For more active travelers, Adam McCulloch's Kayaking the Florida Keys: A how-to guide explains which route to take, which kayak to choose and the best time of year to paddle through the miles of mangroves.

BBC: This is Miami week

The favourite route of Bill Keogh, a guide with outfitter Big Pine Kayak Adventures ( www.keyskayaktours.com) and author of the Florida Keys Paddling Guide, is a day trip from Seven Mile Bridge in a kayak fitted with a sail.

BBC: Kayaking the Florida Keys: A how-to guide

The route, they said, is prohibitively expensive due to China's high permit and guide fees.

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