Things to do in Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Float through a crystal-clear channel brimming with colourful coral gardens, reef fish, and occasional turtles, carried by a gentle current.

Stretch out under coconut palms on this tranquil shoreline, perfect for sunbathing and shallow wading in the turquoise lagoon.

Wander past traditional wooden houses, hear the call to prayer, and experience the vibrant rhythms of the Cocos Malay community.

Step inside the grand 19th-century mansion of the Clunies-Ross family, who once ruled the islands, and explore rooms filled with colonial-era artefacts.

Swim alongside grazing green and hawksbill turtles in the shallow, protected waters of this secluded beach, a favourite feeding ground.

Harness the steady south-east trade winds and glide across knee-deep, glassy water with the endless Indian Ocean as your stadium.

Circle the protected Pulu Keeling National Park by boat to see thousands of masked boobies, red-footed boobies, and frigatebirds nesting on the atoll.

Descend into a pristine underwater garden of delicate staghorn coral, schooling bannerfish, and curious batfish on this local favourite dive spot.

Paddle through calm, turquoise waters to a deserted islet, where you can picnic on empty beaches and explore mangrove-fringed shores.

Find weathered headstones and overgrown graves of early settlers, copra workers, and Clunies-Ross family members beneath shady trees.

Sit on the wooden planks as the sky explodes into orange and pink, silhouetting fishing boats and palm trees on the horizon.

Examine traditional costumes, copra-processing tools, and shipwreck relics that tell the story of the islands' unique cultural blend.

Stalk wary bonefish in ankle-deep crystalline water with the tropical sun at your back, one of the atoll's most exhilarating angling experiences.

Land on a perfect speck of white sand where seabirds nest and the lagoon meets the open ocean, offering a true castaway feeling.

Follow old paths past rusted machinery, derelict storage sheds, and rows of ageing coconut palms that once drove the islands' economy.

For experienced divers with permission, explore the encrusted remains of the German raider, sunk in 1914 after a dramatic battle.

Share a home-cooked meal of fragrant coconut milk curries, spiced fish, and sweet rice cakes, learning the flavours of the island's Malay heritage.

Glide silently over shallow seagrass beds and coral bommies, spotting rays and reef fish beneath your board in the calm afternoon light.

Accompany a ranger-led excursion to the only home of this small, secretive bird, which flourishes in the island's dense Pisonia forest.

Float above massive cabbage corals, anemone gardens, and clouds of purple anthias in this aptly named underwater paradise.

Soar above the ring of atolls to see the deep blue drop-off, the necklace of islets, and the brilliant lagoon colours from a bird’s-eye view.

Wade out at low tide to a beached, rusted landing craft transformed into a colourful outdoor art gallery by local and visiting artists.

Pull up a chair on the deck of the islands' only pub, cold drink in hand, and watch the sun dip into the lagoon alongside locals and travellers.

Cross the exposed sandbar from Direction Island to this tiny islet, where a stone prison and solitary confinement cell hide among the trees.

At low water, step cautiously onto the exposed coral platform to spot tiny octopuses, starfish, crabs, and other intertidal marvels.