Horseshoe Bay

Bermuda has five centuries of maritime history, including its accidental discovery by Spanish sailor Juan de Bermudez in the early 1500s. Bring up Bermuda these days and clock how long it takes for someone to mention shorts, the onion or the triangle. Beyond these famous and infamous details are a multitude of attractions, from numerous diveable shipwrecks, and its history as a British territory and later a destination for rich Americans with a passion for golf and sailing, to its singular concrete architecture, pastel-painted with terraced white rooftops. And then there's the dreamlike perfection of the island's pink sand beaches -- particularly Horseshoe Bay.

Easily accessible from any part of the island (there are no car rentals, so get a scooter), this coastal enclave is more crescent than U, with a pleasing palette of colors -- the pale pink sand, standard-issue crystal-clear blue water hovering above teeming coral reefs, lush green vegetation and rocky terrain rising above the bay. Aside from its natural beauty, Horseshoe makes for a decidedly easy-breezy beach day with chair and umbrella rentals, snacks and beers, lifeguards and relatively calm water. The America’s Cup in 2017 made Bermuda a major hot-ticket destination. (One word of warning for those who want to spend a day at Horseshoe Bay, mind the cruise schedule.)