Travel destination – Discover the Island Paradise of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Travel destination – Discover the Island Paradise of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands - Norman A. Rubin

Stamp collecting is an interesting hobby where one can travel to all parts of the world by viewing the beautiful engravings. Yes, stamp collecting is one of my interesting hobbies and when there is a bit of spare time I will engage in it. Through this wonderful hobby I was introduced to the Cocos Islands. There, pictured on the stamps when the islands were a colony of Great Britain were pictures of the kings and queen of England in the corner of the stamp with a backdrop of idyllic scenes of a tropical paradise. Later the stamp issues were more colorful when it was administered as an Australian territory with, off course, pictures of the natural environment, the fauna and flora and of inviting scenes of a tropical island.

The history of the Cocos Islands is quite similar to all explorations of islands in the Indian Ocean. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. Off course its history is quite diverse and it would take a considerable length of words to describe the events. 'http://www.cocos-history.cc/'

Later I learned that the territory of the Cocos Islands is an excellent retreat, a holiday for to one to escape the every mundane world that one faces daily. Just imagine lying on a hammock under the shade of a palm tree with your favorite beverage in hand and just listening to the waves of the ocean rolling gently on the white sandy beaches. Cocos Islands do not have large resorts or luxury hotels, shopping centers, gourmet restaurants, and filled gift shops of crafts and imported merchandise. The island has a unique Malay culture for visitors to experience and enjoy. A vacation on the island is quite uncomplicated and simplistic.

I looked at a map featuring the section of the Indian Ocean and located the horseshoe chain of two twenty-seven coral islands in the group encircling a lagoon, which is located quite far about 2720 kilometers from Perth Australia. Its nearest neighbor about 900 south-west is Christmas Island another speck of land in the Indian Ocean. It is marked as part of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories. Now one can understand why the Cocos Islands are an excellent retreat for one seeking solace and relaxation.

There are two flights to the islands, on Monday and Friday, from the international airport at Perth Australia. Visas are required for foreign nationals; Australian citizens need only a photographic document. Consult your travel for the flight schedule. 'http://www.cocos-tourism.cc/flights.htm'

Besides lazily lying on a hammock a visitor can swim or snorkel in the clear waters that surround the island and have a manta ray or a dolphin for your companion. Or you can take ferry trips to the outer islands and enjoy the unique life of a Malay kapong or take part in their community activities. You can walk or hire a bicycle and explore the sandy beaches along the many of tracks around the palm groves and enjoy the scenic beauty of the land and of the nearby ocean,

If fishing is your interest, you can cast the line and to catch that illusive dogtooth tuna or wahoo and later have your catch prepared for your evening meal. Scuba diving is a favorite sport where one can dive along the coral reefs where there is a range of pelagics, sharks, manta, turtles, dolphins and colorful fish will keep you company during your exploration of the deep waters.

If photography is your hobby you could take a trip on a glass bottom boat and photograph the marine life swimming under the glass. Birds that you are likely to see and photograph on the islands include Bobbies, Frigate Birds, Rails and Terns. Also Pulu Keeling National Park on the main island is a scenic area for those who love to see or photograph winged creatures

Cocos Islands has more to offer - during the windier months of July through to October you could go wind surfing, kite boarding or even surfing.

Accommodations are varied on the islands from simple bungalows, bungalows, cottages to homesteads. Contact the Cocos (Keeling) Tourism Association Inc. through your travel agent for information and booking. '
http://www.cocos-tourism.cc/accommodation.htm

The next step to take is to rediscover yourself on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the best kept holiday destination secret
info@cocos-tourism.cc
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Tourism Association Inc.
PO Box 1030
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Indian Ocean WA 6799
Ph: +61 8 9162 6790
Fax: +61 8 9162 6696
'http://www.cocos-tourism.cc'/

Article Source: http://www.travelarticles.org

Australian Tourist Board - Compton's Online Encyclopedia