The Captain Cook hotel is not fancy, but acceptable in such a remote location. The hotel is located on the northern side of Christmas Island,
The Captain Cook Hotel has 24 twin-bedded rooms plus six bungalows all with private shower and toilet. Rooms have coffee making facilities plus refrigerators, and some rooms have air-conditioning for a surcharge.
There is a dining room, a market and a private beach just steps away from the guest rooms.
Lunch consists of bread, ham "mystery meat", peanut butter and jelly to make your own bag lunch while out for the day. There are oranges and apples for dessert. The dinner is served in the dining room. A choice of fish (sometimes lobster tail, fresh Tuna) or meat with rice potatoes and veggies. There were two special dinners while I was there. One was a traditional buffet served on the beach.
Often at cocktail hour the staff will drag a cooler full of brew to the beach with trays full of Tuna sashimi for everyone to enjoy while the sun sets. This is the time to hear all the fishing tales and visit with the anglers who always out number the divers. They wanted to hear shark stories with the standard "Aren't you scared?"
Dive trips are with Dive Kiribati. Dive Kiribati is often described as a land-based live-aboard dive operation. With a minimum of three tank dives daily, divers can dive as much as they wish. Each week is customized to the groups desires. Dive Kiribati has an exclusive license so you are the only dive boat on the largest coral atoll in the Pacific. There is no rush to be the first boat on the best spot, no restrictions where you can dive.
Kim Anderson is the owner/operator of Dive
Kiribati. After years of working in the Caribbean, one trip to Christmas
Island and he knew he had found his dream. Fantastic diving, friendly
people, and a beautiful island. Kim runs two dive boats, both 38 foot
outrigger canoes. The dive operation is based out of London town, a short
drive from the Captain Cook Hotel.
Please note that this is not a destination for everyone. I loved it and
plan to go back. For those who want adrenaline pumping dives and can live
without the luxury of American hotels you will love it. The showers were
hot, the food was good and the beer was cold. What else do we need?