5 DIFFERENT HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS FOR 2024.

I’m at the age now where a lot of my friends and people around me are getting engaged, and one of the most exciting things that comes with that (apart from marrying the love of your life) is the honeymoon! Most people associate honeymoons with the Caribbean or overwater bungalows,  but sometimes people don’t have either the budget or time for that or just fancy a different type of holiday. Here are 5 honeymoon destinations for 2024 for any type of couple. 

1. Albania

Albania has gained popularity in the last few years and it’s easy to see why. It’s accessible, cheap to fly to and relatively cheap to stay in. There is also a plethora of things to do and even has its own ‘Albanian Riviera’ in the South West of the country. Ksamil is the best place to base yourself if you’re looking for a relaxing honeymoon of white sand beaches, cocktails and good food. The easiest way to get here is to fly to the Greek island of Corfu and then take a 30 minute ferry across to Albania. 

If you want a bit more adventure from your trip, you can hire a car and travel around the country to places like Dhermi, Permet, Berat and of course the capital Tirana. Across the country you can find activities like white-water rafting, beautiful hikes and UNESCO sites. Their national dish is  ‘Tave kosi’ which is made up of lamb with rice and yoghurt. 

Honeymoon hotel recommendation: Xheko Imperial Hotel & SPA

Best time to visit: April - October 

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2. Caribbean Cruise

Cruise holidays are great if you don't want to do a lot of the planning yourself and want to see a few places in a short space of time. For your honeymoon, I recommend going with Virgin Voyages as they offer ‘adults only’ cruises and have more activities and parties catered for older age groups. More so, you can choose to buy the all-inclusive drinks package to make the most of your trip. Just make sure you purchase this online in advance as it will be cheaper than buying it when you get onboard. 

If you have children and want to bring them along on your honeymoon, then a Royal Caribbean Cruise is probably your best bet as there’s activities for everyone, and a creche you can leave your kids at for a few hours should you wish to have some alone time! Your main expense for this holiday will be flying to the US, but the cruise itself is generally cheaper than the voyages from Europe. 

Cruise recommendation: Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady

Best time to visit the Caribbean: February - May 

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3. Seychelles

Seychelles is a group of islands off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, and is one of the more unique honeymoon destinations as it offers something exotic and its close proximity to Kenya and Tanzania means you can combine a trip to Seychelles with an African safari in the Serengeti to give you the best of both on your honeymoon. 

The archipelago consists of 115 islands, 25% of which consists of private resort islands which means most resorts have their own private beaches. If you’re looking for those famous overwater beach huts, you can rest assured that you’ll definitely find them here. This type of holiday will mainly revolve around sunbathing, snorkeling, exploring the national parks and enjoying some local food such as ‘kat-kat banane’ and lots of coconut curries. 

Honeymoon hotel recommendation: Hotel Coral Strand

Best time to visit: April - May, October - November  

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4. Costa Rica

Costa Rica is known for having the world's greatest biodiversity and micro-climates, meaning there is a lot to do and discover. It’s a place that you definitely don’t want to stay in just one place and rather explore the whole country, but even just a week is enough time to explore the best that the country has to offer. I recommend visiting La Fortuna (where you’ll find the Arenal Volcano), San Jose, Tortuguero National Park and Puerto Viejo. 

On your trip here, you can try horseback riding, ATV, zip-lining, kayaking, scuba diving and so much more. Not to mention seeing some of the incredible wildlife like sloths, squirrel monkeys and toucans. When it comes to food, you’ll want to try dishes like ‘chifrijo’ (fried pork with red beans) and ‘rondon’ (seafood and coconut stew). 

Honeymoon hotel recommendation: Nayara Springs Hotel

Best time to visit: December - April   

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5. Finland

I couldn’t finish this list without including somewhere for those who prefer the cold weather. If you want somewhere to experience the Aurora Borealis whilst sleeping in a glass-roofed igloo, then you’ll want to stay in Finnish Lapland. Here you can also experience sleigh rides, husky safaris and of course, skiing. You can also complete your honeymoon with a therapeutic hot tub session, with a beautiful backdrop of the snowy mountains. 

Honeymoon hotel recommendation: Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort 

Best time to visit: December  

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I hope this article has provided you with some inspiration for your future honeymoon, or atleast you’ve added one of these places to your bucket list!