A couple’s honeymoon is a beautiful, unique, amazing experience you will always remember! That’s why it’s important to select a perfect destination and the traveling style that fits you the most. Everyone has his own expectations, desires, and preferences and it’s important not to listen to anyone or anything except your partner and your heart! We’re here to help you find your perfect honeymoon traveling style! 😉
TYPES OF TRAVEL
Technically speaking there are lots of different types of travel:
• They can be divided by types of transportation: long-distance hiking, bike touring, road tripping, hitchhiking, rail-tripping, flying directly to one place and back, flying to different destinations, cruise shipping etc.
• They also differ according to the price: There is luxury travel or budget travel (backpacking is the most popular form of low-cost travel). Both can include many of previously listed types of transportation.
• There are also different types of lodging, like camping or resorting.
All of the above are usually forms of independent travel. Another option is organized travel. For example, you can hire a tour guide or book a full organized package tour. The latter provides transportation, accommodation, safety, a full program with a packed schedule, in short – a worry-free vacation. Independent travel, on the other hand, allows more freedom, which can sometimes be less comfortable, but a lot more rewarding. 😉
KINDS OF HONEYMOON
1. Relaxing in all-inclusive beach resorts
This is the typical, most obvious honeymoon option. It usually involves luxurious accommodation (e.g. private villas or overwater bungalows), crystal clear waters, romantic settings, peaceful nature, recreational activities, fancy dinners, exotic spa treatments and optional guided excursions. You might pay a lot, but you will be treated like royalty. You won’t have to worry about anything. You’ll just relax and go with the flow. This is a romantic, comfortable, worry-free option, for many couples the perfect way to spend their honeymoon. But for people who thirst for adventures or sightseeing, it may be too static. It’s not that you cannot exit the resort, but you simply don’t want to miss out on the next relaxing activity they have planned for you. It often lacks exploring, which makes it difficult to feel your destination’s true spirit.
If you are craving for the typical dream beach honeymoon (no matter if you’ll be staying at a resort, a hotel, a youth hostel or a simple camp) these are some of the most popular destinations: Hawaii, Maldives, Indonesia (Bali), Fiji, French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora), Cook islands, Zanzibar, Seychelles, Greece (e.g. Santorini), Mexico, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Aruba, Jamaica and Dominican Republic are just a few of the most popular beach resort destinations.
There are thousands of all-inclusive resorts and since we’re no experts in beach resorts (yet), you should probably Google them by destination (e.g. ‘best honeymoon resorts in Bali’) or search for the hottest one at the moment. If you have trouble deciding, your best bet would probably be to check out TripAdvisor’s Top 25 All-Inclusive Resorts – World choice.
2. Mixing relaxation and sports at all-inclusive ski resorts
Spending days on snowy mountains and evenings in saunas and hot tubs can truly be miraculous. If you add a nice hotel room, delicious meals, and other spa treatments, you get a true winter fairytale. Only a few things can be more romantic than watching snowy landscape from a warm room filled with candles, and since we’re looking for a perfect honeymoon style, for all the winter lovers out there this may be the answer.
You have countless possibilities, but one of the most popular ski resorts can be found in France, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Japan, and the USA.
3. Exploring the beauty of culture and history
Imagine a stroll down a narrow paved alley filled with local artists. You are holding your partner’s hand and watching some beautiful old buildings. There are plenty of cute little cafes and the streets are soaked with music. And there it is. One of the most amazing pieces of architecture you have ever seen, one of the greatest human achievements, one of the wonders of the world. Does it take your breath away? If so, if you LOVE sightseeing, you may want to consider a cultural honeymoon experience. Maybe in one of the beautiful old European cities (as depicted above) or somewhere more exotic.
You have countless possibilities: France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Egypt, India, Jordan, and China, just to name a few. Or maybe your ideal cultural honeymoon could take place in a more modern, exciting city, like New York, San Francisco, Sidney, Hong Kong, Dubai, Tokyo or Toronto.
Either way, you can visit theaters, museums, operas, and clubs, explore top attractions, countless restaurants and simply feel the spirit of an amazing new place.
4. The ultimate culinary experience
We all have to eat and we all enjoy it to some extent, especially when we’re really hungry. But some enjoy food a lot more than others. For some people eating is the absolute highlight of their day. Some of us love food above all else and for them, there is nothing more exciting than tasting new, unknown flavors. If you are one of them – if you are a true gourmand, culinary tourism might be the answer for you.
Some of the most popular cuisines in the world are Italian, Mexican, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, French and Indian. It can also be any other cuisine, it depends on what you are looking for. If you are a big chocolate lover, for example, your safest bet would be Switzerland, Belgium or some parts of the United States. Wine lovers would have the time of their lives in France, Italy, Spain, California (USA) or Argentina. Pretty cool destinations, huh? And you can always use the time in between meals to do some sightseeing.
If you are craving for the ultimate culinary experience, you should go and spoil your taste buds.
5. Just the two of you … lost in the wilderness
Human creations can be amazing. Just think about the Egyptian Pyramids, the Colosseum, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, Chichen Itza, Machu Picchu, the Empire State building or the Sydney Opera House. But in our opinion nature’s wonders can be even more breathtaking. Imagine witnessing the greatness of Niagara or Iguazu falls, discovering the exotic beauty of the Amazon rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef, the Grand Canyon, the Sahara desert, visiting an African safari, climbing Kilimanjaro or any magnificent mountain, enjoying on a tropical island all by yourself or experiencing the magic of polar lights.
If you love exploring nature and all its wonderful sights, you should get lost in the wilderness. There are lots of ways to do that. You can stay in a city or a smaller town near the place you wish to visit and simply go on organized daily trips, or have the ultimate camping outdoors experience. Either way, you should always remember to be responsible travelers, to conserve the environment without harming the wildlife or disrupting the ecosystem.
6. Passion for adventures and craving for an active vacation
Lying on a beautiful beach or endless sightseeing is some people’s dream. But for others, it may seem just a tad boring. If you are an active, restless, adventurous couple and if you want to spice things up with sports and adrenaline, you should consider an adventurous honeymoon.
You can find adventures literally anywhere. There are countless possibilities – you can do whatever excites you. It can be surfing, biking, zip-lining, skating, rock or mountain climbing, sailing, skiing, ice skating or maybe paragliding. You can go snorkeling in the Caribbean, diving in the Great Barrier Reef, hiking to Machu Picchu, horseback riding on a sandy beach, mountain climbing to Nepal, dancing tango to Buenos Aires, canoeing on a lake somewhere in the Alps, rafting down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, bungee jumping from the tallest building in Las Vegas, swimming with dolphins or sharks or simply go on a safari in African savannah. This kind of honeymoon isn’t just exciting and a lot of fun, it is also healthy since it may help you beat stress and lose the few extra pounds you may have gained before the wedding. 😉
7. Theme park honeymoon
If you are theme park enthusiasts or huge movie fans, let us introduce you to the increasingly popular option of a theme park honeymoon.
There are hundreds of excellent theme parks all over the world. There is Hong Kong’s Ocean Park, USA’s Universal Studios, Spain’s Port Ventura, USA’s Hershey’s Park or any Disneyland or Disneyworld, just to mention the few most popular ones. Packages usually include quite luxurious accommodation, different dining options, and park passes, which offer great adventures, exciting rides, and cool shows. Sometimes they also include spa treatments, tickets for special events or even joint theme park – cruise ship deals and always a lot of fun. This might be the fairy tale honeymoon you have always dreamed of.
8. Traveling with a purpose
Maybe you and your partner wish to combine your honeymoon and a health, business, educational, volunteer, religious or spiritual trip you were also planning.
Maybe you want to find peace among the Amazon tribes, practice yoga in India or learn about Buddhism in Cambodia, visit a rehabilitation center in Europe, learn surfing in Australia, seal a deal in the United States or in China, master the art of Mexican cuisine, teach underprivileged African children English, or simply visit a special event, like the Rio carnival or the Olympic Games. If you have similar passions, you should check out your options on the internet.
Special reasons, agendas, and events may enrich your honeymoon, you just have to make sure that you are both fully on board. But we do urge you not to lose focus. A couple’s honeymoon is a once in lifetime experience and as such having a great time with your partner should remain your top priority.
9. Mix it up and create your own unique kind of honeymoon
If you like more than just one of the earlier mentioned honeymoon styles, you should do exactly what we did: mix two, three or more of the mentioned scenarios up and make your dreams come true. Trust us – by including different kinds of thrills you can get pure perfection. And the cool thing is that finding the right destination for a mixed honeymoon isn’t difficult at all! Literally every country in the world can offer you lots of different pleasures. We still have to advise you against visiting war zones – you will sure get your share of adrenaline and excitement, but definitely not the kind you’re looking for.
Like we said, the list of possible mixed honeymoon destinations is endless, but here are a few ideas.
• Mexico is a very popular culinary destination and its beauty is simply breathtaking: you can find amazing wilderness, different kinds of adventures, a very special strong culture, millions of friendly people, plus – some of the most beautiful beach resorts in the world!
• In Europe, Italy is probably the most visited honeymoon destination – and with a reason! Italy has literally the full package! It has remarkable culture, history, delicious cuisine, amazing nature, luxurious all-inclusive beach resort, idyllic ski resorts in the Alps, theme parks and plenty of room for different kinds of adventures! Besides, Italy is considered as one of the most romantic countries in the world.
• Thailand offers you beautiful beaches, wonderful wilderness, endless adventures, all sorts of tasty dishes and a very rich exotic tradition. In case you are more into Asian culture, Thailand may be the answer. Besides, a honeymoon in Thailand is a lot cheaper than in any of the Western countries.
• Caught between the Atlantic Ocean and Sahara desert, Morocco is one of the most appealing African honeymoon destinations. It has nice beaches, a unique natural environment, which offers hundreds of different adventures, interesting cuisine, and a remarkable old culture.
Other interesting mixed experience honeymoon destinations include:
- France, Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Norway, Slovenia, Croatia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Greece, Turkey,
- Egypt, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Kenya, Madagascar,
- USA (e.g. California, Florida, Arizona), Canada,
- Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Belize, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina,
- United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai), Sri Lanka, Myanmar, India, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam,
- Australia.
It is totally up to you if you want to choose an organized package tour or you want to travel independently. If so, you have to decide on the distance you want to travel and how you want to do that.
Option no. 1: The most comfortable way to explore a country is definitely by renting a car (if the distances between the places you wish to visit are too big you can skip them by taking a plane). This way you can have a fun road trip!
Option no. 2: Instead of paying a lot of money for renting a car you can take public transportation (a bus or a train) and be cool backpacking honeymooners.
We advise you to decide based on your personal preferences and the estimated expenses, which you should calculate before hitting the road.
10. Cruise ship – a very special kind of mixed honeymoon
Cruise ship vacation – always a pleasure! For us, it was love at first sight. It is a lot like an all-inclusive resort, only a lot more dynamic and fun. A cruise ship is basically a fancy hotel with unlimited and delicious culinary assortment, recreational and spa facilities and endless entertainment options (theater, cinema, disco, casino, poolside shows, concerts and other interesting events). You can actually find almost everything you need for a great honeymoon without ever leaving the ship. But the best part is that this great resort also takes you to different, beautiful and exciting destinations. There you can take organized tours, explore the island/city/country by yourselves or simply relax on a perfect beach.
Everything is very well organized, your belongings are safely stored in your room traveling along with you and the friendly staff always makes sure you get all the necessary information, so basically you can relax and let the cruise ship vacation do its magic. Plus, there is another upside to the cruise ship honeymoon – it can be surprisingly cheap!
Note:
– There are entertainment, culture, fitness, party or family-oriented cruise ships, so make sure you pick the right kind.
– If you are extremely sensitive to motion sickness, a cruise ship (or a ship of any kind) may be a bad idea.
– In the case of bad weather (and wavy waters) make sure to take motion sickness medicine at least 30-60 minutes before boarding.
Other than that, feel free to cast all your worries aside – a cruise ship is definitely one of the most comfortable ways of travel and it is a very popular kind of honeymoon.
