Yacht MIZ MAE visited Christmas Island at the end of May 2001. All data and prices mentioned in A$ refer to this time.

There is a large Malay, a Chinese and an Australian community on the island, all living most peacefully together. 60 % of the island is a Nature Park. Australian Rangers keep a good watch over it. We rented a little 4 WD for 65 $ a day and had the most fantastic tour through rain forest, visited waterfalls, Chinese temples, stunning lookouts, the closed Casino where the big Frigate Birds come to drink fresh water out of the former pool area, said hello to the ever-present crabs of all sizes, including the giant Coconut Crab (palm thief), swam in caves filled with crystal clear saltwater to finally watch the rangers feed some hand tame Boobies and Frigate birds they had raised some years ago.

Another attraction is the diving. Pristine water, up to 50-meter visibility most of the time, walls going straight down, all coral alive and colorful and an abundance of fish. The reef right by the anchorage is so great, it will soon make you understand why the Port Captain Don insisted that you take a mooring for 10-20 A$/day. Apart from that, it is 25-150 meters deep and few yachts would have a chance to get their anchors back up again anyway.

The Phosphate mining is said to last another 10 years with big ships arriving at times, but everybody hopes the attention will soon turn to the planned space station which the Australian Government would like to build with the help of Russian Space technology. Maybe that would bring the population back from its current 1,500 to the 2,500 it was when the Casino was going at full pelt.

There are a good number of very reasonably priced Malay and Chinese Restaurants, proper corner Pubs to meet the lads, and neat Café’s along the main street.

Christmas Island turned out to be one of the most friendly places we ever visited. Where else does the Police offer you free rides even when you haven’t committed anything? And anybody else was just as helpful, friendly and uncomplicated.

The place is well worth taking a chance to get a mooring and a swell free time! Have a great time on Christmas Island!

Lilly Vedana & Tom Mueller, Yacht MIZMAE