Fact Sheets & Video - Miami

Just south of Miami is Florida Keys, a chain of islands stretching over 200 kilometres towards Cuba. The area is divided into five main regions which include Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key and Key West.

The islands from Key Largo to Key West are connected by the overseas highway 43 bridges, 1 of which is 7 miles long! The whole journey will take you about 3 hours, travelling over the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico revealing one of the most stunning drives.

Florida Keys is so far removed from the US that everything is just that little bit different and quirky. Firstly, at the top end in Key Largo, the main attraction is not on land but out in the water in America's only coral reef. Now it may not be the most spectacular reef you have ever seen but you may get a bit of a surprise when you see what is down there. Resting on the sea bed is 'Christ in the Deep' which stands 4 metres high and is an underwater shrine to Jesus Christ. It was donated by an Italian businessman but in true Keys fashion, there is no explanation as to why?!

There is a distinct Keys phenomenon which will become apparent when you get there and that is the cult of the 'RV', the Recreational Vehicle. When it starts to get a bit chilly up north, the Americans like to hop in their RV's and congregate in the Keys. Furnished with all the latest mod-cons and in all shapes and sizes they are something to be desired! And, if you happen to be around at 5pm then you can join in with the party bus happy hour where everyone stops what they're doing to sit down and have a drink together.

If travelling by RV is not your thing then you can take to the water seeing as the Keys is the Boating Capital of America. For an alternative kind of cruise, call Captain Joe and go for a ride in his limo. on water! The idea came to him one day whilst driving along the coast in his limo and for around $50, you too can travel in style in the 'Nautilimo'.

Key West is the southernmost city of America and was once home to many famous writers such as Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams. In memory of Hemmingway, they hold an annual look-alike competition which turns out to be the biggest event for the town.

These days half the bars in Key West claim to be former Hemmingway hang-outs as he was notorious for the amount he drank. His old home has also been turned into a museum and for $13 you can have a look around. Weirdly enough, what draws many people to his house is not the history related to Hemmingway but the number of cats he left behind all with an abnormal amount of toes. A lot of them had one too many!

Due to the location of Key West you can watch the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean and later watch it set on the Gulf of Mexico. The views are just stunning and should be enjoyed eating none other then the traditional Key Lime Pie found in every restaurant in town. Not weird enough for you, then there is always frozen Key Lime Pie, choc dipped on a stick - yummy?!