Norfolk Island in May – Escorted Tour

Day 1 - Thursday 21 May 2026 - Depart Brisbane (D)
This morning, meet your dedicated tour leader at Brisbane International Airport before your short 2-hour flight to beautiful Norfolk Island. Welcome to Norfolk! Norfolk in May the days are still usually warm and pleasant, but the evenings have started to cool down a bit. Bring a few layers with you to make dressing easy. This evening get to know your fellow travellers with a welcome drink and dinner at the hotel.

Day 2 - Friday 22 May 2026 - Island Life Tour, Island Culture Dinner No. 9 Quality Row (B, L, D)
After breakfast this morning set off on the Island Life Tour. Spend the morning touring Norfolk Island, gaining a true insight into the intricate nature of modern island life. Your guide will share the latest information on the island's ethnic groups, nationalities and languages spoken, including the Norfolk Island indigenous language. The tour will conclude with lunch at the Boatshed Restaurant at Governor’s Lodge Hotel.

This afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure. Why not head into Burnt Pine shopping area and check out the shops. Your tour leader has a minivan at their disposal and is happy to drop you off and pick you up throughout the week if you want to explore.

This evening, enjoy a special dinner at No. 9 Quality Row, part of the original Georgian-style convict buildings in Kingston, built in 1839 as the Royal Engineer's residence. The building now serves as a research centre. Tonight's dinner is in 'the annex,' at the back of the house where servants once prepared meals for the family in the front rooms. The meal will feature traditional Norfolk Island dishes, including Tahitian Fish, pilhi, mudda, and island pies. Alongside the dinner, there will be demonstrations of weaving, cooking, and the Norf'lk Language, passed down from mutineer ancestors and their Tahitian wives.

Day 3 - Saturday 23 May 2026 - Breakfast Bush Walk, Fletcher’s Mutiny Cyclorama, Barney Duffy BBQ, Wonderland by night (B, D)
This morning offers a refreshing adventure in the great outdoors, followed by a delicious breakfast. There are two walk options to choose from. For those seeking a leisurely stroll, explore the lush Palm Glen Reserve. For the more active, take a leisurely 3.5 km walk through scenic Mt. Bates - the highest point on the island - to Captain Cook Monument. This monument marks the spot where Captain James Cook and his officers landed in 1774 and offers breathtaking views of the coastline. After the walk, gather on the clifftop for a scrumptious breakfast BBQ. Returning into town the rest of the morning is at leisure.

This afternoon visit the amazing Fletcher’s Mutiny Cyclorama. This amazing 360° panoramic painting brings to life the history of the Norfolk Island people and their connection with the infamous mutiny on the ‘Bounty’. An outstanding attraction, this stunning 360° panoramic painting with realistic 3D effects has been impressing visitors to Norfolk Island with its ‘wow’ factor for over 18 years.

This evening indulge in a hearty BBQ feast featuring steak, sausages, and a variety of sides and trimmings. Listen to local guest speakers as they share memorabilia, stories, and fascinating insights into the Island's history and governance. After dinner, embark on the breathtaking Wonderland by Night tour. Wonderland celebrates the rich history and stories of Norfolk Island, with a collection of old time Island stories written by Archie Bigg. You'll hear humorous and poignant tales of family life and get a chance to hear the ‘Norf’k’ language spoken and translated. You'll learn about everything from cows and cattlegrids to the ‘Norfolk wave’, all while walking through intricately detailed dioramas in the trees. The evening finishes with a delicious dessert back in the shed.

Day 4 – Sunday 24 May 2026 – Bounty Folk Museum, Bounty Bar & Grill (B, L, D)
The morning is at leisure today. Fancy a swim? Jump in the pool at your hotel or ask your host to drop you down to Emily Bay. Want to enjoy some ‘Sunday Market’ action? Ask your tour leader to drop you down to Norfolk’s own markets where you can browse through island souvenirs, locally made handcrafts, jewellery, artwork, and much more!

Be back by lunchtime when the group will have lunch in The Boatshed at your hotel. This afternoon your tour leader will transfer the group to the Bounty Folk Museum - a treasure chest of history. The museum tells the history of Norfolk Island, from the harrowing tales of ill-fated convicts brought here, to the against-the-odds survival of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives. The museum is wide in scope, with lots of artefacts to pore over. Browse handwritten research books and get lost in the page-turning plot of Norfolk Island’s past. You’ll also get a good sense of the day-to-day life on the island, not just the key historical events.

This evening be transferred by coach to one of Norfolk’s great dining spots for a delicious 2-course dinner. The Bounty Bar and Grill, housed in an original island home dating back to the early 1900s, offers a fantastic pub-style menu paired with a warm and inviting ambiance.

Day 5 – Monday 25 May 2026 - Natural Wonders, Glass Bottom Boat, Progressive Dinner (B, D)
This morning after breakfast discover Norfolk Island's stunning geological wonders and natural beauty. Your expert Natural Wonders guide will introduce you to the island's diverse flora, including native, endemic, and introduced species of trees, shrubs, plants, palms, ferns, flowers, and fruits, offering insights into their unique characteristics and significance.

This afternoon view the beautiful coral lagoons of Norfolk. From the 'beach jetty' (no wet shoes) step onto the boat for an hour of interesting and educational viewing of incredible coral gardens, over 100 species of fish, vast marine life and their habitats, all topped with friendly cheerful Norfolk humour by Bounty descendant guides. This evening is a Norfolk specialty the progressive dinner. Over the course of the evening, enjoy a delicious 3-course meal, with each course served at a different Norfolk Island family home. Each home has been carefully selected to showcase the island's rich culture and history, and each dinner host has a story to tell. As you move from house to house, learn about the island's fascinating past and present, and get to know the warm and welcoming locals who call it home.

Day 6 - Tuesday 26 May 2026 - History in the Making, Island Fish Fry (B, D)
After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of four historic settlements on Norfolk Island. Learn of early Polynesian arrivals, followed by European occupation (two successive settlements), culminating in the migration of the Bounty descendants from Pitcairn Island to Norfolk Island in 1856. This morning tour travels through the World Heritage inscribed, Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area. Enjoy a short explanatory walk through the ruins of the old gaol. Visit an island home and see a demonstration of hands-on crafts, such as shingle and rope making. View a private museum collection which includes unique Norfolk Island artefacts and learn how Pitcairn settlers made Norfolk Island their home.

This afternoon is at leisure and again a chance to explore the shops in the Burnt Pine area. Norfolk Island is a duty-free and GST-free shopping haven where you’ll find stores selling everything from sporting goods and imported shoes to cosmetics, jewellery and artwork. You won’t find chain stores here. Norfolk Island’s shops are locally owned and operated. If you’d prefer a swim or a chance to explore the museums or cemetery in the Kingston area your tour leader will be happy to run a shuttle service for you.

This evening enjoy a feast of island dishes, salads, homemade bread and fresh fried fish, followed by island desserts and tea or coffee. Watch the sun set from Pinetree Tours' exclusive property 'Orn Daa Cliff' on Norfolk’s beautiful western coastline and enjoy some local entertainment when the Baunti Byuutis dancing group takes the stage to entertain you with their captivating local performances.

Day 7 – Wednesday 27 May 2026 – Brunch at Hilli Restaurant, Tea Party at Bailey’s, Language Class, Farewell Dinner (B, D)
This morning wander across the road to Hilli Restaurant for a delicious brunch. You’ll enjoy some sweet treats and savoury offers, plus coffee or tea and a glass of champagne. The word ‘hilli’ is a word from our unique Norf'k language which can be defined a drowsy, lazy feeling... A feeling of lethargy so no need to rush. (Early birds don’t worry you can still have an early coffee and something to eat at The Boatshed if you want to).

Governor's Lodge invites you to join the long-established favourite of afternoon tea which has been re-imagined for Bailey’s Restaurant on Norfolk. Enjoy a glass of sparkling wine on arrival and partake in a selection of sweet and savoury delights and tea or coffee. Enjoy a mouth-watering array of tasty treats, including the traditional favourites like mini-scones and finger sandwiches plus scrumptious hot and cold savouries and delicious delicacies.

Later this afternoon grab a beverage and get ready to learn some of the unique language of Norfolk Island. Brought by the Pitcairn Islanders in 1856, some locals still speak this language today. Hear about the evolution of this marvellous language and the fascinating history of the Norfolk people. You'll be saying 'watawieh' (hello) in no time!

Tonight is a farewell dinner at Bailey’s Restaurant at your hotel. Review your week on Norfolk as you enjoy a 2-course dinner in this lovely historic homestead at the heart of your hotel.

Day 8 – Thursday 28 May 2026 - Depart Norfolk, Arrive Brisbane (B)
Sadly, the week has come to an end. After you have checked out of the hotel this morning there is a little free time before being transferred to Norfolk Island Airport for the flight home. We send you home with fond memories and some newfound friends.