Why Bermuda is the Best Place on Earth to Live.

You ever Googled all the attributes you'd want in a place to live and looked at places around the world that have those characteristics?

Well, I have. And hilariously enough, it's literally the place I'm from.

Bermuda is arguably the best place on the planet. Here's why.

1. The Weather Is Almost Perfect

I'm not saying Bermuda has perfect weather every single day. It doesn't. We get hurricanes, the occasional miserable stretch of winter weather, and summers that can get pretty hot and humid.

But the overall climate is hard to beat.

Winters are mild compared with most of North America. Summers are warm enough to spend your days in the ocean. And while Bermuda doesn't have the dramatic seasonal changes you get farther north, there's enough seasonality to keep things interesting. Unlike California which is positively dystopian with its lack of seasonality. Except the months where it rains like twice.

You can still feel the progression of the year. The temperature changes, plants flower at different times, migratory birds come and go, and the ocean has its own seasonal rhythms.

You don't have to choose between living somewhere with beautiful weather and living somewhere that actually has seasons. Bermuda gives you a little of both.

And perhaps most importantly, you can spend a huge portion of the year outdoors without having to plan your entire life around the weather.

2. The Beaches Are Ridiculous

I'm not sure how to adequately explain Bermuda's water to someone who hasn't seen it.

It's not just blue. It's that almost absurdly clear, turquoise water that makes you wonder whether someone has turned up the saturation on reality.

The island is surrounded by reefs, and the shallow coastal waters create an incredible range of colors. You can stand on a beach and see fish moving around in the water below you.

And then there's the pink sand.

The color comes largely from the tiny red and pink shells of foraminifera, microscopic marine organisms that accumulate alongside the other sand grains. It's one of those little natural-history details that makes Bermuda even more interesting once you start paying attention.

But the best part is that the beaches aren't just somewhere you go to sit in a chair and drink something out of a coconut.

They're a starting point for snorkeling, freediving, exploring tide pools, watching fish, and generally getting yourself into trouble in the ocean.

Which brings me to the next point.

3. There's an Entire World of Adventure Under the Surface

Bermuda might not have mountains, but it has something I would argue is considerably more interesting: an enormous amount of natural history packed into a very small area.

The island has coral reefs, underwater caves, rocky shorelines, seagrass beds, and all sorts of marine habitats to explore. There are shipwrecks offshore, too, thanks in part to the extensive reef system that has made Bermuda such a notorious hazard to navigate. There’s a map of shipwrecks easily findable in most shops and it’s hilarious because they’re literally 360 degrees around the island.

For someone who likes exploring, it's hard to get bored.

You can spend a morning snorkeling over a reef, an afternoon exploring the island's caves, and another day investigating some obscure plant growing in a limestone crevice.

And the more you learn about the place, the more interesting it gets.

That's something I particularly appreciate as a biologist. Bermuda isn't a particularly large island, but there's an awful lot going on if you know where to look.

You don't need to climb a mountain to have an adventure. Sometimes you just need a mask, a snorkel, and a reasonable understanding of where not to step.

4. You Get City Life and Nature Without Having to Choose Between Them

One of my favorite things about Bermuda is how quickly you can move between completely different environments.

You have Hamilton, with its shops, restaurants, businesses, and busy little streets. You have historic St. George's, with its distinctive architecture and long maritime history. You have neighborhoods, marinas, harbors, and the ordinary rhythms of a functioning community.

And then, a short trip away, you're walking along a quiet stretch of coastline or swimming over a reef.

You don't have to drive for hours to escape a city. You don't have to live in the middle of nowhere to have access to nature.

That's a pretty compelling combination.

It's also one of the things that makes Bermuda different from a lot of tropical destinations. It's not simply a resort built around a beach. It's a real place where people live, work, raise families, and go about their lives.

There's history here. There's culture. There's a distinctive architectural style, a complicated and fascinating past, and a local identity that isn't interchangeable with every other island in the Caribbean.

And for someone interested in natural history, the combination of human and natural landscapes makes the place even more interesting.

5. Life Moves at a Different Pace

This one is a little harder to quantify, but I think it matters more than people realize.

Bermuda is small. You see familiar faces. People have connections to one another, and there's a sense of community that's harder to find in a lot of larger places.

Of course, small communities have their own complications. Everyone knowing everyone can be a blessing and a curse.

But there's something appealing about living somewhere that doesn't feel quite so anonymous.

And the island encourages you to spend time outside. You go to the beach. You take the boat out. You stop to look at something interesting along the shoreline. You end up talking to somebody you know.

Not every day is a postcard, obviously. People still have jobs, bills, responsibilities, and all the other things that make up ordinary life.

But when your ordinary surroundings include turquoise water, beautiful coastline, and an extraordinary amount of natural beauty, it's a pretty good starting point.

A Few Other Things Bermuda Has Going for It

The more I think about my imaginary checklist for the ideal place to live, the more Bermuda ticks boxes I hadn't even considered.

It's relatively close to the United States. You're out in the Atlantic, but you're not on the other side of the world. Getting to the East Coast of the US is relatively straightforward, which is a major advantage if you have family, friends, or business connections there.

It's a naturalist's playground. Between the marine life, coastal plants, caves, birds, reefs, and seasonal migrations, there's always something to investigate. If you enjoy learning how the natural world works, a small island can keep you occupied for a lifetime.

It has a personality of its own. Bermuda has its own traditions, cuisine, architecture, and cultural identity. It isn't simply a tropical version of somewhere else.

You can live an outdoor life without being an extreme adventurer. You don't need to be a mountaineer or own an expedition vehicle. You can swim, snorkel, walk the coastline, go boating, or simply spend time outside.

And for all its beauty, Bermuda is still a functioning society, with schools, healthcare, businesses, and the infrastructure you'd expect of an established community.

Put all of that together, and it's difficult not to see the appeal.

So What's the Catch?

Well, there are a couple.

The first is money.

Bermuda is expensive. Really expensive.

It's a small island that imports a huge proportion of what it consumes, and that affects everything from groceries to building materials. Housing is expensive, too. Even if you've found your own personal paradise, you still have to pay the electricity bill.

You can't just show up with a suitcase, decide you love the place, and assume you can settle there permanently either. Immigration and residency are regulated, and non-Bermudians face restrictions on property ownership as well. The exact options depend on your circumstances, so anyone seriously considering a move needs to investigate the current rules.

And while we're being honest, island life isn't for everyone. You're surrounded by water, which can make travel more complicated. Bermudians often refer to being ‘stuck on the rock.’ Which as someone who grew up in the US with lots of space to roam I totally get. The weather can be rough at times too. The island is small, and if you need endless shopping options, a huge dating pool, or the anonymity of a major metropolitan area, you might find it limiting. I tell people all the time when I moved to the states when I was young the only difference between Bermuda and a small town in the US is the accent.

Bermuda isn't perfect.

But then again, nowhere is.

Maybe the Best Place to Live Is the One You Already Know

Here's the funny thing about all of this.

I didn't start with Bermuda and try to come up with reasons it was great. I started by thinking about the characteristics I'd want in an ideal place to live, then looked at the places that matched them. Funnily enough my second place was the Azores! - Which I’ve written about before…..

So somehow, I ended up right back where I started.

Maybe I'm biased. I grew up there, after all. It's entirely possible that familiarity has something to do with how I feel about the place.

But I also think there's something interesting about stepping back and looking at your home through the same lens you'd use to evaluate somewhere you'd never visited.

What do you actually want out of a place to live?

A comfortable climate? Access to nature? Beautiful beaches? A little adventure? A functioning community? Somewhere you can spend your time outside instead of looking forward to the next vacation?

Bermuda makes a pretty compelling case.

And perhaps the best part is that you don't have to spend your life looking for the next beautiful place. Sometimes the place you're looking for is the one you already know.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go look at career postings at the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo.