Lord Howe Island Travel Insurance

While it is considered to be part of New South Wales, the World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island is actually about a two-hour flight from either Sydney or Brisbane.

Nestled in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, the unique island features a warm climate, amazing beaches and subtropical forests.

Lord Howe Island is a truly unique destination, where you won’t find high-rise buildings or large-scale resorts. But you will find plenty to explore – and plenty of space to yourself – in this laid-back and largely untouched paradise.

Lord Howe Island Accommodation and Resorts

Lord Howe Island offers a range of small, boutique accommodation options.

Prices start from as low as $80 per person per night (twin share) for some properties in the “off peak” season, which spans from June to August. Prices are a little more in the “shoulder season” months of May and September, while stays at premium properties in the peak season between October and April can cost up to $1800 per person per night.

Lord Howe Island’s most premium accommodation option is the upmarket Capella Lodge, which was opened in 2003 and promises a personal luxury experience.

Capella Lodge has nine modern island-inspired suites and offers spectacular views of both the Pacific Ocean and the island’s towering twin peaks of Mounts Gower and Lidgbird.

But if Capella Lodge is out of your budget, there are 20 other accommodation options on the island including basic self-contained apartments.

Lord Howe Island Weather

Lord Howe Island enjoys relatively warm year-round temperatures and can therefore be visited virtually any time. The hottest months are January to March, when the average high ranges from 24 to 26 degrees Celsius (75 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit). The coolest months are between June and August, when the island observes average daily highs of between 19 and 20 degrees Celsius (66 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit). July is the wettest month with an average of 17.2 days of rain, closely followed by June (17.3 days). The driest months are October to February, which enjoy an average of around nine days of rainfall each month.

Lord Howe Island Flights

Unless you have your own high-seas yacht, the only real way to reach Lord Howe Island is to fly. QantasLink operates daily flights from Sydney to Lord Howe Island year-round, with a flight time of under two hours. QantasLink also offers seasonal flights from Port Macquarie.

Another option is Eastern Air Services, which operates a limited number of flights to Lord Howe Island each week from Port Macquarie, Newcastle and the Gold Coast.

On arrival to Lord Howe Island, all of the island’s accommodation providers meet flights and provide free transport for arriving guests. Remember to pack lightly if you do make the trek to Lord Howe Island.  QantasLink only allows you to take 14kg of checked luggage on flights to Lord Howe Island, plus up to 7kg of carry-on baggage. Eastern Air Services has a total combined baggage limit of just 15kg per passenger.

Lord Howe Island Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is highly recommended for those planning a trip to Lord Howe Island.

The remote nature of the island means getting there – or getting back – is not always a breeze. The island also has only one small hospital facility which houses three inpatient beds, meaning any more complex medical cases need to be transferred to the mainland.

Travel insurance can protect you with cover for cancellation fees and lost deposits, medical expenses, evacuation and repatriation and even loss or damage of luggage and personal effects.

Make sure your trip to Lord Howe Island is properly covered.

Lord Howe Island Population

According to the 2016 census, Lord Howe Island had a permanent population of only 382 people.

The island is only 11km (6.8 miles) long and between 300m (984ft) and 2km (1.24 miles) wide, with most the locals walking or using bicycles as their primary mode of transport.

In addition to the limited permanent population, a maximum of only 400 tourists are allowed on Lord Howe Island at any given time. This cap ensures that the island never feels too busy or crowded for visitors or locals.

Lord Howe Island Marine Park

Over 70% of Lord Howe Island is a permanent protected park reserve, and the surrounding ocean is a protected Marine Park. Lord Howe Island is what is left of a now-extinct volcano, which rises 4km vertically off the sea floor and provides the surrounds of the island with the perfect platform for some stunning reefs and marine life. The Lord Howe Island Marine Park was established in 1999 and extends three nautical miles out to sea from the high watermark of the islands, covering a total area of about 46,000 hectares.

Lord Howe Island things to do

For those who love the water, amazing beaches and snorkelling await visitors to Lord Howe Island. But you can also have plenty of run on land with hikes up the high mountains, bike riding through the forests and spotting some unique wildlife. There are a small number of local tour operators on the island, who offer tours on land and on the water.  Land tours include guided hikes to the summit of Mt Gower with the opportunity to learn about some unique flora and fauna on the way.  Water tour options include glass bottom boat rides, snorkelling tours, sunset cruises and guided kayaking tours. There is also a dive tour operator on the island, which can take visitors to explore the Lord Howe Island Marine Park at any one of 100 spectacular dive sites.

For those looking to explore at their own pace, there are a host of hiking trails across the island, ranging from short easy walks to quiet beaches and coves up to the difficult 4.5km (2.8 miles) trek to the top of Mt Gower. If you want to climb to the summit of Mt Gower, which rises 875m (2870 feet) above the sea, you will have to be well prepared with good footwear and clothing. In addition, you will have to clear most of a day on your Lord Howe Island schedule, with the hike taking most people about 8 hours to complete.

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