| Christmas Island | |
.jpg/250px-Slow_Down_Drive_Around_(25107731169).jpg) | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| State | Australia |
|---|---|
| Capital | Flying Fish Cove |
| Surface | 135 km² |
| Inhabitants | 1.843 (2016) |
| Tourism site | |
| Institutional website | |
Christmas Island is a state politically belonging to theAustralia, located in the Indian Ocean, in Southeast Asia.
To know
Full access to telephony to and from Australia is allowed on the island, and also to the outside world in general. The manager operates on the island Telestra 2G GSM Mobile Telephone Service, which does not provide mobile data. The carrier's SIMs are available in various shops on the island and at the post office.
- Post Office, ☎ 61 8 9164 8495, fax: 61 8 9164 8494, @[email protected]. Provides stamps in case you have a postcard to send. In addition, there is a full postal service and collectibles, some banking services, cell phone sales and other products.
A public telephone system is available, with booths scattered over the island's area.
The internet service is provided via a satellite system. At times, the service may be slower than normal or it may completely disappear during rainy periods. WiFi connection services are available in various hotels and public places. However, no mobile data is available through the telephone system.
Geographical notes
The island has a maximum altitude of 300 m above the sea level.
The predominant biome is that of the tropical rainforest, and the island is also surrounded by a coral reef.
The island has a great scientific interest, as the fauna and flora were isolated from any human contact until the twentieth century. The most iconic species of this island is the red crab (Gecarcoidea natalis).
Background
The first cartographic representation of the island took place in 1666, although it was already known to the Dutch and the British. The first documented landing dates back to 1688 and was carried out by a crew in search of water and timber.
In 2001, the Australian government agreed to support the creation of a space missile launch station on the island, but now the construction seems unable to proceed due to a cut in funds.
Spoken languages
Being an Australian territory, the official and most commonly spoken language is theEnglish. However, there are elderly or adult residents who have some dialects as their mother tongue Chinese or Malaysians.
In any case, all road signs and signs are in English.
Culture and traditions
In 2016 the religious panorama of the island was divided as follows: Islam 19.4%, Buddhism 18.1%, Christianity 8.9%, atheism 15.2%, other religions 38.4%.
Nudity is not allowed on the beaches, it is necessary to bring suitable beach costumes.
It is a sign of good manners to greet the locals when they say hello, even if you are inside a car
Territories and tourist destinations
Urban centers
- Flying Fish Cove - The capital of the island, is located in the north-eastern region and is also the most populous settlement. About a third of the island's total population lives in Flying Fish Cove. In the city there is a small port that serves tourists with sailboats and an airfield a few kilometers south-east of the country. Some maps indicate it with the name of The Settlement.
How to get
As Christmas Island is politically annexed to Australia, the rules of entry, customs and quarantine are the same. As most of the flights departing fromAustralia the simplest solution is to obtain a visa for Australia and enter its territory. Then take advantage of regional flights to get to Christmas Island without needing 2 visas to enter a country where you plan to stop before arriving on the island.
For the Australian visa, see the relevant section in the article onAustralia.
By plane
 | To learn more, see: Airports on Christmas Island. |
There are no direct flights to Christmas Island. The island is reached by domestic flights from Australia, or by other exceptional flights from other Asian countries.
1 Christmas Island International Airport (IATA: XCH). It is the only airport on the island.
- Virgin Australia - Provides a transport service twice a week passing through both Cocos (Keeling) Islands than for Christmas Island. There are two types of flight:
- Malindo Air - The company offers flights to and from Kuala Lumpur, bookable only by email ([email protected]) or by telephone (61 439 215 370) to an operator associated with the airline (Evercrown Air Services).
- Garuda Indonesia- The company offers weekly flights to and from Jakarta bookable only by email ([email protected]) or by telephone (61 8 9164 7096) to an operator associated with the airline (Travel Exchange).
There are no direct routes to Christmas Island. The port of Flying Fish Cove however it is very popular with several yachts and is a stop for some cruises.
How to get around
On the island it is possible to move on foot, by bicycle or even making excursions between the coasts of the island.
By car
The nation is all connected with asphalted roads and you drive on the left. Despite the presence of roads, there are also dirt roads that can be used to reach more isolated places on the island, such as beaches or places of personal interest in the national park.
On the island it is possible to rent different types of cars, and the service is also available at the airport, although there is no real company aimed at renting vehicles.
The Christmas Island Taxi Service, ☎ 61 439 215 644. 
Tue-Thu 6: 30-24: 00, Fri-Sat 6: 30-2: 00, Sun 7: 30-23: 00. It offers a taxi service from the airport to the various destinations on the island.In any case, locals are usually happy to give visitors a lift.
What see
What to do
There are several possible activities to do on the island, many of these related to the charm of unspoiled nature:
.jpg/220px-Christmas_Island_(5775069028).jpg)
- Observe the very famous migration of the endemic Christmas Island Red Crab during the months from December to February
- Diving activities o snorkeling off the coast of Flying Fish Cove in order to observe the specimens of shark-whale
- Fishing amateur from ship or rock
- Speleology in the different caves of the island. It is important to ask the locals for suggestions before engaging in any caving activity. There are more than 30 caves on the island, but the most famous are:
- Lost Lake cave
- Daniel Roux's cave
- Full Frontal Cave
- Travel on a 4-wheeler and tour by car
- Mountain Bike Tours
- Relax on the beach or on the terrace of a bar with a nice cold beer
- Stock up on cheap drinks at the many bars and taverns scattered around the island
- Long walks in the National park
At the table
- Numerous varieties of fruits are grown on the island, including: papaya, mango, jackfruit, lime, banana, guava and some typically Asian fruits such as bunga kantan (also known as laksa flower) and manquang.
- Since the island is quite isolated and supply problems are not uncommon, it is very difficult to find fresh products. For this reason canned or pre-cooked foods are very popular.
- The chickens were raised on the island and the locals used to produce them pickled eggs is centenary eggs inspired by Chinese conservation methodologies. In addition to chickens, it was common on the island to eat dishes that included coconut crabs, but as these are a protected species, they can no longer be eaten.
Safety
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Christmas Island
Commons contains images or other files on Christmas Island
Wikinews contains current news on Christmas Island
