6 reasons Christmas Island’s Indian Ocean Fest was one of a kind

Australia’s most remote island festival delivered a program of exclusive experiences for just 30 people – from wildlife encounters to diving, hiking, foraging and feasting.

Most famous for its annual red crab migration (usually at the start of the wet season, in October or November), which naturalist Sir David Attenborough has described as one of the greatest TV moments of his life”, Christmas Island is like nowhere else on Earth – and has a multitude of reasons to visit outside this spectacle.

Which is why this year’s inaugural Indian Ocean Fest was designed to celebrate this wondrous place, inviting just 30 guests with a passion for adventure, nature and an interest in exploring the island’s colourful aquatic, wilderness and cultural elements for seven days every June.

Here are just six highlights of 2022’s Indian Ocean Fest on Christmas Island.

Indian Ocean Fest guests celebrated the nature, food and culture of Christmas Island

1. Christmas Island diving and snorkelling tour

Festival goers in 2022 heard from conservation experts about the globally significant marine habitats and species that led to the proclamation proposal of the newly formed Christmas Island Marine Park, before joining in a range of activities that celebrate that underwater environment.

Participants swam with untouched corals, tropical fish, dolphins and reef fish just a few metres from shore at some of the island’s diving and snorkelling locations, regarded by experts as some of the best in the world.

Christmas Island has some of the longest drop-offs in the world, most of which are only 20 metres from the shoreline, making it a magnet for novice free divers. 

Snorkel or scuba dive in some of the best locations in the world, on Christmas Island.

This year, free-diving champion David Mulheron was on hand to talk through the benefits of controlled breathing in an introductory ‘Breathtaking’ workshop that gave newbies the courage to try his hands-on free-dive experience themselves.

2. A day of beach clean-up and citizen science

Fest participants were able to give something back to the environment by joining in a beach clean-up, coordinated by Indian Ocean Fest partners, Tangaroa Blue Foundation. 

The Fest group rounded up 73 bags of plastic stowaways on a remote Christmas Island beach.

A clean-up event during the festival saw several bags of rubbish saved from the ocean.

3. Education by Christmas Island experts

The seven-day festival with a deeper understanding of ocean conservation and the protection of the Indian Ocean Islands’ natural assets thanks to talks and other events led by a range of experts.

Fest goers heard from Tangaroa Blue Foundation WA Coordinator, Casey Woodward, about the power of everyday people stopping plastic at the source, and the work done by Foundation through the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) – an on-ground network of volunteers, communities and organisations that contribute to a database. That information is then used to work on solutions to stop the flow of litter at the source.

Other guests included CSIRO Marine Scientist, Dr Katrina West, who spoke about fascinating eDNA work and how it assists to trace, track and protect vulnerable species and Director of Indian Ocean Territories Marine Parks, Mike Misso, sharing the journey of the park.

Poh and fest goers learned from Christmas Island experts during talks, demonstrations and immersive experiences.

Plus there was a roster of demonstrations and immersive experiences showcasing the latest innovations in marine science.

4. Take a wildlife walk around Christmas Island

Lace up your hiking boots for a series of carefully curated wildlife walks and encounters – put together in partnership with Parks Australia – to discover everything from otherworldly coconut crabs, to the Abbott’s booby (the world’s largest and rarest booby) and flocks of giant Christmas Island frigate birds. 

Swim at ‘The Grotto’.

This year, excursions went to natural blowholes, and to a sapphire pool dubbed ‘the Grotto’ circled by limestone and dripping with stalactites. Guides also steered visitors towards vantage points for the best views of the island.

While there were plenty of wildlife encounters during the day – walking through protected wetlands, tall stands of Tahitian chestnuts and under waterfalls.

Get up close and personal with the famous wildlife of Christmas Island.

5. Tasting Christmas Island delights

No festival is complete without good food, and this one is no different. Tastebuds were treated all week thanks to Restaurant Rumah Tinggi setting up at the festival hub. Then a range of foodie events kept things fresh – from gin masterclasses to sustainable seafood feasts.

While there were many highlights in the food program, one that stood out was a look into the local food culture with former Masterchef contestant, Poh Ling Yeow.

Poh and the Aunties enjoy the food they made.

Guests were lucky enough to celebrate the island’s cuisine – with roots in Malaysia, China and Australia – at this Stories With Spice dinner event. Featuring street-food favourites, such as satay, roti canai and chili Padi chicken wings, guests enjoyed cooking demonstrations and local stories as told by the ‘Aunties and friends’, as well as Poh herself.

Guests enjoyed beverages from The Hidden Sea Wine and Beerfarm.

Another was the Farm & Forage Feast, put together by pop-up dining experience, Fervor.

Dishes were unique, made from locally foraged ingredients and oh so tasty. Think Warrigal Green Kimchi crackers, lemon myrtle lavosh and Hidden Garden Herbs, crunchy snake beans nestled on cottage cheese with a garden dressing and charred cucumber, lemon myrtle and foraged moringa.

All were paired with sustainable wine and craft beer from The Hidden Sea Wine and Beerfarm, respectively.

Feast on sustainably sourced seafood thanks to Fervour, like Abrollos Island Scallop served with scallop skirts, marron balachang and Howard Park Grand Jete.

Fervor also hosted a sustainably and locally sourced five-course seafood and Champagne feast under the stars. Meal highlights included fresh Wahoo and Tuna, and smoked tuna wrapped in betel leaf caught by local fisherman Mark Rochfort.