5 Alternative Honeymoon Destinations
If you choose a disaster holiday destination, you can always just go home, burn the pictures and begin planning a more successful trip for next year. But a honeymoon is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and choosing the wrong place could have severely dire consequences. Therefore, it could be worth spending almost as much time planning a honeymoon together as you do on the wedding itself.
So, where to go? Well, first of all, you need to decide what kind of holiday you want to have. Are you an adventurous couple who like getting up at the crack of dawn and hiking up the nearest valley, or would you be more comfortable lying together in the soporific rays of the sun on a white-sand beach? If you have different ideas, try to demonstrate your compatibility by combining them into one big adventure.
According to Modern Bride magazine, these are the top honeymoon destinations for the last three years:
Although you could use this list as inspiration, these might also be places to avoid because of their sheer popularity. Other honeymooners standing too close to you and getting in the way of the view could ruin the most perfect romantic beach. So, here is a list of five fantastic honeymoon ideas that are also slightly more unusual…
Escape to Santorini
Greece appears as a honeymoon hotspot for all of the last three years. It is certainly a picturesque country, whether you choose the renowned and cultural city of Athens or the untamed mountainous contours of the island of Crete. However, even the most beautiful of these locations have been ruined slightly by tourism. Even Kefalonia – the stunningly described island of Captain Corelli's Mandolin – has its tourist pitfalls. However, Santorini has not been tainted, with its white and blue idyllic Greek architecture, crisp beaches and rich colours. It even has its own volcano. If you're planning to choose somewhere in Greece, Santorini could be the hide-away for you.
The Classic Venetian Dream
Italy seems to have triumphed without faltering as the most popular honeymoon destination since 2007. And it's an easy guess to assume that Venice is the location within Italy that most will choose. Venice is a unique and fascinating place, and the gondolas and floating lights have a very romantic appeal. But it might be an idea to combine the cliche of Venice with the other magical places of Italy. Rome and Florence are also fascinating cities, and Sardinia and the other Italian islands are definitely worth a visit.
Adventure in New Zealand
If you like active weekends away hiking in the Lake District, a trek across New Zealand could be your ideal honeymoon. You don't have to conform to the ideal of sipping cocktails in the sun – why not enjoy your favourite hobby in a new and exotic location? With the spectacular backdrop of The Lord of the Rings trilogy at your disposal, there's no end to adventure here.
Inter-rail across Europe
Why choose just one location when you can choose several? A lot of European destinations appear on the 'top honeymoon spot' list, and with a relatively low-cost inter-railing pass, you could visit them all by train. It may not be the relaxing trip enjoyed by most honeymooners, but it will be packed with excitement, new people and places. From the Eiffel Tower to the canals of Amsterdam – the trains go everywhere!
A Dose of Sri Lanka
Although Hawaii, Fiji and other such exotic islands feature predominately on the above list, there are many other similar locations that might not be so full of couples. Sri Lanka is infused with both beauty and culture, with breathtaking beaches in the south and dramatic mountains in the center. You can even go on romantic elephant rides!
Whether you've met through online dating or through a friend, the honeymoon location is a very important consideration. Just make sure you choose somewhere original!
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