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World | Australia | Diving Cocos Keeling Islands:
Cocos Keeling Islands overview
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Scuba Diving Cocos Keeling Islands, Australia
Water temperature: |
26°C (79°F) July to October, 29°C (84°F) for the remainder of the year |
Suit: |
3mm - 5mm wetsuit |
Visibility: |
20 - 50 metres (65 - 165 feet) |
Type of diving: |
Reef diving |
Marine life: |
'Kat' the dugong, grey reef sharks, manta rays, turtle, longnose hawkfish, batfish, moray eels, nudibranchs |
When to go: |
Any time of year |
How to get there: |
Flights depart from Perth International Airport (Australia) on Mondays at 11.45am and Fridays at 9.45am, stopping at Learmonth for fuel. Friday's flight is direct to Cocos Keeling Islands arriving at approximately 2pm local time. Monday's flight goes via Christmas Island to Cocos Keeling Islands, arriving around 5.30pm local time. Flights are operated by National Jet Systems. |
The Cocos Keeling Islands are part of Australia made up from 27 smaller islands, forming a U-shaped coral atoll. They lie 2750km northwest of Perth and 900km southwest of Christmas Island, its closest neighbour. They are located approximately 12º South and 96.5º East. The islands have a consistent year round day temperatures of 27-30ºC, with a tropical humid feel.
There is limited tourism and a small population.
The island only has a maximum of 16 divers in the islands waters at any one time so there is never any overcrowding of the 30+ dive sites. Recommended qualification level is PADI Advanced Open Water level or above. There is no recompression chamber located on the Cocos Islands, the closest chamber is either Perth or Singapore.
As the Cocos Islands are part of Australia, the official language spoken is English although the traditional Cocos Islanders speak a derivative of Malay. The currency used is Australian Dollars (AUD). It is advisable to carry a small amount of cash as there is no ATM on the Island. Cash can be obtained from visiting the Commonwealth Bank Branch which is open limited hours. Most businesses do accept EFTPOS, Visa and Master cards. Diners and American Express are not accepted. Visa requirements are as per Australia. The time difference to GMT is +6.5 hours. Tap water is safe to drink. The Christmas Island Tourism Office provides a public internet service.
It is essential to pre-book trips the Cocos Islands including diving, flights and accommodation. The cheaper seats on flights can book out more than 6 months in advance. Luggage weight restrictions do apply. Generally 5kg and hand carry and 20kg luggage is the norm. Excess baggage is charged at $10.00 per kilo.
Island Explorer Holidays
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