Get to this idyllic but overlooked South Pacific island before the crowds do

When mainlanders think of Norfolk Island, maybe they think of the fight by some of its locals to claim independence from Australia (they even took their quest to the United Nations). Or they think of its 18th- and 19th-century prison, the harshest in the British Empire. For decades, Norfolk Island was regarded as a place suitable only for the “newly wed or the nearly dead”.

Norfolk is quirky as hell, but that’s not a detraction – it’s the attraction.© Getty Images

Meanwhile, its neighbour, Lord Howe Island, has long been loved for its lagoon and the mountains that grow right out of the sea. But here’s the thing, learnt from 20 years of traipsing all over the island: Norfolk Island is just as beautiful.

However, it does require some exploration and a bit of asking around. There are hiking and mountain-bike trails through forests, for instance, but they’re not always marked. And on my second visit, 16 years ago, I scaled an old rope down a sheer cliff to a rock pool where dolphins swam beside me. I’ve been looking for it ever since.