After all the excitement – and stress – of your wedding, a honeymoon is the ideal way to really relax and take some time out for yourselves. Spending the first week or two as a married couple somewhere beautiful, exotic, or even somewhere full of adventure will really start your marriage off on the right romantic foot.

No matter what your personality, what your likes and dislikes, what you have always envisaged as your perfect honeymoon destination, there will be a place in the world for you. It could be on your own doorstep, or on the other side of the world. What is guaranteed is that you will find time to unwind and be together.

A honeymoon is a holiday like no other, with a special meaning. Think of it as a reward for having worked so hard to organise your wonderful wedding.

We’ve narrowed down the most luxurious honeymoon destinations for those who love the beach, the snow, the country or just want one big, huge adventure. Whatever you decide, enjoy your once in a lifetime getaway!

BEACH

Bora Bora

Bora Bora is a small island in French Polynesia, close to Tahiti (and part of the Leeward Islands). Right in the middle of this gorgeous island are two extinct volcanoes rising up above the jungle, and out to sea there is a lagoon and a barrier reef. You can choose from a number of different motu (Polynesian for small island) that surround this luxurious looking lagoon, and once you arrive you will be escorted to your very own water bungalow. Many of the bungalows have a glass floor, so you can look down into the perfectly clear, perfectly clean water below. Go snorkling, diving, swimming, or riding around the island on a hired bike, or do nothing but sit on your veranda and listen to the waves lapping at your feet. On Bora Bora you will be waited on as much as you want to be, with hotel staff happy to bring food and drinks to your bungalow, often in a canoe adorned with flowers. Some of the more deluxe bungalows even have pools and spas.

Bora Bora is famous for its luxury and its beaches, but it is also an excellent place to shop (pearls are particularly plentiful) and enjoy fine dining, with a multitude of excellent restaurants serving exquisite food.

Bora Bora is an ideal honeymoon destination for those who love all things luxurious. The heat of the sun, the coolness of the water, and the spectacular views of paradise all around really do make this place one of the top honeymoon destinations in the world.

SNOW

Iso Syöte

Iso Syöte can be found in Finnish Lapland, and if you want a romantic snow covered honeymoon, this is the best of the best. Why not book a romantic log cabin up in the snowy hills where you can snuggle up in front of a roaring open fire? If you do want to go out, there is plenty to do including a Northern Lights safari, riding on a husky-led sleigh, snowmobiling, and even a private reindeer ride. As the Lappish tradition goes, you’ll be showered with beautiful wedding gifts throughout your time in Iso Syöte, and whether you’re drinking traditional hot glögi (a sweet mulled wine) or sipping Champagne that has been chilled in the snow outside your cabin door, you’ll be pampered and looked after and thoroughly spoiled.

Some of the cabins have glass roofs to allow you to watch the stars from the comfort of your home from home (with outside temperatures falling to -25^o staying indoors is a popular choice), but the daytime is just as magical as the night.

Iso Syöte truly is an enchanting place to spend time together, proving that Lapland is not just for Christmas.

COUNTRY

Tuscany

Italy’s Tuscany, beautiful, tranquil, unspoilt Tuscany, is an idyllic spot for a honeymoon. No matter what time of year you visit, you will be able to enjoy the lush landscapes that inspired so many artists, including the greats Da Vinci and Raphael. There is art and architecture, green valleys and rolling hillsides, and of course, the world-renowned Tuscan vineyards and olive groves. Stroll through the countryside and you will be intoxicated by its sumptuous green vitality.

Although famous for its laid back lifestyle and relaxed way of life, there is still plenty to do in Tuscany should you feel the need to leave your romantic villa with its swimming pool and views across acres and acres of vines, trees, or fields. Visit a nearby village and buy some local produce (olives, sheep’s milk cheese, salami, porcini mushrooms, and of course some Chianti, made in the Tuscan castle) to take on a lazy, unrushed picnic. Or perhaps you might like to escape the countryside for a few hours and visit Siena to admire its orange tinted hues, or San Gimignano, the ‘City of the Beautiful Towers’, or even Pisa with its famous leaning tower.

When the crowds (such as they are) get too much, it’s time to retire back to the villa to sit and watch the sun set. Unparalleled views, unrivalled scenery, Tuscany is breathtakingly romantic.

ADVENTURE

African Safari

You love exploring; you love the blood rushing through your veins and the adrenalin pumping through your body. You want to experience new and exciting things that home just can’t offer you – you want, in other words, an adventure.

Booking a safari is definitely an adventure, and it’s perfect for a honeymoon getaway too.

It’s up to you just how adventurous you want to go, of course. You can book a package that really puts you in the wilderness (safely, don’t worry about that), with no electricity and just a bucket to use as a shower. It’s authentic and rustic and for some it won’t ever be beaten. Equally, if you want to be pampered whilst still living out in the African plains, you can stay in a chic, stylish lodge with spa treatments and fine dining, as well as a genuine African safari with a guide who will show you the animals you would never otherwise be able to get close to.

So is it lavishly decorated, billowing tents with enormous baths and massages available? Or it is literally getting dirty with the wilderness as you sleep in a camp and follow your guide on heart-stopping adventures?

Enjoy the African plains in romantic places such as Zanzibar, Zambia, and Botswana, or travel to the beaches of Mozambique and Tazania.

One of the great things about an African safari honeymoon is that many of the experts out there who will be happy to arrange it for you specialise in bespoke holidays, allowing you the ultimate choice of where you stay, what you do, and just how close to the action you want to get.