A remote island territory in the Indian Ocean, Christmas Island is also referred to as “Australia’s Galapagos.” It’s an eco-paradise waiting to be discovered, home to many endemic bird species and the yearly red crab migration, which takes place nowhere else in the world. Here is a guide to Christmas Island, including weather, history, useful tips, and things to do.
Christmas Island: One of Australia’s most unique islands
The tiny island, which is hardly visible on a world map, is located 1,650 miles from Perth, the closest city in Western Australia, and around 250 miles south of Central Java’s coast. It is technically a territory of Australia, although based on its location, you’d never know.
Christmas Island, located in the midst of the Indian Ocean, is nothing more than the top of an old mountain. At that, a dramatic tip.
The island, which is about 50 miles in circumference, is surrounded by 60-foot cliffs that are occasionally broken by little beaches, coves, and alluring limestone grottos. Despite the popular beach spots, you might want to avoid swimming too far out because the Indian Ocean’s floor descends 3 miles clear to the bottom, just a few hundred feet from the shore. Our stomachs turn just thinking about having to cross that much water.
The Meaning of the name
Christmas Island was discovered on Christmas Day in 1643 by English seafarer Captain William Mynors; nevertheless, it wasn’t until the late 1800s that the island was accurately mapped.
The majority of today’s Chinese and Malay residents of the island are derived from foreign laborers who were brought there during the 19th and 20th centuries to work in the region’s phosphate mines.
The Correct Name for It Is Crab Island
Christmas Island is home to a remarkable natural occurrence and has the widest variety and density of land crabs of any island in the world. 120 million red crabs start their sideways, tiptoeing trip from the depths of the forest out to sea every October, just after the start of the wet season.
Due to the bright red, roaming bodies coated in shells, vast areas of the island seem to come to life. Many people consider this to be one of the natural wonders of the world because of the overwhelming number of crabs there (certain highways are even closed to ensure the crabs’ safety).
Christmas Island Weather and The best time to visit
Christmas Island enjoys wonderful weather all year long with little seasonal temperature difference.
The average high temperature is 28°C in April, and the average low temperature is 22°C in August. The dry season, when humidity is at its lowest, lasts from November to April, when there may be showers (wet season).
The months of August and September stand out as the driest, making them the ideal times to visit Christmas Island. The greatest season to visit Christmas Island is from July to October when it experiences the least amount of rain and the most sunshine.
A schedule for viewing the red crab migration
You shouldn’t miss the red crab migration and spawning, a breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime experience. As the rainy season begins, often in October or November, the crabs begin to march to the ocean to reproduce.
The young crabs leave the ocean and travel to the woodland one month after spawning. This phase of migration is significantly more impressive when the number of babies is high than the original occurrence.
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Tips for travel to Christmas Island
- You must travel to Perth or Fiji to reach Christmas Island.
- Fortunately, if you’re flying in from either of those locations, Christmas Island doesn’t require a visa.
- Facilities are few because there are just 2,000 permanent residents on the island.
- There are not many stores and restaurants here, but then again, no one comes here to shop.
- The most crucial thing is to reserve a rental car because it’s the only way to get to the island. For about $60 per day, one can rent a four-wheel drive vehicle.
- Bring lightweight clothing, a scarf for the wind, a light sweater for the evening, and a small umbrella or raincoat.
What to do on Christmas Island
Visit Flying Fish Cove
For many residents of Australia’s Christmas Island, Flying Fish Cove serves as the hub of daily life. It is the island’s designated “capital city.” Every day you may find people swimming and snorkeling in the cove, families lounging beneath cabanas along the shore, kids jumping off the jetty, and the port going about its daily operations.
Include an evening at The Cove on your Christmas Island itinerary because it’s a top sunset location and a popular tourist destination. Grab a chilled drink (or two or three) and take a seat as nature transforms the sky into various pink and purple hues right before you. Also, keep a watch out for spinner dolphins on the horizon!
It would be best if you went snorkeling and diving
Christmas Island’s slender reef fringe is home to 600 kinds of fish and 88 distinct varieties of coral, making it one of the best places in the world for snorkeling and diving.
Turtles, manta rays, giant trevally, lionfish, spinner dolphins, several small shark species, and the opportunity to watch whale sharks migrating can all be found on any given day at any dive location.
Less than 50 meters from the beach, the ocean floor abruptly drops away into the abyss, breaking up the Island’s tiered structure, which resembles a wedding cake. Due to this, snorkelers and scuba divers can enjoy stunning views of the coral and fish in the shallows as well as a shelf and wall that descend to deeper waters where the fish become larger and the likelihood of spotting a tiny shark increases.
Swim in Grotto
The Grotto is just a quick five-minute drive from Settlement and a short stroll through some vegetation. It is a sandy-bottomed cave with water that is crystal clear and comes in from the ocean. During the day, it is a terrific location to swim, and at night, it may be decorated with candles for a romantic ambiance.
Just be careful if you decide to swim there because the cave connects to the ocean, and it can be difficult to find the entrance once you are out on the open water.
Go fishing
Christmas Island is a fantastic location for sport, line, and fly fishing for the same reasons that make diving surrounding it so appealing. The large fish species that frequent these waters include giant trevally, wahoo, yellowfin, and dogtooth tuna. With a variety of fishing areas for both beginning and experienced fishermen (or women! ), anglers of all skill levels are sure to have a fantastic day.
Relax on amazing beaches
Christmas Islands beaches live up to expectations for a little island in the Indian Ocean with such stunning beaches. You won’t be let down by a trip to any of the beaches. However, some are more accessible than others depending on the time of year.
Don’t miss birdwatching
Christmas Island attracts birdwatchers. Over 100 vagrant and migratory species and 80,000 seabirds nest here annually. Christmas Island’s golden white-tailed tropic bird is its wildlife emblem.
Known locally as the ‘Golden Bosun’ (and is the bird the pub is named for! ), they can be seen swooping gracefully above most coastal regions of the Island. Christmas Island Frigatebird and Abbotts Booby are indigenous species.
Away from the coast, the rainforest is home to several endemic species, including the secretive Christmas Island hawk owl, thrush, goshawk, emerald dove, imperial pigeon, glossy swiftlet, and white eye.
Because Christmas island weather is not very severe, you can visit it any time of the year. This location offers a wide variety of exciting activities throughout the entire year. Make plans to come and take advantage of the amazing opportunities this one-of-a-kind island can provide you with.
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