Meet the site
Million Dollar Bommie is one of the island's favourite photography dives. On a coast where coral usually grows almost to the surface and the reef quickly becomes a wall, this site is unusual: between the cliff and the dive there is a stretch of sand and rock bottom, and on it sits a single bommie about 7 m high on a 26 m base. Extra Divers describe a shallow bommie system from 3 m to 17 m, and Diveplanit's report puts the bommie's top at about 19 m and its base at 26 m – in practice divers can make it anything from a shallow reef dive to a deeper circuit of the pinnacle.
The sand holds what Extra Divers call a famously dense garden eel colony, which rises and sways in the current. The bommie itself is thick with life: sea fans tucked beneath overhangs, and fish congregating both on the summit, where they graze algae in the light, and in its crevices. Species recorded include velvet surgeonfish, Meyer's butterflyfish, lyretail hogfish, mimic surgeonfish, red fire gobies, coral trout, parrotfish, moray eels and octopus. Occasional megafauna pass through, and snorkellers have seen manta rays go by.
The combination of a compact, well-lit structure, lots of fish and a sandy backdrop makes it a favourite for underwater photographers – the summit in particular. It is equally good for first-timers, who can stay shallow, and for experienced divers who want a relaxed but fish-rich dive. The name is a local joke that the encounters here are priceless. It is dived in the calm south-east trade season and is one of the standard sites on the run west along the north coast.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Million Dollar Bommie is recorded as Pinnacle/Bommie in Christmas Island. The listed access is boat. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- Planned depth
- Confirm the intended route and training requirements; the recorded maximum is not a target.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Million Dollar Bommie suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Million Dollar Bommie through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Garden eels, velvet surgeonfish, Meyer's butterflyfish, lyretail hogfish, mimic surgeonfish, red fire gobies, coral trout, parrotfish, moray eels, octopus, sea fans, occasional manta rays
Location
A 7 m-high coral bommie on a 26 m sand and rock base below the cliffs on the north coast, near the water tanks west of Flying Fish Cove.
Facilities nearby
Departs Flying Fish Cove jetty/ramp.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
diveplanit.comextradivers.com.auchristmas.net.audiveplanit.comchristmasislandstories.org.auRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.