Christmas Island, a rocky spot in the Indian Ocean 2600 kilometers (1616 miles) north-west of Perth, is not an average tropical island paradise. Nicknamed as “Galapagos of the Indian Ocean”, the island is popular for its red crabs, seabirds, whale sharks and spectacular coral reefs.
Almost two-thirds of this island is a national park. Comparable to Asia than mainland Australia, it’s home to some beguiling mix of cultures and some of the planet’s most spectacular all-natural wonders.
This amazing island is the host to the “Annual Red Crab Migration” an occasion that doesn’t happen anywhere else on the planet. With some of the beautiful landscapes, amazing coral and marine life, and remarkable rainforest, Christmas Island is an eco-paradise simply waiting to be explored. I bet this island got all the ingredients for an unforgettable experience.
We have got everything you want to learn from Travel to Christmas Island. This includes recommendations for where to eat, and where to stay along with the incredible things to do on Christmas Island. We also shorted essential visitor facts, type of flight routes, the way to get around, and tour operators and tools to make you stay the best it can be.
Christmas Island Facts:
Why Is Christmas Island Called “CHRISTMAS ISLAND”?
First sighted in 1615 by Richard Rowe, master of this Thomas, it wasn’t until Captain William Mynors of the Royal Mary, an English East India Company vessel, named the island once he sailed back it on Christmas Day, in 1643.
Fun Facts: It is always Known as Christmas Island and not Xmas Island.
Where Is Christmas Island?
Christmas Island is an Australian External Territory located in the Indian Ocean. Fun Fact is that it is, in fact, closer to Indonesia than Australia. For this, Christmas Island natives always say their address is ‘Christmas Island Indian Ocean’. This can be seen in all tourism products rather than Christmas Island, Australia.
How To Travel To Christmas Island?
Christmas Island is one of the most isolated parts of Australia and can be far removed from the normal tourist trail. Many fly into Christmas Island on Tuesday and Friday; Garuda operates their return service on Fridays only and Malindo Air has just (overdue 2018) started an agency from Kuala Lumpur that fly on Monday and Tuesdays.
How To Get Around Christmas Island?
Covering an entire area of 135 square km (of which 63 percent is Covered by incredible flora and fauna from Christmas Island National Park), visitors will need to hire a vehicle so as to get around Christmas Island.
There is not any public transport, and simply 1 taxi firm available. Therefore if you are wishing to get the absolute most from your visit, you’ll require car hire. A variety of two or 4WD cars are readily available to collect at Christmas Island airport and are ideal for exploring the Island.
Currency Usage On The Island
As an Australian external territory, the Aussie Dollar is legal. All supermarkets, stores, and restaurants accept credit and debit cards over here. However, money in little notes is quite much appreciated at most establishments. There is just 1 lender on the Island possessed by Westpac, nevertheless, cash can be removed if you spend over $20 in the supermarket or by the post office located just above Flying Fish Cove.
Christmas Island Things To Do And Top Attractions:
1. See Incredible Army Of Crabs On The Move
One of the unique attractions of Christmas Island is its annual crab migration, where millions of red land crabs make their way by the woods down to the shore to spawn at the beginning of the wet season.
Migration time is usually in late October and November. However, you will see thousands of carpets in the landscape any time of year, especially in the forests. The island is also home to the world’s largest land crab: the Robber Crab also referred to as the Coconut Crab.
Fun Fact: Robber crabs are as much as a meter (3.3 feet) wide, claw to claw. These robber crabs can live for up to 100 decades.
2. Explore The Island
You will find a number of tracks, and walking paths that can direct deep into the woods to waterfalls, clifftop, and beautiful beaches. Top spots include the Dales, in which you follow the course of freshwater flow to a small waterfall beneath which you can stand.
The Blowholes, where waves whoosh through countless holes along a shoreline covered in black stone pinnacles. Pick a vehicle through the visitor information center or join a tour.
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3. Explore Underwater Paradise
On Christmas Island, the water is hot all year round, and totally free of stingers (toxic box jellyfish). Go for snorkeling over coral gardens directly from the beach at Flying Fish Cove. This is the main hub of Christmas Island.
Perched on the edge of the Java Trench, the island has some of the longest drop-offs on the planet. These drop-offs are around 16,400 ft deep. A number of those walls are just 66 ft from shore.
The waters are habitat to more than 575 species of tropical fish and whale sharks. These marine lives are often sighted on dive trips between November and May.
4. Observe Some Of The World’s Rarest Birds
Be a keen birdwatcher on Christmas Island. Beautiful gold bosuns, using their yellow plumage and long trailing tails, ring on the clifftops. Bold frigate birds dive-bomb swimming pools for a beverage.
Masses of red-footed and brown boobies are just about anywhere. You have even got a good chance of seeing the trendiest booby of all of them, Abbott’s booby. The boobies have no fear of people and permit you to get very close to their nests. These are usually on the ground, providing some wonderful photo opportunities.
