Honeymoon Planning! New Honeymoon Tips You Need To Checkout

Once upon a time, couples would get married, head to safe options such as Srinagar or Kodaikanal and Paris or Venice for their honeymoons, and dine out on the memories for decades to come. Times are changing, however, and so are ideas about what the perfect honeymoon could be. Of course, Paris and Venice are still on the list, but there are also many more popular honeymoon trends that couples are opting for these days.

Mini-Moons
Gourmet Honeymoons
Responsible Travel
Adventure-Packed Honeymoons
Bucket List Honeymoons
Wellness Escapes
Two Honeymoons
Out-Of-The-Box Honeymoon Ideas

Mini-Moons

Between heavy work schedules and social calendars, not everyone can afford a two-month-long leave period. This is where a mini-moon comes in. Simply put, it means visiting a romantic destination that doesn’t take hours to reach, and for a shorter duration. Think of it as an express honeymoon! Popular mini-moon destinations include Dubai, the Maldives, and Bhutan – all beautiful but quick and easy to get to.

Gourmet Honeymoons

“Couples these days actually plan their romantic getaways around food,” reveals Pune-based travel planner Poonam Makhija. “From having an elaborate 15-course meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant to exploring popular street food joints, food experiences have slowly started to influence the choice of honeymoon destinations.” France, Italy, Mexico, Thailand and France are some favoured gourmet honeymoon destinations.

Responsible Travel

Never has our environmental footprint mattered more, and honeymooners are increasingly more conscious of their impact on climate change. “For honeymooners, traveling responsibly means longer stays, single country visits and a commitment to traveling more responsibly,” agrees Poonam. “More couples these days prefer staying at eco-friendly properties or hotels that reduce waste.”

Additionally, a growing number of honeymooners are also seeking to educate themselves during their trip, hiring expert guides to help them understand the land, resources, and history and culture of a particular location. Others go a step further and volunteer for the period of the honeymoon to help locally at their chosen destination. How cool is that!

Adventure-Packed Honeymoons

Honeymooners also now want experiences rather than just romance, sightseeing and destination dining, and this has led to a rise in the popularity of adventure-heavy breaks. “Couples these days treat a honeymoon as less of a romantic escapade, and more of an adventure, an off-beat sort of plan that helps them to really bond with each other and discover each other as individuals,” explains Loveleen Multani Arun, founder and director of Panache World, a boutique luxury travel design house based in Bengaluru. Popular adventure-packed honeymoon destinations include Dubai for skydiving, the Maldives for water sports, Europe for budget-friendly experiences, Peru for nature treks…

Bucket List Honeymoons

Think of a bucket list honeymoon as embarking on a Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara sort of trip, but with your better half instead of your close friends. What better way to start your married life together than by ticking long-awaited experiences off your bucket list? “This is another trend that is indirectly caused by the pandemic as many of us spent a large portion of our time wishing we could visit our dream destinations and do things we’ve always dreamt of,” says Poonam. “Popular bucket list experiences include seeing the wonders of the world, witnessing the Northern Lights, or visiting the most unique places on Earth.”

Wellness Escapes

It’s no secret that Indian weddings are complicated affairs, and that dealing with pandemic-related stress is no easy feat. This is perhaps why there has been an increase in wellness holidays lately, as couples look to relax after being stressed out with their weddings and the planning leading up to them. “Wellness honeymoons have mindfulness and relaxation at their core, allowing couples to switch off entirely from the real world and truly connect with each other,” Poonam explains. “Opting for body spas, detox diets, working out, meditating, and just enjoying each other’s company is what wellness honeymoons are all about.”

Two Honeymoons

Believe it or not, the two-honeymoon trend is real! A lot of times, wedding planning doesn’t leave much room in the budget for an elaborate vacation after. Or the timing isn’t favorable for the perfect honeymoon destination, or there are work commitments to tend to. “Due to reasons such as both partners working, and the duration required, perhaps, newlyweds these days tend to consider going on a honeymoon after three or four months of getting married,” reveals Loveleen.

Poonam agrees. She adds that couples plan a short staycation after their wedding around the city they reside in or visit popular tourist cities in India such as Manali, and plan a bigger trip a few months down the line. The best bit? This allows the couple to research and better plan their trip and make it truly a honeymoon to remember.

Out-Of-The-Box Honeymoon Ideas

Manu Kashyap, director of Windmill Holidays, highlights trending experiential holiday possibilities that go beyond your usual picture-perfect places:

1. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda
2. Culinary experiences in Paris, France  
3. Staying in pods in the middle of nowhere in New Zealand
4. Staying in Masai Mara, Kenya, and enjoying safaris and champagne breakfasts
5. Taking in the Christmas market in Basel, Switzerland
6. Booking a one-week ski experience in Courchevel in the French Alps
7. Doing a self-drive through the Scottish countryside
8. Visiting Swedish Lapland and going snowmobiling up to the Arctic Circle
9. Driving the Pacific Coast in the USA, along with Lake Tahoe and the national parks
10. Exploring Jordan – made for history enthusiasts and adventure lovers

Also Read: Why Are International Flight Tickets So Expensive Now?