Added: 06/16/2006 |
Welcome to Australia Island in the Indian OceanAustralia is a paradise for nature enthusiasts. It is the only continent in the world with such a variety of flora and fauna and many species are found nowhere else on earth. The Australia continent includes several offshore islands; each is a natural heaven on its own. Christmas Island is one of these marvelous habitats of animals and plants, while some species can be only seen on the island.
It is already a common knowledge that the distinguished feature of all Australia Islands and of the continent itself is its unique flora and fauna. Each Australia island is of great interest for scientists, biologists, and nature enthusiasts and the continent welcomes thousands of tourists every year. Another important fact is that each Australia island is different from another in its geography, topography, climate, animal and plant life; thus, each destination offers a unique travel experience.
Christmas Island is an Australia island lying in the Indian Ocean 2,360 km northwest of Perth in Western Australia and five hundred kms south of Jakarta, Indonesia.
This Australia island is distinguished for its origin and appearance as it is the tip of an extinct volcano, rising about three hundred meters above the sea level, with cliffs surrounding the main part of its coastline. The only entry point is at Flying Fish Cove, situated on the northwest end of the island.
The small territory of Christmas Island is home to one and a half thousand residents, who live in tiny towns on the northern tip of the island, namely Silver City, Kampong, Poon Saan, and Drumsite. As a tourist destination, the remote Australia island became known considerably recently; it has started attracting tourists since 1993, when the Christmas Island Resort was built. Although today, the resort is closed, the island continues drawing visitors and is of a huge interest to scientists and naturalists for its nature undisturbed by humans because the island was uninhabited until the late 19th century.
sixty fiv percent of the island's area is declared as National Park, which contains ancient pristine forest of over twenty five tree species. Plant species are counted over hundred and thirty five, and sixteen of them are only found on Christmas Island.
Multiple sea birds and tropical birds nest around the island. The most numerous of them are Red-footed Booby, Brown Booby, and Abbot's Booby. Christmas Island is the only nestling habitat of Abbot's Booby in the world.
The natural wonder of Christmas Island is the red crab migration that takes place in November every year. This is a quite extraordinary event and spectacle when over hunderd million crabs migrate to the sea to spawn.
Certainly, the treasures of the waters surrounding the island cannot be left unnoticed. Varieties of colorful tropical fish swim almost on the surface of water and you can even encounter dolphins and whale sharks in a short distance from the coastline.
Along with wonderful nature, Christmas Island enjoys wonderful culture. The population is a mixture of Australian, Chinese and Malay natives and they celebrate holidays and festivals of each culture. Hence, the Christmas Island's calendar is dotted with celebrations. Different ethnic backgrounds have also reflected in cooking styles and you may try a variety of cuisines in local restaurants.
There is a wide choice of accommodation and personalized service due to traditional hospitality of locals and small sizes of hotels, in which each guest is welcomed and treated specially.
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