You Can Take a Catamaran to This Private Island Resort by Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
If visiting the Great Barrier Reef is on your bucket list, you might as well do it in style. And nothing is more stylish than a stay on the reef’s closest private island, home to a luxury resort that’s only accessible by catamaran, helicopter, or seaplane.
After a $136-million AUS ($95 million USD) renovation, Australia’s Hayman Island Resort by InterContinental has reopened, debuting a new look and forward-thinking focus.
The property, which was hit by Cyclone Debbie in 2017, has retained its perfectly appointed location on the island’s Whitsunday Coast, but delivers a modern look and a strong ecological focus.
There’s an island-wide ban on single-use plastics, so guests at Hayman Island Resort are given a complimentary reusable water bottle at check-in that they can refill at the resort’s refill stations. Reef-safe sunscreen is supplied and a new glass-to-sand crusher lets the property turn glass bottles into sand to use in the island’s gardens.
In addition, each of the resort’s 166 rooms, suites, and villas rely on state-of-the-art in-room technology that conserves and maximizes energy.
Each energy-efficient living space, which boasts beach-front, lagoon, or pool-front views, are complemented by the property’s tropical gardens, pools, restaurants, and spa.
When you’re done exploring the resort, the ocean and the island’s rugged coast await. The island’s prime Great Barrier Reef location boasts kayaking, jet skiing, private charters, and diving excursions.
