PACIFIC
Lord Howe Island
- Australia
- Intermediate
- September - May
Plan your dive
- Experience level
- Intermediate
- Depth guide
- Reef and drop-off routes from shallow to 30 m+
- When to go
- September - May
- Site type
- Subtropical Reef
Featured wildlife
- Galapagos shark
- Green turtle
- Giant clam
About this dive site
A remote World Heritage reef with endemics and Galapagos sharks.
Lord Howe Island sits on the southernmost coral reef on Earth, ringed by lagoon and outer reef dives. Galapagos sharks, turtles and mixed temperate-tropical fish appear on drop-offs and coral gardens. Visitor numbers are capped, so diving feels uncrowded but must be booked ahead. Swell, wind and seasonal closures affect which sites open. The island is a marine park: follow operator briefings, stay off the reef flat at low tide and never collect coral or shells.
Most trips target September - May, but wind, swell and current still decide the day's site. Calendar peak is September - May, but skippers still move sites when wind, swell or current change. Book with a crew that knows Lord Howe Island day to day, not just the map pin.