Diving in Christmas Island
Why dive here
Christmas Island offers some of Australia's richest diving, with 108+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blacktip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, manta rays and mobula rays (devil rays). Water ranges 27-29°C, warmest March, April, May.
Christmas Island, out in the Indian Ocean, is a place that feels genuinely remote. We love a good wall dive, and these aren’t just any walls. They drop sharply, often to absurd depths, straight into the abyss. It’s where you’ll often find yourself eye-to-eye with a Gray Reef Shark patrolling the blue, or just hanging out watching the thermocline ripple past. The real magic here, though, is the sheer scale. We’ve seen whale sharks cruise by so close you could feel the displacement of water, and manta rays glide past like silent alien spacecraft. The reefs themselves are a healthy mix of Staghorn and Montipora corals, often punctuated by enormous Corrugated corals that just demand a closer look. Our favourite is spotting the Desjardin's Sailfin Tangs, their dorsal fins almost comically large as they nibble at the reef. Keep an eye out for the smaller stuff too, like the vibrant Zebra Blenny popping out of its hole. Current can be a factor, so be prepared for some serious drift dives along those incredible walls.
Christmas Island Dive Site Map
Dive sites and dive centres in Christmas Island
Christmas Island Dive Sites
4 dive sites in Christmas Island
Muirfield reef
Palaster Reef is an interesting dive, one that we’ve always enjoyed on Barbuda’s calmer days. It’s not a deep spot, mostly a gentle slope of hard coral formations, but that makes it ideal for really taking your time. We love drifting along the sand channels here, especially in the late afternoon. That’s when you often spot the little post horn squid, almost translucent, hovering just above the sand, or sometimes a red grouper eyeing you from under a coral ledge. What makes Palaster shine isn’t the big pelagics – you’re not likely to see a sperm whale here, despite what some older records might suggest – it's the sheer density of smaller, fascinating critters. Keep your eyes peeled for cardinal cones moving slowly across the substrate, or the tiny, intricate shells like the modest triphora clinging to coral. We’ve spent entire dives just in a 20-meter stretch, finding new things with every pass. It’s a photographer’s dream if macro is your game, and fantastic for newer divers who want to build their confidence without strong currents.
Perpendicular Wall
Bango offers a gently sloping reef, perfect for leisurely drifts. We often spot schooling fusiliers here, along with the occasional reef shark patrolling the deeper sections. It’s a relaxed dive, good for photographers or anyone wanting to take their time exploring the coral formations. While not a high-octane site, it delivers consistent, enjoyable diving.
Snorkeling in the Rip
The Rip on Christmas Island isn't a deep dive, it's a surface spectacle. We love it because it’s where the island's unique geology really puts on a show, right at eye-level. You get these massive, ancient coral bommies, smoothed by millennia of surge, creating a kind of labyrinth. Sunlight filters through the gaps, illuminating schools of parrotfish and cardinalfish zipping between the shadows. It's an ideal spot for anyone who enjoys drifting and observing the intricate world just beneath the surface. We always find ourselves lingering around the bigger mushroom-shaped corals, watching the Spotted Groupers eye us from their ledges. The currents can get a bit frisky here, so pick a calmer day, ideally when the tide isn't ripping too hard. Keep an eye out for the Red-footed Boobies fishing overhead; they’re pretty fearless and will often dive right near you. It's not about big pelagics here, but about the sheer density and diversity of reef life in a dynamic, shallow environment – a genuine privilege to witness up close.
Turk Reef
Notable reef in Christmas Island, Australia. reef in Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Christmas Island Dive Centres
13 dive shops and operators in Christmas Island
Ocean Wildlife in Christmas Island
108 species recorded in Christmas Island
Christmas Island Daylight & Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise and sunset times for Christmas Island, calculated from coordinates
Today - Monday 24 August
Sunrise
06:34
Sunset
18:22
Daylight
11h 48m
Golden Hour
17:53
First light (dawn) at 06:13 · Last light (dusk) at 18:43
Monthly Averages
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 06:12 | 18:57 | 12h 45m |
| Feb | 06:25 | 18:54 | 12h 29m |
| Mar | 06:29 | 18:40 | 12h 11m |
| Apr | 06:30 | 18:21 | 11h 50m |
| May | 06:35 | 18:09 | 11h 34m |
| JunShortest | 06:43 | 18:09 | 11h 26m |
| Jul | 06:47 | 18:15 | 11h 29m |
| AugNow | 06:39 | 18:21 | 11h 42m |
| Sep | 06:20 | 18:22 | 12h 1m |
| Oct | 06:01 | 18:22 | 12h 21m |
| Nov | 05:50 | 18:30 | 12h 40m |
| DecLongest | 05:56 | 18:45 | 12h 49m |
Times are approximate local times based on longitude. Actual times may vary slightly depending on the exact timezone observed in Christmas Island.
Where to Stay near Christmas Island
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Marine Protected Areas near Christmas Island
699 protected areas near Christmas Island - please respect local regulations when diving
La Grande Barrière
Coral Sea
Macquarie Island
Freycinet
South-west Corner
Argo-Rowley Terrace
South Tasman Rise
Arafura
Tasman Fracture
Zeehan
Western Eyre
Coral Sea Reserves (Coringa-Herald and Lihou Reefs and Cays)
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Getting to Christmas Island
West Island
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