The Cocos Islands invites you to cherish the breathtakingly beautiful sunsets or admire the kaleidoscope colours of the lagoon and fringing reef. Enjoy the thrill of rubbing shoulders with the dolphins while snorkelling or take a relaxing cruise around in a glass bottom boat, opportunities are galore in this island. Better known as the Territory of Cocos, it is an accumulation of two atolls with 27 coral islands or islets. Located in the Indian Ocean at latitude 12°10' south and longitude 96°52' east, the Cocos Islands float at 2 950 km northwest of Perth, Australia. It is divided into North Keeling Island, South Keeling Islands, Home Island and West Island and everywhere the terrain is more or less flat with maximum elevation of five metres. Coconut and palm trees are the dominant vegetation of the islands and due to the absence of any lake or river, stored rainwater is the sole source of fresh water here. Cocos Islands are part of Oceania continent and are politically regarded as a Territory of Australia. After years of British colonisation, the islands were transferred under Australian jurisdiction on November 23, 1955 and since then Cocos Islands have been enjoying a high degree of autonomy.