Visiting the Cocos Keeling Islands with kids comes with a unique set of challenges, from finding the right-sized snorkel fins to food prep for picky eaters.

Not that it’s difficult to take a Cocos Islands family holiday. On the contrary, the Cocos are incredibly family-friendly, with a small, safe community, minimal road traffic and safe, shallow lagoon waters suitable for toddlers and bigger kids.

As you read through our guide to visiting the Cocos Keeling Islands with kids, you’ll quickly realise that visiting the Cocos with children is not only practical, but also far simpler and safer than you’d think.

Is the Cocos (Keeling) Islands a Good Destination for Families?

Visiting the Cocos Keeling Islands with kids is not just easy – it’s smart. Compared to other tropical destinations in the Indian Ocean, it’s very safe, with a near-zero crime rate and no dangerous snakes or spiders.

The archipelago has a small, close-knit community, which fosters trust. The roads are predominantly used by cyclists and people on foot, and the cars that you do see are limited to 30 – 50 kph.

The lagoon is a highlight for any Cocos Islands family holiday. Aside from looking spectacular, with its shimmering turquoise water, it’s also protected by an outer reef, which makes the water shallow and calm. It’s ideal for kids aged 5 to 12 who want to try snorkelling for the first time, and younger children aged 3 to 5 should also thrive at the family-friendly areas on West Island.

Of course, no family is absolutely the same, and therefore, some parents may find visiting the Cocos Islands with children more difficult than others. The main challenges are the hot, humid climate, limited accommodation options and limited fresh produce and snacks.

Waiting a few years is often a smart play if you’re planning a holiday with toddlers or babies under the age of three. It’s also a long way to travel from Perth to the Cocos with a baby; as we explain in our guide to how to get to the Cocos, flights take over six hours. With a baby, you may need to miss out on some of the best parts of the Cocos, such as Direction Island, where there’s limited shade and no facilities for babies.

Safety on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands with Children

Water Safety & Lagoon Conditions

The water is a hot topic at the Cocos, but is it safe to play in the lagoon at the Cocos Keeling Islands with kids? Where exactly should kids swim and not swim?

The Cocos Lagoon is calm and shallow, especially at the south side of West Island and locations like Trannie’s Beach. Copies of the tides are available from the Community Resource Centre on West Island.

Before you go swimming or snorkelling with kids at the Cocos, make sure to slap a pair of reef shoes on their feet; corals, shells and other hazards rest on the seafloor.

There’s no coast guard at the Cocos Islands, so kids should always be accompanied by a responsible adult in or near the water.

Medical Facilities & Emergencies

As parents, it’s natural to keep coming back to the same question: Are the Cocos Islands safe for kids? With proper supervision and planning, they sure are.

However, it’s always helpful to familiarise yourself with the local medical facilities, which can handle everything from grazes to bad tummies and medical evacuation:

• West Island and Home Island each have one health clinic and pharmacy.
  • The West Island health clinic is open on Wednesday.
  • The Home Island clinic is open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
  • There are daily ferries between West Island and Home Island.
• There is one GP and four nurses.
• A nurse is on-call for emergencies out of hours.

Domestic travel insurance is essential for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. It should cover everything from small scrapes to medivacs to Perth; the latter is rare.

Best Things to Do in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands with Kids

Beach Time & Lagoon Swimming

There are plenty of opportunities for beach time, whether you’re visiting the Cocos Keeling Islands with toddlers or older kids. And as long as you read our guide to the best time to visit, you should get plenty of sunny, clear days.

These are the best family swimming and snorkelling spots at the Cocos Islands:

• Trannie’s Beach, West Island: suitable for toddlers
• The Yacht Club, West Island: suitable for toddlers
• Lagoon areas at the south of West Island: suitable for young children

Snorkelling with Kids

What if you want to spend part of your Cocos Islands family holiday snorkelling? If you’re travelling with older children (aged 6+) who are already strong swimmers, there are plenty of snorkel sites that can be accessed directly from the shore:

• Trannie’s Beach, West Island: shallow lagoon and an outer reef
• Cossie’s Beach, Direction Island: coral bommies in shallow water
• Pulu Maraya, West Island: a drift snorkel, requiring a reef walk at low tide from Scout Park
• The Rip, Direction Island: a challenging, powerful drift snorkel. It’s only recommended for very strong swimmers aged 12+. Check out the full details, including the entry and exit points, in our Direction Island Guide

Equipment is key, too. Snorkelling gear is available to hire from the West Island visitor centre. However, kids’ sizes are the first to get snapped up.

To make sure you’re ready to go as soon as you touch down, it’s better to get your snorkelling gear fitted back home and pack it neatly in your luggage. Kids will need a comfortable mouthpiece, snugly-fitting fins and a well-fitting face mask; full face masks aren’t recommended for young children.

Direction Island Day Trip (With Kids)

Even if you don’t feel that your joeys are ready for The Rip, you can still whisk them away to the powdered sands of Direction Island for the day. This remote, uninhabited island feels a world away from West Island and Home Island despite being just a short ferry ride away.

The ferry is cheap ($5 for a return ticket) and easy to use. The journey takes 30 minutes to 1 hour, so motion sickness pills might come in handy for kids with sensitive tummies.

Direction Island is uninhabited, so it has just a few picnic areas (pondoks) with shade and barbecue facilities. They’re scattered along Cossie’s Beach, which has direct access to the lagoon and shallow coral bommies with colourful fish.

If you’re visiting Direction Island with young kids, watch out for the sun. Reef-safe sunscreen (SPF 30+) is essential, and if you want to err on the side of caution – always a good idea – kids should wear a rashie to add an extra barrier between the sun and skin.

Staying well-hydrated should also be a top priority. You need to bring all food and water (2 – 3 litres per person) with you to Direction Island. An ice cooler, reef shoes and a source of shade (just in case you don’t get a pondok in time will all come in handy for families.

Getting Around the Cocos with Kids

Getting around the Cocos with kids is incredibly straightforward. West Island and Home Island are both easy to explore on foot. However, if you’re visiting the Cocos Keeling Islands with kids, it’s often smarter to rent a bicycle or car.

Renting a bicycle doesn’t provide a complete escape from the hot, humid climate. However, it’s cheap and entertaining for older children. The roads are shared with cars (limited to 30 – 50 kph) and pedestrians, so you should be mindful of other traffic.

Tip: Make sure that your children are comfortable with the gears and brakes and fitted with a comfortable helmet.

Renting a car is ideal for visiting the Cocos Islands with toddlers or larger families. Even though West Island is only around 10 kilometres in length, travelling by car can cut your trip in half. It also helps to avoid the heat and humidity – and any tantrums or tears that could ensue.

Tip: Bring a car seat with you to the Cocos Islands, as you may not be able to find one on the islands.

Ferries are also important for getting around the Cocos with kids. The ferries have plenty of seats, as well as an open-top decking with views over the ocean. Ferries make visiting Cocos Keeling Islands with children a little bit easier, as there are daily connections between West Island and Home Island and twice-weekly ferries to Direction Island.

Where to Stay in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands with Kids

That brings us to where to stay. Your accommodation couldn’t be any more important when you’re visiting the Cocos Keeling Islands with kids.

Best Areas for Families

There are only two accommodations on Home Island, where the majority of the Cocos Malay population resides. Home Island is best for couples and slow travellers, as activities revolve around cultural experiences like cooking classes and basket-weaving. Visitors also need to cover their shoulders and knees at all times, because Islam is the predominant religion.

The best area for families is, therefore, West Island. Not only are there handfuls of accommodation options, but there are also several family-friendly lagoon swimming areas, playgrounds, a well-stocked supermarket, multiple restaurants and the airport. If you’re lucky, your kids could make friends with other families visiting the Cocos.

Family-Friendly Accommodation Types

The best Cocos family accommodation is typically a self-catering villa or apartment. This allows you to prepare your own food and stick to a comfortable routine.

Cottages are another good option, with kitchen facilities and multiple bedrooms. However, traditional cottages sometimes lack air-conditioning, which can irritate younger children.

Laundry facilities are always helpful if you’re visiting the Cocos Keeling Islands with children. No doubt you’ll need to scrub at some new dirt or food stains at least once or twice.

Food, Groceries & Eating with Kids

Surely we can all agree that food is important. However, when it comes to family travel, it’s imperative to avoid tears, tantrums and grumpy faces.

There are plenty of food options on the Cocos for kids. However, it’s not always straightforward:

• There are limited restaurants: three on West Island and two on Home Island.
• The opening days and hours are also limited, especially on public holidays.
• Most restaurants require you to write your name on a blackboard to reserve a table.

Thankfully, an up-to-date list of restaurants and opening hours can be found at the West Island visitor centre.

Salty’s is a favourite for families. It serves Western-style food like sandwiches and pizzas, depending on the day.

Tropika is another good choice. However, it serves a local buffet, which may be a tad too adventurous for the picky eaters in your family.

So, you can see why many parents choose to self-cater instead.

There is a supermarket on both West Island and Home Island, stocked with plenty of boxed and canned goods. However, fresh produce (vegetables, fruit, potatoes, eggs and so on) is limited.

Instead, food boxes can be pre-ordered from Salty’s. This is a popular choice for parents because you can touch down and pick up items like fresh eggs, vegetables, potatoes and yoghurt directly from the airport.

As we explain in our ultimate guide to the Cocos Keeling Islands, sometimes flights arrive with very little (or no) time to reach the West Island supermarket before it shuts at 3pm.

One final note: snacks are expensive and in short supply. The best thing you can do for your kids is to pack their favourite snacks. It’s also good for your costs & budget.

Packing Tips for Visiting the Cocos with Children

There’s one more tip to getting your trip to the Cocos Keeling Islands with kids just right and that’s perfecting your packing list. The complete list is in our guide, but these are important things to remember for a family holiday to the Cocos:

• Reef shoes (non-negotiable)
• Rashies, sun hat, sun glasses and reef-safe sunscreen
• Baby / toddler essentials such as baby food, blankets, pacifiers, baby bottles and favourite snacks
• Medications and first-aid kit
• Entertainment for flights

Practical Tips for Families Before You Go

• Book your flights at least 6 – 8 months in advance. Keep in mind that demand (and prices) soar during the school holidays, especially at Christmas time.
• Keep within luggage weight limits (30kg for checked bags and 7kg for carry-ons). Flights operate on a subject-to-load basis, so excess baggage isn’t guaranteed to land on the same day as you.
• Keep your expectations flexible. Life moves at a slow pace at the Cocos Islands, so you need to adjust your itinerary according to the weather and limited opening hours.
• Move at a slow pace. This is our most important tip. Making plenty of time for food, sleep and play should keep things ticking along nicely if you’re visiting the Cocos Keeling Islands with kids.

How Long Should Families Stay?

The ideal amount of time to visit the Cocos Keeling Islands with kids is 5 to 7 days. This factors in plenty of downtime for children and prepares for any obstacles like funny tummies or tantrums.

Shorter trips are likely to feel too rushed with kids because they simply can’t keep up with the pace of adults. Snorkelling, swimming and cycling are all tiring activities for the little ones.

If you’re keen to combine your trip with Christmas Island, you could spend 12 days between the two islands. Fly from Perth to Cocos on a Monday. After five days on the Cocos Islands, you can then fly to Christmas Island on a Friday. This gives you seven days on Christmas Island before you return to Perth on the following Monday.

FAQs About Visiting the Cocos (Keeling) Islands with Kids

Is the Cocos (Keeling) Islands safe for toddlers?
The Cocos are safe for toddlers, as long as they are properly supervised. The roads at the Cocos are used by vehicles, people on foot and cyclists, with a speed limit of 30 – 50 kph. The lagoon is also safe and shallow for toddlers to play under supervision. There is no coastguard.

Are there playgrounds on the islands?
There are playgrounds on the Cocos Islands. They are located at Trannie’s Beach, the Yacht Club and Cocos Club on West Island. On Home Island, there are playgrounds at Sandy Point and the foreshore.

Can you bring baby food to the Cocos?
Baby food can be brought to the Cocos Islands.

Is snorkelling safe for kids?
Snorkelling at the Cocos is safe for older kids who are confident swimmers, as long as they are supervised by parents. Tours are often limited to kids aged 12+.

Are there doctors on the islands?
There is one GP at the Cocos Islands. There’s a small health clinic and pharmacy on both West Island and Home Island. A nurse is on-call for emergencies only.