“An island named Christmas?!” is the first thought that came into my mind when I saw this name. I am sure you all might have had the same reaction reading about it. Don’t worry, this is not a false article. Such an island really exists. But where? What is it known for? How to reach there? All the questions will be answered in this article.
About Christmas Island:
Officially known as the Territory of Christmas Island, this place is located in the Indian Ocean. You might probably find a small dot nearby south of Jakarta and Sumatra islands on the globe. Although it is nearest to Asia, this island is in the Australian territory. This region was first discovered in the year 1643 by Captain William Mynors on Christmas day, hence the island’s name came into being. The first settlement started in the 19th century, and currently, it has a population of 1,692 people.
Its Geography:
Christmas Island has a total land area of 135 sq kilometres. Out of this around 80 kilometres is of shorelines but only a few areas are fully accessible. The island is filled with sharp cliffs, making it difficult for people to get to the beaches. However, this factor makes the trip an adventurous one.
Things to do there:
Christmas Island has exquisite flora and fauna. Due to the tropical climate, the island is covered with lush jungle and greenery around. It is home to numerous amount of birds and crabs, along with secret waterfalls and beaches, making the trip worthwhile. Here is a list of things you can do when visiting this place.
1. Crab Watching
One of the main attractions of Christmas Island is its variety of Crab population. You’ll find more species of crabs on this island than in the whole world. You can also witness the famous red crab migration during the first rainfall of the monsoon, where the red crabs move out from the shady places on the island and travel towards the ocean to breed. This event mostly occurs between October to January, however, you will still find a lot of other species of crabs throughout the year.
2. Bird Watching
Besides crabs, this island is also a paradise for bird watchers. People travel from around the world to watch rare and endangered bird species like Christmas Island Frigatebird, Goshawk, Hawk-Owl, Brown Booby, Golden Bosun etc. You can also sight endangered birds like Abbots Booby which can be found only on the island.
3. Witness the melting pot culture
As the island was discovered by merchants and travellers, the culture prevailing on this island is mixed. Historically, the Chinese, Malay, and Indian descendants were the first people to settle down on this island. Hence, the religious beliefs in this region are diverse.
You can look around the islands for mosques, and Buddhist temples and in places like The Settlement, Poon Saan etc. You can also visit the old administrator’s house “Ta Jin House”, which is now a museum, to explore more about the island’s history.
4. Visit beaches
Christmas Island has some of the best beaches in the world, however, they are slightly different from the other normal beaches. As the island has volcanic origins, the beaches are filled with cliffs made of limestone and basalt, rock pools and rainforests. Nevertheless, these beaches are uniquely beautiful. Another interesting fact about the beaches is that these beaches were named after the wives and daughters of the first settlers of the island. Dolly and Greta’s beaches are best for crab sightings. It is also a site for year-round green sea turtle nesting. So, if you’re lucky, you might even witness turtle hatching. Some beaches like Winifred and Merrial Beach are only accessible during the low tide. Hence, you have to be careful while visiting these beaches.
5. Snorkelling and Scuba Diving at Flying Fish Cove
Flying Fish Cove is the most popular beach on the island and is mainly known for snorkelling and Scuba Diving activities. The southern part of the beach is peaceful and has alluring rock
formations. You can visit the magical underwater land consisting of coral gardens and rare underwater species. It is also a dreamland for free divers.
How to reach there:
The best way to reach Christmas Island is via Perth. Take a flight from Perth in Australia to the islands, which sometimes flies first to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, before coming to this island. There are also a few flights from Jakarta, Indonesia from where you can reach this island. Another route to visit this island is travel via sea from Indonesia. You can book a boat or a private yacht to reach there.
Written By : Ashwathi Anoopkumar
Author’s Bio :
Ashwathi Anoopkumar is a student pursuing her Master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. She has a content writing
experience of 1.8 years and has written for multiple genres.
