Arrivals

News and views from the worlds of food, drink and travel

TAKE THE PLUNGE

Start 2017 by ticking off some of the destinations on your bucket list. Right at the top of ours is a diving tour in Australia. The Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) islands, some 2,700km north-west of the mainland, are set in the pristine Indian Ocean and make up one of the best dive sites on Earth.

It’s an underwater wonderland teeming with marine life, including colourful coral and a cornucopia of tropical fish, sea turtles, barracuda, dolphins and sharks. Dive Worldwide’s 18-day Diving Experience tour lets you experience them all.

You can take part in up to 20 dives, allowing plenty of downtime to explore the local areas. While lesser-known Cocos comprises two coral atolls of 27 petite islets, Christmas Island stands on its own, jungle-clad, fringed by reef and covered with intriguing flora and fauna that has lead to being given it the moniker ‘the Galapágos of the Indian Ocean’.

Diverse sites across the islands mean the trip is suitable for all diving levels, while increased plankton during January’s ‘wet season’ sees elusive whale sharks and manta flock to the area where the water hovers at a pleasingly warm 28C.

First-time snorkellers and divers should opt for the blissfully calm, shallow lagoons close to the islands, while those with more experience can enjoy the rich rewards of exploring the seemingly endless miles of spectacular wall diving off the inky Java Trench, one of the ocean’s deepest points. Christmas and Cocos Islands Diving Experience tour from £4,095 per person, including flights, transfers and dives. diveworldwide.com