Flying Fish Cove, capital city of Christmas Island

Flying Fish Cove is the capital city of Christmas Island

Christmas Island is an impressive feat of nature full of natural wonders including red crab migrations, exotic birds and wonderfully deserted beaches who are only disturbed by nesting sea turtles. The island is only 52 square-miles in area, and staying in the capital city of Flying Fish Cove makes it easy to explore all the abundant beauty, nature and culture that makes Christmas Island a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience.

The island is home to some of the world's best scuba diving sites and longest drop-offs. Christmas Island rises from the edge of the Indian Ocean's deepest point, the Java Trench, which contributes to the seemingly never-ending miles of drop-off diving. Most of the spectacular walls are just 20 yards off the shoreline. While diving the warm, clear waters, you will discover an abundance of sea life that includes dolphins, tropical fish, whale sharks and more. The narrow tropical reef that surrounds the island is laced with unspoiled corals and schools of colorful fish like anemones, butterfly fish, wrasse, surgeon and more. Larger locals often spotted by divers include trevally, rainbow runners and tuna. Occasionally, even sharks come up to divers to take a curious look.

The island is also the perfect destination for bird watching. Over 60 percent of the island is covered with national parklands, and its proximity to the equator and South East Asia has created a diverse range of bird species. One of the most prized species is the Christmas Island Thrush, an inquisitive endemic bird whose melodious evening song echoes provides the soundtrack for the tropical, palm-fringed sunsets.

Fourteen species of land crab call Christmas Island home, but the red crab is by far the most famous. The large and brightly-colored creatures migrate to the ocean by the thousands in October and November to breed and release their eggs. For up to 18 days, masses of the crabs travel in waves to the coast, following the same routes every year. In many parts of the island, the roads are closed to protect the critters as they move toward the shore.

Walking through the rainforests that surround Flying Fish Cove is one of the most enjoyable ways to explore Christmas Island. Trails ranging from easy to difficult take hikers past magnificent waterfalls, across undisturbed beaches and through mysterious caves and thick mangroves. Twenty-five tree species dominate the island, and vines, ferns and orchids grow densely throughout the humid atmosphere under the canopy. Of the 135 species of plants on the island, 16 cannot be found anywhere else.

Treacherous limestone shoreline