Maldives
An overwater villa on a single-resort island, with a house reef below the deck and, in Baa Atoll, manta rays feeding in Hanifaru Bay.
A first trip together planned around how you both like to spend a day, not a list of places to tick off
Honeymoons
Honeymoons, planned properly
A good honeymoon is planned around the two of you. Some couples want ten days on one island doing very little. Others want a safari first and a beach after, or a week of Italian towns before a few nights by the sea. We start by asking how you spend a good Sunday, then build from there.
After a wedding, most people are more tired than they expect. We keep the first few days simple, with one easy flight, a short transfer and a room you will not want to leave. The adventurous part of the trip comes once you have slept.
What this means with us
In practice that means choosing the room as carefully as the place. An overwater villa in the Maldives, a suite with a plunge pool facing the Pitons in St Lucia, or a tented room on a private concession in Botswana all feel very different, and each suits a different couple.
It also means getting the joins right: connecting flights that do not leave you in an airport overnight, private transfers on arrival, and the dates set around the weather rather than the other way round. If your wedding is in summer, we will be honest about where is good in August and where is not.
Where it works best
Our shortlist, and the reason each one earns its place.
Seychelles
Island hopping by ferry from Praslin to La Digue, where you can cycle to the granite boulders of Anse Source d'Argent.
St Lucia
Rooms with plunge pools looking straight at the Pitons, and dinners above Soufrière Bay as the light goes.
Bora Bora
Overwater bungalows across the lagoon from Mount Otemanu, reached by boat from the airport on its own motu.
Italy
A few nights in Positano on the Amalfi Coast, with a private boat to Capri and long lunches in Ravello.
Greece
Sunsets over the Santorini caldera from Oia, then a quieter island such as Milos for swimming off the boat.
Bali
Rice-terrace views and yoga in Ubud, followed by clifftop villas and surf beaches around Uluwatu.
Tanzania
Game drives in the Serengeti followed by a few slow days on the beaches of Zanzibar, a short flight away.
Japan
Tokyo and Kyoto, then a night at a ryokan in Hakone with a private hot-spring bath and a many-course kaiseki dinner.
Honeymoons journeys
Sample routes to start from. Every one can be changed.
Athens, Santorini and Mykonos in nine nights
Two nights in central Athens below the Acropolis, four on the caldera cliff at Oia, and three at Megali Ammos, close enough to walk into Mykonos town for dinner. Island hops by ferry, with a Delos day included.
Bali: five nights of retreat above Ubud, five by the sea
Five nights at a wellness retreat in the Ayung River valley with a programme of yoga, treatments and healthy food, then five nights on the quiet east coast, where terraced suites look over the Lombok Strait.
Cape Town, Franschhoek and the Sabi Sand in ten nights
Three nights above the Atlantic in Cape Town, three among the vineyards of Franschhoek, then four in the Sabi Sand for leopard. Little jet lag from the UK and a good first safari for couples.
Places to stay that suit it
&Beyond Phinda Vlei Lodge
Six suites between sand forest and a wetland in Zululand, with rhino tracking, the Indian Ocean coast and turtle nesting within reach.
&Beyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
A lodge of curved timber shingles on a private concession next to Moremi, with walks, night drives and a welcome for children of every age.
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Private-pool suites inside the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, with Arabian oryx and gazelle on the dunes around you.
Aman Tokyo
Large, calm suites on the top floors of an Otemachi tower, a short walk from Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace Gardens.
Amandari
The original Ubud retreat, built like a Balinese village on the lip of the Ayung River Gorge and still woven into the life of Kedewatan.
Amankila
Stilted pavilions on a hillside above the Lombok Strait, below Mount Agung, with a three-tier pool and a private black-sand beach.
Questions about honeymoons
How far ahead should we book our honeymoon?
Six to nine months ahead is comfortable for most trips, and a year is wise if you want a particular villa in peak season or a safari camp during the migration. The rooms everyone asks for at small properties go first, and booking early also gives you a wider choice of flights. If your wedding date is still moving, we can hold options while you decide.
Should we go straight after the wedding or wait?
Either works. Going straight away makes the most of the moment, but many couples are exhausted and would enjoy a trip more a few weeks later. Waiting can also let you travel in a better month for your chosen place. A short break straight after the wedding and a longer trip later is a popular middle way.
Can we combine a safari and a beach?
Yes, and it is a classic honeymoon shape. Kenya or Tanzania pairs neatly with Zanzibar, and South Africa or Botswana with Mauritius or the Seychelles. We usually suggest four or five nights on safari, then a week on the beach, so the early starts come first and the rest comes after.
Is the Maldives or the Seychelles better for a honeymoon?
They suit different couples. The Maldives is about the water: one resort per island, overwater villas and reef snorkelling from your deck. The Seychelles has more to explore, with granite beaches, forest walks and ferries between islands. If you mainly want to rest and swim, choose the Maldives. If you want to wander a little, choose the Seychelles.
Plan your honeymoons
Tell us who is travelling and roughly when. A specialist will reply with places that fit and a price.