Located 340 miles from the Pacific Coast, the island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in the same class as the Galapagos Islands; the Cocos Ridge of underwater volcanoes goes from Costa Rica to just north of the Galapagos. Indulge in Malay cuisine. Liveaboard trips usually last for at least 8 to 10 days and it takes up to 36 hours to reach Cocos Island from Puntarenas. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and … Today it's a lush, off-the-beaten-path tourist destination famed for its caves and coral reefs. There had … More or less rectangular in shape, the island is the 11th of the 13 districts of Puntarenas Canton in Puntarenas Province. Having been isolated for so long, evolution has led to endemic species on the island such as the Cocos Cuckoo and the Cocos Finch. Cocos Island – Costa Rica is located approximately 550 kilometers or about 340 miles off the Pacific Shores of the country. At certain times of the year the crossing can be very rough with big swells and seasick passengers. Get close to phenomenal coral reefs brimming with green and hawksbill turtles, learn about the fascinating local Cocos Malay people, or simply relax on some of the world’s most exquisite beaches. It constitutes the 11th of the 13 districts of Puntarenas Canton of the Province of Puntarenas. Go snorkelling. In 1978, an Executive Decree declared Cocos Island as a National Park of Costa Rica. The Clunies Ross family, who became known as 'Kings of the Cocos', owned/occupied the islands for more than 150 years. Known as Isla del Coco in Spanish, Cocos Island is situated roughly 300 miles off Costa Rica’s Pacific mainland. The more well known areas include: A special treat is a liveaboard trip to remote Cocos Island. Cocos Island is a crucial habitat for other large pelagic species like dolphins, giant manta rays and at least eight types of sharks. Coco’s Island National Park is isolated in the open ocean. Try kitesurfing. The crossing was pretty brutal, even the Costa Rican park rangers riding on the vessel got sea sick. Do washing machine hoses need Teflon tape? Do you need a passport to go to Cocos Island? The Rangers explained that they are trying to get an Immigration officer to the Island, but until that happens they want to see the Permit and the Passports stamped from Costa Rica. Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, just south of Java, is an Australian territory. It is known as the second-best place in Costa Rica for to take a dive, after Cocos Island. Getting to the Cocos Islands There are many ways to travel to the exotic Cocos Keeling Islands, including flying with Virgin Australia, using your private jet, or the more traditional way, sailing to Cocos. The nearest land is Costa Rica 300 miles (500 km) to the east. For more information on the cruises and all the other travel information you might need to visit Costa Rica and the island, visit our Cocos liveaboard section. I doubled up on Dramamine and was ok. But nothing compares to Cocos Island when it comes to sharks. The only way to get there is by boat; either your own or on a tour. Australian. I visited Cocos Island for 10 days aboard the Okeanos Aggressor I. There are many locations to go diving in Costa Rica. How many shingles do I need for 1000 square feet? Cocos Island is the only part of the Cocos Ridge that is above sea level. There are no airports on Cocos, and it can take up to 36 hours by boat, each way, from Puntarenas, Costa Rica to get there and back. The only way to get to the island is aboard one of the comfortable and professional Costa Rican liveaboard dive boats that operate in the area from the Pacific town of Puntarenas. Refer to your travel agent or the Department of Immigration and Border Protection for further details. The rules have been there always, but now they are being enforced. This tiny dog-shaped island was named on Christmas Day, 1643 by an English sea captain. Cocos Island National Park encompasses the entire island, protecting its lands and waters. Okeanos Aggressor offers 8 and 10 night trips to Cocos Islands, starting in Punta Arenas. Guest wishing to visit the Cocos Islands should fly into the city of San Jose Costa Rica. Costa Rica, is one of a number of small nations that comprise the isthmus of Central America. There are touring companies that can arrange these for you that include transfers from San Jose to Puntarenas. The island features an area 23.8km and is rectangular shaped. Virgin Australia operates two services per week to the Cocos Keeling Islands, one on Tuesday and one on Saturday. A unique sanctuary 500 km off the coast of Costa Rica, Cocos Island is probably the best-known dive site around Costa Rica. Getting to the Cocos Islands. A protected area that has nutrient-rich waters provides a unique experience for shark diving, making the Cocos Island diving an amazing once in a lifetime experience. It is about a 36 hour journey by boat from Puntarenas to get to the island. This district is a … It is uninhabited (other than park rangers) and the only way to get there is by boat. Activities Whether you just want to sit back and relax or cannot wait to get into the water and explore the uninhabited islands, there is something for everyone. A passport is necessary and a visa may be required. This national park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997 for its unmatched natural beauty and rich biodiversity. Okeanos Aggressor I, Puntarenas, Cocos (Costa Rica): A very comfortable 35-meter-long vessel (114 ft) has double and 4-share cabins for up to 22 divers. Top 10 Things to Do on Cocos (Keeling) Islands Dive deep with Cocos Dive. Skyscanner allows you to find the cheapest flights to Cocos Islands (from hundreds of airlines including Virgin Australia) without having to enter specific dates or even destinations, making it the best place to find cheap flights for your trip. What are the names of Santa's 12 reindeers? Due to the distance from the mainland, tours are usually 8 to 10 days and cost $3,000 on average. June to November is the rainy season, and in many people's opinions, is the best season for diving in Cocos Island. With an area of approximately 23.85 km (9.21 sq mi), the island is more or less rectangular in shape. Virgin Australia operates two services per week to the Cocos Keeling Islands, one on Tuesday and one on Saturday. Passports and visas are not required when travelling to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands from the Australian mainland. Manta rays and whale sharks are also more frequently spotted from June to November. Click to see full answer. To get to Christmas Island, you'll need to fly in from Perth or Fiji. Cocos Island, Costa Rica is around 36 hours travel by liveaboard from the mainland, making it a remote and mostly undisturbed haven for marine life and divers alike. Try bonefish fly-fishing. (Virgin Australia runs flights twice a week from the former and Fiji Airways once a week from the latter.) In 1955 they became a Territory of the Commonwealth of Australia, and in 1978 Australia purchased all of the lands, excepting the family home, from the Clunies Ross family. The only way to see Cocos Island is on a diving liveaboard vessel which you can board from the port city of Puntarenas in Costa Rica. The sublime Cocos (Keeling) Islands are surrounded by aquamarine waters and offer exotic tropical island experiences found nowhere else on Earth. The Cocos Beach Resort is a very short 50m walk from the airport. Costa Rica’s Cocos Island National Park is located 340 miles (550 km) off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Cocos Island (Spanish: Isla del Coco) is an island in the Pacific Ocean administered by Costa Rica, approximately 550 km (342 mi; 297 nmi) southwest of the Costa Rican mainland. Captain William Mynors of the British East India Company ship, the Royal Mary, gave the island its name because they arrived on Christmas Day, 25 December 1643. All cruising yachts visiting Cocos Island without this paperwork will be rejected… We gave up. Behold Australia's best beach. Some four-fifths of the population—Cocos Islanders, or Cocos Malays, as they are often called, together with the descendants of the Clunies-Ross family—live on Home Island. This remote location’s only tourist activity is by liveaboard boats, primarily Cocos scuba diving liveaboards.Entry to the island is by permit only and there is no accommodations on the island except for the quarters of the dozen park rangers. Learn more on the Home Island Eco Tour. Do you need a passport to fly to Christmas Island. Access for civilians is very limited and the only people allowed to live on the island are the National Park Rangers. The island is home to lots of boobies and frigate birds, who hang around being nosy and pecking at the antenna on the ribs. There are many ways to travel to the exotic Cocos Keeling Islands, including flying with Virgin Australia, using your private jet, or the more traditional way, sailing to Cocos. It is Costa Rica’s most secluded and least visited national park and can only be reached by a 36-hour boat ride. The boat will pick you up from San Jose, Costa Rica. The land border to the north is Nicaragua and to the south is Panama. There are 7 ways to get from San José to Cocos Islands by plane or bus. The only way to get to Cocos Island – Costa Rica is via a boat ride. The difference between life in Brisbane and life on Cocos is, says Karen, like “chalk and cheese. I felt like I had been transported back in time to a long lost world as my helicopter hovered over the dramatically lush Cocos Island. Tours to Cocos Island . Copyright © 2016 Cocos Beach Resort Ph: (08) 9162 6640. Well, Cocos Island is roughly 350 miles off shore. The boat trip itself would take around 36 hours. Cocos Island (Isla del Coco) is the secret gem we refer to, which is the prize of all of Cost… Luckily, if you're flying in from either of those places, no visa is required to enter Christmas Island. You will start by boarding your vessel in Puntarenas Port located in the southern coast of Costa Rica and embark on a 36-hour voyage out at sea en-route to Cocos island. How to Dive Cocos Island Why does my dog roll around on the carpet after eating? The airport has connections to many international cities. There are many ways to travel to the exotic Cocos Keeling Islands, including flying with Virgin Australia, using your private jet, or the more traditional way, sailing to Cocos. Consequently, you’ve got to book a liveaboard dive trip if you want to visit. Keep in mind that these tours are very expensive, some of around 6000 USD, for a 10-night trip to the island. Where to Dive in Costa Rica. From San Jose, guest are transported to the port of Puntarenas, a two hour drive. Duty free purchases may be made for travel to and from Christmas Island. The island is made up of approximately 120 Australian expats, half of which are children. Several operators can take you there - usually for scuba diving since you are only allowed on the island by special permission from park rangers. This air travel distance is equal to 2,572 miles. The Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (or simply Cocos Islands or Keeling Islands) is in the middle of the Indian Ocean some 2750km north-west of Perth, and 900km west south-west of Christmas Island. Travel time is approximately 40 hours to Cocos, 43 hours to Malpelo, and 40 hours from Cocos to Malpelo. However, photographic identification, such as an Australian Driver's Licence or Proof of Age card, must be produced for each passenger (including children) for clearance through Customs and Immigration. Liveaboards depart from Puntarenas, Costa Rica. The Galápagos Islands are the nearest neighbor a few hundred miles further southwest. Region: Eastern Tropical Pacific, 300 miles (500km) off CoastClosest Town: noneAltitude: Sea Level to 2080 ft (600 m)Closest Airports: noneAverage Temperature: 76º-85º F(24º-29º C)Hard to imagine that a country as popular as Costa Rica could have any part left of it considered to be undiscovered and under the radar, but unless you are an avid scuba diver that is most likely the case. In 1948, the governments of Australia and New Zealand acquired the mining rights to Christmas Island by buying CIPCO's assets and rights for £2.75 million. There were just a handful of people who didn't get sick. It is the southernmost point on the North American continent if outer islands are included. Enjoy a Cocos Island Adventure Tour. © AskingLot.com LTD 2021 All Rights Reserved. Liveaboard Ports of Departure for Cocos and How to Get There. A permanent ranger station is located on the island that oversees the natural habitats of both land and marine life. A rugged and incredibly beautiful island, today Cocos Island is the most sacred National park in Costa Rica's extensive park system. The Cocos Keeling Islands are an atoll of 27 island of which only two are inhabited, the rest are waiting to be explored. The transit time for the liveaboards to the national park is about 36 hours. Accordingly, how do you get to Cocos Island? Location and how to get there Cocos Island National Park is found 550 kilometers off the southwestern coast of Costa Rica. Cocos Island is said to be in possession of an ‘ecological character’ that is not shared by any other island, no matter how popular it might be. In the Region. How do you reset the control lock on a KitchenAid dishwasher? Getting to Cocos Island is only possible with a tour. Distance from Australia to Cocos Islands is 4,139 kilometers. Getting There. Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands were then administered and governed as a part of the colony of Singapore. 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