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Weddings
8 of 2019's Hottest Honeymoon Destinations: What You Need to Know
Honeymoons are changing. Experience-rich trips for two filled with adventure (or adventure-lite) are on the rise. While a plop-and-drop vacation on a breathtaking beach is still on the menu for many, consider the trip in destinations...
photo by Salt in our Hair Travel Blog
Honeymoons are changing. Experience-rich trips for two filled with adventure (or adventure-lite) are on the rise. While a plop-and-drop vacation on a breathtaking beach is still on the menu for many, consider the trip in destinations that offer something a little more than a nap in the sun. With a year of incredible travel ahead, consider these top honeymoon destinations for 2019.
The top honeymoons in 2019 have one thing in common – whatever your adventure, you can make it your own. With equal parts downtime and excitement, beauty in nature and living like royalty, your honeymoon will be magical, whether in the vines of Italy or the jungles of Africa.
Reporter: Harmony Walton
The top honeymoons in 2019 have one thing in common – whatever your adventure, you can make it your own. With equal parts downtime and excitement, beauty in nature and living like royalty, your honeymoon will be magical, whether in the vines of Italy or the jungles of Africa.
Reporter: Harmony Walton
The Maldives
If majestic white sand and picture-perfect clear waters are what you’ve always envisioned for a honeymoon, then head to The Maldives, where even the seaplane arrival is nothing short of magical.
If you like to island hop, head to the new Conrad Maldives and upgrade to sleep below sea level in the new (and first of its kind) Muraka Suite. Daily activities in this part of the world include doing absolutely nothing and every water and beach sport imaginable.
Swim with whale sharks and sea turtles, deep sea dive, take a sunset cruise with dolphins in your wake or enjoy a day on a private island all your own, like Hurawalhi’s Dream Island where the idea of a private beach picnic is as secluded as it gets.
Opt to stay in Hurawalhi's newly opened sister property, Kudadoo Maldives, just a five-minute boat ride away, where you’ll experience an array of daily spa treatments in your all-inclusive, adults only boutique hotel experience.
Sri Lanka
As couples get more and more well-traveled before they wed, honeymoon destinations get further away and even more unique. Consider Sri Lanka for the pair who’s been everywhere. This Asian country has it all. From beautiful beaches to spectacular safari, secluded tea plantations in the highlands outside historic towns and sprawling national parks too.
Start your honeymoon at Ceylon Tea Trails, the world’s first tea bungalow resort, built from five restored colonial era tea planter residences. Next to the World Heritage Central Highlands, you’ll completely disconnect as you immerse yourselves in the quiet gardens and tea fields around you. This is a great way to recover from the wedding weekend, while you take in an in-room spa service and allow butlers to assist you with all of your all-inclusive tea experiences.
Then hop on the Resplendent Journey and eventually you’ll make your way down the waters to where the Indian Ocean meets the jungle at Wild Coast Tented Lodge. Chances are high you’ll see the world’s largest population of leopards here, if you can manage to emerge from your Cocoon Suite (complete with copper tub). Located adjacent to the famed Yala National Park, this 28-tent luxury boutique hotel has refined romance under a canvas roof with incredible safari just outside its backdoor.
Los Cabos, Mexico
Don’t underestimate the boom happening in Los Cabos this year. With well over a dozen new luxury properties opening in a two-year span, the Los Cabos corridor is peppered with choices to please any type of traveler. Whether you stay in town in Cabo San Lucas or disconnect from it all on a quiet bay, the region is budding with a fantastic art scene, fine dining, and fashion too. Just a quick flight from California, honeymooning in Los Cabos means a sunset sail to El Arco (the tip of Baja) the same day you arrive.
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For a romantic honeymoon that has the flavor of old-world Mexico, stay on the Sea of Cortez at Esperanza in a residential style casita complete with hammock or Jacuzzi on your deck.
For a view of the Pacific Ocean, check into The Resort at Pedregal and partake in a spa experience perfect for lovers before indulging in an unforgettable meal at El Farallon, where you’ll select your fresh catch right from the ice.
Lana'i, Hawaii
If the airport experience is any indication this trip will be special, then honeymooners are in luck when heading to the private island of Lana’i, Hawaii. Enjoy a Four Seasons Lana’i Guest Lounge experience in Honolulu Airport before taking a short private or commercial flight to the small island that is still very much untouched by tourists.
At the beach you’ll find Four Seasons Lana’i, a peaceful resort chiseled right along sacred rocks protecting the cliffside. Sunset cruises often come with whale watching as an added bonus or you can easily spot the spinner dolphins in the bay without ever leaving land. For those couples that like a little speed in their downtime, UTV-ing through the red sand on the island is a bucket list checkmark as is horseback riding through the unique topography of Lana’i’s deer-filled forests.
For golf lovers, there’s a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course (where Bill Gates once wed) and for the high-tech fans, guest rooms come complete with just about every hotel gadget imaginable.
Nobu and Malibu Farm keep the foodies on property happy while tiki torches along the flower-filled pathways in the evening turn up the romance on your way to dinner.
With a new wellness-focused retreat by Four Seasons opening atop the island soon, Lana’i is the ultimate way to unwind, no matter your style of post-wedding travel.
Croatia
Another trend in 2019 travel is to take the road less traveled. While Italy and France are still considered honeymoon hotspots, their neighbor to the east is quietly coming up as a top destination this year. Croatia is the more affordable option for a European vacation, complete with rich history, wonderful seaside towns with shimmering cobblestone walking streets and plenty of sites to see. Fine dining can be had here too, without as much tourist clutter as some other destinations in the region.
Instead of staying in the ancient city of Dubrovnik, consider a quieter honeymoon in the charming town of Rovinj, a small fisherman’s port that picks up during yacht week and secluded other times of the year.
Take a day trip to Motovun for white truffle hunting and outdoor festivals (including the truffle festival) in this hilltop ancient town before returning to the seaside for a tasting menu worth writing home about at Hotel Monte Mulini, a posh resort perched just a short bike ride away from the center of Rovinj. For history, culture, land and sea, Croatia is a honeymooner’s dream.
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Marrakech, Morocco
Among the newer hotspots for honeymooners is the Instagrammer’s dream destination of Marrakech. Lush textiles and richly colored tiles pave the way to luxury only few places have mastered so decadently.
Royal Mansour is the place to call home when you’re here. Ideal in location, just off the famed Jemma El Fna square, this medina within a medina (the only one of its kind), takes guests on a journey through riads within its walls - and the walls of the imperial city. With private pools, a spa to rival the best in the world and your own residence-like suite, you may never want to leave the palace.
Shop in the souk (and negotiate some new home goods), see the land from a hot air ballon high above, or enjoy a massage while you zen out in a spa designed for kings and queens, this bustling, vibrant city has much more to offer than endless picture-perfect backdrops.
Tuscany, Italy
Honeymoons in 2019 aren’t all in exotic and faraway lands. Fan-favorites of years past are still hot this season. Italy has long been a highlight for lovers and newlyweds, but this year couples are getting out of the cities and in touch with nature - in Tuscany. The trend to disconnect with the option for activities is mastered in Tuscany; just the place to sit quietly overlooking a valley as the fog rolls in after an exciting day of horseback riding through the vines and touring local towns.
Check into Il Borro, an 11th-century village turned boutique hotel on the personal property of Salvatore Ferragamo. This oasis outside of Arezzo has its own olive oil producing grove, a namesake winery, art gallery and stables too. Besides the daily activities, Tuscany is all about the food and wine and Il Borro masters both beautifully (including a barrel room wine tasting and tour). At the end of a peaceful day, sleep in the medieval village and enjoy residence-like vacation suites, quiet patios, breathtaking views and even the works of local artisans in the tiny private town below.
Namibia
Namibia: An up-and-coming southern Africa destination, Namibia is the newest place to safari without the scene and crowds. A desert destination along the Atlantic Ocean, the country boasts almost every type of excursion, including spectacular safari and the chance to see the Big 5.
Stay along the riverside at The Royal Livingstone where wildlife roam the property freely (as if you’re on safari all the time). You can arrive by water taxi on the Zambezi River and helicopter to Victoria Falls for a once-in-a-lifetime outing and then end your evening with dinner on The Royal Livingstone Express, a steam locomotive that travels through the national park during your five-course meal. With friendly service at its best and Mother Nature too, an African adventure is one honeymoon you won’t forget.
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