An Australian tropical hideaway located in the Indian Ocean of north West Australia lies one of Australia’s most distant territories, the magnificent Cocos Keeling Islands. Teeming with aquatic life it is also home to pristine corals, sand flats, and beautiful clear water in the lagoon that make this a water lovers paradise and great saltwater fly fishing destination.
Home to a good population of large Bonefish, Giant Trevally and range of other tropical species including Humphead Wrasse, Bluefin, Napoleon and Triggerfish. The Islands also have beautiful beaches, surf breaks, gold course, diving sites and kitesurfing scene with a large population of turtles and black-tip reef sharks complimenting the healthy fishery.
Consisting of two main islands, West Island is linked to Home Island by a ferry service operating between the two several times a day, including Direction Island which was recently voted as having Australia’s best beach. The indigenous and friendly Coco Malay population on Home Island provides a great cross-cultural experience, with excellent fly-fishing guides and developing guide team. Learning about the history of the region, including art and crafts, paddle tours, good food and a real vibrant community interaction on both Islands makes a visit to Cocos a very pleasant experience.
There is a good range of accommodation options from private house stays to waterfront villa and homestay rooms also available on West Island, within close proximity to the town amenities, tourist information center, general store, café’s and some dining options.
This includes one and two-bedroom Villa’s which are popular for travelling fishermen and couples, with self-catering and BBQ facilities, and wash down areas at the end of each day to rinse off your gear.
For families or larger groups, we have access to a fantastic private home comprising 3 bedrooms, kitchen, dining and entertainment facilities with everything you need to holiday in comfort. On West Island, there are also several options including basic apartments and homestay rooms, while you can also mix up your time between both Islands while there.
Dining options on West Island are reasonably limited but sufficient if you plan to eat out, with the small number of cafes’, community bar and restaurant’s providing specific options on different nights of the week. A visit to the information center on arrival will update you with the weeks activities including dining options for the week ahead. The general store is also limited in terms of supplies, but has enough to get you by if you wish to self-cater with some basic meals.
There is also a large variety of non-angling activities to explore including snorkeling, surfing, canoeing, kite surfing, golf and birdwatching.
Fly Odyssey Australia has teamed up with a number of enthusiastic Malay guides on Home Island who have recently started their guiding operations in 2017, with boat access to a wide expanse of flats throughout the lagoon.
The lagoon area on Cocos Keeling is vast with shallow flats, deep blue holes, sea grass beds and channels where you can sight fish on foot and move between areas quickly by boat to access numerous fishing grounds and small islands throughout the day.
The bonefish on Cocos are big and powerful, with double figure fish not uncommon. Being a fairly shallow lagoon, the bonefish move between deeper drop-offs and turtle grass beds to tailing in shallow water. Searching and locating the fish with the local guides will maximise your chances of encountering these larger fish with success.
Decent numbers of permit are also available in certain areas of the lagoon, while Bluefin, Striped trevally and large Giant Trevally are also available near the ocean passes. The strong population of black-tip reef sharks is an indication of how healthy this ecosystem, located in the lagoon and on the inshore reef areas. Grey reef sharks can also be seen at times around the reef, while here you can target Trevally, Bonefish, Triggerfish, a variety of wrasse species and Giant Trevally.
Seasonally the Cocos Islands experience two seasons – primarily the Doldrums season from December – May when the trade winds are at their lowest, however the conditions can be cloudy and stormy at times. The June-September winter seasons can experience clearer skies in general however winds can be quite strong at times which attracts kite-surfers world-wide during these months. Regardless of when you can get away to visit Cocos, the temperatures are still tropical and warm throughout the year providing a great getaway and unique island experience for travelers from all corners of the globe.
Cocos can be fished on a DIY basis, however this is limited, in general, to a few key flats areas without boat access. There is however plenty of inshore reef areas to target if conditions suit.
As per all Fly Odyssey bookings, we will provide you with a comprehensive and detailed pre-trip fly fishing guide prior to your departure.
Flights depart and return to Perth, Western Australia twice weekly which can link to a variety of direct international arrivals including London, Hong Kong, Dubai and Johannesburg. Domestic flights are available daily from most Australian capital cities into Perth.
Let us do the groundwork for you.
Our tailored fly fishing and accommodation itineraries are designed with you in mind to suit your preferences. They are also quoted in your local currency with very favourable exchange rates.
This includes flight bookings, transit accommodation, transfers and a host of non-angling activities and experiences.
We specialise in family, couples and group says to the region, and our long involvement with our partners on the ground will ensure you are well looked after both on and off the water.
This includes extended stays in Perth, Margaret River, Exmouth or fly-fishing lodges throughout the top end of Australia.
CONTACT OUR AUSTRALIAN OFFICE
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Creating and sharing memorable travel experiences with our clients and friends provides us with genuine satisfaction. All of our trips are bespoke, tailored to your needs and we always love hearing all about the adventure on your return.
Our knowledge of travel logistics saves you time, and our highly experienced team is here to ensure its spent on the water and not at the desk or on a long flight connection that you didn’t require. Since 2006 we have developed a valued client-base that has travelled to all corners of the globe.
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On the fishing front, our extensive expertise and experience around prime seasons, species, moon-phases, tides and personalised customer service is centred around one principal – preparation. This includes detailed gear and equipment lists, the fly patterns, transfer details, up-to date fishing reports and some of the finer aspects that can often be overlooked.
We travel extensively and understand that your free-time is important. Just as we all understand from experience, that the key to a successful trip is pre-trip preparation.
Our highly experienced team has fly fished the world for the last 25 years, and we understand the considerations and gear needed to turn a good fly fishing trip into a great one.
Fly fishing and travel is our passion. It’s all we do.