Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Remote Australian coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, with Cossies Beach on Direction Island, drift snorkeling in tidal channels and the Malay culture of Home Island.

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean, about 2,900 km northwest of Perth and about 1,000 km southwest of Jakarta. They consist of the 26 coral islands of the main southern atoll and the isolated North Keeling, 24 km to the north, with a permanent population of only about 600. Only West Island and Home Island are inhabited: West Island has the airport, the visitor center and most of the mainland Australian residents, while Home Island is home to the Cocos Malays. From the 19th century the islands were ruled as a "private kingdom" by the Clunies-Ross family for about 150 years, until a 1984 referendum integrated them with Australia. The lagoon is the main attraction: take the ferry to uninhabited Direction Island for Cossies Beach and drift-snorkel with sharks and turtles in The Rip; kitesurf in the southern lagoon during the Apr–Nov trade-wind season; paddle a canoe to Prison Island; or explore the Malay village on Home Island and visit Oceania House and the museum. Visiting Pulu Keeling National Park on North Keeling requires a permit and a chartered boat, depending on sea conditions. The climate is tropical year-round, around 24–30°C. From Apr to Nov the southeast trade winds blow strongly, ideal for kitesurfing; Dec–Mar brings lighter winds and calm water, good for snorkeling, though cyclones occasionally occur. The only way in is on Virgin Australia flights from Perth (about 4–5 hours, via Christmas Island), roughly twice a week, and accommodation is limited, so book ahead. Inter-island transport relies on ferries running several times a week and local boat tours. Prices are high and shops are few; plan on 5–7 days. Australian citizens do not need a passport; all other visitors need a valid Australian visa.

Top sights

• Cossies Beach, Direction Island – A white-sand bay on an uninhabited island, once named Australia's best beach, with coconut palms, a lagoon and clear water that feels almos…
• The Rip – A tidal channel at the south end of Direction Island for drift snorkeling, with schools of grey reef sharks, turtles and napoleon wrasse. I…
• Home Island – An island home to about 500 Cocos Malays, where mosques, jetties and coconut-palm cottages preserve a distinct Malay culture.
• Pulu Keeling National Park – A remote national park about 24 km north of the main atoll, home to tens of thousands of red-footed boobies breeding, and the most pristine…
• South Lagoon & Pulu Maraya – The shallow southern lagoon of the atoll, which becomes one of the world’s best-known kitesurfing destinations during the trade-wind season…
• Trannies Beach – A beach on the north side of West Island facing the Indian Ocean, popular for surfing, beach walks and sunsets, with the remains of an old…
• Oceania House – A residence built in 1893 by the Clunies-Ross family, the “Kings of the Cocos,” which bears witness to over a century of history of this pr…
• Home Island Museum (Pulu Cocos Museum) – A small community museum presenting the life of the Cocos Malays, the Clunies-Ross dynasty and the history of World War II.
• Prison Island – A tiny sand islet in the lagoon, where, in the 19th century, the wives and concubines of a rival of the “King of the Cocos” were held, now…
• West Island Settlement – The small town on West Island, where the airport is located and where the tourist center, supermarket and cafés are concentrated, with an o…
• Horsburgh Island – A small island at the northern entrance of the atoll that preserves the coastal artillery battery remains of the British forces during Worl…

Where to eat

• Tropika Restaurant – A halal Malay restaurant at Cocos Beach Resort, the only eatery on the island serving three meals a day, with the eveni…
• Surfer Girl Restaurant & Brewery – A small restaurant and craft brewery in a seaside garden, serving a rotating menu with coconut and local coral trout on…
• Salty's Oven Bakery – A takeaway window beside the airport terminal and Cocos Club, serving coffee and baked goods in the morning and rotatin…

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…