Royal Dalton - Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Tanjung Jepun, for all its gentle reputation, is far more than just a training ground. We love it for its quiet surprises, the kind you often miss when chasing bigger thrills. Descend into that sandy, rubble-strewn slope and you'll immediately notice the almost meditative calm. It’s not about dramatic walls here, but the intimate details: those tiny Pinstripe Cardinalfish darting into every crevice, or the subtle shimmer of Glasseye Snapper hovering over patches of seagrass. Our favourite spots are always around those larger coral bommies, where we've seen everything from curious Jansen's Wrasse to the occasional Blue Ribbon Eel peeking from its hidey-hole. Keep an eye on the sand flats too; spotted stingrays often bury themselves, leaving just their eyes visible, and we’ve even spotted baby whitetip reef sharks cruising through on a lucky morning. For macro lovers and photographers, it’s a goldmine of nudibranchs and smaller critters, easy to spend an hour just exploring a few square meters. We’d suggest an early morning dive before the day boats crowd the area, when the light is softer and the site feels entirely yours. This is a site that rewards patience, perfect for those who enjoy slowing down and truly observing the smaller wonders.
- Location
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia, Australasia
- Coordinates
- -12.085000, 96.876100
- Type
- reef
Nearby Dive Sites in Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Aquarium Wall (wall)
- Aquarium Wall (wall)
- Barry’s Pool (reef)
- Barry’s Pool (reef)
- Broccoli Patch (reef)
- Broccoli Patch (reef)
- Cabbage Patch Cocos Keeling (wreck)
- Cabbage Patch Cocos Keeling (reef)
- Cable Bommie (wall)
- Cable Bommie (reef)
- Caits Reef (reef)
- Caits Reef (drift)
- Canons (reef)
- Celestes (reef)
- Chocolate Flow (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Royal Dalton
Marine Life in Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Home to 247 recorded species including 160 reef fish, 44 hard corals, 13 sea cucumbers, 9 sea snails & nudibranchs, 7 crabs & lobsters, 5 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Three-spot wrasse (Halichoeres trimaculatus) - Reef Fish
- Threadfin (Chaetodon auriga) - Reef Fish
- Lemon Peel (Centropyge flavissima) - Reef Fish
- Batavian Parrotfish (Scarus psittacus) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Black Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricans) - Reef Fish
- Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Surgeonfish (Acanthurus leucosternon) - Reef Fish
- Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
- Candelamoa Parrotfish (Hipposcarus harid) - Reef Fish
- Clown Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ornatissimus) - Reef Fish
- Chestnut Blenny (Cirripectes castaneus) - Reef Fish
- Maypole Butterflyfish (Chaetodon meyeri) - Reef Fish
- Sponsal Cone (Conus sponsalis) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Pufferfish (Arothron hispidus) - Reef Fish
- Humphead Unicornfish (Naso unicornis) - Reef Fish
- Silver-streaked rainbowfish (Stethojulis strigiventer) - Reef Fish
- Wrasse (Cheilinus trilobatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-dashed Rockskipper (Blenniella periophthalmus) - Reef Fish
- Flea Cone (Conus pulicarius) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs