The Best Things To Do In Cocos Keeling Islands

The ‘Welcome to Paradise’ brochures handed out at Cocos Keeling Islands’ airport after half a day’s travel from Perth perfectly encapsulates Australia’s most remote group of 27 islands that hang in the Indian Ocean like a sparkling tiara.

One of three Australian external territories, those lucky enough to experience its unhurried landscape either stay or lose no time hurrying back; one escape to the deserted sand-draped isles isn’t nearly enough.

Be warned though, Cocos Keeling is a hard addiction to break. Picture snorkelling in aquarium-clear waters, swishing in hammocks hooked to palm trees, or simply strolling along the water’s edge, splashing up surf. Whether you crave well-earned R&R, a dab of adventure, or losing yourself in the islands’ rich natural environment, we’ve checked out the following what-to-do and where-to-eat options.

Underwater adventures

Cocos’ horseshoe-shaped islands sit in one of the world’s most azure archipelagos, giving the illusion a higher power perhaps created them for ocean lovers.

Join Cocos Dive and book an underwater sea-scooter tour or venture deeper with a dive. Either way, you can explore the islands’ wrecks where teems of tropical fish flit and dart through coral-encrusted hulls.

Swimming with manta ray with Cocos Dive on Cocos Keeling Islands

Swim with manta rays with Cocos Dive. (Image: Karen Willshaw)

Since Parks Australia declared the marine park a sanctuary in March 2022, you’ll be snorkelling in waters set to remain pristine and protected.

Swimming with turtle on Cocos Keeling Islands

If you’re lucky, you could swim with a turtle. (Image: Supplied)

For an experience with a difference, join a motorised canoe tour and discover the untouched islands with Cocosday.

You’ll skim across the lagoon in a motorised canoe, moor at an idyllic isle and indulge in a gourmet champagne picnic. Have your video ready to record the famous Cocos hermit crab race – the commentary alone is a hoot.

Watch the Cocos hermit crab race. (Image: Supplied)

Bring your snorkel and sense of adventure – the current will carry you around the tip of Pulu Maraya, a tranquil tidbit of an island where coral overflows with magical marine life. For a memorable experience, swim alongside their incredibly handsome shells.

The motorised canoe safari is an unmissable experience. (Image: Supplied)

Catch-of the-day

If fishing pumps through your gills, jump on half a day’s trip with Cocos Blue Charters and snag a catch for dinner.

Not into game fishing? Admire the star-studded sea life through the boat’s glass panel instead. Bring your snorkelling gear if you want to come eye-to-fish-eye with Cocos’ vibrant sea life.

Cocos Blue boat in the Cocos Keeling Islands

Take the boat out with Cocos Blue Charters. (Image: Rachel Claire Photographer)

The owners will also moor at surrounding islands for any history buffs on board. Both Prison Island – once home to a harem – and Horsburgh Islands – where the Australian Army established a base during the Second World War – have intriguing pasts.

Prison Island has a fascinating past. (Image: Jaxon Roberts)

Dress to get wet and explore the islands’ Eastern Atolls with Cocosday Tours. Snorkel around coral reefs brimming with exotic fish or choose an outlying island to bask and beachcomb to your heart’s content.

Snorkel around coral reefs in the Cocos Keeling Islands. (Image: Ryan Chatfield)

A couple of onboard stand-up paddle boards will help you work up an appetite for the included champers and nibbles.

Cocosday Tours also offers fishing tours around the reef flats. Using their high-quality fishing gear, you can catch coral trout, bluefin trevally, red bass or yellow lip emperor.

Go fishing in Cocos. (Image: Josh Cheong)

Take to the air

From July to September, trade winds bring perfect conditions for kite surfing. Fly like a bird over West Island’s curvaceous shoreline with Zephyr Tours or Ape X Kiteboarding – it’ll be an adventure like no other with these experienced kite school tour operators.

The instructors will show you the ropes and have you soaring over a translucent lagoon spotting turtles, black-tip reef sharks and shoals of fish.

Both Zephyr and Ape X Kiteboarding are one-stop shops offering packages including accommodation, transport and island adventures along with unlimited kite lessons.

Aerial Kitesurfing on Cocos Keeling Islands

Cocos Keeling has perfect conditions for kite surfing. (Image: Rik Soderlund)

Artistic endeavours

Step down into the hull of a restored barge of Big Barge Art Centre, lined with one-off art pieces made from washed-up flotsam and jetsam.

Local artist, Emma Washer pulled the colossal broken-down ship, the Biar Selamat (meaning ‘let’s be safe’) from the overgrown jungle back in 2001.

Emma devoted over 10 years to turn her vision of creating an art gallery into a reality. The 19-metre-long art centre now sits in a prime beachfront location and offers various workshops on recycling washed-up waste.

Visit the Big Barge Art Centre for some creativity and culture. (Image: Supplied)

All-things-coconut

Join a farm-based tour of the Wild Coconut Discovery Centre and see behind the scenes of a coconut production centre during a 1.5-hour demonstration. Learn about the timeworn techniques the farmers employ to create their products.

Cocos is laden with coconut palms – you’ll discover how they are utilised to make a range of goods, including tasty coconut chips and delicious ice creams. And you’ll get to enjoy free tastings afterwards in the farm shop.

Join a farm-based tour of the Wild Coconut Discovery Centre. (Image: Supplied)

T-off with locals

Scrounger’s Golf is played every Thursday afternoon across the airport’s international runway. It’s an island initiation must-do, like taking the Polar Plunge in Antarctica, though not nearly as cold.

The nine-hole round is all about teamwork, boardies, beers and banter, rather than getting a ball on the putting green.

Make your way to the Donga, West Island’s local club, sign up, grab some coldies, and hire your clubs, ready for tee-off at 3.30pm.

Play golf across an international runway, just to say you have. (Image: Lynn Gail)

Eating on West Island

After exploring deserted beaches, luxuriating in warm crystalline waters whiling away hours in contented bliss, you’ll no doubt be thinking about satisfying your taste buds. With Cocos’ land mass measuring a mere 14 square kilometres, restaurants are limited. However, there’s a good range of Australian, International and Malaysian fare available.

Watch the fading sun dance through waves from your lantern-lit table at Surfer Girl Brewery. Surfer Girl Brewery offers a range of delicious dishes and great cocktails. Chalk your name up on the outside blackboard or drop in to book. The restaurant also opens for breakfast periodically throughout the week – try their tasty avo and bacon toasties with freshly brewed coffee.

Surfer Girl Brewery offers a range of delicious drinks. (Image: Supplied)

Pull up a stall next to the locals at Salty’s Grill & Bakery, located externally at the airport. Get your caffeine fix, fresh croissant, pastry or toastie in the mornings. Pop in on Tuesday and Sunday for pizza night, or Friday for fish and chips night. Salty also serves up freshly made sourdough on plane days.

The Big Barge Art Centre’s Sula Sula Servery, a boho-styled cafe built from recycled boat timbers, serves a range of drinks and tasty treats to enjoy as the waves roll in. Check opening hours with the Visitor Centre on West Island.

The Sula Sula Servery serves a range of drinks and tasty treats. (Image: Supplied)

Add Tropika Restaurant at the Cocos Beach Resort. Buffet style Malaysian and Australian, breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days.

Open daily from 5pm onwards, the Cocos Club is a family-friendly hub, pub and foodery rolled into one. Relax with a cocktail or coldie and play a game of pool as you catch up with locals. They’ll tell you where the surf’s up and where the fish are biting.

Get intimate with your loved one by ordering a delicious spread with Cocos Picnics. They’ll put together a delicious, handmade grazing platter for you to indulge in – your only decision will be which deserted, soft sandy beach to hideaway on.

The basket is filled with gourmet goodies, rugs, cushions, candles and fairy lights – there’s even a pack of cards, a low-ground picnic table and a speaker for your playlist as you lay back to unwind under lazily swaying palms.

Eating on Home Island

Catch the ferry across from West Island for an authentic Malaysian dining experience at Kampong Cafe & Restaurant.

After exploring Home’s Island peaceful Kampong (a traditional Malaysian village) continue your cultural immersion at Island Brunch Cafe with their western-infused Cocos Malay dishes and speciality iced drinks.

Order a takeaway and dip your toes in the water at the lagoon’s edge. The sweeping layers of aquamarine hues are incredible. Pinch yourself to ensure you’re not at home daydreaming, turning pages of a glossy visit-paradise holiday brochure.

Home Island Cooking Cocos Keeling Islands

Enjoy an authentic Malaysian dining experience on Home Island. (Image: Supplied)

Halfway between mainland Australia and Sri Lanka, natural wonders abound in the Cocos Keeling Islands where sunshine, beautiful beaches and tropical jungle take centre stage alongside a unique cultural identity.

Tears fill my eyes as the plane descends towards the Cocos Keeling Islands. Never has a destination stirred such a profound reaction in me. From above, the islands seem to float in the water like green jewels, surrounded by an ocean so blue it looks surreal. Even before we land, this small but glorious archipelago has already taken my breath away.

The palm-fringed atolls are mere specks in the middle of the Indian Ocean that, as well as being incredibly far-flung, feel like an untouched paradise. Sitting almost perfectly halfway between mainland Australia and Sri Lanka, and just south of Indonesia, getting here is where the adventure begins.

Reaching the islands, which are an Australian territory, requires a flight from Perth International Airport, stopping en route at Learmonth on the northwest coast of WA before continuing to Cocos and, eventually, Christmas Island. It’s a journey that feels like a pilgrimage to the very edge of the Earth, and I am immersed in the tranquillity of island life the minute I step off the plane.

a house on Home Island, Cocos Keeling Islands

A colourful local home on Home Island. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

The geography of solitude

Cocos is made up of 27 coral islands, with only two – West Island and Home Island – inhabited, forming two distinct atolls. West Island is the administrative and tourist hub, while Home Island is where most of the Cocos Malay community lives. Its remoteness makes it a haven for travellers like me, who are drawn to places where natural beauty thrives and life moves at a slower pace.

White terns are resting in palm trees. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

This isolation creates a sense of serenity unlike anywhere else I have ever been. There are no shopping centres, restaurant chains or crowded beaches here, just miles of undisturbed natural beauty, turquoise waters and powdery white sand. It is the kind of place where your mind can wander, your body can relax and time seems to stand still.

the Big Barge Art Centre, Cocos Keeling Islands

The Big Barge Art Centre is a renowned art space on the island. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

You will find Direction Island just north of Home Island. It’s home to a famous rip, where you enter the water at one end and float its entirety while spotting amazing marine life along the way. A public ferry travels to the island on Thursdays and Saturdays. But you need to bring all your food, drinking water and snorkelling equipment with you due to its remoteness.

The islands are uncrowded and wildly beautiful. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Direction Island is also known for its historical significance, as it played a key role in the First World War when the German cruiser Emden was destroyed just off its coast. There is a memorial on the island, which serves as a quiet reminder of the battles that once raged in these peaceful waters.

The paradisiacal beaches are all white powdery sand and swaying palm trees. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

I spend some time wandering the island’s trails, which lead me through groves of coconut palms and past the old telegraph station, another nod to its strategic importance in the past.

a coconut tree in the Cocos Keeling Islands

The Cocos Keeling Islands are named after the coconut trees that grow here in abundance. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Remote explorations

Exploring the Cocos Keeling Islands is a journey best experienced on the water, where each tour provides a new perspective of the two atolls’ marine world. After my adventure on Direction Island, I am eager to explore more of the islands, and the motorised canoe tour with Cocosday is the perfect way to dive deeper. The tour leaves from West Island bright and early, with the lagoon as still as glass. The first stop is Pulu Maraya, a small, uninhabited island that looks like it has been plucked from a postcard.

a local guide carrying weaved baskets during the Home Island Cultural Tour, Cocos Keeling Islands

Basket-weaving is part of the Home Island Cultural Tour. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

I slip into the water with my snorkel on and begin to float down the stream, mesmerised by the coral gardens alive with colour and movement. The coral reefs are pristine and largely untouched by mass tourism, making them some of the best-preserved in the world. Our next stop is a tiny island called Pulu Belan Madar, another uninhabited speck in the lagoon.

an aerial view of Pulu Belan Madar, Cocos Keeling Islands

Pulu Belan Madar remains uninhabited. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

This stop is all about relaxation. Lying on the soft sand, I soak in the sun’s warmth. Our guides, Scarlet Walker and Hayden Michie, bring out cold drinks and a picnic of fresh fruit, banana bread and dips. As we sit watching the waves gently lap the shore, it is the perfect moment of calm. On our way back towards West Island, a handsome green turtle pops up, topping off a wonderful day.

an aerial view of the Cocos Keeling Islands

Cocos is made up of 27 coral islands, including Home Island. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Another must-do is the glass-bottom boat tour with Cocos Blue Charters. Peter McCartney, known to us as Captain Pete, is a local legend and tailors his tours to your group’s interests, allowing you to snorkel, fish or simply soak in the views of the underwater world beneath you. He takes us back to Direction Island to conquer the rip again, this time on a non-ferry day, so there isn’t another soul in sight.

a snorkelling tour with Cocos Blue Charters

Snorkelling shipwrecks with Cocos Blue Charters. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

We make a few stops on the way back to swim with manta rays and hopefully dolphins. The manta rays are a graceful success, gliding below us like shadows. Dolphins are next on the list. I am excited, but the thing about dolphins is, they often travel with sharks… So, as I put my fins on at the back of the boat, legs dangling in the water, Pete suddenly says, “Oh, there are sharks there!” to which I reply, “I think they’re dolphins!”

snorkelling and taking photos underwater, Cocos Keeling Islands

Clear water is perfect for underwater photography. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

And as it turns out, we are both right – there are dolphins, but what I had not noticed were the reef sharks lurking just beneath them. Reef sharks are generally harmless, but Pete’s casual warning about how they “sometimes act out” in open water is enough to have me yanking my legs out of the water.

Boat tours explore outer islands and reefs. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

A complex history

While the Cocos Keeling Islands’ beauty is unparalleled, its cultural and historical significance is equally captivating. The islands were first sighted by British sea captain William Keeling in the early 17th century. But it was not until 1826 that English merchant Alexander Hare arrived.

The islands are covered with lush palms. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Soon after, in 1827, Scottish trader Captain John Clunies-Ross arrived with his family and a group of Malay workers to establish a settlement. Clunies-Ross declared himself the ‘King of the Cocos’ and turned the islands into his own personal fiefdom, establishing a monarchy that would last more than 150 years.

Inside The Big Barge Art Centre you’ll find local arts and craft. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Though the Clunies-Ross family’s reign was often romanticised as a benevolent monarchy, the reality is more complex. The Cocos Malay people lived in a paternalistic system where they were paid in company currency, only useable in Clunies-Ross stores, and were bound by strict social rules imposed by the family. This created a highly stratified society, with the Clunies-Ross family enjoying European comforts and luxury while the Malay community worked long hours in the coconut plantations.

Coconuts grow abundantly on the island. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

The winds of change began to blow in the mid-20th century, when the Cocos Malay people started to challenge their status and sought recognition and rights. The Australian government at the time began to take notice, particularly as global views on colonialism and feudal systems shifted after the Second World War.

Walk past groves of coconut palms. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

In 1955, the islands were officially transferred to Australian control, but the Clunies-Ross family was allowed to continue their reign until 1978 when the Australian government purchased the islands from them. The final chapter of the Clunies-Ross dynasty came when the last ‘king’, John Cecil Clunies-Ross, was forced to sell his home, Oceania House, and relinquish the last vestiges of his family’s control over the islands.

Meet local coconut farmer, Tony Lacy. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Life on the Cocos Keeling Islands today

Walking through the islands now, it is hard to imagine it was once a kingdom ruled by a single family. But visiting Home Island is a fascinating insight into the Cocos Malay way of life. Traditional Cocos Malay culture is alive and well here, with Islamic influences seen in the architecture, clothing and religious practices. The locals are incredibly welcoming, and I feel like I have been invited into a close-knit community that is both proud and protective of its heritage.

Basket weaving with palms. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

One of the highlights of my visit is joining a cultural tour with Osman ‘Ossie’ Macrae, a local guide whose storytelling brings the islands’ history to life while we feast on a traditional Cocos Malay lunch. Ossie’s deep knowledge and passion for Cocos Malay culture make the past feel palpable.

The Cocos Malay people engage in traditional basket weaving. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Life on the Cocos Keeling Islands is refreshingly simple. There is a distinct lack of commercialisation, and I quickly adapt to the slower pace. On West Island, the rhythm of daily life is dictated by the tides.

Island life is refreshingly simple. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Dining options are limited but delightful. The few restaurants and cafes on West Island rotate their opening hours, and it is not uncommon for staff to close shop unexpectedly if the surf or fishing conditions are particularly good. A highlight of dining here is the abundance of fresh, locally caught seafood, all prepared with an island twist.

peeling a coconut at Wild Coconut Discovery Centre

Visitors can tour the Wild Coconut Discovery Centre. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

As my time on the Cocos Keeling Islands comes to an end, I cannot help but reflect on how this place has touched me, just as it did when I first laid eyes on it from the plane. From the quiet beauty of its beaches to the fascinating layers of its history, the islands leave an imprint. There is a stillness here that you cannot find in many places; a sense of peace that comes from being far away from the noise of the world.

Sitting in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Cocos holds its history close while offering its beauty to those who visit. I leave feeling something I rarely experience when I travel – like a part of me has stayed behind.

Swing into island time. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

Virgin Australia flies to the Cocos Keeling Islands from Perth/Boorloo’s International Airport on Tuesdays and Fridays. The flight time is about six hours and includes a stop at Learmonth, near the town of Exmouth, and continues to Christmas Island afterwards. The flight leaves from the international airport, so make sure you allow extra time to get through customs and check-in.

Staying there

Stay in an air-conditioned bungalow at The Breakers in the heart of West Island. Rooms are $310 per night for a minimum of three.

one of the rooms at The Breakers, Cocos Keeling

A cosy room at The Breakers. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Playing there

Cocosday runs a four-hour motorised canoe tour of the southern atoll lagoon and islands for $170 per person. If there is only one tour you book while on the Cocos Keeling Islands, make sure it is this.

Book a motorised canoe tour to witness pristine coral reefs. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Cocos Blue Charters operates a half-day glass-bottom boat tour for $200 per person. The boat fits four guests and offers shade. When visiting Home Island, book Ossie’s Cultural Tours for $85 per person to learn about the culture and history of the islands over a homemade Cocos Malay lunch.

Join a cultural tour with Cocos Malay local Ossie. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

Eating there

The locally run restaurants on West Island often alternate their opening hours, so you should be able to find at least one venue open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Check the visitor centre for updated information. Add your name to blackboards out the front of each restaurant to make a tentative reservation.

the Sula Sula Servery, Cocos Keeling Islands

Enjoy homemade sweet treats at Sula Sula Servery. (Image: Cocos Keeling Tourism/Rachel Claire)

The best things to do in the Cocos Keeling Islands