Swell Lodge, Christmas Island, Australia
Christmas Island, and its charismatic red crabs, has long been on our travel radar, spurred on by numerous nature documentaries that feature the extraordinary annual red crab migration. Even Sir David Attenborough called the migration one of the great wonders of the natural world.
But it had never made it to the top of our travel list, in part due to the complete dearth of any appealing (ie. luxurious) accommodation options.
So it was a “you-had-me-at-hello” moment when we first learned of Swell Lodge, a stunningly beautiful, fully equipped, ultra-exclusive eco-chalet nestled on the water’s edge, deep within Christmas Island’s Natural Park. We booked immediately!
Swell Lodge is the labour of love of two young Australians, Chris and Jess Bray. Acclaimed travel photographers and worldwide adventurers, the pair guide photography tours around the world, from Greenland to the Galapagos, including the most stunning regions of Australia. On Christmas Island, they soon realised that the available standard of accommodation was no match for the beauty of the island. And the vision of Swell Lodge was born.
Building a luxury retreat on a tiny island in the north of the Indian Ocean is no small undertaking. Christmas Island is 1500 kilometres from the Australian mainland, and 2600 kilometres from Perth, so the tyranny of distance is extreme. Every single component of the construction needs to be ordered and shipped from Perth, at huge expense and with considerable delays. Yet the island is still an Australian territory, with Australian laws and regulations, meaning planning permissions and building codes are rigorous – to obtain permission to build in a national park is a feat in itself, and a testament to the vision and persistence of Chris and Jess.
As if this wasn’t enough, the design and build of Swell Lodge was done almost entirely by Chris and Jess themselves – months of backbreaking labour, clearing the land (eco-sensitively), digging the massive foundations, constructing the beautiful villas and outfitting them to the highest standards. And they have succeeded in building something truly extraordinary.
While Swell Lodge is envisioned to eventually be an eight room resort, at the time we made our reservation there was just one villa, surreally positioned on the edge of the cliffs.
It is hard to get more exclusive than this! As you can see, there are now two completed villas, but at the time of our stay, we were the only guests. Not that it would make any difference anyway, as the vegetation surrounding the villas is so dense that you cannot possibly see your “neighbours”. And both have jaw-dropping ocean front vistas that would be the envy of any resort in the world. Seriously, check out this image, courtesy of Swell Lodge, and see why we swooned…
Since Swell Lodge has only two villas, its exclusivity and privacy is one of its biggest appeals. There is no guest reception desk, no communal buildings, no restaurant. Instead, everything is bespoke for each guest – a private itinerary, private guides, and private meals courtesy of a professional chef. It is a sublime experience, each element professionally curated and designed by Chris and Jess, and is perfect for discerning adventure travellers who value such unique experiences.
Arriving at Swell Lodge
We arrive on Christmas Island via the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an itinerary combination we would highly recommend. Whilst there are no truly luxurious accommodation, dining or experience options on the Cocos Islands, it is a beautiful destination, blissfully relaxing in its laidback informality, and makes the luxury of Swell Lodge all the more enticing (but definitely do Swell Lodge as the second destination – once you’ve had a private chef, it’s hard to go back!).
Whilst both Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are Australian Indian Ocean Territories, the islands are almost 1000km apart, and are striking in their differences. The Cocos Islands are a coral atoll, with 14 square kilometres of land barely a few centimetres above sea level, with picturesque palm-fringed islands encircling an azure lagoon. The few hundred residents live in characterful bungalows in two small villages, reminiscent of any quiet seaside hamlet. In contrast, Christmas Island is a volcanic mountaintop thrust from the sea millennia ago, full of sharp rocks and sheer cliffs, its 135 square kilometres rising as high as 360 metres above sea level. And while its landscape is much more rugged, its culture also feels much more industrial – built on phosphate mining, the settlements are perhaps functional rather than beautiful. Which makes the location of Swell Lodge, deep in the national park, surrounded by lush vegetation and that oh-so-incredible view of the ocean, all the more appreciated.
The flight from the Cocos Islands to Christmas Island is a 90 minute jaunt on a Friday, on a Virgin Airlines 737. The flight is part of the three-leg route that Virgin Airlines operates twice per week, flying Perth-Christmas-Cocos-Perth on Tuesdays and Perth-Cocos-Christmas-Perth on Fridays. We soar from petite airport to petite airport across the vast Indian Ocean, arriving in Christmas Island in the late afternoon. In the diminutive arrivals hall, we are welcomed by owner Jess and guide Alex, and our luggage is whisked into the waiting Swell Lodge Landcruiser. Cold towels and cold waters are proffered, and then we are off on the 30 minute drive to Swell Lodge.
The wet season is late this year, and the starkly beautiful island is dry and dusty. But lush tropical vegetation still abounds and soon we have left the tarmac road and are traversing the jungle on a narrow limestone track, palm fronds and overhanging vines creating tunnels of greenery. We are in the Christmas Island National Park, which covers 63% of the island, including most of the western half. We pass the Dales, a series of picturesque streams that cascade through the forest to the sea. And then we arrive at Swell Lodge.
The entrance is discrete – a stone and metal sign by the roadside, and modest numbers 1 and 2 as relevant for each of the villas. We follow Jess and Alex down a narrow pebble path, smiling hello at the occasional red crab that has already ventured out for the evening. And then the villa is before us – balancing on stilts on the cliff edge, with a vast sail roof, and the ocean just beyond. It is an impressive sight, but when Jess opens the front door onto our villa, the effect is breathtaking.
The villas are described as eco-tents, but this is so much more than camping, or even glamping for that matter. There are two walls of warm grey canvas, one on the left and one on the right, each with large screened windows. While these could be closed with the rolled canvas covers, we left them open our entire stay, to maximise our immersion in the wilderness. At the front of the villa, massive sliding doors (one of glass and one of flyscreen) allow the entire villa frontage to be opened. Beyond, a full-length balcony extends, and the view is truly hypnotic. The villa is perched, almost precariously, at the edge of a sheer limestone cliff. Below, slabs of red rocks project into the sea, and the azure waters crash and break over the stone with a soothing rhythmicity. Past the pounding waves, the ocean extends unbroken to the horizon. It is spellbinding, and in the days to come, we will spend many hours here on the balcony, absorbed in the view.
The rear of the villa is a solid internal wall. Here extends the open plan kitchen, with gleaming stone benchtops, a sink, a nespresso coffee machine (with built-in milk frother, a very handy and often missed amenity), drawers, cupboards, a bar fridge and a tall pantry. The pantry contains a range of crockery, napery and utensils, and is also stocked with a wealth of complimentary snacks, including multiple varieties of crackers, crisps, nuts, sweet biscuits and other nibbles, as well as red wine. Similarly, the small fridge is stocked full with white wine, soft drinks, gin, tonic and even limes!
In front of the kitchen, a stone-topped breakfast bar with bar stools extends across most of the room, dividing the villa into two zones. In front of the breakfast bar is the supremely comfortable king bed, with crisp white linen and turquoise blue cushions and throw.
A large woven mat, in undulating shades of similar bright blues, extends in front of the bed, leading the eye across a spectrum of blues to the ocean beyond. There is a large couch, which can be converted into a fold-out bed (on the off-chance you are sharing this experience with others!), and a small indoor table and chairs (which quickly become our photo and camera station). On the balcony, there is an outdoor table and chairs, a deck chair, and a petite outdoor hotplate and fold-down shelf that will be used by our private chef each evening for preparing our private meals.
Behind the kitchen at the rear of the villa, there is the beautiful villa bathroom. With two walls of windowed canvas and two solid walls, the bathroom is a masterfully executed fusion of style and function. There is an over-bench ceramic sink, with cupboards and drawers for storage and a large well-lit mirror. There is the compostable toilet, with a completely normal and stylish aboveground appearance, and an entirely water-free but odourless subterranean system – definitely the most fashionable and well-designed eco-toilet we have ever encountered! There is also a wide glass-screened shower, which, although pumped, has a seamless supply of piping hot water (although piping hot is rarely a necessity in the Christmas Island humidity). There are eco-friendly amenities, including shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and moisturiser, as well as bath towels and beach towels.
In short, the entire villa is an absolute delight.
We have arrived just in time for sunset. There is a cheeseboard waiting for us in the fridge, as is a bottle of chilled sparkling wine. After a brief tour of the facilities by Jess and explanation of how to use the in-room iPad, we are encouraged to partake in both. So we settle in for a glorious sunset in our beautiful villa, in one of the most stunning hotel locations in the world. And soon, we would be joined by Simon, our private chef, who prepared for us the first of our many decadent three-course dining experiences, taken on our balcony as the last of the sun’s rays faded and the sky filled with stars.
Staying at Swell Lodge
Over our dinner, we take the opportunity to peruse our itinerary for the coming days. At Swell Lodge, all activities are included. Our planned itinerary has been carefully curated by Jess, based on a questionnaire we completed at the time of booking, and taking into account the local weather conditions, tides, wildlife and availabilities of the very small numbers of local operators, such as dive boats, fishing charters, photography guides and yoga instructors.
Our in-villa iPad contains one of the best hotel apps we have ever seen, designed from scratch by Chris himself.
On it are some of the eco-credentials of the lodge, with realtime monitoring of the solar energy input, the energy usage and the battery status (on our sunny four day stay, we never saw the battery drop below 87%, despite continuously charging laptops, iPads, phones and camera batteries).
The iPad also contains our detailed itinerary for each of the coming days, including pickup times, destination information and tips for what to bring for each location (complete with enviable photos taken at each location by Chris and Jess themselves). And while this pre-planning might seem a little regimented for some, all the activities are undertaken at a relaxed and unhurried pace, whilst also ensuring that you get to see all the highlights of Christmas Island during your stay. To do so, we would highly recommend visiting for at least 4 nights.
Each day’s itinerary begins with breakfast, taken at leisure in the privacy of your villa, with provided supplies, such as granola, yoghurt and fresh fruit. There are also three types of tea, including chai, and four types of biodegradable and compostable coffee pods, including decaf.
Later in the morning you will be picked up at a pre-agreed time to begin your day’s adventures, which may include boat tours, snorkelling excursions, visits to secret grottos, bush-walks, birdwatching, beach swims and crab watching outings. Lunch will also be taken while you are out and about, having been lovingly prepared and painstakingly pre-packed by the chef.
You can read more about the possible activities on Christmas Island in our upcoming posts.
After a day of sightseeing and adventures, it is time to return to Swell Lodge. And to return to Swell Lodge is truly a delight. In the late afternoon light, frigates and boobies circle nearby, so close we barely need our zoom lenses. Beyond the cliff directly beneath us, the turquoise waves crash and surge on the red-brown rocks. The sun sets in a technicolour blaze, accompanied by nibbles and sparkling wine on our deck, and as the stars emerge in all their dark-sky glory, our chef prepares our decadent three course dinner. And finally we retire for the night, secluded and alone in this wondrous National Park, lulled to sleep by the rhythmic pounding of the waves and the click-clack-clicking of those iconic red crabs…
