Category Archives: Honeymoons

Unusual Honeymoon Destinations

Honeymoons are so often the part of a wedding that a couple look forward to the most. After months of stressful planning and organising, finally there’s a chance to getaway and spend some carefree time together, away from everyone else. More often than not, the honeymoon is also the biggest holiday a couple will take together, so finding the right destination is paramount.

If following in the footsteps of countless other newlyweds doesn’t float your boat, then listen up! We’ve put together a few of our most unusual honeymoon destinations and activities for you; from deserted island escapes to wilderness and adventures, there’s an original edge to each of these trips…

Pine forest wilderness in Sweden
Escape wedding stresses and the hustle and bustle of everyday life on a honeymoon to Sweden. Here the countryside is vast and wild, covered in pine forests, and broken by lakes and colourfully painted wooden houses. Peace and quiet is easy to find, and spending time so close to nature is what Sweden is all about. One of the best places to discover this has to be the Treehotel, in the North of Sweden. Situated so far north that summer months enjoy the midnight sun and wintertime brings lots of snow and the Northern Lights, the Treehotel is an exceptionally unusual type of hotel. Accommodations are, quite literally, tree houses, each totally unique in design, ranging from the UFO, to the Mirror Cube. Activities range with the seasons, but there’s always plenty to do outside making the most of the nature.


Dhow safari in Mozambique
The Mozambique coastline is well known for its natural beauty; long swathes of white sand beaches and beautiful turquoise sea, all with a laidback atmosphere. While admiring this from the beach is enough for some, there are far more fun ways of exploring the area. Sailing and kayaking private tours are available, guiding you and your new spouse around the islands off the northern Mozambique coast. Navigate between some of the country’s most remote islands which are accessible only by boat in traditional dhow sailing boats and kayaks. Once on a deserted island you can explore on land or water; discovering what’s on the island or snorkelling and diving the stunning waters and unexplored reefs.


Trekking in Bhutan
If you fancy something totally different, an immersion in to a new culture and are up for an adventure, look no further than Bhutan. Nestled between Tibet and India in the eastern Himalayas, Bhutan remains largely unchanged, rich in Buddhist culture and traditional lifestyle. The landscapes here are absolutely spectacular; soaring mountain ranges, flower covered meadows in the lower foothills, rivers, streams, waterfalls, and traditional architecture throughout. There are so many activities for you and your loved one to try; from archery using traditional bamboo bows to trekking, mountain-biking along 12,000 ft mountain passes to white-water rafting. One thing’s for sure; you won’t be bored in Bhutan!


Explore Oman’s wadis
If you like the idea of combining a beach flop, luxurious accommodation, stunning surroundings, and adventure on your honeymoon, then Oman is it! The Muscat coast has over one thousand miles of untouched pure white sand beaches, and dolphins swimming in the clear sea. Snorkelling, sailing, and diving are available here, and the shoreline hotels offer immaculate luxury accommodation. Away from the seashore, the land is mainly mountains and deserts, which can be explored on a private 4×4 safari with a knowledgeable guide. The country is also known for its dramatic wadis; deep valleys or gorges, ideal for climbing and abseiling. Sleeping out under the stars and desert driving is possible in the dune areas of the desert too.

Original Travel, who wrote this post specialise in tailor-made holidays. For further information or to ask about your honeymoon, please visit the website. I especially like the look of the Tree Hotel in Sweden – that photo is amazing!

Bom Bom Island - restaurant

Sao Tome and Principe – you heard it here first!

Leading honeymoon expert, Rachel Hambro, talks to me about why Sao Tome and Principe is her new favourite honeymoon destination. (I have to say that photo below looks absolutely amazing)
Bom Bom Island - restaurant
“….Because no-one has really caught on yet, so it’s totally original, with a perfect mix of both culture and exquisite beach.
It’s just off the coast of Gabon on the West cost of Africa. You do have to choose your dates carefully as the flights don’t leave every day.”
Sao Tome and Principe
“There are a plenty of activities from visiting the old chocolate and coffee plantations, learning how chocolate is made and watching a demonstration from one of the countries leading chocolate exporters on Sao Tome. On Principe there is great scuba diving, deep sea fishing, whale watching, exploring the jungles in the south of the island or just stay at the hotel and enjoying a romantic beach picnic… On Principe you are guaranteed to get away from the crowds with stretches of deserted beaches so you can grab some well deserved time to yourselves.”
Sao Tome and Principe
“Sao Tome and Principe is for those honeymooners looking for a bit of adventure as well as time to relax. You wont find the huge hotels with a hundred miles of buffet, but you will get a very personalised service, treated to the most delicious food, freshly caught that day, and cooked especially for you over a bbq whilst you listen to the waves lapping against the shore. Some evenings the locals will come and perform, singing traditional dances and songs for you. There’s a new eco friendly hotel in development where each guest will have their own natural rock pool in the rainforest… aahhh.
So if you want some a little different, something original where your friends haven’t been, some culture, but also stretches of deserted beach and scrumtious food just for you – Sao Tome might well fit the bill.”

I wish I had known about Original Travel when I was getting married. I ended up organising our honeymoon myself (to save money so I thought) and we ended up swapping hotels half way through! Still we had a brilliant time and there is always time for another one when we’re older!! If you’re looking for some help in organising an incredible honeymoon then check out Original Travel – they’re an award winning travel specialist who will definitely be able to help you with that something special. What do you think about this destination and are where have you planned to go on your honeymoon?

Going against the Honeymoon grain!

A great friend of mine has just started working at Original Travel and was telling me about some of the amazing honeymoons that they organize. I asked her if I could feature a selection on LMW as I’ve only had one honeymoon so I’m lacking a bit of inspiration in that department!
Nepal Mountains and Lake
“Nepal and Oman for a honeymoon? I wasn’t sure about it myself, which is why I didn’t tell my wife until we got to Delhi airport for the onward transfer. There was not that much beach action, and a lot of hills and culture, so it was a gamble.

Thankfully it paid off. While you always need an initial two days to sleep (I think we did a 20 hour stretch to kick off) after that we were looking for adventure rather than sandy toes, and got both. Nepal was stunning and so different: camping in the foothills of the Himalayas with a team of jolly porters and charming guide, the luxury was not in the gold taps, but in the drams of whisky we had as we climbed into our tent at 9.30, or the freshly prepared Momos every evening.

The second leg was hotter, and more rugged yet. We hired a 4×4 in Muscat (Oman) and headed to the Wadis (Arabic term for valley, or dried out riverbed) for swimming in pools, climbing steep hills and camping out under the stars. We either cooked our own food, or headed to the nearest village (most of the time…) and the area was dotted with ruined castles and small markets, mainly selling ancient guns, or sheep – tourism hasn’t hit this area, which suited us perfectly.
Oman Hotel Pool
To finish it all off we needed a little bit of luxury, and where better than the Chedi, one of the top hotels in the Gulf region – long breakfasts, the day lounging in the pool and cocktails before dinner. In retrospect I wouldn’t have done it any other way.”

Al Poulain, Co.Founder of Original Travel, talks to us about his honeymoon – they specialise in arranging unforgettable experiences, adventure led journeys and tailor-made holidays to destinations world-wide. Specialities include honeymoons, family trips, private properties, experience-filled adventures, safaris and luxury exclusive travel. Honestly if you are looking for something a bit different and very special then do check them out, Original Travel. I’m going to tell my husband that we’re due for another honeymoon sometime soon…

deck

Real Life Honeymoon – Cocoa Island, Maldives

honeymoon deck

Between the mangrove and blossoming frangipani trees is a sandy pathway covered with hibiscus flowers that change from yellow to red when they fall to the ground in the evening. We walk along the perimeter of the island shuffling our feet in the water. There are black crows that circle the island overseeing their land while the water hens, herons, and gannet keep watch of shore. Wooden swings and hammocks hang on trees, and huts with lounge chairs are scattered all over the island – each one feeling like you’ve Christopher Columbused a secret chill-out zone.

The Maldives are a place I have always wanted to visit but never thought I actually would… kind of like Mars. My husband, Dominic, stealthy booked a trip for us as a belated honeymoon and much needed break.

It’s 9am when we arrive in Male, the capital of the Maldives. I yank off the Uggs that had not left my feet for the past four months and rummage through my bag for my cherished flip-flops. As I place them on my feet, I feel like Cinderella in her glass slippers. I am in a state of wonderment as we whiz away from the dock on the 40-minute speedboat ride to Cocoa Island – it’s warm and wide open with gradients of blue as far as the eye can see. We are welcomed to our resort, Como Shambhala, with coconut juice (in the actual coconut) and a refreshing towelette. Our hostess, Widi, receives us as if we are old friends.

deck

We are seated for breakfast at a table in the sand with a 360-view of paradise. Those legendary Indian Ocean waters are indeed turquoise. The sand is somewhere between sugar and flour in both color and consistency. The temperature is ideal at 30 C. And the flourishing foliage looks like a Garden of Eden. The island is so teeny you could hold it in your hand. The frost of life in London melts away as we play with the sand underneath our feet.

The accommodations on Cocoa Island are oh-so much more than ‘rooms’. There are just 30 secluded villas on the island, each one resting on stilts over the translucent water. The island is close to full occupancy most of the year.

The One-Bedroom Villa:
The bed is mounted on a platform of Japanese tatami mats with a beautiful rustic tapestry hung on the wall behind it. The long deck extends out to the most spectacular stretch on the island. Perfection.

The COMO Villa (aka: The P.Diddy Villa):
Fit for a Balinese king, infused with modern elegance, and glamorous enough even for Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs. Dominic and I do a stupid dance of joy on all three tiers of the deck in celebration of our palace perched at the edge of the earth.

It feels as if every fluffy white towel, every outdoor shower, and every ginger mojito is here as naturally as the warm breeze. Stillness and seclusion are ubiquitous. Although the island is only 500 paces long by 80 wide and all the rooms are occupied, we often feel like the only guests here. The service and staff on the island effuses a graceful island vibe without a trace of pretension.

hammock chair

The Ufaa Restaurant sprawls out underneath an alang-alang pavilion the open sky, and around the shimmering infinity pool – it’s like dining in an outdoor planetarium. The Casablanca-esque bar, Faru, is adjacent, and inspires smoking cigars and drinking something out of a snifter while wearing a tipped Panama hat. The food is fresh and flavorful, as they use locally-grown produce and seafood, seasoned with Indian and Sri Lankan spices. We snorkel in the shallow part of the reef where we see angelfish, pufferfish, triggerfish, sting rays, baby sharks, and even a looming manta ray. Snorkel gear is complimentary. So is a daily yoga class, which is held in open-air yoga studio with the still sea on one side and a sandy courtyard on the other.

The next day we return to the spa for the Como Shambhala massage given in a private glass hut at the water’s edge. Unobtrusive yoga-like music plays, and the room permeates the resort’s signature scent – a blend of eucalyptus, geranium, lavender and peppermint. The hydrotherapy pool is a must. It is encased in a stunning wooden pavilion with lush green plants woven throughout.

hammock on beach

During our stay I noticed that there only seemed to be couples visiting Cocoa Island, and by the end of our honeymoon, I realized exactly why – they are here because they want to just be together in peace. Couples come here to rejuvenate, recharge, and reconnect. They have come here to press the reset button on their lives and, perhaps, their relationship. Cocoa is a retreat. A place to just be ¬. Next time we come to Cocoa Island, and there will be a next time, I know all I need to bring are my bathing suit, a few gauzy dresses, and sunscreen – everything else is provided.

Honeymoon choices UK and abroad

Bon Ton Resort Langkawi, Malaysia

Bon Ton Resort Langkawi, Malaysia

The majority of couples choose to jet away straight after their wedding, normally the next day, but we decided to delay ours seeing as we got married so close to Christmas. We wanted to celebrate Christmas and New Year with our families and friends, go back to work for a few weeks and then head off and enjoy ourselves towards the end of January, when it was all cold and bleak and we had a chance to take a breather post wedding.

This is going to be the one chance when you can (if you decide that is what you want) really splash out, enjoy yourselves, go to that dream location, be pampered and eat and drink well. The feeling of being newly married, coupled with the fact that everyone will treat you like royalty means that your honeymoon will just be amazing and a very special time together.

Honeymoon beach relaxing, Andaman, Langkawi

Honeymoon beach relaxing, Andaman, Langkawi

There are lots of companies and sites that specialize in honeymoon packages, hotels and destinations and we’ll be reviewing those in this section. Also for those of you that want to go the DIY option which is often cheaper and might be more to your style, I’ll be looking at cool places to stay, the hip hotels and the boutique wonders where you might want to while away those early days as Mr and Mrs. There are now many wedding lists, such as at trailfinders and similar companies, that allow your guests to donate towards your honeymoon fund so that you really can have your dream holiday.

We’ll be covering ‘real life’ honeymoons to so it would be great to hear from you with any great trips that you have planned or to hear about what your dream honeymoon would be. I would like to cover lots of wierd and wonderful choices, whether it be beach lazing in Phuket, skiing in Zermatt or hiking in the Lake District so I am relying on inspiration from you to help me uncover those hidden gems!