Lord Howe Island, a little piece of paradise off the east coast of Australia, once struggled with an image problem but not anymore. This slightly daggy destination has become a world class hot spot for food, wine and decadent pampering. But is Lord Howe Island worth the spend?
Why is Lord Howe Island so expensive?
What makes Lord Howe Island so popular and so exclusive comes down to a blend of economics and environment. Lord Howe Island is restricted to 400 visitors at any one time due to the island’s World Heritage Listing. While this is an excellent thing environmentally and makes the island very sustainable, it also makes the island very expensive to visit and stay at.
Due to these costs, it is virtually impossible for us and many other travellers to afford to visit Lord Howe Island unless we sell our first born child (we have thought of it but he’s a keeper). The biggest restriction on visiting comes down to Lord Howe Island’s flights, which are operated by QANTAS/Skytrans using small Dash 8 Q200 aircraft and Eastern Air Services operating even smaller King Air 200s.
How to get to Lord Howe Island
With the QANTAS/Skytrans Dash 8 Q200 aircraft capacity restricted to only 36 passengers, getting to Lord Howe Island can be eye-wateringly expensive. It costs around $1,500 per person to fly return from Sydney (the only departure port offered by QANTAS), a two-hour flight within New South Wales.
The only competitor on this route is Eastern Air Services, which operates the smaller Super King Air 200s with a capacity of only eight passengers but there is more choice when it comes to where you fly from as this airline operates from Port Macquarie, Newcastle and Coolangatta. The cost of Eastern Air services is similar to Qantas/Skytrans at approximately $1,600 return. In comparison, it will set you back $300 less to fly from Sydney to the USA or Tokyo with flights available for around $1,200 return.
Can you get QANTAS Frequent Flyer seats to Lord Howe Island?
The only financially viable option for travel is using the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program, which can be easier said than done. At one point, booking QANTAS Frequent Flyer seats 6-12 months in advance was possible and still is if you’re lucky. This is great as you will only use the same number of points as a flight from Brisbane to Sydney.
Of course, you can almost always make a points booking using a Classic Plus Flight Reward. However, the bad news is these can cost upwards of 80,000 points one way at the time of writing, almost 30,000 more points than flying from Sydney to London using points. It’s hard to justify booking a two hour domestic flight that requires more points than flying to the other side of the world. While limited minimum points for frequent flyer seats are sometimes still available, they are usually released on short notice.
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What is the best accommodation on Lord Howe Island?
Even if you can get these last minute frequent flyer seats, most of the more affordable Lord Howe Island accommodation will probably already be sold out. Or, if it’s peak season, you may not be able to find anywhere to stay at all! This is because Lord Howe Island is only licensed to sleep a maximum of around 400 tourists, which is one of the things that makes the island so unique. Lord Howe Island accommodation ranges from 50s-style guesthouses costing around $300 to luxury lodges costing more than $2000 a night. Even if a couple stays at simple accommodation, they are unlikely to get any change from $5,000 for a seven-night trip, including airfares. And that is if they’re willing to visit Lord Howe Island in winter when it’s too cold to swim. Prices during peak season can be triple the amount above.
How to get a cheap Lord Howe Island family holiday
It can be tricky to have a cheap Lord Howe Island family holiday as many of the cheaper accommodation options on Lord Howe Island only sleep two. If you are visiting the island as a family, it’s best to book early, opt for self catering accommodation and use your baggage allowance to bring as much food as possible from home as it will be cheaper. On the plus side, there are plenty of things to do on Lord Howe Island, which don’t cost anytime at all or very little. These include snorkelling in the crystal-clear waters, hiking through the lush rainforests, bird watching, and exploring the island’s unique flora and fauna. When we visit the island with our (now) adult son, we mainly have barbeques at one of the free picnic areas around the island. Wood for the barbeques and fantastic views are yours for free!
Is Lord Howe Island worth it?
In short, yes, unreservedly, and for some very good reasons. The restriction to only 400 visitors means that regular visitors like our family joke that it’s outrageous if just one other person is on a beach if you want to go for a walk or head out snorkelling. The environment is also like nowhere else on the planet. Lord Howe Island is a paradise for nature lovers, with its unique blend of coral reefs that are close to shore, rain forests, bush walks, pristine beaches, and hidden coves. The diverse landscapes and rich biodiversity make it a truly special place to visit.
It is also really friendly, with hellos from locals and visitors alike when you are walking or cycling and a casual wave from passing cars (there are hardly any of these as most people get around using bicycles). The island’s small population and tight-knit community create a warm and welcoming atmosphere that will make you feel at home.
There’s also no mobile phone coverage and no internet apart from at the place you’re staying at, so it is easy to have a bit of a digital detox and take a break from the real world. There is also no crime, so doors are not locked, keys are left in cars, and bikes stay where they were left. Also, with these prices, you have to be well off enough to get to the island so tourists don’t steal stuff and neither do the locals who love their island and are very proud of where they live.
Why we love Lord Howe Island
My husband and I were married on the island more than 30 years ago and have visited around a dozen times since then, as a couple and later with our son who is now an adult. We love Lord Howe Island with all our hearts. From the picturesque lagoon to the stunning secret beaches around the rocky inlet at Old Gulch, down to Ned’s Beach to feed the fish, and up to the top of Mount Gower, this island is our favourite place in the world to visit. Should we save up and go there again? Our hearts say yes but the holiday budget keeps staying no. It is difficult to justify such a big expense when other destinations (even international ones) are so much cheaper. Is Lord Howe Island worth it? Absolutely! If you can afford it, you will love it. In the meantime, if anyone knows of a budget-friendly way to visit Lord Howe Island, please let us know.
Disclosure: The writer’s love of Lord Howe Island is much larger than her holiday budget.
We’ve also written about Australia’s most exclusive islands if you are seeking a fabulous island holiday but don’t have your heart set on visiting Lord Howe Island.
