The naturalists paradise of Christmas Island is located 360 km south of Java.

It is the tip of an Everest-sized undersea mountain; a limestone capped extinct volcano that first emerged from the sea about 60 million years ago. The perimeter of the island is rocky and steep and formed in a series of steps and terraces created by sequential uplifts of the island from the ocean floor. This surrounds a flatter central plateau. It's rugged shoreline and mountainous character combined to prevent colonisation by humans until the late 1800s.

The discovery of commercially viable quantities of phosphate led to exploitation of this resource which continues to this day. However, 63% of the island is designated as National Park and this is dominated by rainforest which itself is substantially modified by the presence of millions of land crabs. The most prolific of these is the endemic Red Crab (Geocarcoidea Natalis). It is estimated that 100 million Red Crabs inhabit the island and these still require the ocean as an integral part of their breeding cycle.

The crabs migrate from the central plateau to the shoreline and pay no heed to any obstacle, be it natural or man made. The tour has been scheduled to coincide with this unique natural phenomenon. David Attenborough, the renowned Naturalist, is recorded as saying ‘the migration was the most amazing sight I have seen”.

The island is also home to much more endemic flora and fauna; nine species of birds including the Christmas Island Frigate bird and the rare Abbott’s Booby; reptiles and bats and many species of plants including palms, ferns, vines and pandanus.

We conclude this Indian Ocean experience by spending time on some of the various islands that make up Cocos group. These islands offer a great mixture of birding, marine life and the absorbing history that makes up the colourful past of the islands.

Itinerary

Day 1	Perth - Christmas Island	D
Day 2	Christmas Island	B
Day 3	Christmas Island	B
Day 4	Christmas Island	B
Day 5	Christmas Island	B
Day 6	Christmas Island	B
Day 7	Christmas Island	B
Day 8	Christmas Island - Cocos islands	BD
Day 9	Cocos islands	BD
Day 10	Cocos islands	BD
Day 11	Cocos islands	BD
Day 12	Cocos islands - Perth	B

Date

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