Dinghy
• 1988. Bermuda Angel Fish
• 1989. Bermuda Moongate
• 1990. Bermuda Lily
• 1991. Bermuda Lizard
• 1992. Gibb's Hill Lighthouse
• 1993. Bermudiana
• 1994. Bermuda Tree Frog.
• 1995. Bermuda Kite
• 1996. Blue Heron
• 1997. Bermuda Hibiscus
• 1998. Bermuda Island
• 1999. Bermuda Hog Coin
• 2000. Tall Ship
• 2001. St. Peter's Church
• 2002. Seahorse
• 2003. Gombey
• 2004. Green Turtle
• 2005. Bay Grape
• 2006. Bird Cage
• 2007. Land Crab

From left to right, Green Turtle; Bay Grape; Bird Cage; Land Crab

Antiques and collectibles

Mostly made in Britain, they include accessories, Bermuda silver coins past and current, furniture, maps, historic local postcards, prints and postage stamps. In select stores.

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. 

Bermuda honey

Bees were first imported on a British ship in 1616 when English colonist Robert Rich received some sent to him by his cousin Sir Nathaniel Rich. 

In contrast, bees were not imported from England to the USA until six years later. Bees and beeswax were exported for many years in small quantities from Bermuda to both the USA and Caribbean. 

Local folklore says a teaspoon of Bermuda honey taken with tea is a powerful aphrodisiac. 

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. 

Cigars, cigarettes

For export only. Export prices are for outgoing visitors (Bermuda is not a duty free port). For US residents who can't legally bring Cuban cigars into the USA from Bermuda, Jamaican and others are available.

Liquor

Export only. Export prices are for outgoing visitors, not incoming as Bermuda is not a duty free port. (Incoming visitors should bring in their own duty-free liquor, for far less than non duty-free locally). But the benefit to outgoing visitors can be considerable. This applies if you buy and pay for the liquor after you check in at the airport for your departure for a flight with one of the commercial airlines serving Bermuda. Export prices are far cheaper than local retail prices for items to be consumed in Bermuda (see our Cost of Living Guide to Bermuda. For example, a 1 liter bottle of rum at export price when you leave might be US$11 (but US$26 locally). 

Visitors going from Bermuda to London (Gatwick), from there to another British airport and thinking of buying their liquor at the Bermuda airport shop after they have checked in their luggage but fore their flight to Gatwick should make a special point of first checking at the shop. Why? Because they will need to find out if they will be allowed, on arrival in the UK, to take their 1 liter or 0.70 liter bottles in their hand luggage from any British airport on any departing flight. Currently, they are not allowed to do so in the UK. The airport shop or an airline may be able to offer some advice on how to ensure the bottles are carried in checked luggage, at owners risk.

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 EU country. If you're Canadian, a stay in Bermuda entitles you to up to a Canadian $ 700 allowance. 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 your own country on goods purchased in Bermuda, you'll often find them very reasonable.