Pod hopping in New Zealand
New Zealand’s dramatic landscapes have inspired everyone from hikers to film-makers, with Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy famously using locations across the country. Turquoise Holidays can tailor a honeymoon around some of these spectacular landscapes, including stays in remote PurePods.
These off-grid glass cabins are designed to put the landscape centre stage, with floor-to-ceiling windows and glass ceilings offering uninterrupted views of the surrounding countryside. There are PurePods in locations ranging from Kaik?ura and Central Otago to Stewart Island, Rotorua, the Coromandel and the Bay of Islands.
Winter wonders in Finland
For a winter honeymoon in the wilderness, Lumo Resort in Kuusamo puts couples among the snowy forests and fells of Finnish Lapland. Its glass-roofed cabins have open views of the Arctic sky, making them a comfortable base for watching for the Northern Lights.
The resort can arrange a range of winter activities, including husky and reindeer experiences, snowmobiling and other guided Arctic adventures. Food is another part of the experience, with the kitchen led by chef Kim Mikkola.
Volcanoes, rainforest and Caribbean shores in Costa Rica
With forests covering around 59% of its land area and about a quarter of the country protected as terrestrial conservation areas, Costa Rica is an obvious choice for a honeymoon centred on nature.
The Luxury Holiday Company has an itinerary that begins in the Central Valley at Finca Rosa Blanca, an eco-luxury retreat set among coffee plantations, before heading to Arenal and the rainforest. At Amor Arenal, couples can explore the surrounding landscape and then continue to Tortuguero, where Tortuga Lodge sits beside the waterways of the national park. The journey ends with time on the Caribbean coast around Puerto Viejo.
Jungle immersion in Borneo
Borneo offers a particularly adventurous combination of rainforest wildlife and time beside the sea. Regent Holidays can arrange stays in the Danum Valley and along the Kinabatangan River, where wildlife encounters include orangutans, proboscis monkeys and, with luck, Bornean pygmy elephants.
At Borneo Rainforest Lodge, deep within the Danum Valley Conservation Area, guided walks and access to the canopy walkway provide a different perspective on the primary rainforest. The Kinabatangan River is another highlight, with boat trips offering opportunities to look for wildlife along the riverbanks.
Tanzania safari and Zanzibar
For a honeymoon combining wildlife and beach time, Rainbow Tours pairs a safari in Tanzania with the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar. The safari element takes place in Nyerere National Park, formerly known as the Selous Game Reserve, where the Rufiji River provides the setting for game drives and boating safaris.
Serena Mivumo River Lodge sits on the banks of the Rufiji, with river views from its thatched chalets. Afterwards, fly to Zanzibar for time beside the sea and excursions into the island’s forests, including Jozani.
Australia’s western wilderness
Western Australia offers a dramatic setting for a more secluded honeymoon, particularly around Ningaloo Reef. ITC recommends Sal Salis, where luxury safari tents sit between the reef and Cape Range National Park.
Days here can be spent snorkelling, kayaking and exploring the rugged landscape, with opportunities to see turtles and other marine life. Whale sharks are generally encountered from autumn into spring, while humpback whales migrate through the region during the winter and spring months. The lodge also offers guided walks and snorkelling, with the reef accessible directly from the camp.
The Lake District
For a honeymoon closer to home, the Lake District provides plenty of opportunities to combine comfort with the outdoors. Rather than staying around the busier shores of Windermere, head to Ullswater and Another Place, where couples can stay in secluded shepherd huts with copper baths overlooking the lake.
There’s plenty to do beyond the hotel, from fell walking and open-water swimming to paddleboarding. Local swimming coach Colin Hill offers guided sessions on Ullswater, while Adrian Bacon provides paddleboarding experiences on the lake. After a day outside, return to the hotel for its spa, sauna and swimming pool.
A cultural take on nature in Venice and Slovenia
Completely Slovenia’s Hidden Hearts of Slovenia and Venice honeymoon combines city culture with Slovenia’s landscapes and spas. It begins in Venice, with its canals and palaces, before continuing to Slovenia and the coastal town of Piran.
The itinerary includes the Secovlje salt pans, Lipica Stud Farm, a stay in treehouse-style glamping accommodation near Lake Bled and a traditional pletna boat ride to Bled island. The final stages take in Ljubljana and one of Slovenia’s thermal spa towns.
Indian Ocean romance in Mauritius
Mauritius is best known for its beaches, but the island’s south offers plenty of opportunities to explore beyond the coast. Away Holidays recommends Heritage Le Telfair, which sits within the Bel Ombre estate and gives guests access to the 1,300-hectare Bel Ombre Nature Reserve.
Couples can explore the reserve on guided excursions, walk through its forests and discover waterfalls and native wildlife. The Heritage Marine Education Centre, developed with conservation organisation Reef Conservation, provides an introduction to the island’s marine and coastal ecosystems, including its coral reefs and seagrass beds.
Rural pleasures in northern Vietnam
For a quieter honeymoon immersed in rural landscapes, Selective Asia recommends Avana Retreat in Mai Chau. Set in the mountains of Northern Vietnam among forest and rice terraces, the retreat provides a base for exploring the surrounding countryside.
Couples can trek into the hills, visit local villages or explore the area by bicycle, while the retreat itself offers plenty of space to relax. The surrounding Mai Chau Valley, with its rice fields, mountain scenery and traditional villages, is particularly suited to a slower-paced honeymoon.
Peaks and panoramas in St Lucia
St Lucia combines tropical rainforest with the dramatic twin peaks of the Pitons, making it a natural choice for couples who want some adventure alongside their beach time. Tropical Sky recommends Anse Chastanet, a 600-acre resort on the island’s south-west coast with two beaches and coral reefs offshore.
There are mountain-biking and hiking trails nearby, as well as rainforest, the Diamond Botanical Gardens and Sulphur Springs, described by the St Lucia Tourism Authority as the world’s only drive-in volcano. More adventurous honeymooners can tackle Gros Piton, while back at the resort some rooms have balconies built around mature trees or open sides overlooking the Pitons and Caribbean Sea.
