Off the coast of Central Queensland in Australia, the Cumberland Islands are a chain of beautiful islands and islets that stretch miles through the Pacific. Cumberland is part of the large Whitsunday Island chain, and its crown jewel is undoubtedly Hayman Island, home to the Hayman resort.

First built in the 1950s by Reg Ansett, Hayman Resort is the quintessential tourist attraction of the chain and of the 400 hectares of Hayman Island, the resort's buildings and activity areas covers nearly everything but the beautiful beaches.

Of course, the actual resort isn't that large, but after factoring in the various tour zones, different retail stores, golf courses and other sporting zones, the entire Hayman Island seems to be one giant resort. The location of the island itself is near perfection. When Ansett set out to choose his location for building a resort, he had carte blanche to choose any island in the Whitsunday chain. He ultimately settled on Hayman.

Today's resort is far removed from anything Asnett could have imagined. The island is home to a new $300m development, featuring pink marble imported from Italy, beautiful artwork, pools, lounges, and hotel suites that rival any in the world. All told, there are 212 luxurious rooms offered at the Hayman resort, and even beach villas.

There's a lagoon built onto the resort to give it a nature-made appearance and from the various private terraces and balconies of the hotel, guests can get a world-class view of the blue Pacific. The resort hotel is comprised of a pool wing, lagoon wing, beachfront wing, retreat wing, and the penthouses.

There are quite a few ways to enjoy a wonderful meal at the Hayman Island resort. For starters, options like La Fontaine, La Trattoria and Azure offer fine cuisine for the many guests. There's also the Beach Pavilion, Hayman Pool Bar, the Club Lounge and even a private dining option if you want to be away from the crowd.

Apart from the rooms and dining experience, the Hayman spa also offers up a great experience for those looking for the ultimate relaxation after a day in the sun. Spa Hayman is a world-class spa, featuring renowned beauty and restoration treatments.

However, even with all the beauty Hayman resort offers its guests, including the hand-and-foot waiting, spa treatments, activities and fine dining, the true reason most people visit this area is to get an up-close-and-personal view of the famous Great Barrier Reef. On the Hayman Island, you have a front-row seat to this beautiful world wonder.

There are countless ways you get a close view of the Reef while at the Hayman resort. Various small cruise and sailing vessels will take you around the perimeter of the reef, and if you'd like, they will drop you off there so you can snorkel, dive or just swim around. You can also take helicopter and seaplane tours of the area, go at night for a unique experience, or you can even reserve the entire day and take a tour of the outer reef.