Hayman Island Resort | Ultimate Guide to the Exclusive Intercontinental Resort
By Ellen – (Updated Jan 23)
⏱ 9 min
A slice of paradise in the Whitsundays awaits you on Hayman Island resort. Hayman Island is the northernmost island of the Whitsundays, in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. It is a place where you are immersed in natural beauty and tranquility in a lush tropical setting. With only 400 hectares of land and one 168-room resort, this private island on the Coral Sea fills you with a sense of seclusion and exclusivity.
What makes Hayman Island and the InterContinental Resort special? To name a few, the stunning location, the outstanding hospitality you receive from the moment you board their transfer to the island, and the range of activities available. I would sum up the stay there as an unforgettable experience.
Roberto and I had been constantly “on” during our epic 5-weeks Sydney to Cairns road trip. We were always planning the next hike, the next town, the next place to sleep, driving, or exerting energy on activities. We went to Hayman to disconnect. The island resort provides a seamless experience where you can totally unwind. This blog post recounts our experience and ideas for readers looking to visit the island.
Table of Contents
Brief Background of Hayman Island
The island resort has more than 70-years of history and has seen several owners. It was one of Australia’s first internationally-recognized resorts. Closed for some time due to COVID-19, it has now been welcoming back visitors since September 2020.
Hayman Island was devastated in 2017 when a category 4 cyclone ripped through the Whitsundays. It was the strongest tropical cyclone to hit Queensland since 2015 and was the costliest tropical cyclone in all of Australia since 2011. Since then, an estimated $135 million AUD has been spent on refurbishing the luxury 168-room resort.
Is Hayman Island worth the cost?
A lot of articles boast about the luxury and private experiences on Hayman Island. In my opinion, such articles make it seem like a stay here is out-of-reach for most people. Even on Queensland’s official website, they boast the private sunset experiences, the spa (with expensive treatments), a VIP beach house, and a “Hamptons style” boutique where men’s swimwear can cost you upwards of $200, as main reasons to visit the island. Those were not the things that drew us to the island, and we didn’t spend money on any of those things.
With only one of us working (in the IT consulting industry) this year, we were able to afford and thoroughly enjoy a 2-night stay in the middle of our road trip. You don’t need to indulge in all of the private activities to get the most out of your experience here. I won’t lie – it is an expensive place to stay, but if you budget and choose wisely how to spend your time and money once you’re there, you can enjoy a taste of this paradise. I know it may not be realistic for many people to travel all the way to the Whitsundays for 2-nights on an island. For us, it was a perfect break in our road trip.
How to get to Hayman Island Resort
There are a couple of different ways to get to Hayman Island. First, you need to make your way to the Whitsundays. If you need to fly there, you can fly into Hamilton Island, Proserpine, or Mackay airports.
The transfers to Hayman Island are booked through the hotel. Transfers depart from Airlie Beach or Hamilton Island.
Hayman Island Boat Transfer
We took the boat transfer (or as they call it, the Luxury Launch) from the Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach. If you have a vehicle like us, you can park it in the Coral Sea Marina parking lot overnight. It isn’t a secure carpark but they do have staff monitoring it at night.
The transfer to the island takes 40 minutes and the staff brings you refreshments and snacks to enjoy along the way. Take in the views of the gorgeous blue waters and landscape of the Whitsundays.
Hayman Island Helicopter Transfer
The InterContinental resort also has a helipad for helicopters to land on the island. For a more expensive way to get to the island, you can go by air. The views of the Whitsundays and the Coral Sea by air are stunning.
Upon arrival at the island, the InterContinental Resort team greets guests, ready to welcome them to paradise. Baggage is left with the staff – they’ll take it to the room! You jump into a golf cart, and they whisk you off to your island destination.
Your oasis on Hayman Island
The InterContinental Resort layout is well done. The dining and main beach are at the center of the resort and the 168-rooms are dispersed across 3 wings of the resort: Beach, Pool, Lagoon. There are several room types ranging from standard, suites, poolside or beachfront villas, and retreat rooms.
- Beach and Lagoon rooms give you access or views to the beautiful Coral Sea. There are also a handful of beachfront villas, which are adults only.
- The Pool Wing rooms overlook, or have direct access to the iconic Hayman Pool. This dazzling pool is seven times the size of an Olympic swimming pool.
We stayed in one of the 16 Retreat Rooms, which is located in the Beach Wing of the resort. The Retreat Rooms are tucked away, providing a sense of seclusion. Each room has an open space design, with an internal and outdoor shower and private courtyard. After sleeping so many nights in the campervan, you can imagine how well we slept here!
Side Note: We love that the resort has introduced a ban on single-use plastics. Upon arrival to your room, you will find complimentary reusable water bottle(s) that can be refilled at filtered water stations around the resort. There is also a ‘HAYMAN’ beach tote for you, which you’ll see guests using around the resort. These are yours to keep! Of course, we took these home with us as tokens of mementos.
What to do on Hayman Island – Our Activity Picks
The resort has an entirely separate team dedicated to activities. The team members are passionate about what they do every day, getting to help guests explore and enjoy all that Hayman Island Resort has to offer. If you have any doubts about making the plans yourself, you can head to the Activities Lounge for assistance. The staff is genuine, warm, and ready to help – we found this true of all the staff at the resort.
Hiking on Hayman Island Resort
There is a 7.8 km hiking trail that span across the island. You can do the whole hike, or part of it alone or as guided hikes with a team member from Activities.
Sunset Hike (complimentary and guided): This is a popular one among resort guests. Shoutout to Loche, who was the guide on our hike. He was knowledgeable about the landscape and wildlife, and an all-around nice person. Lookout for Proserpine Wallaby on your hike! Along the hike to the sunset viewpoint, you get impressionable views of the vast blue sea and the surrounding islands like Langford and Bali Hai. We enjoyed the sunset with a couple of beers.
Blue Pearl Bay Hike: We did this 5.4 km return hike on our own. It takes you to Blue Pearl Bay Beach 1 (there are two, the second is not accessible by land). We recommend doing it early in the morning as there is little-to-no shade along the hike and at the beach. We started the hike at 9:30 a.m., and even that felt late as we were beaten by the sun on our way back. It takes about 45 minutes to reach the beach, and it is a 45-minute return. There are stunning views throughout the hike, and the water is just spectacular.
Dive in on a Snorkel Escapade
There are a number of water activities you can arrange. Some, like the snorkel escapades, come at an extra cost. We did a snorkel escapade to Blue Pearl Bay beach 2 (only accessible by boat) for $90 per person. The resort team provides you with any gear you need, including a stinger suit for stinger season, and drops you off at the beach for 2 hours (if you want to go back early, you can).
We originally wanted to go to Langford Island but unfortunately, the wind conditions wouldn’t allow us to. Blue Pearl Bay is sheltered and calm, so we went there instead and it didn’t disappoint. There are tons of coral bommies in beach 2, which makes it the perfect place to see colorful fish.
Relax at the iconic Hayman pool
The Hayman Island pool is a sight to see. It’s huge so there is plenty of room to spread out. We loved spending some time relaxing in the pool. The AQUA pool bar/restaurant is conveniently located in the middle, and staff is constantly walking around checking if you need anything. If you want to get a bit of privacy, you can rent out a private poolside cabana.
Lounge on the beaches on Hayman Island Resort
You’re on a tropical island – of course, a free activity you should indulge in is relaxing at the beach! The larger main beach is on the lagoon. Sunbathe, read, relax, or step into the tranquil waters of the Coral Sea. Adjacent to the Hayman Island pool, there is a small adults-only beach called Coconut Grove Beach. It’s smaller with a handful of beach beds, but a nice quiet escape if you do not want to be around families with children.
Get a workout in at the fitness center
We are frequent gym-goers and were without a gym most of our 5-week road trip, so we definitely took advantage of the resort’s fitness center. It is clean and spacious with enough equipment for a good morning workout to start the day.
Additional Activities on Hayman Island
There’s really a lot of activities to choose from! Besides our picks, see below for a few more ideas on how to spend your time (and in some cases, your money) on the island.
- Free use of kayaks and SUPs, or hire a guide for a tour
- Helicopter tour around the Whitsundays
- Visit the spa for an array of spa treatments
- Explore low tide with or without a guide – we were shocked at how low the tide gets around the island!
- Participate in scheduled fitness activities such as yoga
- Take private snorkel lessons
- Kids club for families with kids
Dining on Hayman Island
The resort provides 5 distinct restaurant and bars to choose from.
Pacific Restaurant
Described as modern Australian dining, this is open for breakfast and dinner. Start your day with a satisfying breakfast with ocean views, which is included in your stay. You’ll be sure to find something that whets your appetite among the massive spread of food. Roberto has said that it is the most impressive breakfast he has ever seen at a hotel or resort, and I agree.
You can find your typical English-breakfast options (eggs, mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, beans, and hashbrowns) as well as a variety of breads, pastries, fruits, and a build-your-own eggs benedict station. If that isn’t enough, you can ask the chef to make an omelet with the toppings of your choice. Don’t forget to order your coffee! You can order anything from a long black, to a latte with almond milk, at no extra cost.
AQUA
AQUA is your pool-side spot for food and drinks. You can find salad, seafood, and sandwiches on their menu for lunch. Order a refreshing beverage (maybe a margarita or a non-alcoholic bevvy) and enjoy chilling out by the pool.
Bam Bam
Bam Bam is described as pan-Asian cuisine and is open for lunch and dinner. There’s a variety of Asian inspired dishes to tantalize your tastebuds. We over-ordered when we ate dinner there. After three starters and two main dishes, a large side of rice, we were stuffed.
Amici Trattoria
Amici is the island’s Italian and Mediterranean influenced cuisine. We both indulged in delicious, rich, pasta dishes during our dinner there. If you’re not in the mood for pasta, try their wood fired pizzas, and don’t forget to sample some of their carefully selected Italian vino!
The Grove
The Grove is the “Hamptons style” boutique and café at the resort. The opening hours were slightly odd when we were there (10am – 12pm and 2pm – 4pm). Aside from buying (expensive) souvenirs there, you can pick up café style food (sandwiches and wraps), a coffee, and other snacks.
Wrapping up…
We’ve covered how to get to Hayman Island, is it worth it, what to do, and what to eat! Have we enticed you to consider Hayman Island Resort for your next holiday destination? Leave us a comment or any questions you may have about traveling there! It was an unforgettable experience for us and we hope others can also enjoy this slice of paradise.
Further Reading…
Curious about the other places we stopped at on our epic 5-weeks Sydney to Cairns road trip? Check out some of the posts below…. and enjoy as much as we did!