State top ten
The Top 10 Dive Sites in Australia's External Territories
Editorial picks from the Australia's External Territories guide first, then the most regularly dived and best-documented sites in the state.
Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling), Norfolk Island and the Coral Sea: Australia's remote oceanic diving.
Our picks come first, in the order we would send a visiting diver to them, followed by the most regularly dived, best-documented sites in Australia's External Territories to round out the ten. Every entry links to a full site page with depths, conditions, training required and the operators that run it.
Updated daily from the directory. 10 sites listed.
1. Coral Sea · External Territory
North Horn (Osprey Reef)
The Coral Sea's signature shark dive on a seamount wall.
2. Coral Sea · External Territory
The Castles (Osprey Reef)
Coral towers on the Osprey drop-off with pelagics passing in blue water.
3. Coral Sea · External Territory
Cod Wall (Flinders Reef)
Flinders Reef's potato cod wall, far from the day-boat crowds.
4. Coral Sea · External Territory
Wreck of the Atlas (Bougainville Reef)
A shallow wreck on a remote Coral Sea reef, dived by a handful of liveaboards a year.
5. Cocos (Keeling) Islands · External Territory
Cabbage Patch
A hillside of golden cabbage coral 6–20 m across, glowing in sunlight and swarming with thousands of anthias and chromis; garden eels and sleeping whitetips on the sand.
6. Christmas Island · External Territory
Flying Fish Cove
Arguably Australia's best shore dive: a pristine coral slope and wall 50 m from the car park, endemic and hybrid reef fish, and whale sharks passing the drop-off in season.
7. Cocos (Keeling) Islands · External Territory
Cannons
Old cannons among Porites corals on sand, with garden eels and gobies – and a chance of dugong, dolphins and mantas.
8. Cocos (Keeling) Islands · External Territory
Cologne Gardens
All-levels wall with a blooming coral reef top and big orange gorgonians deeper; snapper schools at full moon and bumphead parrotfish in summer.
9. Cocos (Keeling) Islands · External Territory
The Rip (Direction Island)
A fast, coral-lined drift channel from the ocean into the lagoon, full of sharks, humphead parrotfish and Napoleon wrasse, with a safety rope to stop and watch.
10. Norfolk Island · External Territory
Emily Bay
Calm, sheltered lagoon snorkel over coral outcrops with Norfolk's endemic fish, in a World Heritage convict setting.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best dive site in Australia's External Territories?
Our first pick is at the top of the list, with the reasons. The state guide explains the seasons, water temperatures and training each site needs.
When is the best time to dive Australia's External Territories?
April – November: Christmas Island's dry season: calm north coast, best visibility. Whale sharks November–January. November – April: Cocos (Keeling) doldrum season with light winds; diveable year-round in the lagoon. September – December: Coral Sea liveaboard window: lightest winds, best crossings to Osprey and the southern reefs.