It’s hard to imagine a more visually tantalising place to photograph than Christmas Island. All around you are sights, colours, textures and landscapes you’ll want to capture, so bring nature to life through your lens. From soft, pastel sunrises to glorious sunsets, Christmas Island is bathed in ever-changing tropical light. Vivid colour is everywhere, from the crabs’ rich reds to the rainforest’s deep greens, to turquoise waters. Catch the robber crabs on film, zoom in on gentle orchids and twisting vines, and train your lens skywards to capture the elegance and freedom of rare birds in flight. Underwater photographers have a kaleidoscope of colours and shapes to shoot. On land, the imposing, inspiring and detailed architecture of temples and other built forms keeps the shutters clicking. Videos capture the sights and sounds of millions of scurrying red crabs, or the hauntingly musical call of the island’s thrush, and the stirring call to prayer from the mosque. Best spots for best shots: - Martin Point, for staggeringly beautiful sunsets and seabirds; - Blowholes capture the energy of the water on a rugged coastline; - Dolly Beach has impressively large robber crabs plus turtle tracks; - Hughes Dale Waterfall is an iconic island place for your unique shot; - Blowholes Road lets you get creative with a special tree along the road; - Greta Beach hosts nesting turtles all year round; - Island temples boast rich colours fused with wisps of incense smoke; - Tai Jin House invites you to capture the detail of this building and its gardens; - Flying Fish Cove is a must for underwater photography.

This upland inside the Old City hosts places of worship for Jews (who call it Temple Mount, "Har HaBáyit") and Muslims (for whom the place is named Noble Sanctuary, "Haram esh-Sharif"). It was also the scene of events narrated in the Gospels, and its intense atmosphere can captivate everyone. Along with the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, here you will find the smaller Dome of the Chain and four Minarets. The Sanctuary is enclosed in walls built by Herod the Great 2,000 years ago. Of the eleven gates, only one is open to non-Muslim visitors: the Mughrabi Gate, which is guarded by a security check. It's important to dress modestly when visiting the Temple Mount / Noble Sanctuary. Visitors should cover their legs and shoulders and bring a cap.

The narrow alleyways of the Jewish quarter contain homes of many ancient Hebrew families. Here, while tourists take pictures, Jewish teenagers head to their Yeshivas, schools for Torah studies. Near the Cardo you will find the Hurva Synagogue: recently restored, it offers beautiful views over the roofs of the quarter. Built by Ashkenazi Jews in the 16th century, the synagogue has been destroyed and banned several times; for Jewish people it's a symbol of their tormented history.