SSI x Edges of Earth: Diving The Cocos (Keeling) Islands
May 16, 2025
Australia and Indonesia are home to some of the world’s most exceptional scuba diving destinations. After more than 20 months of exploring global waters, we can confidently say this is not an exaggeration. Among these premier spots, one lies closer to Indonesia than Australia, positioned in the vast expanse of open ocean. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands—comprising two atolls and 27 smaller islands—were firmly on our expedition trail due to their unique location at the crossroads of these scuba diving powerhouses. Situated 2,265 kilometers from Indonesia and 2,750 kilometers from Perth, Western Australia, these islands are placed in the heart of the Indian Ocean, offering something that, we thought, was bound to be next level.
Exploring the History of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Uninhabited until 1826, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands were first settled by English merchant Alexander Hare, soon followed by Captain John Clunies-Ross, who established a thriving coconut harvesting and copra production industry. This trade sustained the islands for decades, leaving behind a complex legacy, still evident in the dense coconut palms that dominate the landscape today.
In 1955, the islands transitioned from British governance to becoming an official Australian territory. By 1984, the Cocos Malay residents, originally brought to the islands during the plantation era, voted for full integration with Australia, cementing the islands’ connection to the nation. The Act of Self-Determination that year introduced Australian wage standards, rendering the coconut plantation economically unviable. By 1989, commercial coconut harvesting had ceased entirely, marking the end of an era.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands also were a critical territory during the World Wars. In World War I, the cable station on Direction Island played a pivotal role in global communications, drawing the attention of the German cruiser Emden, which was ultimately destroyed by HMAS Sydney (1) in a historic naval battle, marking the first win for Australia’s navy.
During World War II, the islands became a key base for Allied forces, with an airstrip constructed in 1944 to support operations across the Indian Ocean—one that takes up nearly the whole length of the hallmark landing spot, West Island, today.
Post-war, the islands came under Australian administration, focusing on community development and integration. For many Australians, the islands are primarily known for their past role as a quarantine facility, where wild animals from across the globe were brought through this uniquely positioned island cluster, highlighting its strategic and geographic importance.
What Makes the Cocos (Keeling) Islands So Special?
For our expedition team, exploring the world consciously with key dive sites in mind is designed to witness how time and human impact have shaped, or spared, some of the planet’s most remarkable locations. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, with their reputation as an ecologically significant destination with high concentrations of marine biodiversity, were a no-brainer for us.
Spanning an impressive 467,054 square kilometers, the marine sanctuary encompassing the Cocos (Keeling) Islands is one of the largest protected areas in the world.
Established in March 2022 under the EPBC Act, this was a critical addition to Australia’s extensive network of 66 marine parks. As part of one of the largest marine conservation systems globally, this park plays a vital role in safeguarding unique habitats and species in a region increasingly impacted by environmental pressures.
Adjoining Pulu Keeling National Park, the Cocos Marine Park bridges land and sea, creating integrated protections for species such as seabirds that rely on both environments for survival.
Its waters are home to a mix of Indian and Pacific Ocean coral reef species, along with over 600 fish species, including hybrid and endemic varieties found nowhere else on Earth.
The park also shelters vital habitats like seagrass meadows, essential for the genetically distinct green turtle population, and coral-dominated outer reefs that feature both soft and hard coral.
Offshore areas are designated as National Park Zones where activities like fishing and mining are strictly prohibited, while inshore waters are Habitat Protection Zones that allow fishing but restrict seafloor-disturbing activities. Key habitats within the park, such as seamounts, deep-sea plains, and ridgelines, remain relatively unexplored but are known to harbor diverse marine life, including whales, reef sharks, dolphins, and deep-sea fish.
Community involvement was central to the park’s design, highlighting its significance for local recreation, culture, and tourism. And then there are the lagoons, which are ripe for scientific discovery, making it a critical asset for fostering environmental education and sustainable tourism in this remote region.
Many of the 45 mapped dive sites are conveniently close to the islands’ shores. But perhaps the most remarkable aspect of diving here is how remote it is.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands redefine remoteness: Only 144 visitors are allowed here at any given time.
With just 600 residents, a mix of Cocos Malays and mainland Australian government workers, the islands exude a timeless charm, as if frozen in the 1960s. It is a place where house doors are left unlocked, car keys remain in the ignition, and the local pizza shop at the airport knows your order before you do. Aside from battling the occasional onslaught of mosquitoes while wandering through the dense coconut groves, the biggest worry is showing up on time for your dives with Dieter of Cocos Dive.
Dieter Gerhard, the islands’ sole dive operator, and a proud SSI affiliate, has called Cocos home for the past 35 years. His intimate knowledge of the dive sites, many of which he personally mapped, is unrivaled by anyone who steps foot on these islands.
Arriving at his house feels more like visiting an old friend than chartering dives. He welcomes you into his world, sharing the rich history of the islands themselves and showing you sites that will surely blow your mind. At least, that is what happened to us.
Diving The Cocos (Keeling) Islands
But before all of that, getting to these islands is not always an easy feat. The flight schedule from Perth to Christmas Island and onward to Cocos is infamously limited, with departures only twice a week—on Tuesdays and Fridays. Delays and cancellations can happen, but locals, well-versed in the challenges, always have a workaround ready.
The best advice for travelers is to plan for a stay of at least a week to ten days to buffer against potential disruptions. Life on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, including access to food and supplies, depends heavily on these flights, making logistics as unpredictable as the weather. During our trip, planned months in advance, two looming low-pressure systems emerged just ten days before Christmas, threatening to upend everything. Despite the uncertainty, we pressed forward, determined to make it to this long-awaited destination.
As the storms edged closer, Dieter stayed in constant contact, providing crucial updates we were not getting on the mainland. Against all odds—and the storm’s timing—we landed just as the worst of it was beginning. Rain greeted us upon arrival, but it soon passed, leaving a single perfect window for flawless diving. In the meantime, we explored the island by car, soaking in its rain, charm, history, and, of course, that famous airport pizza while Dieter regaled us with tales of Cocos’ past.
Since 2000, Dieter has been the heart and soul of Cocos Dive, but it was not until he arrived on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the 1990s that he realized there was no diving instruction and infrastructure properly set up there. So, he built it himself. And he has been running the show ever since.
So when Dieter says the weather is good or bad, the island divers listen. When we got the green light, we were destined to make the most of it and set sail for some unmarked destinations that he had not explored in a long while. We were going to have lunch and snorkel the famed "Rip Site"—or drift channel between Direction Island and the remains of Prison Island which is next to it—during our surface interval and get back in for more thereafter.
Surrounded by at least ten manta rays for 90 minutes straight, we experienced a spectacle that words can barely capture.
They circled us with an almost playful curiosity, weaving in and out of intricate mating trains, their movements hypnotic and fluid. The shallows offered perfect clarity, enhanced by soft sunlight and a gentle current that kept the action alive no matter where we turned. Swooping overhead, while we remained completely still, they nearly touched us, as if to cautiously welcome us to their world.
Drift diving at the rip brought us past a coral reef system that was, at least from our perspective, nearly 70% coral cover. Turtles and schools of fish swarmed around us, cementing the reputation of this unique dive spot straddling Australia and Indonesia as nothing short of world-class. The water’s ideal temperature made our choice to go with 3mm wetsuits feel like the right one, and the visibility stretched an impressive 30 meters, which we had not seen in a while.
The weather held steady long enough to take us to Direction Island, offering views of nearby Home Island, where most of the Cocos Malay community resides. The islands’ colors of lush greens and turquoise were framed by an endless horizon. It felt as though we had stepped back in time to a true tropical wild space, where survival seemed to hinge on the simplest of luxuries, like plucking coconuts straight from the trees. Young green coconuts refreshed us with their sweet water, while the mature coconuts, packed with dense, rich meat, were perfect to keep us going for more diving.
As we obsessed over the underwater world here, and reluctantly prepared to leave, our sights shifted to the rugged and raw Christmas Island—also known as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean—racing against time and weather to witness the famed red crab migration. Low-pressure systems loomed ahead, promising more rain and wind in our line of sight. But nothing could dampen the glow of our time on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands —from the manta encounters to airport pizza, leaving keys in the ignition, and diving alongside Dieter, we were thankful to have touched down in the first place.
If you are seeking some of the best diving in Australia, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands belong at the top of your list. But timing is everything—weather patterns, flight schedules, and yes, even Dieter’s vacation plans, will dictate your chances of making it happen. Yet for those lucky enough to align all the variables, you will find yourself diving in a marine sanctuary that feels untouched by the pangs of human activity, wild and perfect, sitting right in the heart of the Indian Ocean.
Ready to plan your next adventure? Reach out to Cocos Dive to find out more.
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Andi Cross is an SSI Ambassador and lead of the Edges of Earth expedition, highlighting stories of positive ocean progress and how to explore the world more consciously. To keep up with the expedition, follow the team on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and their website.