Just because you’ve tied the knot over the colder months doesn’t mean your post-nuptial getaway has to be a frosty affair. From holing up in a steamy jungle hideaway to toasting your togetherness in an Antipodean vineyard, we’ve plucked the best places where the freshly hitched can bask on a warm winter honeymoon.
THAILAND
You don’t have to have been there to know Thailand has some of the most sighingly wish-you-were-there beaches in the world. Although familiar names like Koh Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Phuket have become synonymous with the shake-your-sticks party scene, there are numerous other quieter, more romance-friendly spots perfect for your warm winter honeymoon. From beachfront moonlight dinner to bathing under rainforest waterfalls, swoony experiences abound. Well away from the soggier months, January in Thailand is an ideal time to visit, when the weather mellows to a balmy and daily dose of sunshine is practically a given.
Where to stay Only accessible by boat, Koh Yao Noi is one such spot that balances a blissful sense of remoteness with wonderfully honeymoon-worthy lodgings. And nestled at the island’s northern tip is TreeHouse Villas, offering your very own dreamy duplex dwelling. These couply canopy-high villas feature private plunge pools, double swings and hammock-shaped bathtubs, all surrounded by thick jungle and within eye-shot of the cyan sea.
SRI LANKA
The resplendent isle of Sri Lanka just off the south coast of India packs a lot of romantic punch into its relatively small, teardrop-shaped geography. Lapped on all sides by the Indian Ocean, the coastline is threaded with powder-sand, palm-studded beaches; head inland and misty-eyed lovers can explore mist-blanketed peaks and rolling swathes of lush plantations. Food-loving couples will be bowled over by the endless choice of colourful and fragrant curries, often from seafood hoisted from the ocean that morning. Climates can differ wildly between the east and west coast, and the latter is a much better bet if you’re celebrating your post-nuptials in Sri Lanka in January.
Where to stay So perfectly enveloped in its lush jungle setting, it feels like the forest has grown around and reclaimed this strikingly contemporary Haritha Villas and Spa. Whether plumping for one of the modernist villas or a colonial-style mansion, couples will find lots to love in these perfectly private hideaways. You have your own pool, of course, embedded in your manicured tropical terrace, five-star comforts in every corner, and your very own butler poised to deliver on any whim. Well, it is your honeymoon.
MEXICO
From jungle-clad mountains to cactus-peppered deserts, rugged Pacific coast to its mighty metropolis, vast and diverse Mexico is a backpackers-favourite for many reasons. When it comes to honeymooning, however, it’s no wonder most lovebirds flock to the country’s eastern Caribbean coast. The jungle-trimmed coastline that snakes down the Yucatán peninsula is stepped-into-a-postcard lush with many stretches offering footprint-free sands for lovers seeking seclusion. Whether plunging into sparkling cenotes, scuba-ing the coral-rich coast, or simply sharing spicy tacos and slushy margaritas on the beach, this corner of Mexico is honeymooner heaven. The best time to visit is between December and March, so we think February is the sweet spot.
Where to stay If you’re feeling spendy then blow a chunk of the the bridal budget on the Viceroy Riviera Maya. This adult-only, beachfront beauty takes toes-in-the-sand luxury to new heights. You can choose between hidden-in-the-jungle or overlooking-the-sea standalone villas, all with private pools and handmade hammocks for two. Warning: privacy might be invaded by the occasional spider monkey.
MAURITIUS
A fleck of green in the vast blue of the Indian Ocean, honeymoon-friendly Mauritius is certainly endowed with that sense of romantic remoteness longed for by lovers. From the Beckhams to the Clooneys, it’s also why this island has been favoured by A-lister couples looking for some time out of the spotlight. The pinch-yourself picturesque beaches obviously play their part, too, together with the ‘real Mauritius’ of lush rainforest mountains, diverse tropical wildlife and colourful hotchpotch of colonial and cultural influences. March in Mauritius is your best bet for a winter getaway, as it can be soggy (that’s monsoon-soggy) earlier in the year.
Where to stay To ensure your honeymoon on this pear-shaped island doesn’t go that way (geddit?) you can’t go far wrong with Paradise Cove Boutique Hotel. Set on a private peninsula on the island’s north tip, this romantic hideaway certainly delivers on the promise of its name. As well as its own secluded white-meets-turquoise beach, the sea-view suites, lantern-lit dinners, and waterside massage for couples all make this honeymoon nirvana.
AUSTRALIA
Down Under might not be up top of your list for winter honeymoon destinations, but there are heaps of reasons why Straya actually makes for the perfect post-wedding getaway. For starters, head there in January and blue skies and basking temperatures are a dead cert. As well as endless stretches of sandy coastline, the eastern seas are scattered with remote islands ideal as post-nuptial hideaways. Combine the Great Barrier Reef visits with ancient jungle stays in the Daintree Rainforest, or venture inland for mystical moments among the Outback’s endless landscapes and vast canopy of stars.
Where to stay For desert island levels of seclusion and serenity, Lizard Island hotel is an hour’s flight from Cairns and the only place to stay on the eponymous isle. In fact, there’s nothing by way of civilisation except the resort and a solitary research station. But don’t panic, the hotel’s all-inclusive plan even extends to the likes of Champagne and picnic hampers, perfect for a trip to one of the island’s 24 picture-perfect, white-sand beaches.
VIETNAM
Newly-weds looking to spice up their honeymoon with a little inland adventure should certainly consider Vietnam. Of course, this oft-overlooked destination has some seriously scenic beachscape, but head away from the coast and you’ll find neverending mountain ranges, steamy rainforests and emerald patchworks of paddy fields. Head to Ninh Van Bay and you have the best of both, with its wonderfully secluded sands backed by soaring forest scenery brimming with wildlife. It’s hard to escape the heat in Vietnam, but for the hot without the wet, March is an ideal time to visit.
Where to stay With the An Lam Retreats Ninh Van Bay only accessible by boat, you’ll first spot the striking lotus-like architecture of its restaurant as you putter in from the water. Its stilted Treetop Pool villas feel like they were made for honeymooners, with its private infinity pool looking out over the jungle canopy to sea. For a romantic moment in among the greenery, you can book a session with fruit and fizz at the hotel’s superbly named Love Pond.
NEW ZEALAND
For its relatively modest proportions – it’s only a smidgen larger than the UK – the sheer scale and diversity of New Zealand’s geography give it honeymoon potential galore. On its South Island, choose from off-the-grid adventure among snow-dusted sierra, lake-side lodges overlooking the mighty glaciers, or wild rugged beaches on the northern shore. On the North Island, explore untouched rainforests and thunderous waterfalls under the gaze of cinematic volcanoes, sip flinty wine in one of its numerous vineyards, or dip your toe in calm, sand-fringed waters. And when to go? A March honeymoon should mean long, bright and blissfully warm days.
Where to stay Often dubbed New Zealand’s answer to the Mediterranean, Waiheke Island does indeed boast the rolling olive groves, verdant vineyards and emerald seas you might expect to see in Southern Europe. Although Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant might not have a romantic ring to it, a stay in one of its dreamy sea-and-vine-view cottages will soon change your mind. And if lashings of locally farmed oysters and their award-winning vino don’t get you in the mood here, frankly nothing will.
RWANDA
Volcanoes, mist-wreathed forests, emerald-green lakes – Rwanda’s rugged beauty needs no added romance, but a honeymoon here will dial it up to 11 all the same. Nicknamed the Land of a Thousand Hills, the country has emerged as a bucket-list destination for adventurous travellers, often lured by the incredible nature on show. In the primaeval paradise of Nyungwe National Park, one of Africa’s oldest rainforests, you can spot chimpanzees, serval cats, mongoose and Congo clawless otters amid the steaming flora. In Virunga, a mountainous and volcanic region that’s teeming with life, you’ll have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get close to rare mountain gorillas, of which there are only 1,000 in the wild.
Where to Stay One&Only have two luxurious outposts in Rwanda that are perfect for twinning. In the country’s southwest is One&Only Nyungwe House, where the treetop-skimming rooms overlook a tea plantation and ancient rainforest. One&Only Gorillas Nest is in northwest Rwanda, right on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here, you’ll bed down in treehouses amid a eucalyptus forest, a mere trek away from gorilla territory.
Looking for a post-nuptial getaway that’s a break from the norm? Check out our pick of the best alternative honeymoon stays for adventure-seeking couples…
