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Culture

The culture of Christmas Island is very unique, for many different ethnicities of people inhabit the area. The majority of residents are Chinese, but Australians, Europeans, and Malays reside here as well. The island consists of about sixty five percent Chinese, twenty percent Malay, and fifteen percent European. The main language of Christmas Island is English, but many also speak Malay or one of the four Chinese dialects. The dress is very modest throughout the island, and tourists should keep a wrap, such as a sorong or pareu, on hand to cover shorts, bathing suits, and tank tops. It is common to remove shoes when entering a house and also avoid touching anyone’s head. There are five main areas that people live on the island: The Kampong, Poon Saan, Silver City, Drumsite, and Settlement. The Kampong consists of mainly Malays; there are many Mosques here. Poon Saan means “halfway up the hill” and is where Chinese families reside. Silver City is a combination of all the ethnicities and is known for its metal houses. Drumsite is an assortment of workers, usually that are either Chinese or European. Settlement is primarily where Europeans live and commercial businesses and shops are located here as well. Religious beliefs are diverse, but people are very tolerant of each other’s religious views. Some of the religious beliefs are Buddhist, Taoist, Confucians, and Christians. With all of these religions there are many religious festivals that take place, such as Hari Raya, Christmas, Chinese New Year, and Easter. The main types of food presented in Christmas Island are fish and marine. Some of the religious beliefs require certain dietary requirements. Noodle bars are popular when dining and there are many Australian styled coffee shops and lunch bars as well as taverns present. When going to a restaurant, a tip is not required or expected. There are several types of crops that are locally grown. Crops that have been grown locally include breadfruit, native fig, pandanus, and coconut. There are many farms present on the island. Gender does play a role in their society. Women usually take care of the home and cook, while men fish, collect toddy and deal with heavy work. Like many other countries in this area, the oldest male of the family takes over when the parents die.

Climate

Since Christmas Island is located towards the southern edge of the equator, temperatures have little variation throughout the months. The weather is very mild and pleasant for most of the year. The highest temperature is usually around twenty eight degrees Celsius and takes place in April, while the lowest temperature is twenty two degrees Celsius and occurs in August. There is a dry period from June to November; during this season there are extensive dry periods with occasional showers. The wet season is between November and May, which includes monsoons. The monsoons that take place are downpours of rain at unsystematic parts of the day. Tropical cyclones may also occur in the wet season, bringing very solid winds, rain, and enormous seas. These tropical cyclones only happen occasionally, for most of the time during the wet season is damp, subside weather.

Attractions

Christmas Island is well known for the amount of biological diversity. There are many unusual rare species of animals and plants that exist on the island, making nature walking a popular activity. Along with the species diversity, there are unique caves and springs that have developed over the years. There are many different types of caves that exist on the island, such as plateau caves, coastal caves, raised coastal caves and alcoves, sea caves, fissure caves, collapse caves, and basalt caves. Most of the caves are located near the sea and have been formed by the action of water. Altogether, there are a total of forty-two caves on the island, with Lost Lake Cave, Daniel Roux Cave and Full Frontal Cave being the most well known ones. There are many freshwater springs present as well. Hosnies Spring Ramsar is a freshwater spring, which also has a mangrove stand. The mangrove stand consists of two trees called the Bruguiera gymnorhiza and B. sexangula. Although the trees are normally located near the water, the mangrove stand is about thirty-seven meters above sea level, making it a spectacular place. The Dales is a rainforest in the western part of the island and consists of seven deep valleys all of which were formed by spring streams. Hugh’s Dale waterfall is part of this area and is one of the greatest attractions on the island to see. Another incredible site to see is the annual breeding migration of the red crabs. It is estimated that one hundred and twenty million of these red crabs (species name Gecarcoidea natalis) live on the island. The crabs are mainly land crabs; except for every November they come out of their burrows and migrate to the sea. Once at the ocean, the mothers release the embryos where they can survive and grow until they are able to live on land. Fishing is another great activity to do on the island. There are many distinctive species of fish in the oceans surrounding Christmas Island. Snorkeling and swimming in the ocean are two other activities that are extremely popular. Just a few meters from shore there are magnificent reefs and a bountiful amount of species of fish that inhabit. Walking trails are also very popular, for there are many beautiful trails surrounded by extravagant flora and fauna. Sixty three percent of the island is national park, making it one of the main attractions to experience when visiting.

The Arts

Many of the islanders are experienced artists and crafts-people. Weaving baskets and mats out of native leaves are very common arts to find while on the island. The baskets and mats can also be painted and decorated with unique designs, bringing the culture of Christmas Island alive. Magnificent wood carvers build items as well. The articles made are mainly purchased by tourists and export companies.