Cocos (Keeling) Islands - Facts
Cocos (Keeling) Islands FAQs
Pre-Arrival Boat: Australian Border Force require an Advance Notice of Arrival, as well as the B333 Small Craft Arrival Form (see Clearance for details). The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) require a Pre-Arrival Report (see Biosecurity for details).
Pre-Arrival Crew: All nationalities, with the sole exception of New Zealanders, must obtain a visa in advance or be registered as an eVisitor. See Immigration for details.
Where can I enter? Direction Island has the main yacht anchorage while Customs, Immigration and Quarantine officials are located on West Island.
Are fees high to enter by yacht? The Australian Border Force does not levy any charge for clearance. However, the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry operates on a full cost recovery basis. See Fees for more information.
What security and safety concerns should I know about? The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are a safe place to visit with little or no crime against visitors.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Facts for Sailors:
- The Cocos (Keeling) Islands consist of two atolls, North Keeling and South Keeling, comprising 27 low coral islands, most of them clustered around South Keeling’s lagoon. Most of the smaller islands are uninhabited.
- The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an Australian external territory.
- The islands are a convenient stop for westbound yachts in the South Indian Ocean.
- Direction Island is uninhabited and has almost no facilities. This is where the yacht anchorage is located.
- Home Island has about 500 inhabitants of Malaysian descent. The appropriate conservative dress should be worn when visiting Home Island in consideration of the residents’ religion. Home Island has some shops and fuel and propane is available.
- West Island is the commercial center with police & customs, airport, a dive shop, fuel, provisions, and other tourist facilities.
- Getting work done: The island contractors are resourceful but not many are marine focused. There is a limited boat repair facility on Home Island, but for emergency work only.
- Provisions: Most products are shipped or flown in, so the prices reflect that. Avoid buying all but the necessities.
Read and Post Related Comments
If you have information for this section, or feedback on businesses used, please let us know at editor@noonsite.com. We also welcome new information about businesses you have used (see Related Businesses).
Next Section: Profile: Security
Related to following destinations: Cocos Keeling
Country Navigation
Courtesy Flag Discounts
YachtFlags.com provides high quality courtesy flags that are manufactured in durable Knitted Polyester fabric. Knitted so that the fabric itself does not deteriorate in the constant movement that marine flags are usually exposed to, and polyester so that the flag does not weaken in the strong UV-light usually found in the main sailing areas of the world.
YachtFlags.com offers a discount to Noonsite members.
Use the coupon code NOONSITE_5A2B when checking out to get 10% off today.
Buy Now On YachtFlags.comMain Ports - Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Courtesy Flag Discounts
YachtFlags.com provides high quality courtesy flags that are manufactured in durable Knitted Polyester fabric. Knitted so that the fabric itself does not deteriorate in the constant movement that marine flags are usually exposed to, and polyester so that the flag does not weaken in the strong UV-light usually found in the main sailing areas of the world.
YachtFlags.com offers a discount to Noonsite members.
Use the coupon code NOONSITE_5A2B when checking out to get 10% off today.
Buy Now On YachtFlags.comFormalities
Courtesy Flag Discounts
YachtFlags.com provides high quality courtesy flags that are manufactured in durable Knitted Polyester fabric. Knitted so that the fabric itself does not deteriorate in the constant movement that marine flags are usually exposed to, and polyester so that the flag does not weaken in the strong UV-light usually found in the main sailing areas of the world.
YachtFlags.com offers a discount to Noonsite members.
Use the coupon code NOONSITE_5A2B when checking out to get 10% off today.
Buy Now On YachtFlags.com
Now Covid travel restrictions are lifting we are starting to plan our exit from Australia and were very much hoping to stop via Cocos Keeling. This makes for a predictable weather window to travel the first big hop to cross the Indian Ocean. Noon site suggests that permission is granted on a ‘case-by-case basis’ – but I just posted an application and it was declined. Application forms are setup to expect you to fly in and out from WA, but I completed them anyway and added comments to clarify our situation.
Has anyone managed to get an approval?
Any thoughts? Tips?
Hi MaryAnne, thanks for the question. I’ve made contact with the Authorities in Cocos and will let you know what they come back with.
Following as we are in similar situation.
Posted on behalf of Paul Stephens aboard s/v Tin Tin:
Getting to West island to clear in/out was less easy especially as there was no consensus on the ferry timetable. I have since laminated one and attached to the notice board. There is a ferry from Direction to Home island on Saturday a.m. at 10:00 but the connections don’t really work to get back again.
So it’s best to dinghy the 1.5nm to Home island giving the chance if the last ferry back from West island at 16:00. Ferry is AU $3.50 single or $5.00 return. The bus meets the ferry for $0.50… everything shuts at 15:00 on Saturday and there was no cafe or bar open. The Community Centre was helpful with Wi-Fi, and the shop reasonably stocked.
Using broadband radar over-layed on the Navionics Gold electronic charts, we found that the chart was precisely accurate. There is an error in the positioning of the entrance waypoint on the plan of Direction Island in the Indian Ocean Crossing Guide.
The plan shows the waypoint to be at the seaward end of the leading lines to West Island but, when plotted, it is 0.28M east of the leading lines. The waypoint is still a perfectly safe place to head for, although the boat will be closer to the land than the plan suggests.
In September 2015 there is now buoyage (unlit) to help you into the anchorage: From the IO Crossing Guide waypoint, head S and then SE towards the first tall post with a red can top. Leave that post to port and then turn towards the anchorage. If you have good light, you’ll see a band of reef ahead of you.
Identify the smaller post with a green triangle on top as this marks the area of deeper water over the reef. Keep the post close on your starboard side. We found the depths to be either equal to or more than those marked on the Navionics Gold chart. There are lots of small reefs in the anchorage but they are all deep until close inshore.
Anchor west of the jetty to keep out of the ferry/recreation zone.