Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Island are relatively safe destinations to explore on your own but taking a guided tour will ensure you come away with a far deeper understanding and appreciation of our stunning habitats, history and inhabitants. Let our experienced and passionate local guides show you the hidden gems, relay the unpublished stories and history on tours designed for differing levels of interest and fitness.
Discover the history, culture and activities available on Christmas Island. This 2 hour tour explains many of the places of interest, suitable shopping and eating places, activities that are available during your stay and the history of settlement and development of the island. Start your stay getting the lowdown, an understanding of the layout of the island and a briefing on what activities would be suitable for you.
Time: 2 hours
Schedule: We recommend that you schedule this tour on the day of arrival or the first morning of your stay
Places: The populated centres of the Island including Settlement, Poon Saan, Silver City, Drumsite, The Grotto and Tai Jin House
Cost: AUD$60 per adult/AUD$30 per child/Infants free
Fitness: Minimal
Crabs, rainforest, birds – this tour encapsulates the very best of Christmas Island. Our first stop is The Dales, home to a number of the crab species. Natural springs weave through to a mystical rainforest, canopied by gigantic Tahitian Chestnut trees. From there we head to The Blowholes. Nowhere else on the island are the forces of nature so evident. Rhythmic waves, forcing water through the myriad of eroded cliffs provide a theatrical experience for guests. We then head to the peace and tranquility of Margaret Knoll to view the rugged coastline from above, giving us stunning views across the Eastern Coast of the island.
Time: 3.5 – 4 hours
Schedule: Departures are 9:00am or 2:00pm
Places: The Dales, Hugh’s Waterfall, The Blowholes and Margaret Knoll Lookout.
Cost: AUD$100 per adult/AUD$75 per child/Infants free
Fitness: Good mobility and stability required
Birds, birds and more birds! First we visit Golf Course lookout with stunning views across part of the eastern side of the island. During our eye-to-eye experience with many of the islands bird species, learn more about their unique biology and behaviour and why they call Christmas Island home. We then visit Lily Beach for our tea break whilst viewing juveniles and nesting birds and then onto Ethel Beach. We then venture to the top terrace to view Abbotts Booby birds in their nesting habitat – one of the rarest seabirds in the world !
Time: 3.5 – 4 hours
Schedule: Departures are 9:00am or 2:00pm
Places: Settlement, Golf Course Lookout, Lily & Ethel Beaches, Murray Road
Cost: AUD$100 per adult/AUD$75 per child/Infants free
Fitness: Good mobility and stability required
We venture to the lower terraces of the Eastern side of the island. A 40 minute ramble on foot through the jungle delivers us to our sandy, coconut-lined castaway beach, Dolly Beach. We rest here for a swim (subject to ocean conditions) and refreshments. We may have to share our morning tea with the friendly Robber crabs that frequent the area. We then head back along the same track to Greta Beach, grab a bag and search for unusual treasures the tide has bought in. We’ll also remove some of the unwanted flotsam that is carried by ocean currents from lands far away.
Time: 2 hours
Schedule: Departures are 8:30am to 9am
Places: Dolly and Greta Beaches
Cost: AUD$100 per adult/AUD$75 per child/Infants free
Fitness: Good mobility essential, lengthy walking required.
It’s what Christmas Island is famous for! 50 million red crabs go on the move at the start of the annual wet season, timing their spawning with tides which will carry their trillions of eggs out to sea. Experience the peak of what Christmas Island has to offer with this special tour which is only offered on specific dates each year and, subject to the rains starting allowing the crabs to move to the lower terraces. Drinks & nibbles during briefing event, cooked breakfast during spawning event. (All other tours do allow sightings of red crabs at other times of the year).
Time: 5 hours
Schedule:
Day 1: 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Day 2: 3:30am – 7:30 am
(Only offered on certain dates of the year)
Places: Varies – depending on the season
Cost: AUD$150 per adult/AUD$75 per child/Infants free
Fitness: Moderate
Your hosts, Kylie & Ashley from Cocos Island Adventure Tours will show you some of the most remote and beautiful parts of the atoll that is the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Enjoy the shallow, pristine aqua landscape as you comfortably motor across the Southern part of the lagoon, island hopping and snorkelling your way through paradise. Kylie & Ashley put on a great spread, either a champagne breakfast or sunset nibbles when you reach “the pondok” to relax. You will be full of good food, good company and good cheer after an experience you will be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the world!
Time: 4-5 hours
Schedule: Tide dependent – tours can start anytime from 6:00am to 3:00pm
Places: South Island, Pulu Maraya, Pulu Belan and more
Cost: AUD$130 per adult/AUD$65 per child
Fitness: Reasonable mobility to enter and exit a canoe. No rowing required!
After you have enjoyed exploring the Southern islands of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands lagoon, let Cocos Island Adventure Tours take you on an exciting turtle tour. This 2 hour tour takes you in search of the 30,000 turtles that call Cocos home. All ages are welcome. This tour is only available to guests who have already partaken in the canoe safari tour.
Time: 2 hours
Schedule: Tide dependent – please book in advance
Places: Cocos Keeling Islands lagoon
Cost: AUD$100
Fitness: This is a low impact tour – all ages welcome
Cocos Dive are excited to now offer Sea Scooter Tours for snorkellers. Enjoy the wonders of the reef while you glide along over coral bombies with a Yamaha Sea Scooter. Explore the clear warm waters of the lagoon with its abundance of tropical fish and corals.
Time: Approx 4.5 hours
Schedule: Tuesday mornings 7.00am – 11.30am
Places: Cocos (Keeling) Islands lagoon
Cost: A$200 – 2 person minimum
Fitness: Moderate fitness required. Previous snorkeling experience recommended.
To avoid disappointment, Indian Ocean Experiences highly recommends you pre-book your tours to Australia’s Indian Ocean Islands, as tours have limited seats and departures. Operators may be fully booked, or off island during your chosen travel dates and you may miss out on a wonderful experience !
DID YOU KNOW?? Many of our tours are included in packages to these amazing islands – why not book all of your travel requirements with us!
