These days, more and more couples are choosing to take the trip of a lifetime as their honeymoon – we spoke to our friends at Buy Our Honeymoon to get their top recommendations for newlyweds looking for exciting new honeymoon destinations!
Compared to our parents (or grandparents) who might have managed a long weekend in Devon for their honeymoon, most of us are now quite seasoned travelers long before we say “I do” — maybe backpacking through Oz on our gap year, taking a long weekend in New York, or a birthday weekend to Paris.
How can your honeymoon, perhaps the most important trip of your life, begin to compete with what you’ve already done? How can we get out of our comfort zone, to find novelty and authenticity, to experience things before they become overly-commercialized and besieged with tourists? Where might we push the boundaries and find undiscovered territories?
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At Buy Our Honeymoon, we’ve had many thousands of couples use our wedding gift list service to help fund honeymoons to all corners of the globe. Here’s a selection of some far-flung (and sometimes challenging) destinations we’ve seen on the site.
Hungary
The political situation in Hungary made it quite a closed destination for many years, but it’s since become one of central Europe’s most popular places to visit — though one that’s much less well-known as a honeymoon destination.
On the banks of the Danube, the capital Budapest is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s filled with art and romance, rich history and grand architecture. Relax at the Széchenyi Mineral Baths, enjoy the ballet, and explore the Castle District.
Papua New Guinea
The very definition of off-the-beaten-track, Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, with more than 800 indigenous languages and just as many traditional societies. The country is one of the world’s least explored — both culturally and geographically — and many undiscovered species of plants and animals are thought to exist there. Tourism isn’t yet a major industry, though you can nonetheless find tour operators and flights without difficulty.
Hire a motor canoe to explore the Sepik river, go diving in the reefs, stay in a secluded lodge and relax on a pristine beach. Or take the Kokoda Trail: eight days in the jungle, crossing rivers and sleeping either in tents or tribal villages.
Jordan
Steeped in ancient history, Jordan is home to the Dead Sea, holy sites, Roman ruins and natural reserves. Known as the lost city of stone, Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985 and was chosen by the Smithsonian Magazine as one of their 28 Places to See Before You Die. The city is carved into the walls of a desert canyon and at night is lit by over a thousand candles.
Bhutan
The Kingdom of Bhutan lies between Tibet and India, secreted within the Himalayan mountain range. It is a remote and isolated Buddhist country, rich with unforgettable scenery and ancient traditions.
Not for the faint-hearted, the 900m climb to the Taktsang Palphug Monastery (or Tiger’s Nest) offers spectacular views, and is one of many opportunities for adventure. You can stay in a luxury boutique hotel, a tranquil lodge, or even in a traditional Bhutanese farm house with a local family.
Mongolia
The Trains-Siberian Railway takes you from Moscow, through the wilds of Siberia and onwards to Mongolia where you can spend time in the remote Mongolian wilderness, staying in traditional Mongolian Yurts, mixing with the locals and exploring the stunning countryside.
You can visit the Gobi Desert, explore Mongolia’s national parks on horseback, kayak on the Kherlan River, and take in monasteries and museums in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia is one of the most exotic honeymoon destinations you can imagine.
Easter Island
A tiny dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Rapa Nui (Easter Island) is one of the remotest inhabited places in the world. A UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its large Moai statues — is there anywhere on Earth more mysterious?
Take a tour of the extinct Volcano Rano Kau and enjoy some breathtaking views of the whole island from the peak, and discover the Ovahue beach with its clear water and pink sand.
You can fly to Easter Island from Santiago in Chile or from Tahiti, so a honeymoon there is most often combined with a tour of South America.
Antarctica
The coldest, driest, and windiest continent, with no permanent human residents — this is the undisputed champion of unusual honeymoon destinations.
To visit Antarctica, you’ll need to accompany a team of research scientists (by way of Ushuaia, the very southernmost tip of Patagonia) and join them on their journey by boat. You’ll be able to visit penguins, encounter whales, camp on the ice — and take the adventure of a lifetime. Just wrap up warm!
To get more inspiration for your trip, visit our Honeymoon section – or, to start creating your honeymoon list, visit the Buy Our Honeymoon website!
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