New dive sites discovered at Christmas Island

Diving Christmas Island (c) Justin Gilligan

The small island in the Indian Ocean thrills with a variety of dive sites without crowds For lovers of intact nature who are looking for something special and do not want to meet any other dive boat, Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean is a real insider tip. The island of 135 km² became known through the crab migration that takes place during the winter months. More than 40 million crabs flow from the jungle to the coast every year. However, especially in the summer months diving on Christmas Island is a real highlight, because then there are very few tourists on the island and jungle exploration tours are not affected by road closures due to the crab migration. In addition gorgeous coral gardens with huge table corals, there are wonderful drop-offs with a depth of several hundred meters. More than 200 coral species live there, as well as endemic fish and some of the "big ones of the seas". Different species of sharks are usually always there. Next to white tips and gray sharks, the curious silk sharks are a real peculiarity. Especially at the Early Morning Dives they come close to the divers within a few meters. With a little luck you can also see hammerheads and manta rays during the dives. Another "delicacy" of Christmas Island are the numerous caves and caverns. In "Thunder Dome Cave" you can just ascend, walk deeper into the cave and admire the big stalactites. The visibility between 30 and 60 meters is excellent almost all year round and on the boat trips you will most likely encounter dolphins or whale sharks (in the whale shark season). There are no additional dive boats here because there is only one dive center on the island. Under the professional guidance of Extra Divers, guests enjoy individual attention and personal service. The Extra Divers team is always looking for new attractions for their guests and so some new spots have just been discovered, including a place where you can snorkel with giant bullhead mackerels and silky sharks. After diving, there are many attractions to discover on Christmas Island. Lonely beaches, blowholes, a freshwater grotto and waterfalls can be explored by rental car. A large part of the island is a national park with many endemic bird species. The famous crabs are numerous throughout the year in the jungle of the island. In addition to the red crabs there lives the palm thief (coconut crab), the only crab that can crack coconuts. With the weekly flight from Jakarta, the island is now easily accessible and can also be combined with other destinations such as Cocos Keeling or Indonesia.

Whale shark (c) CITA

Dive in the Thunder Dome Cave (c) Justin Gilligan