Five Honeymoons, Five Very Different Adventures

A honeymoon is a balancing act. You don't want to spend two weeks beside the same swimming pool. But you don’t want to spend every day rushing from one sight to the next either. The sweet spot is somewhere in between: extraordinary places, beautiful hotels, memorable experiences and enough time to simply enjoy being together. Here are five destinations that lend themselves to that kind of trip…

Tanzania & Zanzibar: Safari, then sea

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Spot elephants gathering in Tarangire.

Safari and beach make a natural honeymoon pairing. You get the excitement and adventure of a safari at the beginning of the trip, followed by several days when your only serious decision is whether to have lunch by the pool or on the beach.

Start in the Serengeti, where days are spent out on game drives and evenings around the campfire. The scale of the landscape is part of the experience: endless grasslands, acacia trees silhouetted against the sky and wildlife seemingly everywhere you look. Depending on when you travel, you might also witness one of nature's great spectacles as the wildebeest and zebra of the Great Migration move through the ecosystem.

There is plenty more to Tanzania than the Serengeti. Tarangire is known for its huge elephant herds and baobab-studded landscapes, while the Ngorongoro Crater offers remarkably concentrated wildlife within an ancient volcanic caldera. 

Then comes the change of pace. Fly from the bush to Zanzibar and trade safari vehicles for white sand, turquoise water and the spice-scented streets of Stone Town. Spend a day exploring the old city, take a sunset dhow cruise or snorkel in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Or do absolutely nothing.

Thailand: Temples, jungle, beaches

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Koh Samui offers crystal clear waters for exploring or relaxing.

For couples who want a honeymoon with a little bit of everything, Thailand is hard to beat.

Bangkok is an exhilarating place to begin. Explore ornate temples and colorful palaces, take a boat through the city's khlongs, and spend an evening eating your way through Chinatown. There’s a lot going on, but it is easy to escape the bustle for a few hours on the water or over a long lunch.

From Bangkok, head into the countryside. Kanchanaburi offers jungle, waterfalls and opportunities to get out on foot, while the ancient ruins of Ayutthaya provide a glimpse into Thailand's past. Continue north to Chiang Mai, where temples, markets and the surrounding countryside provide a completely different experience.

And then slow down. Thailand's islands provide the classic honeymoon finale: warm water, beaches, snorkeling and long, unhurried days. Our Classic Thailand Jungle & Beach tour moves from Bangkok through Kanchanaburi and Chiang Mai before finishing on Koh Samui, with snorkeling and island-hopping in the Gulf of Thailand.

It is also a destination where a honeymoon can be as active or relaxed as you want it to be. Add a cooking class, spend a day cycling through the countryside or visit an ethical elephant sanctuary. Then leave a few days completely free for swimming, massages and cocktails.

Colombia: Love in the tropics

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Cartagena can feel like it was built for romance.

Cartagena has romance built into its architecture, history and tropical setting. Inside the city's fortified walls, narrow cobbled streets lead to colorful colonial buildings, leafy plazas and balconies draped with bougainvillea. Days can be spent wandering the Old City, sampling Caribbean-influenced food or simply finding a shady table and watching Cartagena go by.

There is a literary dimension, too.

Gabriel García Márquez spent much of his childhood in Cartagena, and the city left its mark on his writing. Love in the Time of Cholera is set in a fictionalized version of Cartagena, but as Gabo himself put it, “all of my books have loose threads of Cartagena in them. And with time, when I have to call up memories, I always bring back an incident from Cartagena, a place in Cartagena, a character in Cartagena.”

For honeymooners, Cartagena is particularly appealing because it is not simply a beach destination. You can spend the morning exploring the city's history, the afternoon by the pool and the evening at one of its increasingly sophisticated restaurants.

Then head out to the Caribbean. The Rosario Islands offer snorkeling and turquoise water, while Tayrona National Park combines jungle and beaches for something a little wilder. Whichever route you take, you’re guaranteed a honeymoon with considerably more character than a conventional beach escape.

Portugal: Wine, waves and old-world charm

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Porto, Portugal is an ideal city for those seeking urban exploration.

Not every honeymoon needs tropical beaches. Portugal is made for couples who would rather eat, drink, and explore together (although it does have some great beaches too).

Start in Lisbon, where historic neighborhoods, tiled buildings and hilltop viewpoints provide an atmospheric introduction to the country. Take a private sailing trip along the coast at sunset, explore the city's food scene or make a day trip to Sintra and the Atlantic coast.

Then head north to Porto. The city is a pleasure to explore on foot, with its steep streets, riverside setting and famous wine cellars. A private food tour is an easy way into the city's culinary traditions, while the Douro Valley makes a memorable day trip. Think vineyards, beautiful scenery and long lunches overlooking the river.

For the final act, fly to the Azores. This volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic feels a world away from mainland Europe. There are crater lakes, hot springs, lush landscapes and excellent opportunities to get out on the water. Depending on conditions and season, you can kayak, snorkel, paddleboard or go looking for whales and dolphins.

Portugal works particularly well for couples who want their honeymoon to feel like a journey rather than a resort stay. There is plenty to see and do. But there are just as many opportunities to slow down over a bottle of wine, a long lunch or an Atlantic sunset.

Rio, Iguazu and Buenos Aires: Three cities, one big adventure

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Iguazu Falls on the shared border of Brazil and Argentina.

Three destinations, three completely different moods – and one spectacular South American honeymoon.

Begin in Rio de Janeiro, where mountains rise dramatically behind some of the world's most famous beaches. Visit Christ the Redeemer, take the cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain and spend some time simply enjoying the city's extraordinary setting.

Then head to Iguazu Falls. The falls straddle the border between Brazil and Argentina, and seeing both sides is worth the effort. From Brazil, you get the great panoramic view; from Argentina, a network of walkways takes you much closer to the cascades, including the extraordinary Devil's Throat.

Finally, finish in Buenos Aires. The Argentine capital is grand, stylish and distinctly theatrical, with elegant architecture, excellent restaurants and diverse neighborhoods ranging from historic San Telmo to colorful La Boca. And then there is tango. An evening of dinner, music and dancing makes an appropriately romantic finale to the trip.

Our Buenos Aires, Iguazu & Rio de Janeiro tour brings all three destinations together in one sumptuous package. This is a honeymoon for couples who like a bit of energy. You get beaches and big-city life in Rio, one of the world's great natural spectacles at Iguazu, and food, wine and tango in Buenos Aires.

Make it your own

The beauty of a honeymoon is that there are no rules. That is where a tailor-made journey comes into its own. Add a few days, take a destination away, slow down the pace or find a special experience that means something to you both.