Indian Ocean · Australia
Christmas Island
Wall, cave and drift dives with whale sharks on the doorstep
Christmas Island is the tip of a long-extinct volcano in the Indian Ocean, ringed by a fringing reef that ends in drop-offs plunging toward the Java Trench. More than 60 sites lie along its coast, from the shore dive at Flying Fish Cove to Perpendicular Wall, Thundercliff Cave and the Coconut Point drift. Whale sharks, mantas and spinner dolphins pass through the blue water.
About diving in Christmas Island
Most of the year the boats leave from Flying Fish Cove, and most sites lie close to the coast, a short run away. Two boat dives are chosen on the day from conditions and the divers' interests, and many sites are dived as drifts, with the boat waiting at the end point. The cove is also a shore dive in its own right, and which coast the boats work follows the wind.
Underwater the island is a fringing reef along 80 km of coastline, most of it 20–25 m deep, which then falls away in drop-offs that plunge for several kilometres. The reef carries large fan and plate corals, with surgeonfish, butterflyfish, groupers, parrotfish and eels. Sea caves, gorgonian fans and a scattered WWII wreck add variety, and tuna, trevally and barracuda cruise the open blue.
The range of sites suits a mixed group. Most walls lie only about 20 m from the shoreline, within reach of divers of all levels. The Cemetery, the Eidsvold and Million Dollar Bommie are beginner sites, and Coconut Point and Thundercliff Cave are intermediate. Pig Rock and Egeria Point, with deep drop-offs, towering gorgonian fans and some of the island's best shark diving, suit intermediate to advanced divers.
Best time to dive Christmas Island
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime |
| Sea surface | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 28°C82°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 28°C82°F | 28°C82°F |
| Daytime high | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 28°C82°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 28°C82°F | 28°C82°F | 29°C84°F |
| Rain | 199 mm7.8 in | 179 mm7.0 in | 182 mm7.2 in | 143 mm5.6 in | 105 mm4.1 in | 93 mm3.7 in | 49 mm1.9 in | 18 mm0.7 in | 24 mm0.9 in | 41 mm1.6 in | 96 mm3.8 in | 152 mm6.0 in |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| Sea surface | |||||
| 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 28°C82°F |
| Daytime high | |||||
| 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F | 29°C84°F |
| Rain | |||||
| 199 mm7.8 in | 179 mm7.0 in | 182 mm7.2 in | 143 mm5.6 in | 105 mm4.1 in | 93 mm3.7 in |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime |
| Sea surface | |||||
| 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 28°C82°F | 28°C82°F |
| Daytime high | |||||
| 28°C82°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 28°C82°F | 28°C82°F | 29°C84°F |
| Rain | |||||
| 49 mm1.9 in | 18 mm0.7 in | 24 mm0.9 in | 41 mm1.6 in | 96 mm3.8 in | 152 mm6.0 in |
2011–2025 averages. Sea surface: NOAA Coral Reef Watch, measured at the surface, so deeper water can run colder. Daytime high and rain: NASA POWER.
Diving runs all year, and the island has two seasons. From April to November the trade winds blow from the south and south-east, and the north and west coasts are the more accessible. August and September bring cooler upwellings from the Java Trench, and visibility can fall to about 15 m. October to December is the doldrums, when visibility can reach 50–60 m and boat space is tightest around the red crab migration. From November to April north-westerly swell can make the north side rough, and the boats can move to the east coast.
Best months: October, November, December
Christmas Island water temperature and weather by month
The sea surface stays between 27 and 29 °C (81–84 °F) all year. Most rain falls from December to April, peaking at about 200 mm (7.9 in) in January; it stays largely dry from July to October. Daytime highs sit around 28 °C (82 °F) all year. The coldest water here is about 26 °C (79 °F), so pack a 3 mm full suit.
Dive types & marine life
Whale sharks are often seen between November and April and have been seen outside those months, though there is no guarantee. Manta rays tend to appear at the same time, and large schools of spinner dolphins are seen year-round. Reef sharks and turtles are common, hammerheads are seen at times, and giant Maori wrasse visit Ethel Beach occasionally.
- Wall
- Reef
- Cave & cavern
- Pelagic & blue water
- Drift
- Whale sharks
- Manta rays
- Dolphins
- Reef sharks
- Sea turtles
- Trevally & jacks
- Napoleon wrasse
- Pristine corals
- Eagle rays
- Tuna
Best dive sites in Christmas Island
- 1
Perpendicular Wall
Vertical wall dropping into the abyss, with strong currents, sharks, sailfish and whale sharks.
- 2
Thundercliff Cave
Reef, wall and cave dive ending in a chamber open to the sky; hammerheads and barracuda.
- 3
West White Beach
Shallow coral dive with anemones and clownfish; whale sharks and dolphins visit.
- 4
Coconut Point
Drift dive with swirling currents, eel gardens, gorgonian fans and elusive hammerheads.
- 5
Million Dollar Bommie
Shallow bommies from 3 to 17 m with a dense garden eel colony, octopus and parrotfish.
- 6
Flying Fish Cove
Easy shore dive with Admin Wall dropping away; trevally, fusiliers and reef sharks.
- 7
Eidsvold
WWII phosphate ship torpedoed in 1942, now a reef refuge for octopus and batfish.
Site guides
Drift
A shallow drift with swirling current and elusive hammerheads
Wreck
A 1942 torpedo casualty, broken in two and dived from 5 m
Reef
Walk-in shore diving with a sheer wall and a garden-eel flat
Shallow coral heads from 3 m with a dense garden-eel colony
A bottomless vertical cliff worked under a 30 m cap
Cave & cavern
A cavern that surfaces in a chamber open to the sky
Reef
Anemones and clownfish in 15 m, with whale sharks passing through
How to get to Christmas Island
Christmas Island Airport is 5 km from the island's only town, with direct flights from Perth taking about four hours. Hire cars, shuttles and taxis are available at the airport.
Dive videos
Diving Christmas Island, one of Australia's Indian Ocean Islands · Diveplanit on YouTube
RESORT #1: CHRISTMAS ISLAND EXTRA DIVERS AUSTRALIA | TOBIAS FRIEDRICH | UNDERWATER PHOTOTGRAPHY · BELOW SURFACE on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is there a decompression chamber on Christmas Island?+
No. There is currently no decompression chamber on the island, although medical staff are available, so dive insurance is recommended for every visitor.
Can divers dive from shore?+
Yes. Flying Fish Cove is a shore dive with coral gardens and drop-offs, where dragon moray eels, turtles and bumphead parrotfish are sometimes seen.
What wetsuit is needed on Christmas Island?+
Most divers are comfortable in a full-length 3 mm suit for much of the year; those who feel the cold may want a 5 mm suit or a hood.
Sources
- Dive Sites | Scuba Diving | Extra Divers Christmas Island — Extra Divers Australia
- Extra Divers Christmas Island — Extra Divers Australia
- Christmas Island — Wikipedia
- Dive Christmas Island — Wet ‘N’ Dry Adventures
- Dive | Dive Christmas Island — Wet ‘N’ Dry Adventures
- Scuba diving | Christmas Island National Park — Parks Australia
- Christmas Island Diving Tour — Australian Wildlife Journeys / Indian Ocean Experiences
- Flying Fish Cove Average Sea Temperatures — Sea Temperature
- Guide to Christmas Island — Tourism Australia
- Christmas Island, Australia's own Galapagos — Diveplanit
- Humphead Maori Wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus — Fishes of Australia
- Christmas Island Marine Park — Australian Marine Parks / Parks Australia
Photo credits
- Surf breaking over a dark reef shelf below a jungle-topped limestone cliff, with deep blue ocean beyond by David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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