Bermuda

Britain's oldest colony, Bermuda, is a land of pink, sandy beaches, clear turquoise seas and picturesque old colonial towns. It is hard now to imagine that sailors knew it as Devil's Island, but the combination of shallow waters and coral reefs caused many a shipwreck in the past. Today, however, the reefs provide a wonderful playground for swimming, snorkelling, and diving.

Bermuda is an archipelago comprised of approximately 200 coral islands and islets located 650 miles (1,045km) off the east coast of America, in the Atlantic. The mainland consists of the seven main islands linked to each other by causeways and bridges and stretches just 20 miles (32km) from tip to tail.

Most visitors to the islands are American citizens who think of it fondly as very English in character. British visitors on the other hand feel that it has a strongly American flavour. In truth, Bermuda has a distinct atmosphere that draws its influences from American and British traditions merged with local island culture. Business attire might constitute a jacket and tie with Bermuda shorts, while bikinis are banned further than 25 feet (7.5m) away from the water!

With its mixture of colonial style and its proximity to America, Bermuda has become a centre of high finance as well as one of the world's most coveted holiday destinations. Generous tax advantages and satellite communications have induced a stream of major corporations to set up offices on the island, and have helped the country become one of the richest, per capita, in the world.