Best things to do in Lord Howe Island

Golden sand merges into pristine waters ideal for paddling and snorkeling at Ned's Beach. Observe the colorful coral and fish, including mullets, garfish, silver drummer, and kingfish. Get your snorkeling gear from the shelter shed for the cost of a contribution to the "honesty box". Take advantage of the water-view BBQ and picnic on the soft grass.

Idyllic Lord Howe Island Walking Trails take visitors along coral-fringed lagoons and through lush palm forests, with dozens of lookouts from which the island’s two imposing peaks, Mount Lidgbird and Mount Gower, are clearly visible. There are a number of well-marked trails to choose from on this island, which is only 11 km (6.8 mi) long and 2 km (1.2 mi) wide, with more than half of its area designated as a permanent park preserve. Hikers of all ages and fitness levels can enjoy these guided walks, ranging from light strolls, to moderate cliff-top hikes, to challenging climbs to the top of Mount Gower which, rising to 875 m (2,871 ft), is the highest point on the island.

Hike the paths of Mt Gower to see 57 variations of endemic ferns and over 200 species of native birds, such as a variety of rare petrels, discovered to be breeding here in 1914. Bushwalking, natural history tours, talks, and guided hikes take place along the many trails leading up to the peak of the mountain, which is 875 meters (2,871 ft) high. The highly eroded mountain was produced about 6.3 million years ago by successive basalt lava flows that once filled a large volcanic crater. Evidence of this ancient activity can be seen as horizontal basalt strata on the mountain’s cliffs, which are occasionally interspersed with dikes.

Lagoon Beach is located in a semi-enclosed sheltered coral reef lagoon on the western coast of Lord Howe Island. This is the most accessible of the island’s eleven beaches, featuring white sands and smooth blue waters. At this location you can sail, windsurf, kite surf, kayak, or take leisurely boat trips along the coast. You can also choose from a number of inexpensive glass-bottom kayak and boat tours, which offer visitors a chance to see the lagoon’s well-known coral reef. Swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving are also popular at this beach, though many nature lovers and eco-tourists stop by just to see and photograph the lagoon’s unusual formations of stratified calcarenite.

Learn more about the natural and social history of one of the most beautiful Pacific islands at Lord Howe Island Museum. Opened in 2002, the small museum boasts a range of collections and innovative displays on the island's abundant marine, plant and bird life, geology and climate, and the history of the settlement since 1788. Ask to see the giant "tree lobster"--commonly known as the Lord Howe Island stick insect--one of the museum's most popular exhibits.