Oh wow, what a coincidence, I was just looking at Lord Howe Island on a map of species conservation.
For anyone who doesn't know: Lord Howe Island is the last true paradise on Earth.
I went there on holidays a few years back based on two travel review recommendations. Both were by professional travellers that had been to pretty much everywhere, and both said it's the best place they've ever been. The reasoning was that every other tropical island has "something" wrong with it. Pushy locals trying to sell you stuff, sharks in the water, malaria, pollution, crime, poverty, or something.
Lord Howe is about as safe as it's possible to get, civilised beyond belief, pristine, unpolluted, etc...
It's one of the last places in the world with undamaged, unbleached coral reefs in protected waters. The diving there is just unbelievable, more beautiful than any Planet Earth documentary you've seen.
Birds nest on the beach, and you have to step over them gently because there's thousands of them and the juveniles can't fly yet.
I met the police officer of the island and pointedly asked him when was the last time he had to deal with crime.
"Crime... crime... let's see." he said, counting on his fingers slowly "Umm... seven years ago there was a domestic violence report because a tourist slapped his wife in an argument."
The hotel doors have no locks. There's $500 in cash in a tin next to a shack full of equipment on the beach with a "honesty system" rental price list sign next to it. The bloke selling you coke cans at the milk bar bought it with the $20 million he made in the stock market. Half the tourists go there by private plane. Ballmer's son took his super yacht there with a harem of models. And on, and on.
For anyone who doesn't know: Lord Howe Island is the last true paradise on Earth.
I went there on holidays a few years back based on two travel review recommendations. Both were by professional travellers that had been to pretty much everywhere, and both said it's the best place they've ever been. The reasoning was that every other tropical island has "something" wrong with it. Pushy locals trying to sell you stuff, sharks in the water, malaria, pollution, crime, poverty, or something.
Lord Howe is about as safe as it's possible to get, civilised beyond belief, pristine, unpolluted, etc...
It's one of the last places in the world with undamaged, unbleached coral reefs in protected waters. The diving there is just unbelievable, more beautiful than any Planet Earth documentary you've seen.
Birds nest on the beach, and you have to step over them gently because there's thousands of them and the juveniles can't fly yet.
I met the police officer of the island and pointedly asked him when was the last time he had to deal with crime.
"Crime... crime... let's see." he said, counting on his fingers slowly "Umm... seven years ago there was a domestic violence report because a tourist slapped his wife in an argument."
The hotel doors have no locks. There's $500 in cash in a tin next to a shack full of equipment on the beach with a "honesty system" rental price list sign next to it. The bloke selling you coke cans at the milk bar bought it with the $20 million he made in the stock market. Half the tourists go there by private plane. Ballmer's son took his super yacht there with a harem of models. And on, and on.
If you ever get the opportunity to visit: GO!