Christmas Island (Chinese: 圣诞岛领地 (Shèngdàn dǎo lǐngdì); Malay: Wilayah Pulau Krismas) is one of the islands of the Indian Ocean in Southeast Asia. It is south of Indonesia and some 1,550 km northwest of Australia, of which it is a territory. It was home to about 1,800 people in 2016, a mix of Straits Chinese, Malay, Australian and other ethnic groups. Together with the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island is a part of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories.
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The island was first administered as part of the Straits Settlements, and then as part of the colony of Singapore. Sovereignty was transferred to Australia in October 1958 and since then, almost two-thirds of the island has been protected as a national park (and one that's managed by the federal government). The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, which now looks unlikely to proceed after funding was withdrawn. Christmas Island rises to a central plateau of stands of …
Walk, ride, or hire a car (you may want a 4WD or SUV). You can hitch-hike around the settled areas of island, as most locals are happy to give a ride to visitors. The default speed limit in urban areas is 50 km/h (31 mph), 80 km/h (50 mph) on gravel roads and 90 km/h (56 mph) on all other roads.
1 The Dales. Comprised of numerous freshwater streams running roughly parallel to each other. The streams originate from underground caves and eventually flow into the ocean. The streams have worn out gullies between the cliff walls of the coast, and have created unusually step-like formations (terraces). There is a waterfall above the terrace formations, which many visitors are fond of taking showers under.The Dales are in a lush tropical rainforest known for its unique fauna, including the blue crab and robber crab, and flora including giant buttrest root trees. The Dales area has signage and raised walkways/steps installed by the national parks department for visitors.
View the spectacular world-famous Christmas Island Red Crab Migration during the months of November–February. Scuba diving or snorkeling at Flying Fish Cove Snorkel trip from a boat Scuba Dive from a boat Take a guided tour Whale shark watching Game Fishing on chartered boat Rock Fishing Caving (warning: seek local advice before setting out to any caves) 4-wheel driving, known locally as "bush bashing". Mountain biking (no rentals available in 2025) Relax by the beach or on the patio with a cold beer Duty-free cheap drinks at the bars and taverns on the island Historical trail self tours Hiking Scuba Diving and Snorkelling tours are run by Extra Divers Australia https://www.extradivers.com.…
There are several restaurants on Christmas Island serving Western and Asian cuisine. 1 Lucky Ho Restaurant, Lot 236 Poon Saan Rd, ☏ +61 8 9164-8813. Excellent value. Alchemy (at the Christmas Island Recreation Centre), ☏ +61 8 9164-8106. Daily. Western and Asian food, coffee, milkshakes and cool drinks. (updated Jun 2025) Longs Bakery. M–F. Fresh bread is available daily from Meng Chong Trading, and Metro Enterprises. (updated Jun 2025) Rumah Tinggi Tavern and Restaurant (Gaze Road Settlement). various hours. The Rumah Tinggi offers modern Australian fare, fine wine and cocktails.
As Christmas Island is duty-free, alcohol is usually lower priced than the Australian mainland. Some of the bars and taverns are: Tracks at Drumsite Pool Hall at Poon Saan Rumah Tinngi at Gaze Road Settlement
The island is safe all times of the day in the populated areas, locals usually leave their houses and car unlocked. There are no poisonous or dangerous animals (even insects) on the island. The most likely danger is large waves on cliffs and coastal waters during the monsoon season (October–February). There are occasional sightings of reef and hammerhead sharks off the coast near the 'drop offs' (underwater coastal shelf which drops off into the ocean depths, usually 5–30 m offshore); however, no shark attacks have ever been reported on Christmas Island. Some 4-wheel drive tracks are steep and slippery during the wet season; caution is advised when driving in national parks areas.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Sep, Christmas Island typically sees ~28°C daytime highs and 3 rainy days.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-09-11. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
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