Originally named after a survey ship, the Flying Fish, this main town on Christmas Island is labeled on many old maps as simply “The Settlement.” Flying Fish Cove was established in 1888 by the first British arrivals and is still home to about 500 residents, which is just under a third of the island’s total population. The cove is peppered with a few housing developments, some shops, a small beach and harbor where a handful of yachts are moored.