Many Australians know about the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, but probably not that many would be able to pinpoint it on a map.  And in all fairness, that’s actually pretty hard to do – the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are just a tiny 14 square kilometre speck in the vast Indian Ocean, 2100km northwest of Exmouth, closer to Indonesia than the Australian mainland.  But more people probably google-mapped the Cocos Islands than ever before in 2017, when Cossies Beach, on Cocos’ Direction Island, was named the Best Beach in Australia.

It’s not hard to see why – this small coral atoll with swaying palm trees and pearlescent white sand is the picture-perfect beach of our imaginations.  It has sublime snorkelling, soft sandy shores speckled with crazy crabs, picnic shelters for lazy lunching and even a heritage trail with fascinating history from the World Wars.  And while it is a little bit of a journey to to get there (the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are a little under four hours by air from Perth), once in the Cocos, Direction Island is an unmissable destination. 

Here’s how to make the most of your visit…

Getting to Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Flights to and from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are only on Tuesdays and Fridays.  The Virgin Airlines A320 flights visit both Indian Ocean Territories on their 3-leg route, flying to Christmas Island then Cocos (Keeling) Islands (and back to Perth) on Tuesdays, and Cocos then Christmas (and back to Perth) on Fridays.  So your stay on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands will be either 3 days, 4 days or 7 days (or longer), depending on your flights.  On a side note, if you are a fan of watching planes take off and land, the runway access for bystanders at Cocos (Keeling) Islands Airport is unparalleled.

While the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are renowned for their laidback vibe, certain things only happen on certain days (if at all), so it does pay to think about your itinerary and daily plans ahead of your arrival.

In particular, the ferry to Direction Island only travels on Thursdays and Saturdays, so if you are staying for 3 or 4 days, you will need to lock in your Direction Island day to fit in with the ferry.  If you arrive on a Tuesday, plan to go to DI on the Thursday.  If you arrive on a Friday, plan to go to DI the next day, on the Saturday (which makes planning your picnic even more important, see below).

On the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the majority of visitors stay on West Island, as we did. On both Thursdays and Saturdays, the ferry for Direction Island leaves West Island from the Rumah Baru ferry jetty at 0730.  And while much of the Cocos work on quixotic “island time”, the ferry is ruthlessly punctual, so aim to arrive 5-10 minutes early.  The ferry jetty is an 8 minute drive north of the Cocos Club (effectively the centre of “town” if you can call it that), and there is a 5 minute walk along the jetty from the carpark.  If you don’t have your own wheels (although we highly recommend you do), buses leave from the bus-stops around town from 0700.

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands Ferry

There is just one ferry in the Cocos Islands, a twin hulled catamaran called “Cahaya Baru”, which plies the 25 plus minute journey from Home Island to West Island several times a day on Mondays to Saturdays, with the extra leg to and from Direction Island on Thursdays and Saturdays.  The fare to Direction Island is $2.50 per person each way, cash only, which is paid on board after departure, so do remember to bring your fare.

The ferry first takes you to Home island, a trip of just under 30 minutes.  While some locals will disembark here, travellers to DI simply stay on board.  Upon departure from Home Island, it does appear that you are heading straight back to West Island, which can lead to some momentary panic.  But don’t worry, the ferry is just navigating the shallow shoals near Home Island until it reaches deeper water (at about the 15 minute mark), before turning northward towards enigmatic Direction Island, already visible in the near distance.  

Arriving on Direction Island

The travel time from Home Island to Direction Island is around 25 minutes.  While there is plenty of space for everyone on the island, different guests prioritise different aspects of DI’s appeal – some want to be near the best snorkelling, some want a particular stretch of beach (frankly, all of the long lagoon shore is stunning), others want to be near the barbecues, while others may value serenity and privacy. If you are eager to score one of the prime spots on Direction Island, or to work out which area will suit you best, see our post Securing Your Ideal Spot on Direction Island, in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Personally, we were keen to snorkel “The Rip” at the Island’s easternmost end, and preferred a quiet and private cabana away from the larger groups!  For that we chose the most east of DI’s cabanas – number 7, and we found it was perfect for us.

What to Do on Direction Island

Direction Island is perfect for doing as much or as little as you like. But the best activities are drift-snorkelling The Rip, swimming in the tropical lagoon, relaxing on the beach with the crazy crabs and exploring the fascinating history of the island as part of the Direction Island Heritage Trail.

Drift Snorkeling “The Rip”

At the easternmost end of Direction Island, the narrow channel between Direction Island and neighbouring Prison Island produces a fierce current rushing from the ocean into the lagoon, evocatively known as “The Rip”.  With crystal clear waters and a wealth of underwater life, it is a stunning location for drift snorkelling (whilst also being far safer than its name would suggest).

To reach The Rip, follow the path along the narrow island’s spine to its eastern tip.  Here there is a wooden viewing platform, looking out over tiny Prison Island and beyond to Home Island. 

After the platform, it is a scramble over sharp shells and jagged rocks to reach the water.  We highly (highly!) recommend reef shoes, in which it is no problem to navigate the rocky shore, but without, it would be painful and painstaking!  We eliminated the dilemma of what to do with our reef shoes when donning our flippers by shoving them into the fronts of our rash shirts (an unglamorous but pragmatic solution); an alternative would be sturdy aqua socks that fit inside your fins.

The further northwards (towards the ocean) that you venture over the rocks, the longer your drift, but it depends how much rock-walking you can take.  We usually ventured about halfway from the viewing platform to where the ocean breakers crashed, which seemed a good balance.  From there, proceed gently to the water’s edge and slip into the circling waters.  The current doesn’t feel that strong, but it is tough to swim against, so its best not to resist and just enjoy the ride, as you are carried gently past a kaleidoscope of corals and a myriad of sea creatures. 

There are huge humphead wrasse with their bulbous foreheads, brightly coloured parrotfish munching on the rocks, enormous lurking groper, giant trevally, sinuous wahoo, and a multitude of other fish, large and small.  Black-tipped reef sharks meander, inquisitive, but not aggressive. 

The current gently buoys you through this aquatic wonderland, taking you along the channel as it streams past the headland and into the lagoon.  The further out you go, the further you’ll have to swim back, but this is relatively easy after emerging from the channel on the island side.  Here the current is minimal, and it is an easy swim in to the beach, and perhaps, to re-don your reef shoes and do it all again.

What Else To Do on Direction Island

Direction Island is perfect for doing as much or as little as you like. 

Keen snorkelers could spend most of the day repeatedly traversing The Rip, drinking in the underwater splendour. 

More laidback snorkelling can be had anywhere along the lagoon-side of the island, where rocky bommies in the shallows play host to small colourful fish and occasional reef sharks. 

Along the beach, the pearlescent white sand is perfect for sunbathing amongst the crazy crabs, as the palm fronds sway overhead and the gentle lagoon waves lap hypnotically on the shore.

If feeling more adventurous (and less somnolent), Direction Island does in fact have a significant history from both World Wars, due to its strategic location in the Indian Ocean, which can be explored as part of the Direction Island Heritage Trail.  Beginning at the pagoda near the jetty, a series of informative plaques have been erected at the most important historical sites along this 3.5 kilometre trail.  Allow about an hour to complete this gentle and interesting walk, which will take you almost the length and breadth of this small island.

Picnics on Direction Island

Regardless of the level of activity you plan on Direction Island, one thing seems de rigeur – a gourmet picnic.  Most travellers to Direction Island board the ferry with esky in tow (and sometimes several!). 

Knowing the unpredictability of supplies in the general stores on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, we had brought our supplies in a small ice box from Perth – cold meats, salads, cheeses, olives, dips, crackers and breads, for a savoury smorgasbord. 

Others used the barbecues and firepits to cook up a feast.

Whilst others seemed to have eskies more favouring a liquid lunch.

But all along the shore on Thursdays and Saturdays, the Direction Island cabanas are full of holidaymakers enjoying their nibbles and refreshments in this most stunning of picnic destinations.

Departing Direction Island

The return ferry departs Direction Island at 2pm – sharp!

It is hard to tell if they have a system for checking how many people were on Direction Island on a particular day, but they certainly don’t seem to look for stragglers, so ensure you are at the jetty on time. 

It is a brisk 10 minute walk from the furtherest cabana to the jetty.

The ferry retraces its course southward into the lagoon, before turning east towards Home Island, arriving just before 2:30pm.  If you wish to return immediately to West Island, stay on board for the imminent departure.  But if you haven’t otherwise had the opportunity to explore Home Island on your visit to Cocos (Keeling) Islands, it is possible to disembark now and spend an hour on Home Island before catching the subsequent (and last) ferry back at 3:30pm.

An hour on Home Island is just enough time to explore the small but fascinating Bantam Village – an astonishing enclave of Malaysia within Australia.  Home to about 450 people, Malay descendants of the original settler and his harem of wives from Malaysia, the town unfolds behind the port in a neat grid of brick-paved streets and lush greenery.

There is an Australian seaside village vibe, juxtaposed with traditional Malay buildings, a mosque, a Malaysian restaurant, and a grocery store with vast quantities of traditional food (far better stocked than the West Island equivalent).  The street-signs are in Malay, as is the conversation of the locals as they travel afoot and in golf buggies.  It is unexpectedly fascinating.

What to Take to Direction Island

• Cash: the ferry is $2.50 per person each way.

• Drinking water: there is none on Direction Island.  And it will be a hot day, even if cloudy.

• Food: stock up at the grocery store on West Island on the Wednesday (if going on the Thursday) or the Friday (if going on the Saturday), but keep in mind that supplies on the Cocos (Keeling) Island’s are limited and you may not have much of a range so consider bringing supplies from Perth (with receipts as some items, in particular tomatoes, are subject to restrictions and you will require proof of purchase from a reputable retailer).

• (Other) Drinks: Most partake in a frothy beverage (or several) during their visit and frankly we can’t think of a better place to enjoy your preferred alcoholic sustenance (ours was champagne followed by G & Ts with lime).

• Adventure: Reef shoes for getting to the water level at The Rip and for wearing when walking around the island, then flippers, goggles and snorkel (and toothpaste to avoid fogging). Rash shirt (for sun protection and for carrying your reef shoes while in the water, ideally long sleeve), sunscreen, hat and sunglasses.

• Technology: While this is the perfect place to unplug, there is actually wi-fi on Direction Island, just in case you can’t wait to send that most envy-inducing selfie!