WEST ISLAND

Posted on March 15, 2019

Absolute paradise. The only way to describe the view as we flew across the 27 stunning coral islands that are the Cocos Islands. Lying 2750km north west of Perth, Western Australia only 2 of the 27 islands are inhabited. The rest are yours to explore and discover!

The Cocos Islands airport is based on West Island, the island for tourists to stay on and base themselves.

We picked up our rental car, an old ute – perfect for laid back, beach holiday we were about to indulge in. A quick stop at the local supermarket (the islands only one) for a few supplies before it closed, and on to our accommodation.

Part of our plan was to stop and relax, but we never did really find the time to do that – there was always somewhere to go and something to see. Fishing, snorkelling, beachcombing, swimming, canoeing, and exploring. Most beaches were deserted. The turquoise water was incredible and the white sand just perfect.

We spent days at Trannies Beach – exploring and snorkelling, watching the huge turtles hanging around the West Island Jetty, exploring jungle roads, thick with palm trees, and beaches around the island.

A stop out to the Big Barge Art Centre is a must during your stay on West Island, along with a few bevvies down at the Club. Don’t forget to check the notice board here for local events and also the Visitors Centre which was full of everything tropical and turquoise! They were a wealth of knowledge.

Surfing, kite surfing, snorkelling, fishing, birdwatching, golf and more are all on offer on West Island. The Cocos Keeling Islands Golf Course is played across an international runway – you won’t find this too often! Most of the tours depart from West Island also.

The snorkeling on Cocos was incredible. I took my father and two sons (12 & 10 years at the time) and we all walked from Scout Park, across the reef to Pulu Maraya Island. This tiny, but gorgeous uninhabited island which was surrounded by perfect, protected and shallow spots to snorkel.