A Babymoon in the Whitsundays: When a Travel Ban Becomes a Dream Come True
I never imagined that a strict travel ban would lead to the most relaxing and luxurious babymoon I could have ever dreamed of. But there I was, exhausted from the long and challenging road to motherhood, with my obstetrician enforcing an international travel ban on us. It was a small price to pay for the safe and healthy arrival of our baby girl, but it did mean bidding farewell to my visions of heading somewhere warm and exotic, and babymooning at home. In the middle of winter.
As an avid traveler and someone who had taken a whopping 12.5 million overseas trips in the past year, I was disappointed to be unable to travel internationally. But then, my algorithm served me a video posted by a pregnant Tanya Hennessy, captioned: "POV: You’re pregnant and need to sit and do nothing for a week." The clip showed a luxury oceanside villa, crystal blue water, and a beach that rivalled just about any Maldivian island resort. And it was right here in Australia.
After spending an hour or so trawling TikTok videos of this hidden jewel, I’d booked our flights and locked in a 5-night stay at the InterContinental Hayman Island. By the time we arrived at the end of May, I was even more tired and ready to relax than I had been at the time of booking.
The "take-it-easy" pace of Hayman starts as soon as you boarded the private charter yacht that takes you from Hamilton Island Airport to the five-star resort, about an hour’s boat ride away, with drinks and snacks served as you cruise across the turquoise Coral Sea. When we checked into our Pool Ocean View Suite, there was even a bottle of non-alcoholic bubbles waiting for us along with some sweet treats and a handwritten card that was so heartfelt, my partner James bought it home and it’s currently stuck on our fridge.
The room was absolutely gorgeous, kitted out with a four-poster bed, his and hers sinks and wardrobes, and sprawling balcony with an even better view. For the next five days, our plan was to do precisely nothing. Every morning we’d enjoy a slow wake up, head to the amazing buffet breakfast, and then I’d plonk myself on one of the many different sun lounger spots around the island while James went off on some organized activity he’d signed himself up for the night before.
One morning he went and fed the fish, another afternoon he was gone for three hours on a sand dune tour, he even went stand-up paddle boarding – all while I read my Kindle and sipped on a virgin margarita by the pool. In the afternoons, we’d come together for lunch, and maybe even a nap, and would take in the sunset before getting ready for whatever dinner plans we’d made that night.
One of the things I enjoyed the most about the holiday was the food. After months of not being able to eat normally, my nausea was finally gone, and there were plenty of delicious options on Hayman. We booked a private beach dinner one evening, which saw us being served five delicious courses under the moonlight and stars as the waves lapped just inches away. The evenings on the island were a little chilly, but the restaurant had us covered, lighting a small log fire on the beach to keep us warm.
Another evening, we had an Alfresco dinner at the island’s Italian restaurant, which was held in a private hut in its gardens, completely secluded from any other guest. We literally didn’t see a soul all night except our lovely server. The six-course meal was literal heaven, James and I haven’t stopped talking about the homemade butternut and sage ravioli we ate that night. It was unbelievable.
Of course, I indulged in a 60-minute pregnancy massage one morning too, which really helped alleviate the lower back pain that had started to creep in. Even for the heavily pregnant, Hayman was incredibly easy to get around. At the end of our stay, we were both a lot more rested, and vowed to return one day when we could enjoy a glass of champagne or two (mocktails are great, but there’s nothing quite like sipping on a glass of French liquid gold when you’re in paradise).
Our trip has also reopened our eyes to how wonderful it is to holiday at home, right here in our backyard, as it is so easy to forget how beautiful and vast Australia is. Even when I was doing my TikTok research ahead of the trip, the overwhelming comment I’d see on videos was always: "I can’t believe this is in Australia." There really is so much to see and do here, that not being able to travel internationally for our babymoon turned out to be the biggest blessing in disguise, and we can’t wait to take our little one to as many beloved and forgotten Aussie gems as possible once she’s here.
This writer received a complimentary room upgrade at InterContinental Hayman Island.
