BThe thought of a honeymoon conjures up images of champagne on the beach, romantic sunset dinners, massages, walks along the surf. Outside the world, we both here. Classic honeymoon destinations such as the Maldives or Bali symbolize this idea.
Little has changed that honeymoon couples like to go to exotic locations. And yet Petra Gollan-Riedel says: “Honeymoons have changed in recent years.” For many, it’s no longer just about relaxing.
Gollan-Riedel works at Honeymoon Travel, a honeymoon tour operator that primarily offers long-haul destinations. According to her observation, most couples now book combination trips, which, in addition to lounging together on the beach, are also about content, adventure and experience.
She gives examples such as the Maldives holiday with a multi-day stopover in Dubai or an additional round trip through Sri Lanka. Or round trips to South Africa, for example on the wine route, or island hopping in the South Pacific or in Hawaii. “Couples are often non-compliant,” says Gollan-Riedel. “Women in particular like to relax on the beach with a book, men often find it rather boring.” Combined trips satisfy both needs.
Are you still looking for inspiration for your honeymoon? We asked various organizers for their recommendations for certain types of couples:
For vacation with adventure
If you like something a little more exotic, consider Jamaica as a honeymoon destination, suggests Steffen Boehnke. He is Head of Product Management Sun & Beach at the largest German tour operator TUI. The Caribbean island has more to offer than just beaches: You can hike to Dunn’s River Falls, for example, which were made famous by the James Bond classic “Dr. No” became famous, swim in natural pools or have fun rafting on bamboo rafts.
If you don’t want to go that far, Crete could be an option. According to Boehnke, the largest Greek island offers many options for hiking, you can visit caves as well as ancient palaces and do off-road tours through the mountains.
According to travel specialist Gollan-Riedel, nature experiences are also very popular. Here she names South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, Bali, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles as recommended travel destinations.
For couples with children
Mauritius is a recommendation for them, says Gollan-Riedel. “The country has a good health system and children often stay in the hotels there for free – then you only have to pay for the kids’ flights.” In general, the people in the country are very child-friendly.
In addition, Mauritius is a year-round destination, which could be an advantage, for example, with a view to holiday periods, to which parents are often bound. “Summer, for example, is the low season there and is therefore attractive in terms of price,” says Gollan-Riedel.
The Munich organizer FTI calls the Dominican Republic an “ideal family destination”. The Caribbean country scores with gently sloping sandy beaches and opportunities for whale watching tours. A visit to the capital Santo Domingo and the Los Tres Ojos National Park with its underground lagoons is also worthwhile.
Sports on honeymoon
The destination of choice here would be for FTI La Réunion. The French overseas department is known as a hiker’s paradise. Here you can go canyoning, rafting, kayaking and diving.
Alltours brings Madeira in the Atlantic into play for sporty and adventurous couples. The reasons are high-quality hotels, a spring-like climate all year round and hikes along the levadas. The artificial watercourses run through the Portuguese island and are one of its trademarks.
TUI product manager Boehnke calls Sharm al-Sheikh in Egypt. The seaside resort on the Red Sea at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula is a diving paradise with colorful coral reefs.
In general, he suggests cruises as an option for sporty couples. The range of sports on TUI’s own “Mein Schiff” fleet, for example, ranges from fitness studios to relaxation and health courses. Of course, this is not a unique selling point and also applies to other shipping companies – in this respect, a comparison is worthwhile here.
Relaxation is the priority
Here comes the classic. Gollan-Riedel says there is hardly a better destination than the Maldives for couples looking to relax. “Nothing happens. The daily routine consists of eating, bathing, diving, sleeping, it doesn’t get any better than that when it comes to romantic togetherness.”
According to Boehnke, if you are looking for fine beaches, you can also consider the Riviera Maya on the Caribbean coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. There are also alternatives to a pure beach holiday, for example you can visit the Mayan site of Tulum by the sea.
Save with bridal discount
Good to know: The wedding can pay off when it comes to the costs – so you should definitely state when booking that you are booking a honeymoon. Some hotels offer up to 100 percent bridal discount for the room or the villa, says Gollan-Riedel. “Then the prices will be halved.”
The prerequisite is usually that you can show a copy of the marriage certificate and that the wedding ceremony was not too long ago. According to the expert, you should have married no more than a year beforehand. In some cases, the period for these discounts is half a year, depending on the destination and hotel. In addition, there are often discounts on excursions, dinner or massages as well as welcome gifts in the room.
Several of the requested organizers emphasize Mauritius in particular when it comes to such honeymoon offers.