First thing you notice when you reach Key Largo, first of a necklace of islands stretching into the Gulf of Mexico, is the colour of the waters. On the bayside a palette of greens and blues, on the Gulf side hues of downright cerulean.

And that’s when it strikes you—on board a glass-bottom boat off John Pennekamp State Park checking out the blue, red and yellow fish and coral, booking a charter out of an indigo and yellow building on Islamorada, or maybe taking in a pink and scarlet sunset at Key West’s Mallory Square—that it’s the colours of the Florida Keys that make them such an appealing destination.

That’s when it dawns on you that cerulean is the perfect adjective for these waters that stretch south from the causeway, nuzzling secret beaches.

For cerulean means heaven-coloured. And everything else about the Keys is downright heavenly—a destination that feels like heaven on Earth, a chain of islands each of which evokes a different mood and vibe.

A WORLD OF EXPERIENCES

The Florida Keys offer a wealth of activities, attractions and allures that are as kaleidoscopic as their colours.

Think Duval Street in Key West—sizzling, bustling, hedonistic. Yet Key West also boasts historic highlights like Hemingway’s house and Fort Zachary Taylor.

Think Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys where your only company might be a herd of tiny deer, cute as Christmas postcards. Or maybe sip a cool one at No Name Bar on Big Pine Key in the shade of a veritable ransom of banknotes—a sort of quirky Keys rite of passage.

Soak up culture during Islamorada’s monthly Artwalk in the Morada Way Arts and Culture District or try your luck in the world’s sport fishing capital. Learn about conservation at the Turtle Hospital or bond with nature at the Dolphin Research Centre, both highlights of a visit to Marathon.

Go for local cuisine: catch of the day at Fish House, fine dining in Key West.

Or just enjoy the colours of the Keys, the colours of heaven itself.

TRAVEL PLANNER

Plan your favourite island escape in the Florida Keys at fla-keys.com.