Christmas Island
A remote Australian island in the Indian Ocean where tens of millions of red crabs march to the sea each year, and rainforest national park and sheer coral reef walls make it a haven for diving and birdwatching.
Christmas Island is an Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean, about 350 km south of Java and some 2,600 km northwest of Perth. It covers around 135 sq km and has fewer than 2,000 residents, mainly of Chinese, Malay and European descent, with temples, mosques and colonial buildings standing side by side. The island is a coral limestone plateau capping an undersea volcano, ringed by sheer sea cliffs, with primary rainforest covering the interior; about 60% of it is national park. Its most famous spectacle is the red crab migration at the start of the wet season each Oct–Dec, when tens of millions of red crabs surge to the coast to spawn. It is also home to robber crabs (coconut crabs), Abbott's booby and other endemic species, and its steep coral reef walls hug the shoreline, making it a superb spot for diving and snorkelling, with a chance of encountering whale sharks Nov–Apr. The climate is hot and humid year-round at around 26–28°C, with the wet season Dec–Apr and drier weather May–Nov. Use Flying Fish Cove (the main settlement) as your base: head southeast to Margaret Knoll, Dolly Beach and the Blowholes, northwest to The Dales, and to Ethel Beach and Lily Beach on the east coast. Getting there: the main route is by air from Perth (only a few flights a week, often stopping in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands). There is no public transport on the island, so book a hire car in advance; many sites are reached by dirt road, where a 4WD is more convenient. Allow 4–7 days; accommodation and hire cars are limited, so book well ahead for the migration season. As Australian territory, Australian visa and quarantine rules apply on entry.
Top sights
- Christmas Island Red Crab Migration – Each year tens of millions of red crabs stream from the rainforest to the coast to spawn, covering roads and beaches. It is considered one…
- Flying Fish Cove – The island’s only harbor and main settlement. You can snorkel right off the beach to see coral reef walls, and restaurants and the visitor…
- Dolly Beach – A white-sand beach fringed with coconut palms, hidden at the end of the rainforest and reached by a boardwalk. It is often rated the island…
- The Dales – A Ramsar wetland at the west end of the island. Hugh’s Dale, one of the seven gorges, has waterfalls and tufa terraces and is the island’s…
- The Blowholes – Sea-eroded holes in the black limestone cliffs of the south coast. When the waves surge in, columns of water burst skyward with roars and s…
- Ethel Beach – A small bay on the east coast with picnic areas and wooden steps down to the sand, suited to snorkelling and watching red crabs release the…
- Lily Beach – A small east-coast bay enclosed by rocks, with wooden walkways, picnic areas and natural rock pools. It is good for families who want to wa…
- Margaret Knoll Lookout – A lookout on a high east-coast cliff overlooking endless rainforest and blue sea, where frigatebirds and white-tailed tropicbirds often cir…
- The Grotto – A sea-eroded cave near the settlement, where fresh and salt water meet to form a turquoise pool just a few steps from the road.
- Greta Beach – A secluded small beach on the southeast coast and a green turtle nesting site, reached by a steep staircase down the cliff.
- Christmas Island National Park – A national park covering about 60 per cent of the island. Primeval rainforest, endemic birds and land crabs are its highlights.
- Territory Day Park – A hillside park above the settlement overlooking Flying Fish Cove and the harbour, with trails and picnic facilities.
- Tai Jin House – A colonial-era administrative residence from the 1890s, now a small museum showing phosphate mining and the island's multicultural migrant…
Where to eat
- Lucky Ho Chinese Restaurant – A long-established Chinese restaurant in the Poon Saan Chinese neighbourhood, with a balcony view over the residential…
- Bosun Tavern – The island's main tavern in the settlement, facing the Indian Ocean with rainforest behind it. Watching the sunset from…
- Seaview Fish & Chips – A small fish and chips shop on Poon Saan Road serving locally caught wahoo and tuna at good value, great for taking awa…
Itineraries
- Christmas Island & Cocos (Keeling) Islands Combo – Depart from Perth and spend 7 nights on each island, exploring red crab rainforests, coral reefs, and Malay village ato…