Flying Fish Cove

Flying Fish Cove, on the northern coast of Christmas Island, is the island's main settlement and its most beautiful and beloved bay, a small, sheltered cove of wonderfully clear turquoise water. Right off its little beach, a vibrant coral reef drops steeply into the deep blue, making it superb for snorkelling and diving straight from the shore, amid colourful corals and clouds of tropical fish. In season, the surrounding waters draw one of the island's greatest marine wonders, gentle whale sharks, the largest fish in the sea, which can be snorkelled alongside. Backed by green cliffs and forming the social hub of island life, Flying Fish Cove is a delightful place to swim, snorkel and soak up the tropical beauty of this remote Indian Ocean island.

What you actually see

• The turquoise cove - the clear, sheltered bay for swimming.
• The shore reef - the coral dropping steeply off the beach.
• The snorkelling - the vivid corals and tropical fish.
• The whale sharks - the gentle giants in season.

When to go

April to October, the drier and calmer season, offers the best conditions for swimming and snorkelling in the cove; whale sharks are often present roughly November to April, drawn by the crab spawn. Calm, clear days are best for the reef and diving.

Honest expectations

Flying Fish Cove is a small cove rather than a broad beach, and conditions depend on the swell, which can make it rough at times, while whale-shark encounters are seasonal and never guaranteed. As the island's loveliest bay, a clear turquoise cove with superb shore snorkelling and, in season, whale sharks, though, Flying Fish Cove is a genuinely beautiful and delightful spot.

Nearby

The national park, the blowholes and the island's trails lie nearby.