Snorkeling

Going on a Key West snorkel tour of the coral reef provides an amazing experience. Since snorkeling doesn't require any type of certification like scuba diving, anyone can go snorkeling. After signing up for a snorkel tour, you'll jump on a luxury catamaran or other vessel that will whisk you away to one of the best snorkeling locations of the reef.

Typically, you'll receive a safety lesson from your guide while on your boat ride. Your guide will also identify points of interest along the way. Upon arriving at your location, you'll be ready to jump in the water to enjoy the coral reef. Schools of tropical fish will dart around you as you enjoy brightly colored corals and unusual plant life. Since much of the coral reef in the best snorkeling spots is in shallow water, snorkeling is ideal for children or for people who aren't world-class swimmers.

Scuba Diving

If you loved your Key West snorkel adventure, you may consider taking your underwater experience one-step deeper by going scuba diving. The island also provides excellent scuba diving to deeper parts of the coral reef. You can even see local shipwrecks when scuba diving here.

While snorkeling is simple and open to everyone, scuba diving requires certification. Luckily, you can earn your certification right on the island with a course at a local dive center that involves class work, practice dives in a pool, and an ocean dive accompanied by an instructor. You can even shorten the time certification takes by signing up and completing your textbook and chapter tests before arriving on the island.

If you have previously earned your certification, but haven't been scuba diving in two years or more, you might want to consider taking a refresher course at a local dive center. A refresher course will help you brush up on your technique while regaining your sea legs before jumping in the ocean. Refresher courses involve working in the pool or ocean with an instructor and last only as long as you need instruction.

Once certified, the coral reef will provide you with a scuba diving adventure you never thought possible. There is so much incredible marine life to see. Even if you're an experienced diver, you'll see something new and exciting everywhere you look. While the reef is amazing, don't forget to explore local shipwrecks like Joe's Tug and The Cayman Salvager.

Whether you choose to Key West snorkel, scuba dive, or both, you are sure to have a huge adventure when visiting this tiny island. The coral reef and the marine life living off this tropical paradise offer a thrilling experience you'll remember for a lifetime.

About the Author

Christine O'Kelly is a writer for Key West Scuba Dive. They offer a Key West snorkel adventure.