Bermuda: My Pink Sand Paradise

The ship docks inside a fortress — actual 19th-century stone walls and cannons everywhere. The Dockyard has great museums and shops, but we hopped the ferry to Hamilton first for pastel buildings and Front Street vibes, then public bus #7 straight to Horseshoe Bay.

Nothing prepares you for that first sight of the beach — the sand is actually pink (crushed shells + coral), and the water is the color of a Tiffany box. We tucked ourselves into a cove between limestone rocks and spent hours floating in bath-warm water so clear we watched baby sergeant major fish nibble algae off our fingers.

Afternoon rum swizzle at Swizzle Inn (yes, "Swizzle Inn, swagger out") — Bermuda's dangerously drinkable rum, dark rum, Gosling's Black Seal ginger beer, fruit juices. Paired with shark hash — minced shark meat on toast — sounds weird, tastes amazing.

We took the ferry back at golden hour; the Great Sound looked like liquid gold with sailboats racing.

The pros: the cleanest, safest, and most polite island I've ever visited.

The cons: expensive (but absolutely worth it).