Things to do in Cocos (Keeling) Islands

25 things to do in Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Snorkel the famous drift channel at The Rip on Direction Island

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

  Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Relax on the powdery white sand of Trannies Beach, West Island

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

  West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Stroll through the Cocos Malay Kampong on Home Island

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

  Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Tour the historic Oceania House at Home Island

  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.

  Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Snorkel with sea turtles at Scout Park, West Island

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

  West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Kite surf in the shallow lagoon off West Island

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

  West Island lagoon, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Spot rare seabird colonies on a cruise around North Keeling Island

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

  Pulu Keeling National Park, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Scuba dive the Aquarium site off Direction Island

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

  Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Kayak across the lagoon to uninhabited Horsburgh Island

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

  Horsburgh Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Discover the old West Island Deep Cemetery

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

  West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Watch a spectacular Indian Ocean sunset from West Island jetty

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

  West Island jetty, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Explore the Home Island Museum for Cocos Malay heritage

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

  Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Fly fish for bonefish on the flats near South Island

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

  South Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Visit the tiny sand cay of Pulu Maraya

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

  Pulu Maraya, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Walk among the crumbling copra plantation ruins on West Island

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

  West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Dive the legendary wreck of SMS Emden off North Keeling

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

  North Keeling Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Savour a traditional Cocos Malay feast with a local family on Home Island

  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.

  Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Stand-up paddleboard on the glassy lagoon at Direction Island

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

  Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Look for the endemic Cocos buff-banded rail on North Keeling

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

  Pulu Keeling National Park, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Snorkel the Garden of Eden coral garden off Direction Island

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

  Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Take a scenic flight over the entire Cocos (Keeling) atoll

  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.

  Cocos (Keeling) Islands Airport, West Island

• Find the graffiti-covered Big Barge wreck on West Island

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

  West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Enjoy a sundowner at the iconic Cocos Club

  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.

  West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Wade to Prison Island at low tide to explore the ruined gaol

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

  Prison Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

• Go reef walking on the flats at West Island’s southern tip

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

  West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands