Activities

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Activities

Pinetrees is an ideal gateway to the beauty and adventure of Lord Howe Island. Most of the island’s outdoor activities are world-class and only a short bike ride away. Guests regularly comment on how much they can do in a short amount of time.

Our staff are experienced fisherman, surfers, walkers, photographers, golfers and divers. Every morning at breakfast, we’ll recommend where to go and what to do, depending on the weather and your level of enthusiasm. Some guests are happy to relax under one of the boatshed umbrellas, swim in the lagoon, and absorb the panorama of two of Australia’s most dramatic mountains. Other guests like to keep themselves busy – they might catch a 15kg kingfish, walk through ancient subtropical forest, surf perfect waves or dive on the southernmost coral reef in the Pacific Ocean. Don’t worry about crowds, though, because our World Heritage listing caps the number of island-wide guests to 400 at any one time, and they scatter through two cafes, eight volcanic peaks, 10 square kilometres of lagoon, 18 surf spots, 20 beaches, 24 kilometres of coastline, and 45 kilometres of hiking track. In reality, you’ll feel like you have the place to yourself. Read the Locals’ Guide to Lord Howe Island to learn more about our best activities and secret spots.

LOCALS’ GUIDE

We regularly visit the island’s iconic locations (and our secret spots) in different conditions, seasons and times of day (by foot, bike, kayak, boat and snorkel), and hope to share our experiences with you. If you need some travel inspiration, then read our posts about life on Lord Howe Island.

YOGA

Join our yoga instructor for morning yoga beside the Lord Howe Island lagoon. We specialise in creative vinyasa, and combine the flowing practice of vinyasa, with deep, targeted stretching for relaxation and strength building postures.

DAY SPA

The Pinetrees Day Spa offers massage and facial treatments to help you relax and rejuvenate. Our massage and facial products from Pure Fiji are made with sustainably wild harvested ingredients, and blended with the highest quality botanical bases.

SNORKELLING

Very few destinations in the world offer spectacular snorkelling 30 metres from the beach. The diversity of coral and fish species, the water clarity and temperature, the regular sunlight, and easy access make Lord Howe one of the world’s premier snorkelling experiences.

DIVING

Lord Howe has some of the best diving in the world. The reef ecosystem is the most southerly in the Pacific, and has a unique mix of tropical, subtropical and temperate marine life. There are over 90 coral and 500 fish species.

SURFING

Shallow coral reef on the edge of the Pacific Ocean means one thing – waves. Lord Howe picks up powerful groundswell from the Southern and Pacific oceans throughout the year.

OCEAN SWIMMING

Whether you like a refreshing dip, a body surf or solid ocean swim, there are endless possibilities on a sub-tropical island. You can swim all year round at Lord Howe, and there are no stingers, crocodiles or stone fish.

KAYAKING

Kayaking on the Lord Howe lagoon is a serene experience. On a still day, when the water is glassy, you can watch fish swim through the colourful coral gardens below. Above the water, you’ll see perfect waves, sea birds and the beaches, forests and volcanic peaks of Lord Howe.

BUSHWALKING

Lord Howe Island is the best walking destination in Australia. You can explore the intertidal zone, you can walk along user-friendly graded tracks to swimming coves, or you can climb mountains and see vistas that feature in David Attenborough documentaries.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Everywhere you look on Lord Howe there are amazing colours and textures. The light can be bright to showcase the range of blues in the water, it can be soft to provide tonal contrast in the landscape, and it can be saturated. Best of all, you get to see the sunrise and sunset over water every day.

FISHING

With the right fishing gear, some local knowledge and persistence, you can catch kingfish, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and a range of other big species from the shore. The most reliable fishing, though, is from one of our local charter boats.

BIRD WATCHING

Lord Howe is one of the most amazing ‘birdo’ destinations in the world with 130 recorded species, and enthusiasts take it very seriously. You’ll see Noddy terns, White terns, Sooty terns, Flesh-footed shearwaters, Black winged petrels, Masked boobies and more.

WET WEATHER

Wet weather can be a drag, or a convenient excuse to relax with a book – it depends on your attitude. On Lord Howe, guests with good raincoats can still experience something special.

FAMILY ADVENTURE

Lord Howe Island is the only destination in Australia without snakes, poisonous spiders, dangerous sharks, crocodiles or stingers. You can kick your toe, or get stung by a bee, but that’s about as risky as it gets.

RELAXING

With so many world-class activities on our doorstep it’s easy to forget that Lord Howe Island is perfect for relaxing. We have at least 12 beaches within a lazy 10‑minute bike ride of the lodge, and there’s always somewhere that’s sheltered and warm.

COOKING CLASSES

Our Executive Chef, Alasdair Nicolson, hosts a weekly cooking class on the Pinetrees verandah. He covers a range of topics and reveals some professional secrets to help take your cooking to a new level.

Lord Howe Island. Another World. Close to Home.

02 9262 6585