Major city · Australia
Lord Howe Island
Go for 5–7 nights, book flights and bed together, fly Sydney in about 2 h; day-tripping is impossible and a 2-night stay wastes the airfare.
Lord Howe is a UNESCO-listed volcanic island about 600 km off the New South Wales coast, 10 km long and 1.5 km wide, with the world's southernmost coral reef. Visitor numbers are capped, so beds and seats sell out months ahead and the return airfare is Australia's most expensive domestic route. It is a cycling, walking and snorkelling island, not a resort island.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- AUD
- Best months
- Oct–Apr (warm, calm lagoon)
- avoid Jun–Aug (cooler, rainier, windier, more failed landings)
- Airport
- LDH
- Nights
- 5–7
Rules in force · 7
- Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
- Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
- Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
- Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
- Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
- Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
- Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Lord Howe Island000 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Lord Howe Island, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$).Australia-wide
- SIM or eSIMTelstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.Australia-wide
- Tap waterTap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps.Australia-wide
- TippingRestaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.Australia-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets I. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): fits. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Australia-wide
- SafetyVery low crime; the real risks are unfenced cliffs, bicycle falls on the hills and the absence of a decompression chamber.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.Australia-wide
- Emergency numbers000 police, fire, ambulance · 112 From a mobile
- Sundays & holidaysChristmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day morning close most shops; many cafés close by 15:00; country towns close early on Saturday and all Sunday.Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day morning close most shops; many cafés close by 3:00 PM; country towns close early on Saturday and all Sunday.Australia-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportLDH Lord Howe Island Airport (Short runway; turboprops only.
- Getting aroundBicycles are the main transport and racks sit at every beach and shop; hire from Wilson's if your accommodation does not supply one.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Sit-down mealMain course at the clubsabout A$25 (≈ US$17)
- Street or quick mealRolls and sandwiches at the Anchorage or Coral Cafeabout A$15 (≈ US$10)
- Budget bedFamily unit (up to 4), a night, per roomA$350 (≈ US$250)
- Mid-range bedSelf-contained apartment or unit, a night, per roomA$300 (≈ US$200)
- High-end bedSelf-contained apartment or unit, a night, per roomA$550 (≈ US$400)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget A$150 (≈ US$100) · Mid A$280 (≈ US$190) · High A$500 (≈ US$350)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- LDH Lord Howe Island Airport (Short runway; turboprops only. QantasLink from Sydney daily, about 2 h; Eastern Air Services from Newcastle, Port Macquarie and the Gold Coast a few times a week.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Feb
Best
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Mar
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Apr
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
May
not flagged
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Jun
Avoid
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Jul
Avoid
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Aug
Avoid
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Sep
not flagged
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Oct
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Nov
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Dec
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Best: Oct–Apr. Avoid: Jun–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest Jan (25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)), coolest Jul (12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C) low), wettest Jun (15 rain days), driest Nov (10). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Lord Howe Island: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
11 rd
Feb
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
11 rd
Mar
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
13 rd
Apr
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
13 rd
May
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
14 rd
Jun
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
15 rd
Jul
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
15 rd
Aug
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
13 rd
Sep
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
11 rd
Oct
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
11 rd
Nov
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
10 rd
Dec
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
10 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Bicycles are the main transport and racks sit at every beach and shop; hire from Wilson's if your accommodation does not supply one. Walking covers the settlement and most beaches. There are no taxis and no public transport. Accommodation providers run guests to dinner at about 18:30 and restaurants drive them home.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Ball's Pyramid
goDoor to door: Half to full day
Dive or boat operator from the island
Sea stack about 23 km (14 mi) south-east; exposed crossing, weather-dependent.Sea stack about 14 mi (23 km) south-east; exposed crossing, weather-dependent.
Mount Gower summit
cautionDoor to door: 8–10 h
Pre-booked full-day guided walk
Guided only, steep and long; book before you fly.
North Bay and Malabar Ridge
goDoor to door: 3–5 h
Walk from the track near Ned's Beach, return via the North Bay track
Hills once you leave the lagoon; carry water.
Port Macquarie
skipDoor to door: About 2 days
MV Island Trader freight ship, fortnightly
Freight link, not a passenger service for a day out.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Old Settlement and Lagoon Road
Beach, museum, shops and the lagoon within a short walk or ride; the flattest base.
Middle Beach Road and the ridge
Quieter, some properties sit up the hill; a few minutes more by bike to dinner.
North Bay and far ends
Very few beds, longer rides, best for walkers who want the north track on the doorstep.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- A$150–250 (≈ US$100–170) excl. bed
- Mid
- A$250–400 (≈ US$170–300) excl. bed
- High
- A$400 (≈ US$300)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Lodge or retreat double1 × 6 nights × A$550 | A$3,300 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 6 days × A$280 | A$3,360 |
| Bicycle hire, per day2 × A$8 | A$16 |
| Golf green fees, one round2 × A$40 | A$80 |
| Tennis court hire, per hour1 × A$10 | A$10 |
| Internet access at the visitor centre2 × A$10 | A$20 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | A$679 |
| Trip total≈ A$622 per person per day, bed included | A$7,465≈ US$5,000 |
2026 estimate in Australian dollars; return airfare excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Litre of milk | about A$5 (≈ US$4) |
| Loaf of bread | about A$5 (≈ US$4) |
| Hamburger at Thompson's Store, 11:00–14:00 | about A$8 (≈ US$6) |
| Rolls and sandwiches at the Anchorage or Coral Cafe | about A$15 (≈ US$10) |
| Main course at the clubs | about A$25 (≈ US$17) |
| Main course elsewhere | A$35–55 (≈ US$25–40) |
| Card surcharge at many placesEFTPOS avoids it | about 2% |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- No mobile phone reception anywhere on the island; there are coin public phones in town.
- Only Australian dollars are accepted — no foreign cash or travellers cheques. One ATM, inside the Bowling Club door.
- Book dinner before noon on the day; restaurants have about four dishes a night and sell out.
- Shops close for provisions around 18:00 and lunch takeaway stops at 14:00.Shops close for provisions around 6:00 PM and lunch takeaway stops at 2:00 PM.
- Cliffs and lookouts are unfenced; several are named for people who fell.
- No decompression chamber on the island — follow the no-diving-within-24-hours-of-flying rule.
- Luggage is often left behind for weight and balance and follows on a later flight.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 000
- From a mobile
- 112
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
Lord Howe IslandLord Howe Island
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From a mobile112
Embassy
No embassies on the island; the nearest consulates and embassies are in Sydney.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- QantasLink Sydney → Lord Howe, return: about A$1,000–1,200 (≈ US$700–800), about 2 h each way
- Bicycle hire, per day: from about A$8 (≈ US$6)
- Golf green fees: about A$40 (≈ US$30), honour system at the clubhouse
Say or show
- No mobile reception here — No mobile reception here
- Where do I collect my bicycle? — Where do I collect my bicycle?
- Can I book dinner for tonight? — Can I book dinner for tonight?
- Is the lagoon calm today? — Is the lagoon calm today?
- Do you take card? — Do you take card?
- Where is the nearest public phone? — Where is the nearest public phone?
No mobile network. Save offline maps and your accommodation phone number before you fly.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Lord Howe Island. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Oct–Apr (warm, calm lagoon) · avoid Jun–Aug (cooler, rainier, windier, more failed landings) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 7 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for LDH: QantasLink and Eastern Air Services timetables, luggage-follows rules, meet-and-greet on arrival.
- Four riding clusters with rescue anchors: Old Settlement, Lagoon Road, Middle Beach Road, North Bay.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (museum, Ned's Beach, Malabar Ridge, Mount Gower, Ball's Pyramid) and eat pages with booking deadlines and last orders.
- Weather and failed-landing fixtures so gates A–D can go green.