Tag-Archive for » Christmas Island «

Dolly Beach
Sunday, November 20th, 2011 /

Beautiful White Sand!

If you ask any local what the best beach on Christmas Island is they’ll probably tell you, Dolly!  Standing out as one of the islands premier beaches, the white floury sand welcomes your feet after a two kilometre jungle trek.  The approximate 300 meters of beach front abuts groves of fruit bearing coconut trees that jut out and up towards the sea.  Beneath the trees are hundreds of crawling robber crabs fighting for dominance and pilfering distracted beachgoers lunches.  As the tide recedes the dazzling rock pools are revealed seducing bathers into their cool electric blue waters. 

Rahhh Robber crabs!

Relaxing by the palms!

Not only does Dolly Beach make for a great day trip, but the soft sand and remote location beckons the adventurous campers.  Receding tide is the best time to visit Dolly, so be sure to check for the times in the Islander.

Jungle Hike home!

Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Dolly Beach  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
Daniel Roux Caves!
Sunday, November 13th, 2011 /

Of all the wonderful places to explore on Christmas Island, there are none quite as exciting as Daniel Roux Cave.  From the outside, it looks ordinary.  You could almost miss the entrance if you didn’t know it was there, but lying beneath the jungle covered surface are grand stalactite caverns and bottomless trenches filled with gem colored waters; a marvelous natural phenomenon caused by a combination of geological events and thousands of years.

Danger ahh!

There is a fence with posted warning signs blocking the mouth of the cave.  The signs are a reminder of the dangers that lay beneath, but as far as I know, no one has ever died here.  As long as you take your time, observe the apparent risks and bring the right equipment, you have only claustrophobia to worry about.

Scary Ladders!

The climb down the skinny ladders into the belly of the cave takes both patience and concentration because at certain points, losing your footing and falling to your death is a very real possibility.   Once you reach the bottom the air is thick and the choice of which direction to go, is yours.   We decided to go left through a tiny crack that you had to squeeze past.  We reached the water right away and followed the “trail” into big open caverns and through thin openings ducking and climbing when necessary.

It was exhilarating, pushing forward not knowing where the next turn would lead.  A sensory overload that affected  the speech portion of my brain, so I could only mutter a “cool” or “sweet” as we shined light on an area which has never known any.  Even on the way back it was just as exciting because even though we were on the same path, there is so much that we missed coming from the other direction.

Fun with the glowsticks!

Climbing through the trenches!

As we climbed back up the dodgy ladders I saw the sunlight peeking through; and even though exploring the cave was incredible, it’s always great to see the light of day again.  It is an absolute must do on Christmas Island.  My excitement actually grew during and continued for days after.  It is amazing the power of time and pressure, which is what we have to thank for providing us with yet another great experience here!

The way back from the caves!

Category: Australia, Caves, Christmas Island  Tags: ,  One Comment
The Lagoon!
Wednesday, November 09th, 2011 /

Another new area for myself to visit, The Lagoon is a beached area tucked away behind the resort (which was always closed down when I visited late 90’s-early 00’s)

Coconut man!

After walking down a gravel street, you’ll see some small steps carved from the ground that lead you to the sand. It’s surrounded by palm trees and rocks, and apparently there used to be a waterfall there…..maybe there’s a trickle during wet season. The resort has plugged it up for their own use .

Picturesque

It was pretty and fun to play in the sand, but the water wasn’t right for swimming. The tide was coming in and it was rough. The snorkeling is supposed to be really nice over there though….hopefully next time!

Woo!

Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Lagoon  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Ethel Beach!
Tuesday, November 08th, 2011 /

Brad's masterpiece painting!

One place that you should take some time and get to know while on the island is Ethel Beach.  Given its proximity to Lily one might expect a similar layout, but it is actually very different.  From the parking lot there is a boardwalk that will lead you down to a set of steps bringing you out onto Ethel OR you can walk down the (unused) boat ramp and climb through some rocks to a private beach.

Rock Pools at Ethel

Once you touch down on the pebbly sand you have a choice to either set up in front of the shimmering indigo rock pools that are just deep enough to lounge in or stroll to the left where space is plentiful until you find a spot that suits you.  This is also a great place to view the casino, but even better for sunrise if you’re keen for a 5am wake up call. 

Yea

Probably the most important thing to take into consideration before planning a trip here is the tide.  Always choose low or going out over high/coming in because at its highest point the waves will be crashing into the steps leading down to the beach and the chill space becomes nil.  

Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Ethel Beach  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Fake Frames!!
Monday, November 07th, 2011 /

We were on Christmas Island when I celebrated my 24th birthday, and since Julie’s 23rd was just a few weeks before, we decided to have a joint birthday party. We of course wanted a dress-up theme, but realistically, there is nowhere to shop on Christmas Island. Unless you go to Perth or KL before the party, you’re very limited. So we decided on a “Fake Frames” party inspired by LMFAO.

Cousins!

We went all out, cleaning Julie’s house and yard up the whole week before, setting up dance lights, making the ultimate playlist, shopping for food and booze, acquiring tables and esky’s! Finally the night came and it was a blast! EVERYONE showed up wearing their sunnies with the lens popped out, and some of Julez friends even dressed outrageously for the occasion!

The girlies!

The boys stole the cam!

My favorite party favor was brought out… jello shots…and plenty of them! Beer pong was a success, but Flip Cup even more so! Upside Down Margaritas came out around midnight and after that…I think everyone was feeling good! Thanks to Oma and Aunty Suhaima, we had plenty of dips, snacks and even Sushi to munch on and keep everyone on their feet!

Upside down margaritas! :)

My Love!
Category: Australia, Christmas Island, Family  Tags: , ,  One Comment
Greta Beach!
Friday, November 04th, 2011 /

Also known as  the “Thong Beach”, Greta is unfortunately in the line of Indonesia’s outdoor rubbish bin! Although… it does make for some great community projects and art work!

View from the top!

Greta is yet again another beach only accessible by 4 wheel drive. The walk through the jungle is only short before you come to a staircase leading down to the sand!   It’s actually so beautiful and could be one of the nicest beaches on the island if it weren’t for all the trash!

Crazy Staircase!

At low tide and calm waters, you can wander around the cliffs to come to a giant rock pool that you can fully swim in.

Loved this twisted branch!

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The Grotto!
Thursday, November 03rd, 2011 /

The Grotto is one of the few caves on the island that is relatively safe and very easy to access. However, just because it’s not hidden… doesn’t take away from it’s charm! After a short walk through the jungle, you walk up to a big rock formation that opens up into the ground.

DANGER!

Look down to see a crystal clear blue pool of cool freshwater. The experience is still a bit scary, because it leads out to the ocean and you can hear the growling waves as they crash into the rock and seep their way into the grotto.
Going in!
The tide will rise and suck out again, and I was scared I would get sucked out! Apparently divers can enter the ocean through here, but it can be pretty dangerous! If you look around the cave, you’ll see melted wax everywhere from candles set up to have a romantic dip at night!
COLD!

 

Category: Australia, Caves, Christmas Island, Grotto, Jungle  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
Golfing on Christmas Island!~
Thursday, November 03rd, 2011 /

Although small, Christmas Island offers its locals plenty to do, one of which is to play a round of golf! 

What the golf course SHOULD look like :)

Journey along Gaze road through the cemeteries, passed the grotto and soon after the landscape opens up; to your right wide open green space dotted with coconut trees and a backdrop of steep limestone cliffs.  And on your left, the bright blue ocean crashing against the rocks.  Unfortunately for us, the island is so dry at the moment, that it wasn’t as lush and green as we had hoped. Nevertheless, it was still a beautiful sight, and I even got Chelsea to come out to play a couple times with me!

Brad on the green!

The Christmas Island Golf Course  is nestled so nicely in between natures eye candy that you almost feel guilty paying only $10 for nine holes.  

Famous twin palms!

At any point during your round you can look up to the cliffs and see the booby or frigate birds gliding overhead and if you’re lucky, a red crab will come out of hiding to congratulate you on a good shot.  

Golfing with the grandparents :)

Category: Australia, Christmas Island, Family, Golf  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Winifred Beach
Thursday, October 27th, 2011 /

One of my new favorites! I had never been toWinifred Beach before in all my times to Christmas Island. It is the furthest beach away from everything, on the other side of the island. About a 45 minute drive through crazy uneven jungle road, Julie drove through it like a champ, only to be followed by a 20 minute trek through the jungle, and then you come out on top of a cliff, looking down at crystal clear water.

On the way down!

 First you need to climb down these unbelievably steep stairs that more closely resemble a ladder, and then hope you’ve come at low tide, because then you have to tread through knee high water around some jutting cliffs to actually reach the beach! Potentially could be extremely scary and dangerous if you don’t check the tides schedule first!
So Steeeep!

First View!

Climbing around the cliff!

Once you’re there, there’s tons to explore. Mini caves, tons of tiny rock pools with eels, crabs and fishies swimming around, rocks to climb, birds to watch. Joh brought his fishing rod, and we grabbed the snorkels too. When you walk to the end of the rock pools, there’s an area to jump into beautiful blue water and swim as you sway around with the tide.

Julez and I swimming!

Bring food and water, because after a few hours in the sun, the hike back to the car is a bit tough! 

Joh fishing!
Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Family, Winifred Beach  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
The Dales!
Friday, October 21st, 2011 /

The Dales are the waterfalls in Christmas Island, with Hugh’s Dale being the most famous! Again, only accessible with a 4-wheel drive, you’ll likely to get there and be the only ones around! Once parked, you have a walk through the jungle, where you’ll come to a stream filled with huge Tahitian Chesnut trees and blue crabs (they love the water!). The rest of the walk is uphill on a boardwalk to avoid the sharp rocks, and stepping into crab holes!

The hike to the Dales!

Blue crabs along the way!

Once you’re up the hill, you can cool off under the waterfall, explore in the cave, and even climb to the top to see the muddy network of tree roots and water. It’s super relaxing, beautiful, and a good work out!

Hugh’s Dale Waterfall (No.2)

Marshes above the Waterfall!

If feeling adventurous, there are actually three more Dales that each offer a little something different. Chels and I went back another day to check them out.  Cross over the first stream dodge some crab holes, duck under a few branches and fallen trees and you will quickly  come to the next stream. 

We had read that if you just follow the stream towards the ocean, you’ll eventually get there, and after a few minutes of deliberation and discussion about how to break through the thick bush we decided to give it a go.  We felt like true explorers, hiking off the beaten path criss-crossning over the creek trying to find the best way and watchfully avoiding the blue crabs, who met us with raised claws.  Eventually the brush clears and the beautiful Indian Ocean appears.

The Rockpools (No.3)
We absolutely LOVED the 3rd dale with the rockpools. We had green jungle behind us, blue water in front of us, and lots of cliffs to climb around and explore. Looking at the massive swell and neverending horizon made us feel so small. Gave us an interesting perspective!

Taking a Dip

We skipped the 4th dale with the blowholes and headed for the 5th dale, Anderson’s Dale, with the gorge. We were in LOVEEEEE!!! This was the biggest stream lined with massive trees and crabs everywhere! When we walked up to the gorge, we could have stayed there forever. A massive tree had fallen over the stream to create the perfect entrance to the gorge. You can walk right down to the opening of the ocean and watch the power of the ocean crash up on the cliffs!

The Gorge (No.5)

Wow!

While you’re at the Dales, it only makes sense to take a short drive down the road to visit Martin Point, which offers a nice lookout from the West side of the island. You can hop off the platformed lookout and actually walk around on the cliffs, but be careful!!! It’s a crazy drop-off and a sure death if you fall! 

 

Category: Australia, Christmas Island, Family, Waterfall  Tags: , ,  2 Comments
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