Ethel Beach
Best Beach · WA
Tourism Australia's Best Beach 2022, No. 20.
Straight from the pages of Robinson Crusoe.
Ethel Beach is a beach goers’ delight set deep in the Indian Ocean, closer to Indonesia than Australia. This far-flung Australian Indian Ocean Territory is dominated by unspoilt National Park and famous for its migrating red crabs. With 11 beaches, it’s an oasis of dense green jungles amid the great blue depths, brimming with marine life. While many associate Christmas Island with its Detention Centre, its natural assets are perhaps less well-known. Ethel Beach is fringed by dense, over-hanging, tropical foliage and strewn with coral, its clear tropical waters ideal for snorkelling or swimming. A boat ramp leads from the car park down to the beach and a freshwater shower allows you to rinse off after a dip. Bring a snorkel and mask or a picnic lunch and be prepared to share the beach with curious crabs, not crowds. On the same triangular flight route from Perth are the superb Cocos-Keeling Islands, where you’ll find tropical Cossies Beach, named Best Australian Beach in 2018
⚠️ Ocean conditions can change quickly and rips can form even on calm days. Only swim at patrolled beaches, and supervise children at all times.