Poon Saan
Poon Saan is the second largest village on Christmas Island, an external territory of Australia.
Ethnic Chinese make up the majority of inhabitants. In Cantonese, Poon Saan means "halfway up the hill". The architecture of Poon Saan reflects the Chinese heritage of the majority of residents in being Singapore style units, rather than the Western style common in Flying Fish Cove.
Getting to Poon Saan
As Christmas Island is a territory of Australia, make sure you meet the entry requirements for Australia. Unlike Norfolk Island, you do not need a passport when visiting from the mainland; ID is required, though (such as drivers license or proof of age).
- 01Christmas Island International Airport
Virgin Australia has twice-weekly flights from Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Perth.
Worth seeing
- 01The Dales
Comprised of numerous freshwater streams running roughly parallel to each other.
- 02Dolly Beach
An isolated beach, 1-hour drive by 4WD over rocky step tracks and then another 45-minute trek on foot downhill.
- 03The Blowholes
- 04Winifred Beach
- 05West White Beach
- 06Margaret Knoll
An easy to access lookout located a short walk from your vehicle.
Things to do
View the spectacular world-famous Christmas Island Red Crab Migration during the months of November–February. Scuba diving or snorkeling at Flying Fish Cove Snorkel trip from a boat Scuba Dive from a boat Take a guided tour Whale shark watching Game Fishing on chartered boat Rock Fishing Caving (warning: seek local advice before setting out to any caves) 4-wheel driving, known locally as "bush bashing".
Where to eat
There are several restaurants on Christmas Island serving Western and Asian cuisine.
- 01Lucky Ho Restaurant
Alchemy (at the Christmas Island Recreation Centre),.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.