Norfolk Island

The Norfolk Island is a small island in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the external territories of Australia. It shares its water borders with New Zealand, Australia, and New Caledonia. The capital city is Kingston.

The island has a subtropical climate and the temperature does not change much throughout the year. A tourist season lasts all the year round, but the most comfortable time on the islands is the period between the seasons.

The official language is the Norfuk dialect. People on the island also speak English and Creole. The majority of the population are the Christians.

The Norfolk Island attracts the lovers of wild beaches, out-of-town resorts, beautiful nature, diving, surfing, and snorkelling. Almost every large hotel offers spa services, golf fields, and a gym. There are surfboard and water ski rentals on the coast.

The fans of ecological tourism will be interested in local reserves, the botanic garden and the national park which is known for rare animals.

The main sights on the island are the colonial architecture and the hallmark places of Kingston, Burnt Pine and Cascade. The tourists will be offered to take a trip to the places where the ghosts of Norfolk convicts live. All the local people know the legends about them. One can also visit the museums of the Norfolk Island and take a boat trip around it.

Burnt Pine is the best place for shopping with its souvenir shops.

Get in

By Plane

There are no direct flights between CIS and EU countries and the Norfolk Island. The tourists will have to take a transit flight with several transfers in Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Auckland, Hong Kong or Dubai.

JAL, Air New Zealand, Air France, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia, Emirates, and Qatar Airways offer flights from Europe.

From CIS countries, one can travel to the Norfolk Island with Air India, Air New Zealand, Aeroflot, Korean Air, Turkish Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Malaysia, Belavia, and Finnair.

By Ferry

The travellers can get to the Norfolk Island by cruise ship which arrives at the port in Kingston.

Visa

The citizens from CIS and EU countries must obtain a multiple entry Australian or New Zealand visa to get to the Norfolk Island depending on the country through which they are going to travel.

A visa must be valid for, at least, 30 days after a supposed date of departure. It is recommended to obtain an Australian visa.

It usually takes three working weeks to process the documents for a visa at the Embassy.

Customs

There are no Customs restrictions concerning the import and export of national and foreign currency. The sum exceeding 10.000 Australian dollars must be declared.

The tourists are allowed to bring in the following things duty-free:

• a limited amount of alcohol and tobacco;
• personal clothes, shoes and jewellery;
• goods and gifts the total cost of which does not exceed 900 Australian dollars.

To import the goods which were bought 12 months earlier before crossing the border, one must provide additional documents.

It is strictly prohibited to import:

• Food except food bought in Australia and New Zealand;
• pork, poultry, fresh fruits and vegetables;
• seedlings, plants, and seeds;
• soil;
• some drugs;
• pets without a special permit.

It is not allowed to export:

• birds’ feathers, seashells, and corals;
• rare animals and plants;
• goods made from wood or animals’ bones and skins;
• fruits, vegetables, and seeds without permission of the authorities.

Cuisine

The local cuisine is based on the Polynesian cuisine with a British and Australian twist. The foodies will be delighted by a great variety of dishes from exotic seafood. The local people also use grains, vegetables and fruits.

Do not miss a chance to treat yourself to a pie with small snails Hihi pai, Australian tuna and shrimps, lobsters, crawfish, and fish cooked according to traditional recipes.

Try baked sweet potatoes Pilhai, dumplings from bananas Mudda, and a local version of potato pies.

For a first course, order carrot and honey soup the recipe of which was borrowed from the Australians.

The main dessert on the island is bananas, citrus fruits and sweets made from them. Common European puddings and fruit pies are also popular here. A meal is usually served with bottled water, fresh juices, coffee or tea.

People do not produce alcoholic beverages on the island, but anyone can try tequila, rum, and whiskey imported from Australia or New Zealand.

Money

The official currency on the Norfolk Island is the Australian Dollar (AUD) equal to 100 cents. He Reserve bank of Australia issues the banknotes from 5 to 100 dollars, 1 and 2 dollar coins and coins from 5 to 50 cents.

The tourists can exchange the currency in special exchange offices and at large banks in Kingston, Cascade or Burnt Pine. It is not always possible to exchange the currency outside big cities. To avoid additional costs, we recommend exchanging the currency beforehand in Australia.

One can withdraw the money from the card using the Commonwealth bank ATMs or at the banks in major cities of the Norfolk Island. Cashless payment is accepted only in the world-class facilities.

The traveller’s checks are accepted in many places.

The Island is in a tax-free zone. The tourists can purchase goods in over than 70 duty-free shops. Be aware that you must have a return ticket and a passport.

Details of interest

Sightseeing in the Norfolk Island

The tourists should visit the Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area. These are the Australian Convict Sites and these places are under UNESCO protection. In the southern part of the Norfolk island, there are historical objects of the 18th - 19th centuries surrounded by the hills. Here you will also see a former prison and some other buildings. Today this is a monument demonstrating a large-scale deportation of the British criminals and showing that these people were used as a free labour force. The tourists can feel the atmosphere of the colonial period, learn more about the revolts of the convicts, and listen to the legends about the ghosts.

To enjoy the nature, visit the Norfolk Island National Park on the Mount Pitt district which occupies about 15% of the entire territory and it is about 4.6 square kilometres. There, the tourists can see about 200 different plants 40 of which grow only in these places.

The Ball Bay Reserve is also of a great interest for the tourists. It is located in the south-east of the island. A picturesque view of the ocean opens from this place. In addition to flora and fauna, you will see unusual rocks here.

Close to Kingston, there is the Bumbora reserve. The beaches here are very popular among the surfers. The reserve is known for the Euphorbia (or spurge) which grows here in large amounts. This plant was thought to be extinct. Also, unique Norfolk pines grow here.

Make your holidays useful and visit the All Saints Church in the Commissariat Building. The museum complex was founded in 1835. On its territory, there is a former warehouse for equipment, a grain depot, vaults, and utility places. All the buildings are surrounded by a defensive wall. The exposition of the museum is on the first floor of the main building. The collection consists of archaeological findings of the colonial period.

Visit the Norfolk Island Museum occupying the building of a former warehouse. Among the exhibits are the goods that survived after the shipwreck of the British vessel Sirius.

Souvenirs in the Norfolk Island

• bags and T-shirts;
• magnets, postcards, and photos with the landscapes of the island;
• european jewellery;
• handmade textile;
• woven baskets and wooden figurines.