great coco island tourism

Australia's Last Unspoilt Paradise

Things to do

Travel Tips

Welcome to the Cocos Keeling Islands

A 14.2 sq km drop in the Indian Ocean.

Immerse in a tropical oasis of coconut palms, endless white-sand beaches and azure waters. Experience one of the world’s largest marine parks teeming with wildlife, discover the unique Cocos Malay culture and historical dramas, and join the friendly locals on island time.

Adventure, or simply take a breath.

Horsburgh Island

Direction Island

Home Island

South Island

West Island

Island Life

A bird watcher’s paradise, known for special sightings of vagrant shoreboards and megabirds, with 39 resident species taking flight across the atoll.

How to get here

Flight information

Eat & Drink

What's on the islands

Transportation

Car Hire & Ferry

Before you get here

Travel tips

Activities The ideal location for kite surfers who are looking for small crowds, lots of space and perfect conditions.

The waist-deep, warm, crystal-clear waters offer the perfect conditions for beginners to learn and for experienced kite surfers to play. Qualified and experienced instructors are available for the entire trade-wind season to practice in a safe and supported environment.

Testimonials

It is rare, in this day and age, to come upon a place so delightful in both looks and temperament that, on the very first sighting, one’s jaw does genuinely drop. Georgia Rickard Australian Traveller

If going with the flow is how you roll, you will love the Cocos Keeling Islands. They have a small – very small – country town vibe. Your activities revolve around the exquisite lagoon whether they be snorkelling, diving, fishing, parasailing, or just relaxing under a coconut palm reading a book while inhaling the frangipani infused air Steve Klein Curious Campers

Scuba diving at Cocos Keeling islands is nothing short of spectacular. Fabulous visibility, pristine coral reefs, abundant marine life and all the trappings of a tropical paradise without the flashy resorts. Yes, it is isolated and it takes some effort to get there, but this is more than offset by the quality of the diving, the friendly locals and the very laid back and relaxing ambience of the entire place. It is quirky, fun and a great place for a holiday. We will return and soon Phillip Tubb Melbourne

Don’t miss this place. My wife and I recently spent a fantastic week on Cocos Keeling Islands. We took the opportunity to take the twice weekly ferry service from West Island to Direction Island... we loved it so much we came back for a second time. Mike G Joondalup

Home Island is definitely quieter than West Island with religion a big part of daily life but the locals were so friendly and welcoming. It was so nice to be able to swim straight off the shore in amazing turquoise water while we cooked BBQs at sunset. Highly recommended! Pete

Things to Do in Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean - Cocos (Keeling) Islands Attractions

Things to do in cocos (keeling) islands.

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• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
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• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Direction Island

2. Cocos Keeling Islands Visitor Centre

3. Pulu Keeling National Park

4. Scout Park

5. The Big Barge Art Centre

6. Oceania House

7. Cocos Islands Golf Club

8. Cocos Dive Day Trips

9. Cocos Islands Adventure Tours

10. Cocos Island Tours

11. No Worries Atoll

12. Island Explorer Holidays Australia

What travelers are saying.

• Direction Island
• Cocos Keeling Islands Visitor Centre
• The Big Barge Art Centre
• Pulu Keeling National Park

Top 10 Things to Do on Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Located midway between Australia and Sri Lanka lies the Cocos (Keeling) Islands; a predominantly undiscovered Australian tropical paradise that is all about water-based activities.

It may be remote, but the Cocos (Keeling) Islands archipelago has a lot to offer visitors who make the trek to the middle of the Indian Ocean. Swim at Australia’s best beach, go diving and learn more about the islands’ Cocos Malay population. Keep reading to discover all the the top things to do.

Dive deep with Cocos Dive

Diving is one of the most popular water-based activities on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands . Join the experienced team at Cocos Dive and visit one of their 30 regular dive sites around the islands. Visibility at most dive sites is between 20 and 30 metres, and many have steep drop-offs, so more advanced divers can head deeper underwater. Marine species you can expect to encounter include reef sharks, manta rays, turtles, dolphins, tuna, wrasse and Kat, the islands’ only dugong. Some of the most visited dive sites include Cabbage Patch, Sandshute, Rosewall Coral and Eden.

There are very few places in the world with better bonefish fly-fishing opportunities than the lagoon on Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Catching a bonefish is seen as the ‘holy grail’ of fly-fishing, and they can reach up to one metre in length. October to March is peak season for fishing on the islands. Other fish you can expect to catch from the beach include mullet and mahi mahi.

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Go snorkelling

Snorkelling on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands is great for the whole family, as they are surrounded by shallow and protected waters. A popular snorkelling site is called The Rip, which is located on Direction Island’s southern tip. At low tide, you can also snorkel after walking across to Pulu Maraya from Scout Park on West Island. Snorkelling gear is available for rent from the Cocos Islands Visitor Centre.

Learn more on the Home Island Eco Tour

Home Island is a residential area home to approximately 450 Cocos Malay people. Learn more about their unique culture through a two-hour Home Island Eco Tour . Led by a local guide, during the cultural tour you’ll learn about Cocos Malay traditions, try weaving coconut leaf baskets with the elders, be taught some basic Cocos Malay words and you’ll visit the local museum. The tour runs every Wednesday.

Enjoy a Cocos Island Adventure Tour

Kylie and Ash are the award-winning team behind Cocos Islands Adventure Tours . They do guided motorised outrigger canoe tours and turtle tours of the islands, which include food and drink, as well as snorkelling equipment. There’s also the option to hire kayaks, double kayaks and stand-up paddleboards for self-exploration of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Kylie and Ash have a car and minibus available for hire too.

1. Visit The Big Barge Art Centre

Art Gallery

The Big Barge Art Centre is housed inside a local handmade timber barge’s hull, which was a ferry between West and Home Islands in a former life. It took over 10 years to create the space, which is both an art gallery and a working artists’ studio. The Big Barge Art Centre hosts outdoor movie screenings and creative workshops throughout the year. There’s an assortment of artwork displayed in the gallery, including driftwood furniture, acrylic paintings, watercolour prints and flotsam factory jewellery.

Behold Australia’s best beach

Cossies Beach on Direction Island was declared Australia’s Best Beach in 2017. It was named in honour of Sir Peter Cosgrove, Australia’s Governor General. Fortunately, there are ferries between West and Direction Islands twice a week. In 1836, Charles Darwin said the beach was “heavenly,” and it remains the same in this century. Take time to soak in the clear and calm waters, before walking three kilometres (1.9 miles) around Direction Island. Along the way, check out the plaques describing moments in the island’s history.

Indulge in Malay cuisine

Don’t miss indulging in delicious Cocos Malay cuisine while on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. It’s been said you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover when it comes to the cafe at the airport, as it serves the best nasi goreng. Meanwhile, Dory’s Cafe has the best cup of coffee, and Wick Cafe on West Island and Mesra Kafe on Home Island serve authentic Malay cuisine . Finally, there’s the delicious Malay buffet at Tropika Restaurant at Cocos Beach Resort.

Try kitesurfing

The optimal time for kitesurfing in the islands’ South Lagoon is between May and November. There are a few companies that offer kitesurfing lessons. Firstly, F-one Kiteboarding Pro School has locations on the Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. They offer a range of lessons with professional instructors. Limitless Kite Tours does one-week kitesurfing trips to the islands, which include accommodation, transport, a tour guide and visit to Direction Island. Zephyr Kite Tours also organises tours that feature 24/7 coaching and lessons, for beginner to advanced kitesurfers.

Experience a unique round of golf

The Cocos Islands Golf Club is the only golf course in the world that plays across an international runway. You can see planes take off and land while playing across the nine-hole course. Don’t miss playing a game of Scroungers every Thursday afternoon. The friendly team game is a great way to mingle with locals and you can hire clubs at the golf club — known locally as The Donga.

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Military construction on Myanmar’s Great Coco island prompts fears of Chinese involvement

Great Coco lies 55km from India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Beijing has denied it is involved in building a surveillance post there

S ince the early 1990s, Myanmar’s Great Coco – a small, remote island in the Bay of Bengal – has been at the centre of intrigue. Rumour had it that the island was home to a Chinese intelligence facility, a claim lacking hard evidence. Now concerns over the island, and its uses, have re-emerged.

Satellite images taken in January 2023 show telltale signs of military modernisation, according to a report by the thinktank Chatham House. There’s a newly lengthened 2,300-metre runway and radar station, two new hangars, what appears to be an accommodation block, and a new causeway linking to a smaller island. At the tip of the island is evidence of land clearing efforts, suggesting further construction work is to come.

Great Coco is small at 11km in length, but its location is strategically important. It is not only close to the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, it also lies 55km from India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which host Indian navy and air force bases.

Signs of construction have provoked concern that China – which Myanmar has grown increasingly dependent on after the February 2021 coup – could stand to gain from intelligence gathered there, either through espionage or intelligence sharing.

“With the Coco Island developments, India may soon face a new airbase close by in a country increasingly tied to Beijing,” said the report by Chatham House, which analysed satellite images released by Maxar Technologies.

Delhi has reportedly been monitoring developments closely. It recently confronted Myanmar with intelligence showing that Beijing was providing assistance in building a surveillance post on the island, according to Bloomberg. China dismissed the claims.

Authors of the Chatham House report said the Maxar images did not show any specific evidence of Chinese activity on Great Coco. However, since the coup, Myanmar’s military has sought closer ties with Beijing, backing its claim to Taiwan and announcing its support for China’s “global security initiative”.

“Myanmar is desperate, it’s cash-strapped,” said Htwe Htwe Thein, associate professor at Curtin University. “Investment from Beijing is economically helpful – and also on the world stage [Myanmar can flaunt] that such an economic giant and neighbour is still their friend.”

Prior to the coup, in 2020, about 40% of Myanmar’s foreign debt of US$10bn was owed to China, she said, and this had likely increased.

Among China’s investments in Myanmar is a major port at Kyaukphyu, western Myanmar, designed to give China access to the Indian Ocean for the transport of liquified gas and oil, allowing it to become less reliant on shipping resources through the crowded Strait of Malacca.

“With Myanmar reliant on China for international support and economic development, it is extremely likely that the army would share intelligence with Beijing, and support China’s strategic initiatives,” said Jason Tower, Myanmar country director at the United States Institute of Peace.

The construction on Great Coco was provocative, he said, adding that it “presents a significant challenge to regional security, and will likely generate significant tensions between China and India in the Bay of Bengal”.

Analysts believe Myanmar’s military is likely seeking to play India and China off against one another in return for greater economic and diplomatic support.

Great Coco could be used as leverage in negotiations with Delhi, said Damien Symon of the Intel Lab, who co-authored the Chatham House report, adding that the Myanmar military was “well aware of Indian fears relating to Chinese surveillance of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands”.

“Great Coco might be used to extract economic support and maintain engagement by the Modi government with the Tatmadaw [Myanmar junta] in exchange for naval delegation visits by the Indian navy,” Symon said.

India and China, along with Russia, abstained from voting on a UN security council resolution in 2022 that demanded an end to violence in Myanmar and called for the release of political prisoners.

Htwe Htwe Thein said the construction on Great Coco was a further sign that the international community should not ignore the crisis in Myanmar, given the implications for power dynamics in the region. “What’s happening in Myanmar is not isolated,” she said. “It can have a huge impact on neighbouring countries.”

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PacNet #40 – Decoding the infrastructure development on Myanmar’s Coco Islands

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• June 6, 2023

Decoding the infrastructure development on Myanmar’s Coco Islands

Satellite imagery released by Maxar Technologies in January 2023, revealing new construction on Myanmar’s Great Coco Island, has raised concerns and questions. The imagery discloses an extended airport runway and two new widened hangars next to it. A report from Chatham House Policy Institute says that the runway seems freshly lengthened to 2,300 meters (7,500 feet) from 1,300 meters 10 years ago, and the new hangars enlarged by approximately 40 meters. The extensive nature of this development provokes suspicions as to whether the infrastructure under construction is a Chinese espionage base for its military expansion into the Indian Ocean.

China has been a friend to the Myanmar military since the late 1980s. Even when Myanmar was isolated during the junta’s rule in the 1990s and 2000s, China remained a supportive partner of the regime. Despite the harmonious relations with the civilian government during the democratic transition of 2011-2020, China has always wanted to keep closer ties with the Myanmar military for economic and security reasons. The 2021 coup has strengthened the Myanmar military’s relationship with China and increased Beijing’s sway over the country. The presence of a Chinese intelligence base on the Coco Islands, long rumored among the international security community, had little to no evidence before the satellite imagery’s release.

Given the prevailing instability across the country, the Myanmar military cannot carry out the ongoing construction on the Great Coco Island without China; only the latter has both the willingness and capability to develop an airport on the remote island.

Why would China secretly—not publicly—develop such infrastructure? What is the project’s goal, in the short or long term?

While not part of the Belt and Road Initiative, the infrastructure development taking place on the Coco Islands reminds of other projects under the BRI in other parts of the world, as these projects often generate controversy and criticism. Specifically, rumors have swirled that these projects serve China’s regional military and security objectives, rather than the needs of the communities they take place in.

For instance, in 2018 and 2019, Koh Kong province in Cambodia underwent the Dara Sakor Airport Development project funded by China’s Union Development Group. The extreme difficulty of attracting visitors to Koh Kong Beachside resort makes the development of an international airport an illogical decision. Dara Sakor, deviating from the initial plan to develop an international airport for commercial airliners, developed a long runway (10,500 feet) with a “tight turning bay” favored by jet fighters. The Dara Sakor investment zone covers 20% of Cambodia’s coastline and lies close to the Ream Naval Base, granted to China for 30 years in return for the funding required to renovate the naval base. Although the developer insisted that the airport will be for civilian use, international observers immediately criticized the project as benefitting Beijing’s military strategy.

Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port , another China-sponsored infrastructure project, also raised security concerns. In 2017, Sri Lanka leased a 70% stake in the port to China Merchants Ports Holding Company Limited (CM Port) for 99 years under a concession agreement signed by Colombo’s cabinet of ministers, keeping the remaining 30% under Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). Although the CM Port and SLPA ostensibly jointly manage the port’s commercial operations, observers still consider the port a Chinese debt trap. As with Dara Sakor, the Hambantota port is poorly connected to the rest of the country, prompting questions as to its purpose. Some analysts believe China could potentially use the Hambantota Port as a pretext to establish a security base due to its strategic location for the import of energy from the Middle East.

Why Coco Islands?

As with the projects above, the Coco Islands’ remote location, poorly connected to the rest of the country, prompts questions as to whether its airport construction will eventually provide critical infrastructure for China, facilitating future military expansion. The Islands are remote from and poorly connected to the rest of the country. This seems consistent, however, with the PLA’s naval base expansion in Djibouti and China’s current aspiration to set up a permanent military base in Equatorial Guinea.

China considers the Atlantic Ocean important for its exports and the Indian Ocean crucial for its energy and raw material requirements. China has and will continue to undertake infrastructure projects along the maritime route as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. The suspicion and concerns over the China-developed infrastructure mainly arise from the lack of transparency and mysterious nature of the relationship, given the previously mentioned cases of BRI construction in corrupt states.

The Coco Islands’ undisclosed construction, along with other infrastructure ventures in its vicinity, has revived the “ String of Pearls ” Theory, with the Coco Islands as “beads” in China’s strategy to expand its military presence. According to this theory, China will persist in establishing its economic and military footholds in or around the Indian Ocean by investing in dual-use infrastructure development projects. The Maldives, Seychelles, and Madagascar can expect similar projects sooner or later. However, it will remain crucial to observe how China handles tensions in Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, key BRI infrastructure on China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

All in all, the ongoing construction of an airport on the Great Coco Island suggests China’s unwavering determination to broaden its sphere of influence. As Myanmar faces isolation, China sees an opportunity. If it wishes to ease such doubts and suspicions, China should establish a mechanism for sustainable transparency to demonstrate its sincere and responsible economic cooperation. Without transparency, China will find it hard to justify the development of infrastructure of such questionable use.

Furthermore, other major powers, namely the United States, European Union, and possibly India, should enhance their active engagement in the Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean subregions through political discussion and/or security cooperation with ASEAN member states to appropriately respond to the expanding influence of China. It is crucial to explore constructive measures with Myanmar’s neighbors that promote a balanced regional environment, foster ASEAN’s centrality, and ensure collective stability and prosperity.

Shwe Yee Oo ( [email protected] ) is Resident Nonproliferation Fellow at Pacific Forum.

PacNet commentaries and responses represent the views of the respective authors. Alternative viewpoints are always welcomed and encouraged.

Photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping in front of PRC and Myanmar’s flags in 2019 by Fred Dufour of Reuters. 

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Best Tour to Coco’s Island National Park in Costa Rica

Coco’s Island National Park is one of Costa Rica’s amazingly beautiful eco-tourism island. Its remoteness tickles your mind and imagination of what marine life, tropical animals, or activities to enjoy in this kind of getaway.

One of Costa Rica’s mission is to protect the exotic flora and fauna of every national park in the country, and that includes Coco’s Island National Park. Hence, a trip to the national park with your friends and family will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness actual exotic marine life, various plant species, and indigenous wildlife before they become extinct.

Coco’s Island National Park is one of the top bucket lists for most professional photographers. From steps to cliffs to any angle, the park is a sure hit not only to photographers but also to every traveler who wants to escape the hustling bustling city life.

Plus, if you are a seasoned diver, a nature lover, or an adventurer, it is no doubt that you will love a few days of your stay in this charming and dazzling island.

Where is Coco’s Island National Park Located?

Cocos Island National Park is 550 kilometers away from Puntarenas , off Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast and southwest of Cabo Blanco. Additionally, it is a hundred miles away from the famous Galapagos Island.

When is the Best Time to Go to Coco’s Island National Park?

Organize your itinerary well, as we recommend you to explore the island for ten days. The trip from the mainland, Puntarenas , already takes up 30-36 hours of your time.

Since Coco’s Island National Park’s live-aboard operators are few, we recommend that you book your trip 10-12 months in advance to ensure the slot availability of the boats.

Since Coco’s Island is known for scuba diving and if it is the main reason for your visit, we recommend you to plan your trip from January to March. These months have calmer seas and distinctive water visibility in which you can expect to have a show of sharks and big fishes.

The waves get tougher from July through November. It is during these months that you can encounter a considerable number of hammerhead sharks and manta rays.

The wave conditions get better during the dry season from December to May.

How is the Weather in Cocos Island National Park?

Costa Rica is a tropical country; hence, expect the weather to be humid and wet all year round.

The dry season starts from late December to early April. The rest of the months are abundant in rainfalls. Even during the dry season, expect a few downpours, especially in the afternoon. The most decreased downpour often occurs in February.

On the other hand, the intensity of rain pours almost every day from May to October.

How Do You Get to Coco’s Island National Park?

Coco’s Island National Park is a remote area; however, it is accessible only by a liveaboard dive boat tour.

You don’t need to have the headaches of arranging your tour to Coco’s Island National Park since the liveaboard company will take care of everything from San Jose hotels.

Or you can also arrange your trip from San Jose to the city of Puntarenas following the Caldera route. From Puntarenas, you can now organize your trip to Coco’s Island National Park.

Get yourself ready for a 30-36 hour dive boat tour from the mainland, Puntarenas . You can either drop at the offshores of Bahia Wafer on the northwest or Bahia Chatham on the northeast, both bays having sandy beaches.

Though the national park is accessible through liveaboard dive boats, there are only three boats to accommodate every traveler. The Okeanos Aggressor, MV Argo, and Undersea Hunter travel a week and a half to the island; hence, it is advisable to plan and book your seats in advance.

About Coco’s Island National Park

Coco’s Island National Park was established in 1978 to home 270 types of fish, around 235 varieties of plants, over 400 types of insects, and 30 kinds of corals. If you want an undistracted panoramic view of nature, this is the perfect place for you.

Isla del Coco as it is known to Costa Ricans was once a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. It covers more than 493 thousand acres, including the surrounding water areas.

The Costa Rican government ensures that no high-rise buildings or establishments should be built around or nearby the park to preserve the island’s excellent structure and formation, along with the protection of the diverse wildlife and marine life.

Coco’s Island National Park is also known to be a Treasure Island. Stories have been circulating that during the early 1800s, explorers and pirates buried treasures on the island. However, up to this writing, no one has found a treasure map yet to those claimed treasures.

Along with the burying of treasures, seafarers also left pigs, goats, and rats to breed, expecting something to hunt on their next trips. As of today, the effect of these mammals is damaging the extinct species of the island and the park. To that effect, the government is keeping it in control to avoid any harm in the ecosystem.

What to Bring / Wear in Cocos Island National Park?

Visiting Coco’s Island National Park will take you hours and days to reach from San Jose Port. During transportation, travelers are allowed to go diving while you are on your way to the island.

And since Costa Rica is a tropical country, get ready to pack your top choices of bathing suit or trunks, bath towels, shirts, and shorts.

Don’t forget your shoes and slippers along with rain gears, those which are appropriate for the lush green forest of the national park.

Of course, who would forget sunblocks and insect repellents?

Operating Hours and Fees

Enjoy an undisturbed panoramic view along with diverse flora and fauna before it comes to extinction for only $50/head from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM.

Activities at Cocos Island National Park

Scuba Diving is the main reason why travelers set their foot in Coco’s Island National Park. But if you are not into diving, don’t get disappointed because you can still enjoy the sceneries while aboard the boat on your way to the island. Once you land to the island, take your cameras and video cameras ready and start to amaze yourself doing the following.

1. Trekking

Expose your eyes to the various flora and fauna Coco’s Island National Park has to offer, which you wouldn’t see in the cities or zoos. The floras include mosses, ferns, and bromeliads. You can also witness varieties of migratory birds such as red-footed booby, brown noddy, great frigatebird, flycatchers, finch, cuckoo, and so much more.

2. Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

Explore the mysteries and wonders of the sea through scuba diving and snorkeling in one of the world’s top dive spots. Amaze yourself with several volcanic tunnels, various coral reefs, and sea caves.

If the natural habitat is not enough to surprise you, let yourself excite with the views of whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, white tip reef sharks, tiger sharks, silvertip sharks, silky sharks, marbled rays, mantas, dolphins, blue marlin, varieties of fish and snails such as mollusks, crustaceans, yellowfin tuna, sailfish, giant moray eels, octopus, turtles, and more.

Surely, you will exhaust yourself scuba diving with the island’s 20 dive sites to wander and discover its treasures.

The best time to dive here is between June and December . These are some Liveaboards to Cocos Island: Okeanos Aggressor II and Argo .

3. Hike and Swim

Coco’s Island National Park boasts one of the impressive waterfalls in Costa Rica with a swimming pool at the bottom. Don’t worry about getting there because the park rangers will guide you while giving a story about the park’s extraordinary wildlife.

4. Boating and Fishing

If you are not a fan of diving or snorkeling, that’s okay. You can still enjoy the beauty and wonders of the island by boating, fishing, or island hopping. Or you can even just lay on the beach, people watch, wildlife watching, and enjoy the sceneries.

Where to Eat

There are no restaurants in Coco’s Island National Park as it is an isolated island. Therefore, pack something that would last you for days on the island.

Where to Sleep

There are no overnight facilities in Coco’s Island National Park. The only accommodations on the island are the chambers for park rangers. So we recommend you to book your lodging on the nearby areas or from San Jose itself. You may want to try Jaco Royale Hotel, Hotel Punta Leona, Hotel San Bada, Makanda By The Sea, and Terraza Del Pacific Hotel to name a few of the nearby hotels.

Whether you plan for a diving excursion or a nature trekking vacation, Costa Rica’s own Galapagos Island in the name of Coco’s Island National park is the best place to wonder and wander with nature.

The numerous wildlife, marine life, and fauna will bring you to an unimaginative world that some of us didn’t know exists.

As early as now, plan and book your fun adventures to Coco’s Island National Park while the conservation of its remoteness and wildness still hold its value.

The Costa Rica Best Ride Team

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Chinese base or wild rumour? The Coco Islands mystery

• June 5, 2023

Recent construction on militarised islands off Myanmar has sent the media into a tizzy, but despite rampant speculation, experts say it’s unlikely China is behind it, though India may still have cause for concern.

By FRONTIER

Four hundred kilometres adrift of Yangon, featuring white sand beaches and crystal blue water, Great Coco Island looks like a tropical paradise. With a population of less than 2,000 as of 2014, it has the makings of a peaceful tourist haven.

Yet despite boasting a 2.3 kilometre-long runway spanning nearly half the length of the island, civilian visitors have been few and far between. Instead, for the last 30 years, Great Coco – one of five Coco islands – has been at the centre of a flurry of rumours of Chinese military activity.

“Originally it was a penal colony back in the 1960s and at that time it didn’t have any real significance strategically. But since the 1990s it’s become significant because of Chinese interest in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal and because India has become more assertive,” said Mr Anthony Davis, a security analyst with Janes, a defence intelligence organisation.

For China – which provides vital military support to Myanmar’s junta – a foothold close to the strategic Malacca Strait and Indian military bases would serve its expansionist ambitions. India meanwhile, has clashed with China over disputed border territories in the Himalayas and remains particularly sensitive to signs of Chinese encroachment. 

The island is back in the spotlight following a recent report on new construction activity. Despite rampant speculation, experts say it’s unlikely China is behind the upgrades. But they were unable to explain the strategic relevance of some of the new developments, and said India is right to be wary given the deepening ties between Beijing and the junta.

Dr Andrew Selth, an adjunct professor at Australia’s Griffith University, traced rumours of Chinese designs on Great Coco back to a 1992 Kyodo News Agency article that reported China was building a radar facility, citing diplomatic sources in Beijing.

The rumours persisted until 2005, when India’s naval chief said India had “firm information that there is no listening post, radar or surveillance station belonging to the Chinese o­n Coco Islands”. 

Satellite images published in March by United Kingdom-based think tank Chatham House showed new small-scale construction, triggering a fresh media frenzy. The report dismissed Chinese presence in the Coco Islands as a conspiracy theory and said “available evidence points to the facilities being operated by the Tatmadaw”.

Home to a Tatmadaw naval base, the islands are administered as Cocokyun Township. Amid the National League Democracy’s landslide victories in 2015 and 2020, the township was the only Yangon Region constituency where the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party won a seat in the national parliament. Junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing even visited Great Coco Island in April to unveil a “victorious post at the focal point of the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal”.

A clear view of India?

The only solid information to emerge from the islands in the last 30 years has come from satellite images. Those taken by space technology company Maxar Technologies in January and published by Chatham House show new construction and land clearing efforts across Great Coco as well as on Jerry Island to its south.

One of the latest developments is a second aircraft hangar just west of the runway on Great Coco. Mr Damien Symon, a geo-intelligence researcher at Intel Lab and co-author of the Chatham House report, said a first hangar was completed in January this year and groundwork began on the second in July last year. 

Mr Sean O’Connor, a satellite imagery analyst at Janes, said the unfinished hangar appears to be nearly identical to the first.

Based on satellite images taken in May, O’Connor said the completed hangar is approximately 40 metres wide, which could accommodate an aircraft with a 30m wingspan or smaller. That would include most fighter jets, including the Russian Sukhoi Su-30. In July last year, the Myanmar military acquired two Su-30s, which have a wingspan under 15m and can take off and land on a runway less than a kilometre long.

Symon said that construction also began on a causeway connecting Great Coco with the smaller Jerry Island late last year, creating “a newfound vantage point offering an enhanced field of view towards the south”. 

Land clearing also recently began at the southern end of Jerry Island. Maxar satellite images from early May show a new dirt road running the length of the island from the causeway to its southern tip. The images also show a V-shaped land clearing, two round paths and a circular clearing near the southern coast.

India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie less than 60km away to the south and host an important Indian armed forces command centre. 

“The Andaman and Nicobar Command is the only integrated theatre command where all three forces – the Air Force, the Navy and the Army – are present. There is no equivalent other command. It is a hugely important military strategic post for India,” said Mr Angshuman Choudhury, associate fellow at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi.

While Symon surmised that the land clearing on Jerry Island could offer a clear view of the Indian islands, O’Connor isn’t convinced this would be any more advantageous than the radar station completed in 2016 at the southern tip of the runway on Great Coco.

He said the station “is at an altitude of 100m, which is going to give you a better field of view than Jerry Island where the highest altitude is 20m”.

“The distance from the southern end of Jerry Island to the existing radar site is only 8km,” he added. “Why would you want to get five miles closer to the Indians when you have a better field of view from the other radar site?”

Dr Miemie Winn Byrd, a professor at the US Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies who spoke to Frontier as an independent defence scholar, was also bemused.

“They have dwindling resources – they are being sanctioned and their accounts are being closed – and they have to focus on losing on the ground on the mainland,” she said of the Myanmar military. “Why would they spend money they don’t have on improving these things? It doesn’t make strategic sense.”

Indian concerns, Chinese denials

New construction aside, the existing radar station may already be enough of a concern for Delhi. 

Unnamed representatives from the Indian government told Bloomberg in April that they had shared satellite images with their Myanmar counterparts showing Chinese workers helping to construct what looked like a listening post on Great Coco. Likewise, Indian media have alleged that Chinese nationals are “frequently seen ” on the island and the “latest militarisation could pose a significant security challenge to India”.

Myanmar junta spokesperson Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun told Bloomberg the allegations were “absurd” and denied that India had ever raised the issue with Myanmar.

Choudhury said it is likely that Indian officials were referring to the existing radar station because no other construction on the island resembles a listening post.

“There may have been some kind of Chinese material and Chinese technical assistance in building that post, but it’s impossible to know what kind of information was relayed, if the Chinese are using the station and until when,” he said.

Mr Jason Tower, Myanmar country director at the United States Institute of Peace, said India may feel compelled to take a strong stance because it “doesn’t want to appear weak” in the face of hypothetical Chinese aggression. He also said that while Delhi has “dramatically less leverage than China over the military”, India’s strategy to prevent the Myanmar military from falling “fully within China’s orbit” has been to “court the military anytime it sees the military getting closer to China”.

An Indian foreign ministry press official declined to comment and referred Frontier to an April 6 press briefing that said the government “keeps a close watch on all developments having a bearing on India’s security”.

But O’Connor said it was unlikely that India would be able to come to such conclusions based solely on satellite imagery.

“You can’t just look at a random satellite picture and say we know where these guys came from, unless [the Chinese] have some unique kind of construction equipment and [the Indians] have the resolution to be able to pick out the distinguishing features,” said O’Connor. He added that India would have likely needed to get closer to the island to have detected such activity.

Meanwhile, Beijing and the Myanmar military continue to deny any kind of Chinese activity on the islands.

U Thet Swe, managing director of the junta’s press team, told Frontier that reports of a Chinese military presence on Great Coco are “only rumours and fake news”. He said that, as far as he knows, “there is no construction being carried out by China at this time” and the military “is not doing anything with China to threaten India”.

The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar said in an email to Frontier , “The relevant reports regarding China’s role in the building of Coco Island are merely rumors based on groundless [assumptions].”

A Great Coco resident and shop owner similarly said she has not seen foreign workers. The woman, who asked not to be named, said she is confident there are “no strangers on the island because there are so few people that it would be very noticeable”.

‘A point of future leverage’

Despite the lack of evidence and denials from Myanmar and China, the frenzy over a potential Chinese intelligence base has not abated – and perhaps for good reason. While the Chatham House report said there is no evidence China is behind the new developments, it did not totally dismiss India’s concerns.

“Myanmar’s junta has few friends left and the few assets it has are increasingly dependent on Chinese capital to sustain. Great Coco is thus potentially a point of future leverage,” the report says. It warns that either through espionage or pressure, Beijing could one day gain access to any intelligence gathered by the Myanmar military, including information that threatens India’s national security.

“For India, Great Coco Island was in the past a place for outlandish theories. It may now become a real point of concern,” the report continues.

Byrd also theorised that if China did gain access to the islands, they could serve as a jumping-off point to the Malacca Strait between peninsular Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans, it’s one of the busiest shipping routes in the world, accounting for approximately 40 percent of global trade. It’s especially important for China, which relies on the strait to receive roughly 60pc of its oil supply.

“For India, it’s always been a concern because if China has the Coco Islands, they can control the Malacca Strait. They can control the world economy and definitely prevent India from being able to use the strait,” said Byrd.

But other experts say the Myanmar military’s long-running distrust of foreign intervention, which partly comes from its foundation story as a force resisting British imperial rule, would make Chinese military presence a non-starter.

“Myanmar’s recent colonial history is such that the Tatmadaw would never allow a foreign actor to base military forces within its borders, let alone lease sections of its territory,” said Symon. “The regime is first and foremost a nationalist movement. The logical conclusion then is that this base is operated by the armed forces of Myanmar.”

More stories

Recent army defectors tell of forced recruitment and low morale

Related stories.

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‘Worst leader’: Military’s winter of discontent

India shipped over $1 million of navy-grade fuel to Myanmar since coup

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THESE ARE THE TOP THINGS TO DO AT PERFECT DAY AT COCOCAY

Published on  August 14, 2019

If you’re thinking of visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay, the award-winning private island destination by Royal Caribbean, it helps to have some background info. Below you’ll find links to helpful tips and insider advice on the top things to do onshore, like full-day itineraries for thrill seekers and chill seekers, suggestions on maximizing your time at Oasis Lagoon, Thrill Waterpark and Chill Island, and ideas for soaking up the best this destination has to offer when you’re traveling with kids.

SO WHAT IS PERFECT DAY AT COCOCAY?

Have you ever spent a day on a private island? Probably not one like this.In case you’re wondering what to do in CocoCay, Bahamas, you’re in for a real treat. Brimming with all kinds of record-breaking attractions, kid-approved slides and rides, delicious restaurants and bars, and revolutionary spaces to kick back, unwind and soak up the sun, Perfect Day at CocoCay by Royal Caribbean offers an island getaway unlike any other. Take a closer look at this game changer, and you’ll see why guests from all over have called it one of the best family friendly cruise destinations in the world.

EXPLORE PERFECT DAY AT COCOCAY

TOP THINGS TO DO AT OASIS LAGOON

No visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay is complete without spending some time at Oasis Lagoon, the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean. Home to a buzzing swim-up bar where the party is always on, plenty of in-water loungers and tables, and multiple swim-up islands and coves, this fan-favorite hangout is one of the island’s top free attractions. It even has an area with a sloping entry that’s perfect if you’re stopping by with small kids. Before you go,  check out this helpful guide . It has everything you need to know about Oasis Lagoon, from the complimentary amenities available, to where you can go to grab a bite nearby.

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TOP THINGS TO DO AT THRILL WATERPARK

If you’re a daredevil at heart, you’ll definitely want to check out Thrill Waterpark — it’s one of the best things to do at CocoCay if you’re in the mood for a serious adrenaline rush. Home to thirteen slides — including Daredevil’s Peak, the tallest waterslide in North America — an obstacle course at Adventure Pool, and the largest wave pool in the Caribbean, it’s the best place to spend your day if you’re craving fast-paced fun. To make the most of your private island amusement park getaway,  utlize our ultimate traveler's guide  to success. You’ll find plenty of useful tips, pointers and information on admission, kid-friendly activities and rides, cabana rentals and more. And if you want to learn more about the slides you’ll find at this action-packed slice of Perfect Day at CocoCay, this  list of the top 12 coolest slides on cruise ships  covers five from Thrill Waterpark, plus information on the island’s Splashaway Bay aqua park.

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TOP THINGS TO DO AT CHILL ISLAND

If laid back island vibes are more your speed, you’ll likely want to make a beeline for Chill Island, located on the northwest side of Perfect Day at CocoCay. The most tranquil area at this private destination, Chill Island is where you go if you’re looking for serene white-sand beaches, calm crystal-clear waters and plenty of space to rest, recharge and disconnect from reality. Surrounded by reefs, it’s one of the best spots on the island for snorkeling, and it’s got the biggest restaurant ashore — Chill Grill. To learn more about how to maximize your visit to this tropic-cool haven and what the top things to do there are, check out this  guide to the island’s chillest spot .

EXPLORE CHILL ISLAND

TOP THINGS TO DO AT SOUTH BEACH

There are plenty of unique experiences and things to do at CocoCay, but if you’re the kind of person who likes to stay active, South Beach is the place for you. Newly opened, this broad sweep of beach is all about fast-paced family-friendly experiences, like volleyball, beachside basketball, snorkeling, paddle boarding and even ping-pong. What’s more, it offers easy access to a Snack Shack and the fan-favorite Floating Bar, so parents can enjoy an ice-cold refresher in between activities with the kids. Sounds like your kind of vibe? Go all the way and book a day bed or cabana — South Beach has plenty available for rent — so you can unwind comfortably without missing any of the action.

EXPLORE SOUTH BEACH

VISITING PERFECT DAY AT COCOCAY WITH KIDS?

LOOKING TO ELEVATE YOUR ADVENTURE?

Want to raise the bar on the best beach day ever? You should definitely check out the newly opened Coco Beach Club. The first of its kind for Royal Caribbean, Coco Beach Club offers guests a private beach experience with premium amenities, concierge service, a restaurant that serves elevated fare, like succulent lobster and prime cuts of steak, and tranquil spaces to unwind in — including a beachfront infinity edge pool with in-water loungers and beds around the deck, and the Caribbean’s first-ever Overwater Cabanas, complete with breathtaking views, overwater hammocks, and private slides right into the sea. You can reserve a day pass for Coco Beach Club ahead of your sailing via Cruise Planner.

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THREE WAYS TO EXPERIENCE PERFECT DAY AT COCOCAY

INSIDER TIPS FOR PERFECT DAY AT COCOCAY

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Myanmar's Construction on the Coco Islands: Why India and Japan Need to Worry

Democracies must object to Myanmar's cavalier attitude before China gains a foothold in this strategic location on the Coco Islands.

Myanmar 's recent constructions on Great Coco Island (part of the Coco Islands) present a big challenge to India's policy planners. Great Coco Island is very close to India 's Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands. 

A newly published report by the London-based think-tank Chatham House show "two new hangars, a new causeway and a residential bloc, along with a freshly lengthened 2,300-metre runway and radar station" on Great Coco Island. 

All these could allow military aircraft to land and the military junta (or the Tatmadaw) to spy on Indian military activity in the area. The military junta has been very proactive lately, with the bombing of villages very close to the border with India.

For some time now, these islands have been a source of great conjecture among the strategic community. In the early 1990s, it was thought that the Chinese had established a listening post on the island, though the news could never be confirmed.

These recent satellite images clearly show that Myanmar could soon be able to conduct surveillance operations from Great Coco Island. It only lies 55 km (34 miles) north of India's strategic Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 

The Lure of Chinese Cash

In addition, the Indian Space Research Organization ( ISRO ) regularly conducts satellite and missile tests from Chandipur-on-sea and from Sriharikota. Both are close to the Coco Islands. The bigger worry would be if Beijing were to make use of the intelligence acquired from surveillance flights from Great Coco Island in return for pumping desperately needed cash into Myanmar's crumbling economy.

India's Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands lies at the entrance to the strategically crucial Strait of Malacca. It is e s timated that every year, approximately 90,000 ships pass through the narrow sea lanes of the Malacca Strait. And these ships account for an estimated 40% of global trade. 

In addition, it is important for India's "Act-East Policy," which aims at forging closer bonds between India and countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia . 

In 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave an address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. He noted that "oceans had an important place in Indian thinking since pre-Vedic times. Thousands of years ago, the Indus Valley Civilisation as well as the Indian peninsula had maritime trade. Oceans and Varuna — the Lord of all Waters — find a prominent place in the world's oldest books — the Vedas."

Why is it Worrisome for Japan?

For Japan, it is worrisome because it has a Maritime Self-Defense Force ( JMSDF ) base in Djibouti . Any Chinese surveillance from Great Coco Island could put its ships at risk. In addition, Japan is an oil -importing nation and any disruptions in its oil supplies could put its energy security at risk. It is already under pressure in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war , which has impacted Japanese investments in Russia's oil sector.

In addition, the Chinese side could also use it to threaten Japanese lines of shipping, especially in the case of hostilities over Taiwan . Of late, the saber-rattling from China has increased, particularly since former US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visited Taiwan in August 2022 and also in the aftermath of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's recent visit to the US in March 2023.

This is also risky for Japan as these islands could become a part of China's so-called String of Pearls strategy. Beijing has been building a string of bases in the Indian Ocean like Kyaukpyu in Myanmar, Hambantota in Sri Lanka , Gwadar in Pakistan , and others. These could also have dual use, both civilian as well as military, in the future. 

What Options Are Open to India?

New Delhi will have to raise its concerns with Myanmar in no uncertain terms. In case these facilities are used by China to eavesdrop on Indian military activities, it represents a serious threat.

Myanmar is already on the back foot at various international forums due to its actions against the Rohingyas . And it does not behoove well for it to antagonize India, which is an influential power. This year, India is also the Chair of the G20 , the grouping which includes the world's biggest economies. 

In addition, there are reports that once again, insurgents from Northeast India are finding shelter in Myanmar. This is very worrying since the Northeast region is enjoying peace after a long time. It seems that the Generals are playing a very dangerous game and the consequences have to be pointed out to them well in advance. India is heavily involved in the infrastructure sector in Myanmar and should use it as a bargaining chip. 

Meanwhile, China has constructed a pipeline through which oil from the Middle East can be directly offloaded in Kyaukpyu in Myanmar and can be sent inland to Kunming in southern China via Myanmar. In addition, Chinese state-owned firms will be constructing a $7.3 billion USD deep-water port and a $2.7 billion USD industrial area in a special economic zone at Kyaukpyu.

What Lies Ahead?

It is in the interests of both Japan, India, and all democratic countries to ensure there is a concerted response to this cavalier attitude on the part of Myanmar. Safe and secure sea routes are sine qua non for the success of both India's "Act-East Policy" and Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision.    

• [All Politics is Global] A Chinese Radar Base in Sri Lanka's Dondra Bay Threatens Indian Ocean Security
• The Security Implications of a Chinese Military Base in Equatorial Guinea
• [All Politics is Global] What China's Aircraft Carrier Drills Mean for its Asian Neighbors

Author: Dr Rupakjyoti Borah Dr Rupakjyoti Borah is a Senior Research Fellow with the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, Tokyo. The views expressed here are personal. His upcoming book is  "Beyond the BRI: Can India, Japan and the US Provide an Alternate Model of Connectivity" (World Scientific, Singapore).

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14 things you didn’t know about Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Journalist + Photographer

08 February 2024

Flip open a map of Australia, wave a magnifying glass some 2,700 km north-west of Perth and you’ll find Cocos (Keeling) Islands glistening in the Indian Ocean.

Look closer: twenty-seven sand-smudged islands don’t so much leap from the ocean, as lay luxuriating in blissful blue-gem waters.

One of only three external Australian territories, reached by a 4.5-hour flight from Perth International Airport, little-known Cocos (Keeling) Islands is set to snag a slot in the nation’s top ten secluded islands chart.

Arm yourself with a knowledge of the rich history before heading on your Cocos (Keeling) island holiday, then wrap yourself in Cocos’ balmy days, far from the madding crowds.

1. Tiny islands, tiny population

Welcome to Cocos, a perfect arc of pristine islands. Covering a mere 14.2 sq km, this pocket-sized destination is slightly larger than Los Angeles International Airport, though, happily, with far less people.

Only two of the 27 islands, West Island – the main tourist hub, and Home Island – the cultural hub, are inhabited with a population of around 600.

It’s where travellers flick on the off-grid button and reconnect to the natural world around them.

If people-watching is on your agenda, look elsewhere. But if the great Greta Garbo’s whimsy, “I want to be alone” tops your holiday agenda, you’ve found the ultimate landing place.

Cocos’ deserted beaches skirt isles where silken sand slips into a crystal-clear ocean created for downtime. Don your snorkel, pack your beach bag, and add a good read – tranquillity is just the throw of a sand-ball away.

Enjoy true solitude on your Cocos (Keeling) island holiday. (Image: Lynn Gail)

2. There’s history to Home Island’s call to prayer

Catch the local ferry – Cahaya Baru – from West to Home Island. On arrival, listen for the soulful Islamic call to prayer coming from the village mosque. It will give you a sense of the Cocos Malay’s peaceful existence, but it wasn’t always so.

Back in 1826, slaves, mostly of Malay descent, were transported over by Alexander Hare, a British sea merchant and known womaniser, to work in the islands’ coconut plantations. Conditions were tough, living quarters basic, food rationed, hours long and laborious.

Hare, and Scottish sea captain John Clunies-Ross, ruled the settlements and plantations until a fierce rivalry between the two resulted in Hare being forced off the islands.

Influenced by both Asian and Scottish traditions, and cut off from the world at large, the Cocos Malay developed their own dialect.

They even had their own, but worthless currency, which is now displayed in the Pulu Cocos Museum, located in the island’s quiet Malaysian Kampong.

Listen for the soulful Islamic call. (Image: Lynn Gail)

3. The only place in the world you can walk around an entire atoll

If you have time for a little pre-planning and a spare eight hours up your Cocos (Keeling) island holiday sleeve, talk to the Visitor Centre team on West Island about how to island walk, between Islands.

You’ll need to catch the ferry to Home Island – the service runs several times a day. Start your walk around the horseshoe-shaped atoll near Home Island’s sailing club. It’s the only place in the world you can navigate an atoll on foot.

Depending on timing and conditions you may need guidance from a local operator and you’ll definitely want to let the Visitor Centre know when you’re heading off. The staff will give you directions and track your return.

Also, be sure to start at low tide as during high tide it’s impossible to wade through the ocean on foot.

Look out for black-tip reef sharks, turtles, and tropical fish as they play in the shallows. Just below the water’s surface, iridescent clams will open and shut as your shadow falls across their light-sensitive shells.

Beware, it’s 20km of uneven lagoon, rocky shores, and thick coconut forest. The stunning postcard scenery is well worth the long, salty sea-slog though.

Walk with the abundant marine life on Cocos (Keeling) Island holiday. (Image: Christmas Cocos Islands Tourism Association)

4. Queen Elizabeth II dropped by for lunch

Home Islanders have seen their fair share of hardship, but when Queen Elizabeth II and the late Duke of Edinburgh came to visit in 1954 – after the royal couple’s mainland tour of Australia – the Cocos Malays put on a grandiose welcome.

Everyone was invited to a garden party at Oceania House (the Clunies-Ross residence) where the Queen and Duke met the island’s oldest residents.

With Union Jack flags raised high and cultural dances performed on the streets, the royal couple were farewelled as they boarded the liner SS Gothic, to continue their world tour heading to Sri Lanka.

Chat with older residents on Home Island, and you’ll likely come across someone who remembers the day the royal couple stepped ashore.

It was such a momentous occasion; four Australian stamps were created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historical event.

Receive a warm welcome from the small population. (Image: Lynn Gail)

5. Sink a hole-in-one across an international airport runway

For such a pin-sized destination, Cocos packs several ‘world-only’ experiences into its welcome-to-paradise itinerary.

The Cocos Keeling Island golf club boasts the only course in the world with an international runway. Join friendly club-swinging locals, and play Scroungers Golf on a Thursday afternoon.

The West Islanders will assist with your wardrobe too (thongs, t-shirt, boardies) and show you the ropes – namely, where to pop a couple of cold ones between your golf clubs.

Your teammates will introduce you to the course’s ‘creative’ rules and have you chuckling all the way to the ninth hole. Stay for the winner announcements where there are signature Cocos Golf Club balls up for grabs.

Play golf across an international airport runway. (Image: Lynn Gail)

6. There’s almost no crime

With a handful of petty crimes tried throughout the year by a judge who comes across from mainland Australia, Cocos is rare indeed.

Police officers lucky enough to receive a two-year posting to the two-man police station rarely reach for their incident logbook.

Residents leave doors unlocked in case neighbours call for the proverbial cup of sugar and keys are left in the ignition if anyone needs wheels. You won’t be judged for thinking you’re in a time warp, stepping back to trustier times.

7. Landing on Cocos is spectacular; and slightly scary

The pilot’s announcement: “Cabin crew, please be seated for landing,” will have you scanning the empty, turquoise-tinged ocean with one question, “Where, exactly?”

Rest assured, palm-fringed beaches come into view moments before you touchdown.

The airport has a history too. Due to Cocos’ position in the Indian Ocean, the exposed and unprotected islands became a target during World War II, necessitating the construction of a strategically placed air force base.

Fast forward to 1951 when Qantas, seeing the airport as a potential refuelling site, began using the base for flights crossing the Indian Ocean bound for South Africa.

The route went from Sydney to Perth, across to Cocos, onto Mauritius, and finally to Johannesburg.

Try not to panic and enjoy the view as you first glimpse the Cocos from your plane. (Image: Lynn Gail)

8. Why Keeling appears the islands’ name

Adventurer, explorer, and ambitious sea merchant Captain William Keeling discovered the idyllic islands whilst exploring the area for the trading outfit, East India Company, in 1609.

During his voyage from Java to England, Keeling didn’t view the islands as income generators and, after discovering the atolls, never claimed ownership.

He was on a mission to find tropical lands laden with spices and exotic wares to traffic for the East India Company. Tea, opium, silk, indigo, and even slaves, were on the company’s most sought-after items inventory.

9. Cocos sits atop a volcano

When you’re floating aimlessly around the palm-hemmed islets, take a moment to imagine how these glinting gems rose from the Indian Ocean.

The breathtaking isles sit atop an old volcanic seamount, rising some 5,000 metres from the ocean floor. Scientific studies show the islands are adolescents, between 3,000 and 4,000 years old.

When you consider Australia is home to the world’s oldest geological rock, dating back over 3,000 million years, Cocos is indeed the new kid on the block.

But only the strong survive – there is no lifeform when atolls forge, all animal and plant life must survive the ocean before becoming established.

In March 2022, Parks Australia declared the Cocos (Keeling) Islands marine park a protected area. So if you swim, snorkel, or dive, marvel at the many incredible species which have clung on to survive and thrive around the healthy reefs and in deeper ocean waters.

Spot clams while snorkelling the protected marine park. (Image: Lynn Gail)

10. A mermaid lives on Prison Island

Legend has it the Cocos Malay believe a mermaid lives on Prison Island and calls any Cocos-born islanders home if they leave her shores.

Alexander Hare’s hut stroke harem housed 40 Cocos Malay women on the island until they gradually escaped across the water to settle on Home Island.

Sadly, the picturesque isle is slowly being washed away by rising tides. What was once covered in swaying palms bearing hinged hammocks, is now a sandy mound.

Visit before it disappears and wonder how those island women survived there with so few comforts, serving one man.

The black-tip reef sharks gently riding the waves to shore will bring you back to its now serene surroundings.

Take in the sparkling waters and black-tip reef sharks surrounding Prison Island. (Image: Lynn Gail)

11. Who were the Kings of Cocos?

The Clunies-Ross family ruled the Cocos (Keeling) Islands for five generations, earning the title ‘Kings of Cocos’.

They built themselves a lavish stately mansion on 12-acres of botanical garden overlooking a lagoon. Furnished with palatial trimmings, Oceania House – with its seven-bedrooms, six-bathrooms, grand ballroom, and central spiral staircase – was completed in 1904, becoming a heritage-listed residence in 2004.

The Clunies-Ross family retained the land until 1993, when the two-storey home was sold to the Federal Government for $1.2m.

Avid historians and antique collectors, Avril and Lloyd Leist purchased the property some 20 years ago, restoring it to its former 19th-century glory. The couple turned the residence into a bed and breakfast, offering visitors a Victorian-themed stay.

The infamous property is now under new ownership, having recently changed hands again, with plans to refurbish the bed and breakfast. Book yourself in and meet the friendly ghosts reputed to roam the hallways at night.

Stay the night at Oceania House – the family home of the ‘Kings of Cocos’. (Image: Lynn Gail)

12. Two external territories are better than one

You’ve come all this way, so why not explore Christmas Island – Cocos’ nearest neighbour, a 1.5-hour flight away.

Unlike the gentle jewelled isles of Cocos, its jungle-clad landscape rises to 1,184 feet at its highest point.

The island is home to weird and wonderful creatures, and a birder’s paradise to boot. The famous Christmas Island red crab roams the craggy outcrop like they’re the Kings of Christmas. The huge resident robber crab can crack a coconut open with its powerful pincer claws.

If you go, check out the Chinese temples – Taoist and Buddhist pagodas are dotted throughout the easy-to-navigate forest. The views across the vast Indian Ocean, where some of the world’s best diving spots are located, will take your breath away.

Pop over to watch the crabs on Christmas Island’s Ethel Beach. (Image: Justin Gilligan)

13. Charles Darwin formed his theory of atoll formation here

After his voyage to Cocos on the HMS Beagle in 1836, Charles Darwin formed his theory of atoll formation.

Darwin believed volcanic islands that were subsiding in the Pacific Ocean would eventually create a coral atoll. During his visit to the tropical islands, he found evidence to support his theory and after returning to England his material was met with enthusiasm.

Six short years later he produced a book on coral reef formation.

Spend your Cocos (Keeling) island holiday pondering the world in a hammock. (Image: Lynn Gail)

14. Cocos featured in both WWI and WWII

For a minute land mass, Cocos has a measured history in the fact the islands were involved in both WWI and WWII.

During WWI the Royal Australian Navy saw its first victory at sea on the HMAS Sydney when they managed to sink the German ship, SMS Emden, in a surprise attack on 9 November 1914.

And in WWII Direction Island became the cable station and therefore a vital link for communication between the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Lynn Gail is a travel writer and photographer who supplies both Australian and international travel magazines with features she hopes take readers on immersive journeys. An intrepid traveller, she’s most at home sitting alongside indigenous cultures, learning age-old belief systems. With her photography, Lynn aims to capture an essence of her subjects through making a connection.

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one day i would like to holiday there please,

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Coco Islands

Amid recent reports of suspicious infrastructure upgrades at Myanmar’s Coco Islands, an MQ-9 drone leased by the Indian Navy was recently seen reconnoitring the nearby areas of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

About coco islands:.

• They are a small group of islands located in the Bay of Bengal.
• Great Coco Island, the largest in the group, lies just 55 km from India’s strategic Andaman and Nicobar Islands . 
• They are part of the Yangon Region of Myanmar. 
• It is geologically an extended division of the Arakan Mountains or Rakhine Mountains, submerges as a chain of islands in the Bay of Bengal for a long stretch and emerges again in the form of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
• They are part of the same topography as India’s Andaman & Nicobar Islands .
• In the early 19th century , the British government in India established a penal colony in the Andaman for the convicts in the Indian subcontinent, and the Coco Islands were a source of food for it.
• The British government had reportedly leased out the islands to the Jadwet family of Burma.
• The leasing of control of the Coco Islands resulted in poor governance of the islands, which made the British government in India to transfer its control to the government of Lower Burma in Rangoon.
• In 1882, the islands officially became part of British Burma.
• The islands became a self-governing crown colony even after Burma was separated from British India in 1937.

Q1)  What is a MQ-9 drone?

The MQ-9 Reaper is a large unmanned Air Force aircraft that is operated remotely by a two-person team consisting of a rated pilot and an enlisted aircrew member. The aircraft features a 66-foot wingspan, a Honeywell engine, a ground control station, and satellite equipment.

Source:   Indian Navy drone keeps eye on China linked Coco Islands after top Myanmar military official’s visit

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International Edition

Military Modernisation, Construction in Coco Island Reveal China's Expanding Footprints in Myanmar: Report

Curated By : Majid Alam

Last Updated: May 01, 2023, 11:15 IST

New Delhi, India

The causeway at the southern end of Great Coco Island can be seen under construction in Great Coco Island. (Credits: Maxar Technologies via chathamhouse.org)

New satellite images from March 2023 show evidence of land-clearing efforts on the southern part of Coco Island indicating more construction work

China is involved in expanding an airstrip, aircraft hangar and military modernisation in Myanmar’s Great Coco Islands, located close to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a report has said.

The small and remote island in the Bay of Bengal has been at the centre of interest for China since the 1990s where it reportedly made an intelligence facility, The Guardian quoted Chatham House as saying.

Satellite images of the island taken in January this year show signs of military modernisation, newly expanded 2,300-metre runway, a radar station and two new hangars.

Moreover, new images from March show evidence of land-clearing efforts on the southern tip of the island indicating indicate the likelihood of more construction work.

Reports said that Chinese engineers and military personnel have been spotted on the islands in recent years.

Though the Great Coco Island is relatively small at around 11 km in length, but its location is strategically important. It is not only close to the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, but also lies in proximity to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which host Indian navy and air force bases.

The Chinese move in the island has led to concerns that Beijing could gain from the intelligence gathering, through espionage and intelligence sharing.

Though the images did not show any specific evidence of Chinese activity on the Myanmar island, but Myanmar has sought closer ties with Beijing and backed its claims on Taiwan.

Myanmar has grown increasingly dependent on Beijing after the February 2021 coup, where the military junta took over the reins of the nation. Myanmar’s military has sought closer ties with Beijing and has backed its claim to Taiwan and announced support to China’s “global security initiative”.

India has been monitoring the infrastructural developments closely and confronted with Myanmar after intelligence showed that Beijing was providing assistance in building a surveillance post on the island, according to Bloomberg. However, China dismissed the claims.

The developments in the Coco Islands have emerged amid increase in Chinese spy ships and surveyor ships in the Bay of Bengal and proposed radar in southern Sri Lanka.

Read all the Latest News here

4.8 magnitude earthquake rattles NYC, New Jersey: Live updates

NEW YORK – A 4.8 magnitude earthquake recorded in New Jersey that shook residents in surrounding states and New York City on Friday morning was one of the strongest in state history.

The temblor was reported about 5 miles north of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, at about 10:23 a.m. Friday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The epicenter was about 45 miles from New York City, where residents reported shaking furniture and floors.

“Earthquakes in this region are uncommon but not unexpected. It’s likely people near the epicenter are going to feel aftershocks for this earthquake in the magnitude 2-3 range, and there’s a small chance there can be an earthquake as large or larger, following an earthquake like this,” Paul Earle, a seismologist at the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program told reporters. “In terms of our operations, this is a routine earthquake … Immediately we knew this would be of high interest and important to people who don’t feel earthquakes a lot.”

People reported feeling the shaking as far north as Maine and as far south as Norfolk, Virginia, following the quake, according to USGS. Scientists said those in the affected area should listen to local emergency officials and be prepared to seek cover if aftershocks occur.

“If you feel shaking, drop, cover and hold,” Earle said.

No major disruptions or damage have been reported in New Jersey or New York.

"We have activated our State Emergency Operations Center. Please do not call 911 unless you have an actual emergency," said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.

President Joe Biden spoke with Murphy about the earthquake and the White House is monitoring the situation.

“He thinks everything's under control,” Biden told reporters before leaving the White House for a trip to Baltimore. “He’s not too concerned about it, the governor of New Jersey, so things are all right.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the quake was felt throughout New York, and officials are assessing impacts and any potential damage.

In Yonkers, New York, Mayor Mike Spano said City Hall shook but no injuries were reported.

"A few moments ago our entire house shook for about 25 seconds or so here in Mendham, New Jersey," former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said.

USGS is still investigating the exact fault line at the center of Friday’s quake and said it occurred in a region with dozens of fault lines that were more active millions of years ago.

4.0 magnitude aftershock strikes hours after earthquake

Officials in New York and New Jersey alerted residents to an aftershock Monday evening, nearly eight hours after the earthquake.

A 4.0 magnitude aftershock slammed New Jersey at around 6 p.m., with an epicenter about four miles southwest of Gladstone, according to the USGS. New York City’s emergency notification system alerted residents to the aftershock minutes later, urging people to remain indoors and call 911 if injured.

Hochul said there were no reports of serious damage after the aftershock, and officials were continuing to assess critical infrastructure.

The aftershock Monday evening was at least the third that USGS recorded after the quake struck.

As of Friday afternoon, the USGS aftershock forecast predicted a 36% chance of aftershocks at a 3.0 magnitude or higher, an 8% chance of aftershocks at a 4.0 magnitude or higher, and a 1% chance for aftershocks at a magnitude of 5.0 or higher over the next week.

USGS scientists said informal observations can be a big help in understanding earthquakes, especially in a region where they’re less common.

“We encourage people to fill out the ‘Did You Feel It?’ reports on our website,” said Sara McBride, a scientist with the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. “This citizen science project is critical in terms of building our knowledge around earthquakes.”

By midafternoon on Friday, the agency said it had received more than 161,000 reports, and extrapolated that the quake had been felt by millions of people. McBride acknowledged that earthquakes can be nerve-wracking for people who don’t live in seismologically active regions, and said knowledge is power in combatting that discomfort.

“The best thing you can do to relieve any unsettling feelings you might have is to learn how to protect yourself during shaking and how to prepare for earthquakes in the future,” she said.

Man getting vasectomy during earthquake recounts experience

One Horsham, Pennsylvania, man shared his unusual earthquake experience, saying the tremors hit when he was in the middle of receiving a vasectomy.

"The surgeon sort of froze and all of us kind of seemed a bit confused," Justin Allen told USA TODAY . "Even when the surgeon said 'that’s gotta be an earthquake,' I thought he was joking."

Luckily, Allen's doctor was able to resume the procedure after a brief pause, and the rest went off without a hitch. Now recovering at home, Allen said it's an experience no one involved will forget, especially because his social media post about the incident has since gone viral.

"My wife says that 'this is a clear and obvious sign that we should not have any more kids,'" Allen said.

New Jersey resident thought sound from earthquake was an explosion

Madeline Nafus had just finished feeding her 7-week-old baby when, simultaneously, she was thrown off balance and the loudest sound she’d ever heard rang out.

“I thought it was either an explosion or a bombing because of how loud it was,” said Nafus, who lives in Long Valley, New Jersey, a few miles from the earthquake's epicenter. “It was just terrifying.”

Nafus, 29, watched as her light fixtures swung and wine glasses, framed photos and a 6-foot elk head crashed onto the floor. Feeling as if her “house was going to crumble,” she picked up her baby boy, grabbed some blankets and headed outside. Meanwhile, her friend came running downstairs and picked up Nafus’ quivering dog, Olivia, a small golden doodle.

After about 15 seconds, the rumbling went away and only occasional, minor tremors could be felt. Nafus called her husband, who was teaching a golf lesson at the time, and then their 2-year-old’s day care.

“They said the children were all confused and asking a lot of questions but that they were OK,” she said.'

How common are East Coast quakes?

Earthquakes are less frequent in the eastern part of the country than in the west, but they have occurred in every state east of the Mississippi River, according to the USGS.

"Since colonial times people in the New York – Philadelphia – Wilmington urban corridor have felt small earthquakes and suffered damage from infrequent larger ones," according to the USGS. "Moderately damaging earthquakes strike somewhere in the urban corridor roughly twice a century, and smaller earthquakes are felt roughly every two to three years."

USGS officials also said that even smaller-magnitude quakes are more likely to be felt more widely on the East Coast than similar size quakes on the West Coast due to the rock properties of eastern soil, which can cause concern to East Coasters not used to the tremors.

Rocks in the eastern part of the country are much older than in the west, by up to millions of years. Those older rocks have been exposed to more extreme temperatures and pressure, and faults have had more time to heal. Seismic waves travel across the resulting harder and denser faults much more efficiently, so the effects of a quake are felt across a larger area. In the West, faults are newer and absorb more of the seismic wave energy without spreading as far.

Quake felt in Massachusetts

In Auburn, Massachusetts, more than 200 miles from the earthquake's epicenter, Jerry Steinhelper was on a video call for work when his house began to tremble. His dog Maize started barking, and books and trinkets fell from their shelves. He looked out the window and saw trees shaking.

“I thought at first it may be ice falling off the roof. But it kept going and the entire house was shaking,” he told USA TODAY. “Then I just knew it was an earthquake.”

Steinhelper, 55, lived in San Diego in the 1980s and experienced temblors there, but he’s never felt one in Massachusetts, where he’s been for over 25 years.

“It was an interesting 10 to 15 seconds,” he said.

'It felt like a plane crashed outside' near epicenter

Nicole Kravitz, 33, was baking muffins at the cafe she co-owns with her husband in New Jersey when the floor began to shake. She and the cooks looked at each other for a few moments, and then at some stacked plates and glasses that had started vibrating.

Their eatery, Branchburg's Best, is located in New Jersey's Somerset County, near the epicenter of Friday’s earthquake.

“It felt like a plane crashed outside,” she said. “No one knew what was happening.”

Some workers ran out the door to see if something had smashed into the building while she checked the basement for damage. Meanwhile, Patrick Tucker, her husband, who was picking up beef from a nearby farm, watched agitated chickens and cows run around in their pens, visibly shaken by the quake.

Kravitz said the intensity of the earthquake made her feel like she was back in Southern California, where she had lived for several years before she returned to her home state in 2016.

Quake was one of the strongest to ever impact New Jersey

Friday's earthquake was the most significant in New Jersey since 1884 , when an Aug. 10 earthquake somewhere near Jamaica Bay, New York, toppled chimneys and moved houses off their foundations as far as Rahway, New Jersey, 30 miles away.

Other than that quake, there were only  three earthquakes in modern history  that caused damage in the state: 1737 (New York City), 1783 (west of New York City) and 1927 (New Jersey coast near Asbury), according to New Jersey Office of Emergency Management records.

The Dec. 19, 1737 earthquake is believed by modern experts to have been a 5.2 magnitude quake. Charted as taking place in the greater New York City area, some accounts say its epicenter was near Weehawken. State records show it threw down chimneys. Chimneys were also hurled down during the Nov. 29, 1783 quake. Estimated at a 5.3 magnitude that originated in modern-day Rockaway Township, according to state records, it was felt from Pennsylvania to New England.

The Aug. 10, 1884 quake, estimated at a 5.2 magnitude was the last the state has seen of its significance and was felt from Virginia to Maine, according to state records.

  Read more about New Jersey's earthquake history.

– David M. Zimmer, NorthJersey.com

New Jersey business owner describes worst quake ever felt but went right back to work

It was a busy day for La Bella Salon & Spa in Lebanon, New Jersey, when an earthquake struck near the rural township.

About a dozen stylists and customers, some whom were getting their hair dyed while others got manicures and eyelash extensions, all froze as the building rattled for about 30 seconds.

“People started to feel the shaking, and it got worse and worse. We were like ‘Oh, my god, what is going on?’" said shop owner Rosanne Drechsel. “I thought a truck hit the building or something.”

After the tremor subsided, nearly everyone in the building started receiving texts and phone calls from friends and family, Drechsel, 61, said.

Nothing was damaged and no one was injured, but Drechsel, who was born and raised in New Jersey, said it was “by far the worst earthquake” she had ever felt.

“We all went back to work and finished the appointments,” she said. “Customers are calling now to see if we're still open and if they can still make their appointments later on today.”

'It was scary': Quake rattles shelves in Brooklyn bodega

In Brooklyn, residents said they felt their buildings shake and many went outdoors after the rumbling stopped to check in with neighbors.

Julio Melo, a deli worker, said he thought the sounds of the earthquake resembled those of a large truck going down the street. But when Melo, 32, looked around and saw beer bottles rattling on store shelves, and a potted plant shimmy down the counter, he thought it might be something bigger, he told USA TODAY.

“I looked at my employee and he had the same tragic face on as me, it was scary,” he said at Jenesis’ Grocery Corp. in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.

– Claire Thornton

Where was the earthquake felt?

Residents and officials said the earthquake was felt throughout New York, as well as in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and elsewhere. It was also felt as far away as Cambridge, Massachusetts, about 250 miles away from the reported epicenter.

Charita Walcott, a 38-year-old resident in the Bronx borough of New York, said the quake felt "like a violent rumble that lasted about 30 seconds or so."

"It was kind of like being in a drum circle, that vibration," she said.

Earthquakes common in the region, but the size is unusual: Expert

Chuck Ver Straeten, a geologist and curator of sedimentary rocks at the New York State Museum, told USA TODAY it’s not surprising this earthquake happened where it did.

“New York, around New York City going into New Jersey, there’s a lot of earthquakes historically down there. Happens every year,” he said. But it’s less common for them to be of such a high magnitude. It’s not surprising that many people felt it, he said. Usually, earthquakes in the region are at a lower magnitude and less likely to be felt.

Ver Straeten said the real question now is if this is just a precursor to a larger quake.

“You never know what is the earthquake, what is a pre-earthquake, what is an earthquake happening after the main earthquake, you just have to see,” he said. “One slip along the rock fault, when one happens, it makes other areas around there more tense also and they start to slip and you slip again and slip again.”

But, he added, it would be unlikely for a larger quake to follow this one. In the Northeast, it’s more common for one large quake to be followed by smaller aftershocks, rather than a mounting series of tremors. 

What does magnitude mean in an earthquake?

Magnitude is a measurement of the strength of an earthquake . Officially it's called the Moment Magnitude Scale . It's a logarithmic scale , meaning each number is ten times as strong as the one before it. So a 5.2 earthquake is moderate while a 6.2 is strong.

The magnitude and effect of an earthquake, according to Michigan Technological University :

◾ Below 2.5: Generally not felt

◾ 2.5 to 5.4: Minor or no damage

◾ 5.5 to 6.0: Slight damage to buildings

◾ 6.1 to 6.9: Serious damage

◾ 8.0 or greater: Massive damage, can totally destroy communities

Intensity scales, measured in Roman numerals, are used to describe how strong the earthquake felt to people in the area.

According to the California Earthquake Authority , an intensity of I is typically felt only under especially favorable conditions. A IV, which leads to light shaking, is felt indoors by many, but not typically outdoors. It might awaken some people at night and lead to a sensation like a truck striking a building. A parked car would rock. Intensities VI and above would be strong, frightening and felt by all, with the damage increasing up to a X where the shaking would be violent. Some well-built wooden structures would be destroyed and most masonry and frame structures along with their foundations would be ruined.

While you might have heard the term " the Richter Scale " used to describe earthquakes, it is no longer commonly used because it was only valid for certain earthquake frequencies and distance ranges.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Contributing: Reuters

"It's pure luck": Inside the life of world's oldest man as he takes title aged 111

111-year-old John Alfred Tinniswood from England is now the world’s oldest living man , following the death of 114-year-old Juan Vicente Pérez (Venezuela) .

112-year-old Gisaburo Sonobe from Japan was initially expected to be the new record holder, but he was recently confirmed to have passed away on 31 March.

Born in Liverpool on 26 August 1912 – the same year the Titanic sank – John’s exact age is 111 years 223 days as of 5 April 2024.

John is a great-grandfather and currently resides at a care home in Southport, where staff describe him as “a big chatterbox”.

After confirming him to be the oldest man alive, Guinness World Records Official Adjudicator Megan Bruce travelled to Southport to present John with his certificate and learn more about his long life.

Despite his advanced age, John can still perform most daily tasks independently: he gets out of bed unassisted, listens to the radio to keep up with the news, and still manages his own finances.

According to John, the secret to his longevity is “pure luck”. 

He said: “You either live long or you live short, and you can’t do much about it.”

Beyond eating a portion of battered fish and chips every Friday, John says he doesn’t follow any particular diet: “I eat what they give me and so does everybody else. I don’t have a special diet.”

John doesn’t smoke and rarely drinks alcohol. His main advice for staying healthy is to practice moderation: “If you drink too much or you eat too much or you walk too much; if you do too much of anything, you’re going to suffer eventually,” he said.

A lifelong Liverpool FC fan, John was born just 20 years after the club was founded in 1892. He has lived through all eight of his club’s FA Cup wins and 17 of their 19 league title wins.

John has also lived through both World Wars; he was 27 when the second one broke out, and despite having eyesight issues, he found purpose by working in an administrative role for the Army Pay Corps. In addition to accounts and auditing, his work involved logistical tasks such as locating stranded soldiers and organizing food supplies. As such, John is the world's oldest surviving male World War II veteran.

After the war, John worked in accounts for Shell and BP up until his retirement in 1972.

When asked how the world around him has changed throughout his life, John replied: “The world, in its way, is always changing. It’s a sort of ongoing experience. […] It’s getting a little better but not all that much yet. It’s going the right way.”

John met his wife, Blodwen, at a dance in Liverpool. One of his fondest memories is of their wedding in 1942, a year before having their daughter, Susan. The couple enjoyed 44 years together before Blodwen passed away in 1986.

John now has four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Since turning 100 in 2012, John received a birthday card each year from the late Queen Elizabeth , who was John’s junior by almost 14 years.

Having become the UK’s oldest man in 2020, John is unfazed by his new-found status as the oldest in the entire world. “Doesn’t make any difference to me,” he said. “Not at all. I accept it for what it is.”

His advice for younger generations is: “Always do the best you can, whether you’re learning something or whether you’re teaching someone.

“Give it all you’ve got. Otherwise it’s not worth bothering with.”

The oldest man ever  was Jiroemon Kimura (1897–2013)  from Japan, who lived to the age of 116 years 54 days.

The world’s oldest living woman and oldest living person overall is Spain’s Maria Branyas Morera , who recently celebrated her 117th birthday .

Want more? Follow us on Google News  and across our social media channels to stay up-to-date with all things Guinness World Records! You can find us on Facebook , Twitter/X , Instagram , Threads ,  TikTok , LinkedIn , and Snapchat Discover . Don't forget to check out our videos on YouTube  and become part of our group chat by following the Guinness World Records  WhatsApp channel . Still not had enough? Click here  to buy our latest book, filled to the brim with stories about our amazing record breakers.

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