Hayman Island is the most northern of all the Whitsunday Islands.  It is located right off the coast of Central Queensland, Australia.  Despite being only 400 hectares, the island is a major tourist attraction in Queensland.

 Hayman is a private island that is open to the public and it is most famous for the luxury resort built on the island by Australian millionaire Reg Ansett.

 In 1947, Ansett acquired the island and by 1950, he opened the Royal Hayman Hotel in anticipation of a royal visit to Australia.

 For this visit, the island received a Royal Charter.  Not long after this visit, Hayman began to earn the reputation as Australia’s finest leisure and honeymoon destination.

 In July 1985 the island embarked on a A$300 million project to turn the island into a, “true luxury lifestyle destination.”

This was a great success and in 1987, the Royal Hayman was invited to join The Leading Hotels of the World.  In 2001, there was another significant renovation in which the island received the majority of its modern five star amenities.  

In June 2004 Mulpha Australia Limited, who had plans for yet further development, purchased the island.  After a number of years of designing and planning, approval was granted on the proposed redevelopment in 2010.

In 2013, One&Only Resorts took over management of the island for Mulpha  Australia Limited.  As of July 1, 2014 the resort is now called One&Only Hayman Island, Great Barrier Reef.      

Accomodation

        The accommodation at One&Only Hayman Island is truly first class.

There were no expenses spared in its redevelopment when it was taken over by One&Only, and it is now the finest Queensland, and arguably Australia, has to offer.

The accommodation at the resort is divided into four categories:

1)   The Hayman Wing:

The Hayman Wing contains the smallest rooms on offer at the resort.  They are beautifully decorated and provide everything one might need to enjoy the natural beauty of the island.

All the rooms have views of either Hayman Beach and the Coral Sea, or the lush, vibrant gardens on the resort.

Each room contains one bedroom, and a comfortable living area, perfect for relaxing and enjoying your holiday.

2)   The Pool Wing:

The Pool Wing is an all-suite wing with each room containing either swim-out access to the iconic Hayman pool, or fantastic views of the Coral Sea.

Each room also comes with its own balcony, perfect for lounging on and enjoying the warm, tropical breeze and the stunning view.

3)   The Beach Wing:

The Beach Wing is a collection of breathtaking private beachside villas.  Each one comes with a fantastic view of the sea, as well as its own private pool.

4)   The Hayman Penthouses: The Penthouses are located on the top floor of the Hayman Wing.  They come with one, two, or three bedrooms and are absolutely beautiful.

 Each one comes with large balconies that offer uninterrupted views of the Coral Sea and Hayman Beach.

No matter what you decide, your accommodation will truly be a five star experience, with beautiful views and easy access tothe pool, the beach, or anything else you might want to do on you holiday.

        As you might expect from a five star resort, the One&Only also offers a few dining options, all of which are of the highest quality.

 Fire, the resort’s signature restaurant, showcases the fine food Australia has to offer.

The restaurant is inspired by a world class culinary team.  The restaurant focuses on grilled items and on seasonal, local produce.  Fire also has an extensive wine list to match the top quality food it produces.

        In addition to Fire, there is the beachfront Pacific Restaurant.  Pacific offers stunning panoramic views of the Whitsundays.

 Pacific is a great place for guests to get a full service breakfast complete with a barista on staff.  It is also a great place to grab lunch or for a more relaxed dining atmosphere.

Dinner guests at Pacific can enjoy the breathtaking sunset over the Whitsundays.

        If you find yourself craving something other than local fare, the resort also offers Amici, a traditional Italian restaurant.

Amici is a high energy and interactive restaurant filled with the wondrous aromas coming from the centrally located hearth oven.

Amici offers an extensive list of handmade pastas, homemade ricotta, pesto, and sauces.  Even the wine list is authentic, containing a variety of Italian wines.  Amici is open for dinner only.

      Providing even more variety to the resort’s culinary offers is Bamboo.

Bamboo serves Pan-Asian cuisine in a sleek space nestled back in a bamboo garden and beside a koi pond.

Bamboo seeks to showcase the finest Australian produce, with an Asian flair.  

Bamboo offers both indoor and outdoor dining, including outdoor teppanyaki tables, perfect for both couples and families looking for a exciting and interactive evening of dining.

        Finally, the One&Only Hayman Island offers Aquazure, located on the beachfront near the family pool.  Aquazure is a casual, all morning to evening eatery that offers a variety of Mediterranean inspired dishes that can be eaten inside, outside, or poolside.  Aquazure also has the ever popular gelato bar.

        If you are just looking for a nice space to enjoy a drink at the end of the day, One&Only also has a couple of options for you.

Named in honor of the year the original Royal Hayman Hotel opened, Bar Fifty offers both indoor and outdoor lounge options from which guests can enjoy the extensive wine list and the locally inspired cocktail menu.

Bar Fifty also has billiards, Shisha, hand rolled cigars, and an impressive list of scotches, cognacs, and champagnes.

        Additionally, there is the more relaxed and casual On the Rocks.  On the Rocks is located poolside, allowing for barefoot access.

At night, On the Rocks offers a live band.  On the Rocks is the perfect place to order a fresh snack that you can enjoy right by the pool at your daybed or cabana.

Hayman Island: What do Do

        The One&Only Hayman Island has no shortage of activities on offer for its guests.  Golfer will enjoy a round at the Dent Island Golf Course.

If you like watersports and diving, there is plenty of that on offer as well.

Located right on the Great Barrier Reef, One&Only Hayman Island is an ideal location fro which to explore the reef, with snorkel and diving equipment available for guests.

The hotel also offers seaplane excursions out over the reef, allowing guests to experience everything it has to offer both from the air, and from below the surface.

If you just want to stay a little “closer to home” the resort boasts two kilometres of white sand beaches and the iconic Hayman Pool, which is seven times the size of an Olympic sized swimming pool.

If none of these options strike your fancy, there is also a gym, and a full service spa, providing a number of excellent treatments.

The resort also offers a kids only area where guest’s children can be supervised and play to their heart’s content while the adults relax and enjoy the other amenities on offer.            

How to Get There – Hayman Island

        Hayman Island does not have its own airport.  However, helicopter transfers are available from the Great Barrier Reef Airport on Hamilton Island.  People interested in arriving by helicopter should call the One & Only Resort to book one of their on site helicopters.

Additionally, seaplane transfers are also available and are quite an easy way to get the Hayman.

These can be booked either through One & Only or through Air Whitsunday.  Finally, One & Only Hayman Island offers a luxury yacht transfer from the Great Barrier Reef Airport to the island.

The yacht transfers allow visitors to enjoy refreshments and the natural beauty of the Whitsundays as they cruise to the island.

 Visitors can also check in on board the boat to make their arrival to the island resort as smooth as possible.  Make sure to book yacht transfers prior to your arrival.

        No matter how you plane to travel to the island, the easiest way is to travel through the Great Barrier Reef Airport.

There are several international flights that will connect to the Great Barrier Reef Airport through Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Likewise, the airport can accommodate private planes as large as a Boeing 737 or an Airbus A320.  From there, visitors can make connections to Hayman island via helicopter, sea plane, or yacht.

        Simply put, Hayman Island is exclusivity and luxury at its finest.  There have been no expenses spared in creating this world class resort.  

 Due to the impact of Tropical Cyclone Debbie, Hayman Island is temporarily closed