Sandys

Sandys Parish, pronounced "Sands", occupies the western tip of Bermuda and brings together Somerset Island, Boaz Island, Ireland Island and a small section of the main island. Known for its calm waters, quiet lanes and strong maritime identity, it feels noticeably slower and more local than the busier east end of the island.

The parish's story is rooted in the sea. The Royal Naval Dockyard, built in 1809 as a British naval base, supplied Royal Navy ships and served as a strategic Atlantic outpost for more than a century. Today the restored dockyard is a cultural and cruise hub, with the National Museum of Bermuda housed in the historic Keep and its Commissioner's House.

Around the parish, visitors find Somerset Village's everyday shops and cafés, the 17th-century Somerset Bridge, often called the world's smallest working drawbridge, and the hilltop Fort Scaur with views over the Great Sound and Ely's Harbour. Somerset Long Bay and Mangrove Bay offer sheltered beaches and calm, shallow water, while the Railway Trail links coastal viewpoints and quiet lanes.

Leisure and family activities centre on the Royal Naval Dockyard, from snorkelling at Snorkel Park and swimming with dolphins at Dolphin Quest to mini-golf, boat tours and the Dockyard Brewing Company's beers at the Frog & Onion Pub. During Cup Match, Somerset Cricket Club becomes a focal point of Bermudian culture and celebration.

For travellers, Sandys is both a cruise-ship gateway at King's Wharf and a relaxed base for exploring Bermuda's west end. Ferries and buses connect the parish with Hamilton, while taxis and private transfers make the Dockyard, beaches and landmarks easy to reach for day-trippers, business events and longer stays.