The perfect Christmas Island itinerary

Christmas Island is famed for its rugged landscapes and nature-based spectacles. Here’s how to make the most of your holiday with our essential list of things to do.

Although Christmas Island is best known for its annual crab migration, there is a lot more to surprise and delight. From its dense untamed jungle and deep, cerulean waters filled with wildlife, to its beautiful wild beaches, and cliffs that resemble incredible architectural feats, a week-long stay here is like diving headfirst toward the exceptional and unexpected.

Any visit to Christmas Island will almost certainly include a combination of colourful aquatic life, wilderness walks and rich and colourful cultural components. Here’s our list of carefully curated things to do on Christmas Island over the course of seven days.

Day One

Breakfast at Idah’s Kitchen, at the Malay Club

The lids on the pots in Idah’s Kitchen are always clattering, as it is one of the best (and busiest) places to eat on Christmas Island. Do as the locals do and order delicious roti, pulled straight off the stove, and torn into strips to dip into a bowl of spicy chicken curry.

Attend a colourful island festival

Get a taste of the island’s rich cultural heritage in Kampong, the beating heart of the Australian-Malay community; or at the annual Chinese New Year Festival, when lion dancers wheel around the streets. Celebrate the melting pot of local Malay and Chinese flavours during this year’s pilot Indian Ocean Fest when special guest Poh Ling Yeow cooks with the local island aunties.

Malay Roti, Indian Ocean Fest, Christmas Island — Celebrate the melting pot of local Malay and Chinese flavours.

Visit the blowholes

The Blowholes is another one of Christmas Island’s natural treasures. You will definitely find other camera-toting travellers here, but this hot spot is also popular with friendly locals who enjoy the intermittent drama of water blasting through the rocks.

The Blowholes, Christmas Island, Australia — One of Christmas Island’s natural treasures is the Blowholes.

Accommodation tip: The Christmas Island Bali Style Retreat on Phosphate Hill.

Day Two

Dive & Snorkel Christmas Island

Day two is a choose-your-own-ocean adventure with a half-day CI Wet n Dry Adventures , Extra Divers or Freedive CI tour or experience, where you can admire colourful fish, vibrant corals and dolphins just metres from shore, take a boat trip to one of the many idyllic diving and snorkelling spots, or take an underwater seascooter snorkelling tour. Snorkelling and diving obsessives also feel a mystical pull to dive off Christmas Island alongside whale sharks (between November and March).

Colourful fish, diving and snorkeling in Christmas Island, Australia — Admire colourful fish when you go for a dive.

Lunch at Lucky Ho

Look for the Chinese lanterns and balustrade coloured like a set of crayons outside Lucky Ho restaurant, located in Poon Saan. This popular lunch spot is known for its pan-Asian fare: think Thai fried rice, Mongolian beef, sweet and sour pork and fried wontons.

Sunset drinks at Martin Point walk

Some 63 per cent of Christmas Island is blanketed in national park, so it’s compact enough for forest bathers to well and truly get their fix. Ease into it with sunset drinks and BYO canapes at Martin Point, where you can watch the bright orange sun roll over the horizon and sink into the soft folds of the sea.

Pink skies, Martin Point, Christmas Island — Watch the sky change colours as you relax in Martin Point at sunset. (Image: Wondrous World Images)

Accommodation tip: Splurge on a night at Swell Lodge one of the most unique places to stay in WA.

Day Three

Fuel up on coffee at Smash Espresso Bar

Smash down a few perfect piccolos at the Smash Espresso Bar , which has a servery window and a few tables, chairs and stools set outside. You’ll find locals on the footpath eating bacon and egg burgers and chatting to the owner in the narrow doorway of the cafe, which is made colourful with lanterns and wall hangings.

Smash Espresso Bar, Christmas Island, Australia — Smash down a few perfect piccolos at the Smash Espresso Bar.

Visit sites of World War 2 history

Nineteen Second World War sites have been located on Christmas Island after the Japanese occupation of the island in 1942. You can still find traces of World War 2 history on the island in an old cave and ruins used to store ammunition as well as a restored gun emplacement.

Swim at Greta Beach

You will need to take a 4WD tour to cover some ground and get to Greta, which, on a hot day, will be calling your name. Pack a picnic and plan your visit to coincide with Christmas Island Sea Week , which includes a roster of fun and informative events such as the Ocean Film Festival.

landscape views of Greta Beach, Christmas Island — Pack a picnic and head to the serene Greta Beach. (Image: Rebecca Dominguez)

Accommodation tip: Captain’s Last Resort on Christmas Island is best suited to solo travellers or couples.

Day Four

Book a guided snorkelling tour from Flying Fish Cove

Enjoy a savoury breakfast of egg roti or samosas with a Malaysian coffee at the Flying Fish Cafe before padding barefoot to Flying Fish Cove where you can snorkel just metres from shore. Book a snorkelling tour with one of the local operators on Christmas Island and look for octopus, turtles, manta rays and spinner dolphins.

Snorkeling, Christmas Island, Australia — Book a snorkelling tour with one of the local operators on Christmas Island.

Indulge in a bout of forest bathing

There’s no better place to forest bathe than in the enchanted atmosphere of Hughs Dale. Enjoy cooling off at the end of the waterfall walk under the gleaming rocks and branches of Tahitian chestnut trees, which have gnarled roots with green fuzzy moss growing on them.

Waterfall walk, Christmas Island, Australia — Enjoy cooling off at the end of the waterfall walk. (Image: Chris Bray)

Enjoy a sunset cruise

Grab a group of friends as the sun starts to turn red and project brilliant gold reflections over the sea and sky on a sunset cruise with Extra Divers. Enjoy a swim then kick back onboard as the sun sinks over the horizon and the water turns navy blue. You will usually find Extra Divers ’ boat Nemo moored in Flying Fish Cove. Smaller dive groups can also say cheers to the sunset with CI Wet n Dry Adventures with tailored trips and private charters available.

Accommodation tip: The Diver’s Villa is one of the last pre-war bungalows built by the Christmas Island Phosphate Company and a convenient place to stay.

Day Five

Enjoy a pot of (hot) iced tea

Order a glass of iced tea from The Chinese Literary Association cafe Le Cla located in The Settlement and it will be served hot, over ice, which is, according to the locals, a Christmas Island speciality. Sit outside on the breezy veranda at this Malaysian-Chinese-Australian restaurant and tuck into waffles for brunch to fuel your day’s adventures.

Foshan Chicken, Le Cla, Christmas Island — You can also try the traditional Foshan Chicken at Le Cla.

View a temple or two

You will find several Chinese temples and shrines scattered around Christmas Island as well as Christian churches and a mosque. You will also hear people speaking a second language such as Mandarin, Malay, Cantonese, Min Nan and Tagalog, which reflects the island’s colourful cultural heritage .

Catch a film at the outdoor cinema

The Christmas Island Outdoor Cinema was built in the 1970s and the scene here skews local. Join local families and tourists with sand still stuck to their feet to watch cult classics and new releases on a giant outdoor screen. Held every Saturday and every second Wednesday.

Film screening at The Christmas Island Outdoor Cinema — Join local families and tourists to watch cult classics and new releases on a giant outdoor screen.

Accommodation tip: The Sanctuary has a private lap pool and leafy green outlook.

Day Six

Chill out in a natural spa

Sit in the sheltered embrace of the Dolly Beach spa as white foam swirls around the natural plunge pool like a lacy skirt. When the humidity is thick as soup, you can make your way to the sandy-floored sea cave known as the Grotto after dark. But do take a torch: robber crabs loom all around, their hunched bodies like giant dust mites.

Look for birds in the trees

Christmas Island covers 135 square kilometres, of which about 63 per cent has been declared national park. Look up high in the branches of the trees or head to the clifftops to spot birds that take it in turns to squawk, as if there’s a conductor nearby holding a baton. Look for the rare Abbott’s Booby and giant Christmas Island frigate birds.

Golden Bosun, Bird watching, Christmas Island, Australia — A Golden Bosun is one of the many remarkable birds to be seen on Christmas Island. (Image: Kirsty Faulkner)

Enjoy a cold beer at the Golden Bosun

The Golden Bosun is a CI institution. The thing to do here is order pineapple pizza and a few pots of beer to enjoy on the breezy balcony overlooking the sea until the stars light up the night sky. Enjoy the star-spangled sky and the convivial atmosphere before wandering back to your room.

The Golden Bosun, favorite spot of locals at Christmas Island, Australia — Enjoy a cold beer at the Golden Bosun.

Accommodation tip: The Sunset has a pool and dreamy sea views.

Day Seven

From little things, big things grow

If you’ve timed your visit to Christmas Island between October and January chances are you will witness the mass migration of Christmas Island red crabs and, for triple bonus points, the phenomenal sight of endangered whale sharks that gather off the island’s coast to feed on the crabs’ larvae.

Whale Shark, Christmas Island, Australia — Catch the phenomenal sight of endangered whale sharks.

Visit Hughs Dale

If you’re one of just 30 lucky visitors to score tickets to this year’s Indian Ocean Fest , you will visit Hughs Dale during the Wilderness, Walks & Wildlife Encounters . But you can also explore the island’s beauty spots year-round and the Dales is a must-do, providing significant habitat for the island’s endemic blue crabs.

Boardwalk at Hughs Dale, Christmas Island, Australia — Start from the boardwalk and make your way to Hughs Dale.

Visit Rumah Tinggi Tavern

The Rumah Tinggi tavern is a huge hit with visitors and locals who converge here on a Saturday arvo for pub grub such as fish and chips and steak sangas. Watch the sun set over the sea with your new friends and vow to start planning your next trip to Christmas Island upon your return.

Plan your visit to Christmas Island to coincide with the Indian Ocean Fest June 21-28. To be one of just 30 visitors to secure tickets to the inaugural program, click here .

This remote corner of Australia is one of the world’s last frontiers. This is how to see it properly.

Vast, rugged and deeply spiritual, the Kimberley coast in Australia’s North West feels a world away from everyday Australia – and there are countless ways to explore it. But if you want to reach ancient rock art, hidden gorges and lonely waterfalls, it has to be by boat. Whether you’re aboard a nimble expedition vessel or a luxury yacht with all the trimmings, exploring by the water brings exclusive experiences, shows unique views and makes travel easier than any other mode. And that’s just the beginning of Australia’s North West cruises.

The True North Adventure Cruise in between sandstone cliffs. — Adventure starts where the road ends.

1. Discover Broome, and beyond

Explore your launchpad before you set sail: Broome. Here camels and their riders stride along the 22 kilometres of powdery Cable Beach at sunset. That’s just the start.

At Gantheaume Point, red pindan cliffs plunge into the turquoise sea, whose low tide uncovers fossilised dinosaur footprints. Broome’s pearling history runs deep. Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal divers once worked these waters, and their legacy lives on in boutiques where South Sea pearls still shine.

If the moon’s right, you may catch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay. Or simply kick back with a cold beverage and a film under the stars at Sun Pictures , screening since 1916.

Ride a camel along Cable Beach as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean, casting golden light across the sand and sea. — Ride a camel along Cable Beach. (Image: Nick Dunn)

2. Unmatched access to The Kimberley

Once you’re onboard, expect a backstage pass to some of the most isolated places on Earth. No roads. No ports. No phone reception.

At Horizontal Falls/ Garaanngaddim, 10-metre tides surge through twin gorges like a natural waterpark ride that’ll make your palms sweat. Then there’s Montgomery Reef/ Yowjab: a giant living platform of coral and seagrass, where the sea pulls back to reveal waterfalls, sea turtles and ospreys.

Up north, King George Falls/ Oomari rage 80 metres down red cliffs. Zodiac boats often nudge in closer so you can feel the spray on your sun-warmed cheeks. You might even fly in to reach Mitchell Falls/ Punamii-unpuu, a four-tiered cascade where you can swim in freshwater pools above the drop.

Come spring, some itineraries veer west to Rowley Shoals: an atoll chain of white sand and reef walls. Then it’s up the winding Prince Regent River to King Cascade/ Maamboolbadda, tumbling over rock terraces, and into a Zodiac to view the Gwion Gwion rock art, whose slender, ochre-painted figures are older than the pyramids.

A cruise drifts beneath King George Falls, where sheer sandstone cliffs frame the thunderous plunge into turquoise waters. — Get closer to the Kimberley than ever before.

3. Taste the Kimberley with onboard hospitality

You might spend your days clambering over slippery rocks or charging past waterfalls. But when you’re back on the water, it’s a different story. Meals are chef-prepared and regionally inspired: grilled barramundi, pearl meat sashimi, mango tarts, and bush tomato chutney. One night it’s barefoot beach barbecues with your shipmates; the next, alfresco dining on the ship.

Small expedition ships each have their own personality, but many carry just 12 to 36 guests, making being out on the water a whole other experience. You might sink into a spa on the foredeck or sip coffee in a lounge while watching crocodiles cruise by. It’s choose-your-own-relaxation, Kimberley style.

4. Expert-led excursions through the Kimberley

These voyages are led by people who know the Kimberley like the back of their sunburnt hand. Attenborough-esque naturalists might gently tap your shoulder to point out rare birds or tell the story beneath a slab of rock. Historians can explain exactly how that rusted World War II relic came to rest here.

If your ship has a helipad, you might chopper straight to a waterfall-fed swimming hole. If not, you’ll still be hopping ashore for that wet landing at a secret creek.

Then come the evenings: songlines shared by Traditional Owners under the stars, or astronomy sessions that link what’s overhead with what’s underfoot and what’s within.

A small group glides through Kimberley’s rugged coastline by boat, passing ancient cliffs. — Explore with naturalists and historians by your side.

5. Relax in luxurious lodgings

Just because you’re off-grid doesn’t mean you have to rough it. These Kimberley vessels are small in size, but mighty in luxury. True North’s ships come with their own helicopters and a no-sea-days policy, so you’re always in the thick of it. Try the luxurious offerings from Ocean Dream Charters for exploration in style. Kimberley Quest offers a fast boat for easy, off-ship adventures. On the larger end of the scale, Coral Expeditions has open-deck bars and curated wine cellars. And then there’s Ponant’s luxury yachts – sleek and incredibly stylish French sailing yachts.

A helicopter soars above the sea, with a sleek cruise ship gliding in the distance. — See the Kimberley from sky to shore.

6. The adventure continues with pre- and post-cruise experiences

You’ve already come this far – so, why not go further? Broome makes it easy to ease in before you board, or wind down when your voyage ends, and there is no reason to stop there.

Head an hour and a half south to Eco Beach to stay off-grid and off the clock. Join a Yawuru guide for a mangrove walk or ocean forage. Dive even deeper into Broome’s pearling past at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay, where divers and craftspeople still pull the seawater-slicked gems from the deep.

If you’re still craving adventure, it’s time to go further. Soar over the Buccaneer Archipelago, or detour inland with a 4WD trip along the Gibb River Road. Book a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles. Or – because you never know when you’ll be back – do all three.

aerial of people walking on eco beach in the kimberley western australia — Stay off grid at Eco Beach. (Image: Tourism WA)

Find out more about your trip to Australia’s North West at australiasnorthwest.com .