Orlando, Miami And Scuba Diving Bimini Islands

I began by driving to Orlando, in central Florida. Orlando is like a giant theme park unto itself. There are activities for every sensibility, from the amusement parks, to the manatees, to the local crystal-clear springs and river, hidden little islands, to exotic animal and bird sanctuaries, to swamp tours, there are adventures hidden around every corner. The manatees are only around during the colder winter months, and cannot be missed - these gentle giants are some of the sweetest and cutest animals alive, and you will treasure every second floating with them! They are also super playful and will often swim around you, bump into you, and roll around in acrobatic tricks. We also stopped by a few exotic bird and animal sanctuaries and had the opportunity to learn about and play with lemurs, sloths, macaws, and many more! We also stopped at a wolf sanctuary, and were able to pet wolves, foxes, and skunks. I spent countless days exploring all the local springs and rivers, which are filled with spotlessly clear waters and often turtles and other surprises. Caladesi Island State Park is also worth a visit - it's a separated from the more touristic beaches within only a short and scenic boat ride, and it will give you miles of empty beaches and beautiful views to enjoy. I also stopped by Epcot to enjoy the World Showcase. 

Then, I drove down to Miami. Miami is an extremely lively city - as we were heading out at 6am to catch our boat to Bimini, most others were only just arriving back from the clubs! We only stayed in Miami the night before our boat trip, and then on the way back we stayed another night to go diving in Blue Heron Bridge. This is the best shore dive I've ever done, and I highly recommend it! There were endless sea stars and amazing corals, plus lots of macro. The diving is also quite easy, very shallow with good visibility, so you get lots of bottom time - just watch out for the swimmers, snorkelers, and fishermen!

From the hustle-and-bustle of Miami we sailed to the tranquil Bimini Islands, truly a paradise on earth! Although these are the closest islands to Miami (only 2 hours by boat), they have gone largely undiscovered. In our four days on the island, we saw almost no other tourists. We had miles and miles of gorgeous, candy blue beaches all to ourselves, and went on the most amazing dives with sharks and wild dolphins with only two other guests during peak season. The local culture is extremely laidback and friendly (everyone drives golf carts and spends plenty of time just relaxing on the beach with a coconut in hand) and the locals seem to genuinely appreciate being able to share their beautiful home with tourists. These locals are some of the kindest and friendliest I've met anywhere! The snorkeling and diving are top-notch even right off the beach, and you can have the best days of your life here just relaxing on the beach! This is a place to come to unwind and experience a life of peaceful paradise.