Devil’s Hole Aquarium

The historic value of Devil’s Hole Aquarium (92 Harrington Sound Rd., tel. 441/293-2072, devilshole [at] tbinet [dot] bm, www.devilshole.bm [1], 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. daily, closed Oct.–Apr., $10 adults, $5 seniors and children under 12, food baskets for sealife $5)—whose neighborhood takes the same name—far outweighs its contemporary offerings. Devil’s Hole itself is a curious roadside site, considered Bermuda’s [2] first tourist attraction.

Dating back more than 150 years, Devil’s Hole Aquarium was a must-see for Victorian visitors such as Princess Louise (Queen Victoria’s daughter). “One moment was quite enough,” noted American visitor Julia Dorr, who dropped in the same year to take a look at Devil’s Hole. “No rendezvous for gods or fairies this, but a natural fish pond,” she sniffed.

Inside the walled entrance is a pond, set in a large cavern and fed by ocean currents through a subterranean connection to the South Shore—hence the groupers, snappers, and other reef fish that dart about its depths along with a collection of turtles. The hefty entry charge of $10 per person buys a bucket of squid and a “fishing pole” with alligator clip to dangle over the railing and feed the marinelife below.

Feeling turtles yanking the line is vaguely entertaining (especially for children), but the creatures soon lose interest, and appetite, after a few groups of daily visitors. Generally a letdown, the whole experience lasts only 20 minutes or so. A small on-site eatery, Angel Wings Café, serves sandwiches, sodas, and snacks.