When the swell is up, Flying Fish Cove is an excellent site for snorkeling and shore diving, as well as surfing. While the phosphate port dominates the northern end of the cove, the southern end is serene and picturesque, with thick foliage running all the way down to the sand and stunning rock formations. In the deeper waters, spinner dolphins can often be spotted frolicking. It is one of the best dive sites in Christmas Island.

Snorkellers entering the warm, clear waters of the Indian Ocean from Flying Fish Cove should wear reef shoes to protect their feet from jagged coral and stonefish. The cove is popular with families since it is a relatively safe swimming area with BBQ facilities; it is also a great place to surf when there is a swell. According to Diveplanit.com, Flying Fish Cove is home to 90% of the species present on Christmas Island, including the freckled shark, octopus, hawksbill turtles, lionfish, and blue-lined surgeonfish.

Snorkellers entering the warm, clear waters of the Indian Ocean from Flying Fish Cove should wear reef shoes to protect their feet from jagged coral and stonefish. The cove is popular with families since it is a relatively safe swimming area with BBQ facilities; it is also a great place to surf when there is a swell. According to Diveplanit.com, Flying Fish Cove is home to 90% of the species present on Christmas Island, including the freckled shark, octopus, hawksbill turtles, lionfish, and blue-lined surgeonfish.

Best for: Families and freediving enthusiasts

On Christmas Island, Ethel Beach is one of the best dive sites in Christmas Island. The variety of fish is incredible. If you don't have protective footwear, don't enter the water from the beach; instead, enter from the beautiful rock pool concealed on the right side at the bottom of the boat ramp. Because Ethel Beach is a booby nesting spot, it's fun to see them and hear their frightening, ancient cries.

If the seas at Flying Fish Cove are too rough, the waters off Ethel Beach are an excellent option for snorkeling and swimming. You should examine the current circumstances on the day before entering the sea, as you do with all of the beaches on CI. The vibrant reefs that surround Ethel Beach are teaming with marine life, and just offshore are some of the world's most beautiful examples of untouched coral.

During the season, keep a look out from shore for big frigate birds and the flick of a whale shark tail, and keep an eye out in the water for pelagic fish like wahoo. To safeguard your feet, reef shoes should be worn on the beach. Those who are seasick will be relieved to learn that whale sharks and manta rays are only a short boat ride away.

Best for: Keen snorkellers

West White Beach Cave is a cavern with two big openings in one corner divided by a column. There is plenty of room inside - no claustrophobia here. There's a lot of color on the walls and a nice reef outside at 12-18 meters. It's perfect for those 'Silhouetted against the Blue' shots. A pillar separates the two openings of the cave, and it looks interesting even from that angle. On the cave's roof, which is completely submerged, there is some extremely remarkable stuff — wonderful color and vitality.

The tall grove of trees that seem to dance and sway in unison, like a chorus line, can be found on the island's north coast at West White Beach. The journey to the beach is rather tough, and access to the beach is achieved through a rope built to aid the descend down a tiny but steep piece of the cliff after a relatively strenuous hike through the gorgeous rainforest. Wear good walking shoes and bring a bag to carry your water bottles and snorkeling equipment.

To cut down on the glare reflecting off the glistening white-sand beach and better appreciate those amazing views, polarized sunglasses are also essential. Snorkeling is a must-do on Christmas Island because of the diverse assortment of fish and the possibility of swimming with turtles or dolphins.

Best for: Fitness freaks

Thundercliff Cave consists of two caves and is located on Christmas Island. This is one of the best dive sites in Christmas Island. The second cave has a big open chamber that serves as an entrance. That one is noted for a hanging shroud formation and is filled of stalagmites and stalactites. After removing your diving gear, you can explore this cave on land. Thundercliff Cave's entrance is underwater, so you must first descend six meters to a corrugated sandy bottom, then swim into the gloom through an almost Gothic archway. Once inside Thundercliff Cave, there is a big air pocket where you can surface.

Thundercliff Cave is open to diving all year, but the monsoon season runs from December to April. The usual water temperature is between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius (75 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit). Divers can explore a tunnel leading to a cathedral cave by diving during high tide.

At the bottom of Thundercliff Cave lies a colorful reef with a variety of species, including butterflyfish, velvet surgeonfish, and angelfish. Grouper, snapper, and barracudas are among the larger species found at this dive site. The enormous limestone cavern has a stunning collection of stalactites that dangle from the ceiling like Gaudi-style chandeliers. This nearly surreal scene also features a smaller tunnel that leads to a second huge room, where you can take a breather.

Best for: Beginner-level divers with cave certification.

The Million Dollar Bommie is on the bucket list of underwater photographers from all over the world. It is widely regarded as one of the top diving places on Christmas Island, and undoubtedly among the best diving spots in the world. The bommie is around seven meters tall, with a base of about 26 meters and a lovely pettiskirt formed of delicate sea fans.

It also supports a diverse range of fish, both on the surface feeding on algae and hiding in the nooks and crannies all around. Between the sea fans and coral overhangs, look for pigfish, mimic surgeonfish, and red fire gobi, which make for great photo opportunities. Meyer's butterflyfish, coral trout, damsel fish, fusiliers, triggerfish, and rock cod are all possible sightings.

The Million Dollar Bommie attracts divers because of the large diversity of fish that live in a small space. The light on top of the bommie is dramatic, and the candy-colored coral makes it an excellent location for photographing fish. Keep a watch out for a spectacular manta ray, which is frequently spotted flying through the sea.

Best for: Advanced, experienced divers

Rhoda Wall is a magical place for pelagic enthusiasts, with visibility so good that it's like seeing through a window on a clear day. It is considered one of the best dive sites in Christmas Island. Grey reef sharks may be visible 30 meters below the surface if you look down into the pale blue from the comfort of your dive boat. There are many of wonderful diving spots on Christmas Island, but this coral-lined wall off the island's northwest coast is full of surprises, sloping down gradually in graduated colors of blue before abruptly ending at the 20-meter level.

Here you'll find beautiful fractal coral and hydrocorals, as well as vibrant tropical reef fish. Beyond the hill, there are some lovely coral stacks, which seem like stacks of colorful cards, as well as big plate corals. Christmas Island Wet n Dry Adventures, which has been operating on the island since 1996, will take you on an exclusive tour with only six divers. While most divers are satisfied with a full-length 3mm wetsuit, Teruki Hamanaka, a Japanese native, adds those who are cold can request a 5 mm steamer or a neoprene hood.

There are some lovely royal blue hydrocorals on the wall, as well as yellow and pink fusiliers darting up and down the wall like artwork. Keep an eye out for megafauna: enormous whale sharks are common during the season (November to March).

Best for: Advanced divers