New South Wales · 49 sites
Lord Howe Island dive sites
Lord Howe is the world's southernmost coral reef, a World Heritage island 600 km east of the mainland with more than 90 coral species, 500 fish species and a mix of tropical and temperate life found nowhere else. The lagoon is shallow and snorkel-friendly; the outer sites, the Admiralty Islets, Erscott's Hole and the Arch, are boat dives in 20–40 m visibility with Galapagos whalers, huge kingfish and endemic doubleheader wrasse. Ball's Pyramid, 23 km south, is a rare-weather expedition dive.
- Sites
- 49
- Wrecks
- 4
- Shore
- 8
- Boat
- 40
- Beginner
- 23
- Deepest
- 40 m
Conditions outlook · Late September – October 2026
Written 27 September 2026The Lord Howe dive season resumes in September after the winter break. Water 18–19 °C rising to 20 °C by November, visibility 25 m-plus, Galapagos sharks at Balls Pyramid when the weather allows the run out. October and November are the settled months before the summer trades.
Getting there
Fly from Sydney, Brisbane or Port Macquarie. One dive operator on the island runs boat dives most days in season; visitor numbers are capped at 400, so book early.
When to go
The dive operation runs from about September to June. February to May gives the warmest water (up to 25 °C) and the calmest seas.
Water & suit
Summer 23-26 °C · winter 17-20 °C. 5 mm full suit in summer–autumn; 5–7 mm with hood or a semi-dry from June to October
Nearest chamber: Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) – about 780 km; no chamber on Lord Howe, evacuation by air ambulance via Gower Wilson Memorial Hospital and the island airstrip
Most recorded marine life in Lord Howe Island
- Galapagos sharks 16
- Kingfish 16
- Hard corals 10
- Mcculloch's anemonefish 10
- Trevally 10
- Butterflyfish 9
- Doubleheader wrasse 8
- Drummer 8
- Nudibranchs 7
- Black coral trees 6
- Gorgonian fans 6
- Green turtles 6
- Reef fish 6
- Sweetlips 6
Plan a dive trip to Lord Howe Island →Find your diveCompare the top 4 side by sideNew diver? Start here
The most-dived sites in Lord Howe Island
Suggested trip
A 3-day dive trip to Lord Howe Island
Built from the sites in this region: an easy start, the signature dives, then something deeper or further. Swap days around the weather; the site pages say which winds and swell close each one.
Build your own Lord Howe Island plan: pick days, level and must-dive sites →Day 1 · Settle in
Start with Lord Howe Island's easier shore dives: check your weighting, get used to the water temperature and dive the sheltered side of the coast.
- Sylph's HoleReef · Max 5 m · Snorkel/Any
- Favourite wreck (North Bay)Wreck · Depth not published · Snorkel/Any
Day 2 · The signature dives
A charter day on the sites people travel to Lord Howe Island for, including North Bay.
- North BayShore/Rock Platform · Max 5 m · Snorkel/Any
- Sugarloaf (Admiralty Islets)Island · Max 30 m · Advanced Open Water
Day 3 · Deeper or further
For divers with the certification and the weather: the deeper walls, pinnacles or less-visited sites of Lord Howe Island.
- Tenth of JunePinnacle/Bommie · Max 36 m · Deep/Advanced + experience
- Roach Island / Flat RockIsland · Max 30 m · Advanced Open Water
Dive centres and charters in Lord Howe Island
All New South Wales operators →Operators recorded as running sites in this region. Each profile lists the specific sites it goes to.
Dive Lord Howe
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Lord Howe Island · Lord Howe Island · NSW
Lord Howe Island's major verified PADI operation, identified as a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort and running the island's certified diving, training and charters.
divelordhowe.com · (02) 6563 2253
DestinationResortTrainingPADI7 services46 sites
Howea Divers
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
Lord Howe Island · Lord Howe Island · NSW
Phone from lordhoweisland.info listing; own site contact page not extractable.
howeadivers.com.au · (02) 6563 2114
30 sites
Islander Cruises
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
Lord Howe Island · Lord Howe Island · NSW
Cruise/snorkel boat operator, also PADI-listed.
islandercruises.com.au · (02) 6563 2298
11 sites
Marine Adventures
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
Lord Howe Island · Lord Howe Island · NSW
Turtle/snorkel and glass-bottom boat tours, not scuba.
marineadventureslordhowe.com · 0476 513 202
9 sites
Lord Howe Environmental Tours
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
Lord Howe Island · Lord Howe Island · NSW
Glass-bottom boat and snorkel tours, not scuba.
lordhoweislandtours.com · (02) 6563 2260
7 sites
Map of Lord Howe Island dive sites
Click a pin for the site. 15 sites without published coordinates are not shown.
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34 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
All 49 Lord Howe Island dive sites
All Lord Howe Island sites at a glance
49 sites in Lord Howe Island · click a column to sort
| Balls Pyramid – Ballina Rock | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 28 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Balls Pyramid – Observatory Rock | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 28 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Balls Pyramid – South East Rock | Reef | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Balls Pyramid – Sunken Rock | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 36 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Blackburn Island | Island | Depth not published | Snorkel/Any | Shore or Boat | Daily |
| Comet's Hole | Reef | Max 7 m | Snorkel/Any | Boat (day trip) | Daily |
| Deacon's Delight | Reef | Max 22 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Elizabeth Reef | Reef | Depth not published | Advanced Open Water | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) | Expedition |
| Erscott's Blind | Reef | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Daily |
| Erscott's Hole | Reef | Max 8 m | Snorkel/Any | Boat (day trip) | Daily |
| Far Rocks | Reef | Depth not published | Snorkel/Any | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Favourite wreck (North Bay) | Wreck | Depth not published | Snorkel/Any | Shore or Boat | Daily |
| Five Star | Reef | Max 40 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Gower Island | Island | Depth not published | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Gower Pinnacle | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 40 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Herring Pools | Shore/Rock Platform | Depth not published | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Occasional |
| Horseshoe Reef | Reef | Depth not published | Snorkel/Any | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Liv's Crack | Reef | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Malabar | Reef | Max 21 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Malabar Landslide | Reef | Max 21 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Malabar Third Reef | Reef | Max 21 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Malabar West | Reef | Max 16 m | Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Middle Beach | Shore/Rock Platform | Depth not published | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Occasional |
| Middleton Reef | Reef | Depth not published | Advanced Open Water | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) | Expedition |
| Neds Beach | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 15 m | Open Water | Shore | Daily |
| No-Name Rock | Pinnacle/Bommie | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Noddy Island | Reef | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| North Bay | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 5 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore or Boat | Daily |
| North Head Bommie | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 18 m | Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| North Rock | Wall | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Octopus Garden | Reef | Depth not published | Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Old Gulch | Shore/Rock Platform | Depth not published | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Occasional |
| Old Settlement Beach | Shore/Rock Platform | Max 4 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Daily |
| Phillip Rock | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 37 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Pot Holes | Reef | Depth not published | Snorkel/Any | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Roach Island / Flat Rock | Island | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Roach Wall | Wall | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Runic wreck (Middleton Reef) | Wreck | Depth not published | Wreck specialty recommended | Boat (multi-day/liveaboard) | Expedition |
| Rupert's Reef | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 24 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Shearwater Island | Reef | Max 16 m | Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| South Island (Admiralty Islets) | Island | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Stephens Hole | Reef | Depth not published | Snorkel/Any | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Sugarloaf (Admiralty Islets) | Island | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Sylph's Hole | Reef | Max 5 m | Snorkel/Any | Shore | Daily |
| Tenth of June | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 36 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| Tenth of June Deep | Wall | Max 36 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| The Arch (Lord Howe) | Reef | Max 30 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
| The Triangle | Pinnacle/Bommie | Max 40 m | Deep/Advanced + experience | Boat (day trip) | Occasional |
| Twin Caves | Cave/Cavern | Max 20 m | Advanced Open Water | Boat (day trip) | Weekly |
Lord Howe Island diving FAQ
How do I get to the dive sites in Lord Howe Island?
Fly from Sydney, Brisbane or Port Macquarie. One dive operator on the island runs boat dives most days in season; visitor numbers are capped at 400, so book early.
When is the best time to dive Lord Howe Island?
The dive operation runs from about September to June. February to May gives the warmest water (up to 25 °C) and the calmest seas.
How many dive sites are there in Lord Howe Island?
49 documented sites, including 4 wrecks and 8 that can be dived independently from the shore. The deepest reaches 40 m.
Are there beginner dive sites in Lord Howe Island?
Yes, 23 sites are rated beginner. Look for the green Beginner tag in the list below, and check the weather notes on each page before diving.
How cold is the water in Lord Howe Island?
Typically 23-26 °C in summer and 17-20 °C in winter. Most divers wear 5 mm full suit in summer–autumn; 5–7 mm with hood or a semi-dry from June to October.
Which dive centres operate in Lord Howe Island?
Dive Lord Howe, Howea Divers, Islander Cruises, Marine Adventures, Lord Howe Environmental Tours are recorded as running sites in Lord Howe Island. Each site page lists the operators known to go there.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Lord Howe Island?
Prince of Wales Hospital (Randwick, Sydney) – about 780 km; no chamber on Lord Howe, evacuation by air ambulance via Gower Wilson Memorial Hospital and the island airstrip. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
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