West Island is the main hub of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, offering some of Australia's most remote and pristine snorkelling. The turquoise lagoon is sheltered by an outer reef, creating calm, clear waters teeming with marine life. At Scout Park on the southern end, you can wade across to Pulu Maraya at low tide for a drift snorkel past clams, rock cods, butterflyfish, angelfish, parrotfish, and friendly turtles. At the northern end, Trannies Beach provides shallow, sheltered conditions ideal for beginners and families. The entire lagoon forms part of a vast marine sanctuary with over 500 species of fish, vibrant coral gardens, and uncrowded waters — a true tropical paradise just metres from shore.
West Island
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Wave Height 0.1 mSwell Period 6.8 sWind Speed 2.0 knPrecipitation 6.5 mmTidal Phase ebb
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Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
Know before you go
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Low risk: Reef walk at low tide
Some snorkel sites (e.g. Scout Park to Pulu Maraya) require a reef walk across exposed coral at low to mid tide. Sharp coral and rocks can cut feet.
Low risk: Gentle drift current
The water around Pulu Maraya can have a gentle current that drifts snorkelers around the island. Be aware of your entry and exit points.
Low risk: Tide-dependent shallow water
Some snorkel sites are tide-dependent. At low tide, water levels can become very shallow over coral gardens, making snorkelling difficult or damaging to coral.
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Getting in
Shore entry
Entry
West Island is the main inhabited island of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The island is accessible by air via Cocos (Keeling) Islands Airport (direct flights from Perth). Key snorkel spots include Trannies Beach at the northern end and Scout Park at the southern end, both reachable by car or bike along the island's single road.
Parking & facilities
Free parking available near Trannies Beach and Scout Park along the main road on West Island. No metered parking on the island.
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports