Cocos (Keeling) Islands

The Cocos Islands offer a deserted-tropical-island kind of holiday experience, with pristine, palm tree fringed, white sandy beaches and a jungle like interior.

The Cocos Islands have less than one thousand residents and there aren’t any resort type facilities or shopping and only a few local restaurants, but there is great swimming, walking, windsurfing, fishing and snorkelling and unspoiled vegetation. There is also a large marine population including turtles, manta rays and dolphins.

In the interest of preservation, access to the group's national park, Pulu Keeling National Park is restricted and you can only explore it when accompanied by rangers.

The Cocos Islands were until recently owned by a colonial British family who brought in slaves and farmed coconuts, the local inhabitants are Cocos Malay and mostly follow the Muslim faith, the largest settlement is on Home Island. Located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia in the humid tropical zone the Cocos Islands have limited fresh water supplies and have to import much of their food, so there is no chance of it becoming crowded or overdeveloped.