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The World’s Best Honeymoon Destinations
Written by Madeleine Keck
Take the guesswork out of planning a honeymoon with our list of the best places to celebrate.
Congratulations! You’ve said the vows, cut the cake and danced the night away. But the romance doesn’t have to stop there – after all, now you have your honeymoon to look forward to. The world’s packed with dreamy spots, each offering once-in-a-lifetime stays for couples seeking the ultimate escape – here’s our pick of the best.
Thinking of booking a destination wedding with Luxury Escapes? Our Weddings Concierge can help you organise the day if your dreams.
Bali
A honeymoon in Bali promises unbeatable moments for smitten couples, from adventures rafting down the Telaga Waja River and clifftop temple tours to snorkeling in Nusa Penida Bay and bike journeys through Ubud’s iconic Tegalalang Rice Terrace. Combined with an abundance of high-end, luxurious resorts – often boasting world-class spa and wellness facilities – it’s no wonder Bali tops the list of beloved honeymoon destinations.
Adults-only Seascape Resort Sanur in Denpasar is a brand-new eco-conscious resort ideal for loved-up couples. Suites and villas boast terracotta-toned walls, earthy designer interiors and luxurious amenities, with floating breakfasts, romantic dinners, signature cocktails and massages included in select packages. For a truly relaxed escape, Sukhavati Ayurvedic Retreat & Spa Bali invites honeymooners to share a highly personalised and uniquely tailored wellness experience.
Thailand
Koh Samui, Phuket, Phi Phi Islands, Hua Hin — Thailand offers so many stunning destinations that the hardest part of planning a honeymoon in the Land of Smiles is choosing where to go.
In Phuket, you’ll find a rapidly growing fine dining scene. Koh Samui offers tranquil, crystal-clear waters – and plenty of romantic resorts to best allow you to enjoy them – while the Phi Phi Islands boast dramatic cliffs draped in lush greenery and some of the country’s best beaches. In Hua Hin, savour the town’s relaxed charms and breezy seaside atmosphere, all just a few hours south of Bangkok.
For an extra-luxurious stay, check out award-winning Cape Fahn Hotel for a private island escape or Silavadee Pool Spa Resort to enjoy jaw-dropping panoramas of the Gulf of Thailand.
Hawaii
Say aloha to an amazing honeymoon on world-famous shores, filled with joyful dancing, historic tales and delicious cuisine. There are whales to watch, volcanos to hike and helicopters to ride, and with most islands just a short flight away from each other, you can explore much of this majestic archipelago in two weeks.
Excellent surfing and snorkelling can be found on Maui, as can Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, a stylish resort set on an exclusive stretch of pristine Ka’anapali Beach. The island of Kauai is packed with off-the-beaten-track forests and waterfalls for couples to explore. To toast to your love over great cocktails and excellent food, spend some time in Honolulu and dine on poke bowls, earth-oven-cooked fish, coconut Kaua’i prawns and paddock-to-plate mashed ulu, also known as breadfruit, topped with delicious okra.
Fiji
Keen to relax after months of wedding planning by being wrapped in banana leaves and drizzled with warm exotic nut oils? Passed down through generations, you’d be remiss to not include this wellness tradition in your Fiji honeymoon itinerary, alongside white-water rafting, horseback riding and shopping for eco-conscious South Pacific black pearls.
The Pacific Island nation is ideal if you want a flop-and-drop stay. Enjoy the island’s lush surroundings from the comfort of your beachfront bure (a traditional wood-and-straw hut) or toast to your love from a heart-shaped hot hub with a stay at Namale Resort and Spa.
Queensland
Start married life off on the right foot by exploring Queensland’s own honeymooner’s paradise, the Great Barrier Reef. Stay in luxury hotels that overlook this tropical wonderland, where you’ll find pristine white-sand beaches, world-class diving spots and stunning coral cays.
For a touch of cultural enrichment, immerse yourself in the vibrant traditions and stories of the state’s Indigenous Peoples. More adventurous lovebirds can opt to charter a yacht through the Whitsundays, hike through the world’s oldest rainforest or cuddle up with the country’s cutest animals at heritage-listed koala and kangaroo sanctuaries throughout the state.
Maldives
Champagne on arrival, personalised butler service and candlelit beachside dinners for two – many of the world’s best perks come standard with a honeymoon in the Maldives. Beyond picture-perfect beaches and turquoise waters, what makes this archipelago in the Indian Ocean so alluring for lovers is its concentration and variety of luxury resorts – there’s truly something for every kind of couple.
For ultimate romance, stay at Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa on Dhonakulhi Island. Here, guests can charter a yacht, picnic on an unmarked sandbank and dine on heart-shaped cakes in paradise. At SO/ Maldives, art aficionado couples can laze among chic pools at Palm Springs-inspired Lazuli Beach Club before returning to their artisanal, glass-enclosed villas.
Despite its popularity as a honeymoon destination, the Maldives is a naturally private destination, with secluded beachfront villas and overwater villas aplenty – perfect for loved-up newlyweds.
Greece
Honeymooning in the Greek Isles is all about simple, slow living, with the region particularly ideal for couples who love good food and wine. The country’s most cherished islands – Santorini, Crete, Mykonos, Milos, Corfu and Paros – each offer exceptional seafood-centric dining experiences.
With dining prices lower than other European hot spots like France and Italy, couples may be tempted to splurge on accommodation, from boutique bougainvillea-draped hotels to villas nestled between chalky caldera cliffs and olive trees. For stays centered around white-sand beaches and a lively party scene, visit Mykonos. For classic, white-washed villages and romantic dips in hot springs, try Santorini. After crystalline coves and moon-like landscapes? Milos is for you.
Seychelles
Unlike neighbouring Maldives – where stays mostly centre around accommodation – a vacation in the Seychelles is likely to include days spent island-hopping between the country’s 100-plus islands, visiting national parks, hiking alongside giant Aldabra tortoises and engaging with Creole music, dance and art.
Up the romance by supporting a coral fragment together with the Petite Anse Reef Restoration Project, take a couples guided meditation class on a hilltop high above the ocean or feed each other during a Creole cooking class. Still not convinced? The current Prince and Princess of Wales once honeymooned here.
Caribbean
This region – off the northeast coast of South America, southeast of Florida – comprises hundreds of islands and 13 sovereign states, including The Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba and Puerto Rico. While each nation offers something unique, all possess swathes of sunshine and white sandy beaches perfect for a lover’s stroll. From Spanish colonial architecture in Puerto Rico and French customs, culture and language in Guadeloupe, to pink sand beaches in The Bahamas and mojitos in Cuba, the Caribbean has always been a favourite of honeymooners and romantics alike.
Hammock Cove Resort & Spa in Antigua was voted among the Top 25 Hotels for Romance in the Caribbean by Tripadvisor in 2021. With its three-tiered infinity pool, champagne breakfast-in-bed service and dedicated guest ambassador to attend to your every need, it’s easy to understand why.
The same level of care is offered at Six Senses La Sagesse in Grenada. Here, couples can enjoy guided adventures to hidden waterfalls, rum distillery tours, sustainable fishing outings and sailing trips on an authentic Carriacou wooden vessel.
Bora Bora
Flower leis on arrival and petal-adorned king beds: this is the Bora Bora honeymoon way. This French Polynesian oasis is plush with overwater bungalows, private beaches, wildlife-filled lagoons and green hillsides. Formed on a now-extinct volcano, Bora Bora’s teeming with spectacular sights; hike past giant banyan trees or dive in one of the world’s most cherished coral reefs before retiring to a beachside couples’ massage.
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort offers the largest overwater villas in French Polynesia and the South Pacific, showcasing traditional Polynesian architecture, glass panel flooring and direct access to the lagoon. Wherever you stay, embrace the unique experiences Bora Bora has to offer: enjoy breakfast in a canoe, picnic on a motu (a reef islet formed by broken coral and sand) or embark on a snorkelling adventure to feed friendly blacktip and lemon reef sharks.
Africa
A safari in Africa is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that tops many people’s bucket lists, and for adventurous couples it makes for a perfect honeymoon.
Experience the awe of standing in the presence of gentle mountain gorillas during a morning trek in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, or spot Africa’s ‘Big Five’ animals on a private fly-in safari through Botswana’s labyrinth of waterways.
After busy days, return to outdoor bathtubs overlooking the savannah, tipples on rustic wooden decks under the shade of a Baobab tree and all-inclusive private dining under the Milky Way. This is the ultimate, tailor-made honeymoon: add a hot-air balloon ride over the Serengeti grasslands, choose a river-boat cruise or visit deep limestone forges on an epic bike ride.
Mauritius
Couples seeking a fun-filled honeymoon rejoice: it’s impossible to be bored in Mauritius. Explore Chamarel and Rochester Falls in the southwest, then head north for romantic dolphin watching and snorkelling at Balaclava Marine Park and the lively party scene (if that’s what you’re after) in Grand Baie. Visit Trou aux Biches for powdery white sands and turquoise waters and Le Morne for secluded coves and underwater waterfalls.
Honeymooners are best placed at resorts that offer special lovers’ packages, including Trou aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa for intimate dinners, Sugar Beach Mauritius for prestigious spa pampering and Sofitel Mauritius L’Imperial Resort & Spa for exclusive island tours.
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Need more inspiration? Read Brand New Resort Alert: Introducing SO/ Maldives
