Honeymoon Holidays

Lisa de Silva explores the traditions, history and latest trends in honeymooning, along with providing some inspiration for this significant travel experience...

A wonderful way to celebrate the start of married life, honeymoons play an important role in most wedding plans. Whether you’re looking for relaxation, adventure, culture or indulgent luxury, it’s a chance to spend precious alone time together, making lifelong memories.

The history of the honeymoon

Originating in 5th century Europe, wedding guests would gift the newlyweds a lunar moon’s worth of honey fermented mead to encourage fertility. This tradition gradually evolved and by the 19th century, a honeymoon was marked by the newlyweds taking trips to visit family and friends who had been unable to attend the wedding.

The development of the mass tourist industry in the late 19th century marked another shift, when honeymoons became more of a leisure-focused holiday just for the couple themselves. More recently, the post-WWII boom in both prosperity and tourism has seen the modern honeymoon develop into anything from an intimate rural retreat to an epic round-the-world adventure.

LATEST HONEYMOON TRENDS

Delayed honeymoons and the minimoons

While many newlyweds still jet off straight after the big day, many couples now delay the big trip to give themselves a chance to recover from the wedding and enjoy the planning and build up to their honeymoon. This has led to the development of the minimoon, a two-to-three-day break to wind down and enjoy some much needed rest after the excitement of the wedding day.

Weddingmoons

With the trend for destination weddings showing no signs of abating, many couples now build their honeymoon around an extended stay in the country of their nuptials. Known as a weddingmoon, couples can extend their stay after the ceremony to share more time with family and friends, before heading off to spend time alone at a destination nearby.

Multi-destination itineraries

Another increasingly popular trend is to combine two destinations based on your interests and requirements. Whether that means a cultural break followed by time on the beach or an active adventure followed by a wellness escape, will depend on the couple.

Personalised itineraries

This leads into another growing trend for bespoke travel experiences. Many couples choose a highly personalised itinerary customised to reflect their ideal mix of relaxation, cultural immersion, wildlife viewing, adventure activities and sustainable values.

Honeymoon inspiration

With an endless array of honeymoon options now available, couples need to prioritise their interests, budget and timeframe when planning their perfect trip. Here are some ideas to inspire you.

European honeymoons

For those who enjoy relaxing on beautiful beaches, a wealth of culture and tradition, along with superb food and wine, Europe ticks all the boxes. It also lends itself to multi-destination travel. For example, soaking up the history and culture of Athens before enjoying the dreamy turquoise waters and quiet sophistication of Paxos. Alternatively, taking a culinary tour of Tuscany, then heading to the UNESCO-listed Amalfi Coast for stunning scenery, iconic Roman ruins and Italian culture.

Caribbean honeymoons

A popular choice for those looking for a luxury beach honeymoon, the sun-drenched Caribbean offers a laidback vibe, sensational seafood, marine wildlife, sailing, snorkelling, diving and hiking opportunities, along with a variety of different landscapes. From the volcanic mountains of the Grenadines to the coral atoll islands of the Turks & Caicos and the colonial heritage of Barbados, there is an island to suit most honeymooners.

Asian honeymoons

Offering a wide range of culturally rich destinations, traditional cuisine, exotic customs, sensational landscapes, raw natural beauty, wildlife viewing, upmarket wellness resorts and exceptional service levels, Southeast Asia makes a wonderful honeymoon destination. Whether you choose Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Vietnam or Cambodia, there is ample scope to create your dream itinerary.

African honeymoons

Blending the wild adventure of a safari with the romance of Indian Ocean beaches, the pull of an African safari honeymoon remains perennially strong. It is hard to beat an intimate tented safari experience with once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters, coupled with the magnificent spectacle of Victoria Falls and the golden sands of Madagascar. Whether you want to track gorillas in the misty Rwandan rainforest, spot the Big Five, experience hot air ballooning across the African plains or take a cruise down the Nile, a honeymoon in Africa provides a host of lasting memories.

Today, a honeymoon can be as unique as you are. A wonderful way to celebrate your marriage, deepen your connection and to experience and discover a new part of the world together, it’s the perfect start to married life.