That special feeling begins the moment you step off the plane and are greeted by a small town airport where everyone stands around chatting like at a neighborhood party. The world seems to revolve a little slower here, as modern-day travelers carrying more stress than baggage begin to shed tension like shedding their office clothes. To astute visitors, much of Lord Howe's unique charm comes from a lack of tourism and its infrastructures. You have to have booked accommodation before you can board the plane to Lord Howe. Visitor numbers have been set at 393 tourist beds, which are scattered among just 17 accommodation venues.
Many rooms are wonderfully devoid of phones, TVs, VCRs and computers.
What Lord Howe does have is numerous white sand beaches, one very scenic golf course, hiking trails through lush rainforests, great snorkeling and diving on the southern most coral reef in the world, and a well-deserved designation as a World Heritage Site. While those are definitely impressive credentials, Lord Howe is more than just the sum of those items. It is also a place where simple pleasures abound. Reading a book without falling asleep after two pages. Riding a bicycle or walking along the island's one main road.