COVID-19 Policy
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands offer guests a wonderful holiday escape where there have been zero cases of COVID-19, so far. The number of available visitor beds on island are limited to 140 at any one time and there is plenty of coastline to make your holiday feel like you have the place to yourself. However, the islands are 2700km from Perth via a direct flight, and you can’t fly home if you need to self-isolate.
Our COVID-19 arrangements are based on a careful balance of health and holiday considerations. We want you to come if you’re well and stay home if you’re unwell. During your travel to, and while you’re on Cocos, we want you to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission by wearing a mask, this is particularly important in confined spaces, on the plane, ferry and bus. All precautions must be taken prior to your arrival to the island. We want you to social distance, practice good hygiene and appreciate that our collective health is only as good as the weakest link. Cocos have a vulnerable population, particularly on Home Island, and it is critical we do everything to protect them.
Our primary goal is to prevent you from developing COVID-19 or becoming a ‘close contact’. In both situations, you’ll have to self-isolate for at least seven days. So, ideally, you’ll practice some sensible COVID-19 precautions during your stay and depart on time.
Before You Travel
Our greatest risk comes from a guest travelling to Cocos with COVID-19 and infecting other guests during the flight, at restaurants or cafes, or during tours and group activities. If you’re directly affected by a COVID-19 Health Order where you have been formally identified as a ‘close contact’ as per the National Health definition, or you have tested positive to COVID-19 and are still in mandatory quarantine, or you are legally prevented from travelling outside of your local government area, then you must not come to Cocos Islands. We’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use within 12 months of your booked arrival date – see the cancellation details below.
If you decide not to travel to Cocos Islands Island because your state has a COVID-19 border closure, or you’re subject to an Order, Direction or Regulation in your state to self-isolate for 14 days on return to your state, then we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use within 12 months of your booked arrival date – see the cancellation details below.
You must complete a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test and provide the results within 24 hours of arrival on Cocos. Negative results should be provided, with supporting photographic evidence of the negative test/s by email to the Office of the Administrator (IOTAdministrator@regional.gov.au). A positive test should be reported immediately by phone to the IOT Health Service on Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
If your Rapid Antigen Test shows that you are COVID-19 positive, then we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use within 12 months of your booked arrival date.
The credit will be available for the person who is COVID-19 positive and his/her partner or dependent children – see the cancellation details below.
If you have cold and flu symptoms that are explained by another medical condition, then please carry a relevant medical certificate – issued within three days of your arrival date – that verifies your medical condition and clearly states that your symptoms are not from COVID-19.
If you are over 13 years of age you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to arrival on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. We will not provide an accommodation credit or refund to unvaccinated guests – see the cancellation details below.
To give yourself the best chance of having a great holiday, please lay low for seven days before you travel and try to avoid social gatherings in indoor settings. You don’t want to develop COVID-19 or become a ‘close contact’ during your stay.
We STRONGLY encourage you to purchase travel insurance that covers COVID-19 cancellations. This insurance will cover losses from cancellations or extended stays if you or a member of your travel party develop COVID-19 or become ‘close contacts’. Please refer to the Insurance Council of Australia or search ‘travel insurance for COVID-19’ in Google.
The best way to minimise the risk to yourself and those around you during your travel, or in situations where you can’t maintain 1.5m of physical distancing, is to wear a face mask. You must purchase a face mask (or multiple disposable masks) and carry it for the duration of your holiday.
If you’re unlucky enough to have overlapped with a COVID-19 positive person at a venue on the mainland before you travel to Cocos, then contact tracers will be urgently trying to reach you by phone or email. Given there is no mobile coverage on the Cocos Islands, and limited Wi-Fi, it’s essential that you leave a message on your mobile phone and email advising callers that you’re staying at The Cocos Cottages on Cocos (Keeling) Islands and clearly state your departure date. This will allow contact tracers to find you, if required, and limit the possibility of transmission of COVID-19 to other guests and residents on Island.
Before you travel, every guest in your group must complete an IOT Travel Application Form which is found on this link: https://bit.ly/IOT_Traveller_Form_Cocos
Guests should also ensure they’re across the latest COVID-19 updates from the Indian Ocean Territory Administrator, Natasha Griggs. Updates can be found on her Facebook page and on the IOT website, links are below:
https://indianoceanterritories.com.au/covid-19-iot-travel-information/
https://www.facebook.com/NGriggsIOT
During Your Trip
There’s a risk of COVID-19 transmission during your flight from Perth to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. While Virgin Airlines advises that the risk of COVID-19 transmission onboard an aircraft is low, we require you to wear a face mask for the duration of the flight.
On arrival at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Airport guests will be met and transported to the Cocos Cottages. You must wear a mask while in the vehicle and be sure to use hand sanitiser prior to and during the short trip. Guests will be required to handle their own luggage.
The Cocos Cottages transport vehicle is primarily a private use car and all precautions must be taken to limit the spread while travelling. We strongly encourage people to book a hire car, it is the easiest way to explore the islands and is parked at the airport when you arrive; this will enable you to transport yourself from the airport to your accommodation.
During Your Stay
All our staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
We actively encourage physical distancing of at least 1.5m between guests and staff to ensure we don’t become ‘close contacts’ of each other.
All of our surfaces and soft furnishings are cleaned and disinfected prior to your arrival.
All our common areas (BBQ area) and high-touch surfaces will be regularly cleaned and disinfected.
We’ll provide hand sanitiser but we require you to bring enough for your activities and adventures beyond the Cocos Cottages.
We’ll ensure that the Cocos Cottages grounds are restricted to guests only.
Health
If you develop cold and flu symptoms during your stay, you’ll need to phone the Health Clinic to arrange a COVID-19 test (+61 8 9162 6655). Do not visit the clinic in person. Depending on the advice, you may have to self-isolate in your room until you receive a negative result.
Self-isolation
If you test positive to COVID-19 while staying with us, then you’ll be subject to a Health Order and required to self-isolate at the Cocos Cottages. We’ll organise food from the Supermarket and / or meals from the local restaurants (subject to their opening times and availability) and deliver these to you. You will be charged the standard nightly rate for accommodation (if you’re required to stay longer than your booking) and cost of groceries and meals. Delivery will be complementary but subject to driver availability. Your travel insurance may cover these costs.
If you’re identified as a ‘close contact’ of a COVID-19 positive person, then you’ll be subject to a Health Order and required to self-isolate at the Cocos Cottages. You will be charged the standard nightly rate for accommodation (if you’re required to stay longer than your booking) and cost of groceries and meals. Your travel insurance may cover these costs.
Additional Cancellation Conditions
Our standard booking conditions apply.
If you cancel your booking with us, within three days of your arrival date, because you’re directly affected by a COVID-19 Health Order where you have been formally identified as a ‘close contact’ or you have tested positive to COVID-19 and are still in mandatory quarantine, or you are legally prevented from travelling outside of your local government area, then we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use within 12 months of your booked arrival date The credit will be available for the person who is subject to the COVID-19 Health Order and his/her partner and dependent children. Written evidence from your state health department, doctor or police will be required before we issue a credit. Alternatively, you can provide evidence of your positive COVID-19 test result – it must be a photo that:
1. is date stamped on the day of travel;
2. clearly shows the Rapid Antigen Test result; and
3. includes the driver’s license of the person who is COVID-19 positive.
We will not provide an accommodation credit if the photo is incomplete or illegible.
You must complete a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test and provide the results within 24 hours of arrival on Cocos. Negative results should be provided, with supporting photographic evidence of the negative test/s by email to the Office of the Administrator (IOTAdministrator@regional.gov.au). A positive test should be reported immediately by phone to the IOT Health Service on Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
If your Rapid Antigen Test shows that you are COVID-19 positive, then we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use within 12 months of your booked arrival date.
The credit will be available for the person who is COVID-19 positive and his/her partner and dependent children. We require evidence of your COVID-19 test result – it must be a photo that:
1. is date stamped on one of the three days before your arrival date (inclusive);
2. clearly shows the Rapid Antigen Test result; and
3. includes the driver’s license of the person who is COVID-19 positive.
We will not provide an accommodation credit if the photo is incomplete or illegible.
If you are over 13 years of age and not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to arrival on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, then your booking will be cancelled. We will not cancel the bookings of fully vaccinated guests in the same travel party or associated travel parties. In this situation, we will not provide an accommodation credit or refund to unvaccinated guests. It is the responsibility of all guests to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to travel.
If an existing guest is required to self-isolate in the cottage that you’re booked into and alternative accommodation cannot be sourced, we will have to cancel your booking. In this instance, we’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use within 12 months of your booked arrival date.
The credit will be available for the person affected and his/her partner and dependent children.
All effort will be made to avoid cancelling your booking by sourcing alternative accommodation for the duration of your stay. Due to the limited availability and the variety of accommodation on Cocos, if we can successfully place you at alternate accommodation, please be aware; it may differ from the Cocos Cottages in respect of features, size, rates, standard etc. We will provide you with contact details of the alternate accommodation provider for you to make arrangements directly. We’ll provide a 100% accommodation credit for use within 12 months of your booked arrival date at the Cocos Cottages.
Any alterations or cancellation of flights are subject to Virgin cancellation conditions and fees, and are outside of our control. We won’t pay any fees, charges or additional fares in relation to altered or cancelled flights. We encourage you to book flexible airfares.
This policy is subject to change at any time, without notice, due to IOT regulations and/or changing circumstances.