Flying Fish Cove (The Cove) – Flying Fish Cove & Surrounds

Site Overview

Flying Fish Cove is the primary diving hub and most accessible dive site on Christmas Island, offering exceptional shore and boat diving in a sheltered environment. The cove features rich coral bommies scattered across a sandy bottom at depths ranging from three to twenty-five metres, creating an ideal environment for divers of all experience levels. The underwater landscape is populated with colourful anemonefish colonies, large moray eels, green turtles, and the ever-present friendly batfish that approach divers with curiosity. Frogfish and seahorses reward patient macro photographers while the deeper sections reveal larger reef species and seasonal pelagic visitors. The site is renowned for its excellent night diving opportunities where hunting octopus, feeding lobsters, bioluminescent plankton, and sleeping turtles create a magical underwater experience. Underwater sculptures installed near the settlement add an artistic dimension to the dive and attract growing coral communities. The sheltered position of the cove means conditions remain diveable year-round with visibility typically ranging from fifteen to forty metres depending on season and weather. For training dives and certification courses, Flying Fish Cove provides the perfect combination of easy access, calm conditions, and abundant marine life that makes learning to dive an unforgettable experience. The cove also serves as a critical training ground for new divers completing their Open Water certification in a sheltered environment with abundant marine life. Seasonal whale shark sightings add an element of excitement to every dive as these gentle giants occasionally pass through the bay during the wet season migration period from November through April each year.