So, you’re looking for a luxurious honeymoon destination but you don’t want to spend all of your time lounging around a beach or in your hotel room? These days, there is an ideal trip for just about anyone out there, including couples who want to enjoy a luxurious adventure honeymoon they’ll never forget.
Kauai, Hawaii
Kauai offers the best of both worlds, with plenty of opportunities for both relaxation and adventure. The Nāpali Coast on the island’s north shore is one of the most breathtaking stretches of coastline in the world, lined with cascading falls, 3,000-foot-high cliffs and gorgeous Hanalei Bay. One of the best ways to experience it is to hike up the 11-mile Kalalau Trail and camp overnight. If that’s a little too adventurous, consider the two-mile trek to Hanakapiai Beach, where you’ll have the chance to meet up with endangered Hawaiian monk seals soaking up the sunshine near the water. Other active pursuits on this “Garden Island” include kayaking, snorkeling, zip-lining and horseback riding.
Tulum, Mexico
Mexico’s Caribbean coast is popular with honeymooners, and it’s ideal for couples who want to explore ancient ruins, take a dip in crystal clear cenotes and enjoy a little nightlife too. Teotihuacan boasts the Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon and the Avenue of the Dead, and alongside those, you can explore Monte Alban, the jungle-clad ruins of Coba and the Temples of Uxmal ruins. Located on the Yucatan Peninsula, Tulum was one of the last cities built by the Mayans and hosts one of the best-preserved Mayan sites on the east coast of Mexico. While the ruins can be enjoyed on a day trip from Cancun, those that stay in Tulum can enjoy its picturesque beaches that offer outstanding snorkeling and diving.
Tibet
Tibet features some of the most breathtaking mountain scenery on Earth, including the majestic Himalayas and Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain at over 29,000 feet above sea level. If you are looking for a honeymoon that includes lots of outdoor activities and heart-pounding, this may be your place. Yes, taking a trek to Mount Everest or to the base of the peak is one of the most popular things to do, but you’ll also find plenty of easier hikes, water-based activities and mountain biking trails.
Patagonia
Patagonia is filled with stunning vistas around every corner, including everything from vast glaciers to some of South America’s highest peaks. It’s one of the world’s top spots for outdoor adventure, and with Explora honeymooners can enjoy a luxury all-inclusive adventure. Explora offers three lodges in separate parts of the Patagonia region, including Torres del Paine and Patagonia National Park, both in Chile, and El Chaltén in Argentina. Each lodge was created with the surrounding nature in mind, and in a way that allows guests to truly enjoy the remoteness of the Patagonia territory.
Turtle Island, Fiji
Fiji’s waters are teeming with an underwater parade of hammerheads, turtles, mantas, a multitude of colorful fish and more, making the islands an ideal honeymoon destination for couples who want to spend their days among marine life. While you can’t go wrong with any of the Fiji Islands, Turtle Island truly seems to capture the true romance of the South Pacific with its tranquil beauty, exotic flavors and luxurious accommodation. It’s the ultimate vision of paradise, with pristine beaches, vibrant blue waters and lush greenery along with amenities and an ambiance designed for romance. Couples can enjoy intimate moonlit dinners at the edge of the sea, horseback riding at sunrise, diving or snorkeling, and romantic picnics for two.
Rwanda
Wildlife-loving honeymooners might want to consider Rwanda. While it may sound like a rather unusual destination for a honeymoon, its forests are home to two-thirds of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, a population estimated to be about 1,000. Tracking mountain gorillas in this “land of a thousand hills” is an experience of a lifetime. In this small country on the highest African plateau in the heart of the continent, the undulating hills and mountains are enshrouded in mist every morning, hence the saying, “gorillas in the mist.” In Volcanoes National Park, there are ten groups of gorillas accessible to tourists through various operators which run tours tracking these magnificent creatures through the dense forest.
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island, situated off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, is home to lush forests, white-capped waves, endless beaches, rugged shorelines, roaring rivers and soaring glaciers that provide a setting ideal for outdoor adventure. There are a wealth of hiking trails, walking paths and biking routes, as well as the opportunity for horseback riding, caving, golfing, and, of course, adventures on the water. Sea kayaking Johnstone Strait, near the small town of Telegraph Cove, offers one of the most amazing adventures of a lifetime. The area is also home to orca whales with several outfitters offering whale watching tours. The sheer thrill of viewing these incredible animals in the wild is something you’ll never forget.
Copper Canyon, Mexico
Formed by the confluence of six rivers, Copper Canyon is so vast it could swallow the Grand Canyon whole. Unlike the Grand Canyon, however, the Copper Canyon is verdant green with pine, fir, oak and fig trees. It offers the opportunity for all sorts of adventures, in addition to the scenic wonders of the canyon itself. Explore it on foot, by bike, on horseback or by whitewater rafting. You can also take a romantic train excursion, traversing through 86 tunnels and 39 bridges, and climbing as high as 8,000 feet to unforgettable vistas. You can even venture deep into the canyon floor to meet the Tarahumara people, observing and even participating in their simple, rustic way of life.
Greenough, Montana
Greenough offers incomparable luxury among Montana’s unspoiled wilderness in the picturesque Blackfoot Valley, just a half-hour’s drive from Missoula. The Resort at Paws Up stands out from the rest. Honeymooners can enjoy a magical escape to tranquility among the peaceful countryside at this grand ranch resort tucked within some of the most jaw-dropping scenery on the planet. Set across 37,000 acres on an authentic working cattle ranch, it offers a wide variety of accommodation options from luxurious, expansive private homes to upscale, sophisticated safari-style tents known as glamorous camping, or glamping. This wilderness sanctuary offers the chance to spend an hour, day or even a week on horseback, cast your line into world-class fly fishing waters for cutthroat trout and indulge in heavenly in-room spa treatments too.
Torngat Mountains National Park, Labrador
If none of these options were “wild” enough for you, Torngat Mountains National Park is sure to fit the bill. It doesn’t get much more remote than this, and while it isn’t easy to get to, this is a place where you’ll discover few other humans, but lots of glaciers, icebergs, dramatic mountains, caribou and even a polar bear or two. The park covers 3,745 awe-inspiring square miles of pristine wilderness that stretches from Saglek Fjord to the northern tip of Labrador, and west from the Atlantic seacoast to the Quebec border. There are no roads or campgrounds – not even any signs directing you where to go. A honeymoon here requires booking a special tour, hiring a charter, or utilizing the services of Torngat Mountains Base Camp which offers a variety of packages.
