Get ready to relax and recharge, reflect and connect with like-minded people as we leave the pace of modern life behind and immerse ourselves in the spectacular surroundings of Lord Howe Island. A short 2 hour flight from Sydney and we are in an Island Paradise – settle in and relax at the centrally located Leanda Lei apartments, our home for the next 5 nights.

Tonight, we will come together in fellowship as we enjoy our first Group Dinner at the Anchorage Restaurant.

In 1788 Lord Howe Island was first discovered by Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball, commander of the First Fleet ship, Supply, while en route between Sydney Cove and the penal settlement of Norfolk Island. Ball named the uninhabited island after British Admiral Richard Howe, and the sea stack situated to the island’s south, Ball’s Pyramid, after himself. The first settlers, originally just three couples from New Zealand, arrived in 1834 so the island could be used as a provisioning station for both whalers and the ships travelling between Sydney and Norfolk Island.

Today, after breakfast we will be picked up for our “Chase ‘n’ Thyme” half day Island tour where we will learn about the early history of Lord Howe as well as fascinating insights into the flora, fauna and the unique Island way of life. Learning about Lord Howe Island from early settlement days until now is totally intriguing. We are even invited to the home of a local for morning tea. Our tour includes an explanation of every venue on the island including the waste and re-cycling centre (which is more interesting than you may imagine)!

Dinner tonight will be at the Bowling Club.

It’s a “Big Day Out” as Marine Adventures takes us on an in-depth tour to the North Bay of the island today. Here we can view the large variety of fish, turtles, stingrays and amazing corals of the world’s southernmost barrier reef on a glass bottom boat. These waters offer some of the best visibility available and we will learn more about the local marine life through the relaxed commentary of a sixth-generation islander.

We can choose our own pace today but make sure you bring your swimming costume, walking shoes and a hat as our day could include anything and everything! (Snorkelling gear and wetsuits are available on the boat).

Influenced by the warm East Australian current during summer and cooler southern currents in winter, Lord Howe Island boasts a myriad of temperate and tropical marine species.

Over 490 coastal reef fish species and nearly 90 coral species call this reef system their home. Due to its isolation, the Island has a range of fish fauna, algae and marine invertebrates found nowhere else on the planet.

The Coral Viewing and Snorkelling Tour is the ultimate way to experience the lagoon’s premier reef and coral holes. Our two-hour tour focuses on exploring the profuse coral seascape and introduces visitors to some of the more unusual lagoon inhabitants such as the endemic double-header wrasse, stingrays and turtles. This tour provides an optional snorkelling experience at Erscott’s Hole or you can just relax on the boat and view the stunning diversity of this exotic marine location.

This afternoon we travel to the Museum where we’ll be given a lecture by Ian Hutton. Ian is the curator of the museum and a passionate environmentalist, saying “living on Lord Howe Island is like living inside a David Attenborough documentary”.

Lunch today is at your own choice and cost, and dinner tonight is at the Coral Café, located in the museum, giving us a chance to look through some of the displays.

Today we will take the opportunity to do our Around Island Cruise. The cruise takes us close to the stunning vertical cliffs of Mt Gower and Mount Lidgbird. We can spot Ball’s Pyramid in the distance on our way around the island. Cruise past the Admiralty Isles, see the arch, the Gulch and the Herring Pools.

Bird life is in abundance on the island and it’s a great opportunity to see some of them, such as the red-tailed tropic bird, masked boobies, sooty terns and common noddies that nest on the cliffs and outer islands.

We enjoy lunch at the Coral Café and this afternoon and we take a tour through two small businesses on Lord Howe Island, the local Lord Howe Island Nursery and Lord Howe Island Distilling Co. Dinner tonight will be at the Golf Club.

After a wonderful holiday we must farewell Lord Howe Island this morning. We might be leaving our Island paradise but we take with us memories of glorious scenery, friendly locals and delightful experiences shared with new friends.