FI and I love the beach and that's our number one factor in booking our vacation. We've been to the carribean a lot so we'd like to go somewhere else but the carribean. We live in NYC and the most we would travel for our honeymoon is maybe 7-9 hrs since we only have one week to spend. Greece is one of our options but you guys might have some ideas.
I know this may sound complicated but does anyone have any recommendations where to go?
We may be going to Bora Bora which is 11 hours away from NYC. Otherwise, the Mexican Riviera might be up your alley, like Cabos or Puerto Vallarta. It's very beachy and beautiful, but also a different culture from the Carribean.
Majorca is an island off of the coast of Spain that is gorgeous as well! I would definitely look into that.
Too bad. If you had more time I would highly recommend you the Maldives - Maldives - Maldives!
It's the most exclusive independent island state in the Indian Ocean. 10000 better than Hawaii. The islands are very small and are not volcanic but coral build islands. There is usually one - two hotels per island only. This is why it is very exclusive. You get to enjoy the beauty of the nature with your siginifant other. And there is still alot you can do: Island hopping, visiting the capital of the Maldives Male, scuba diving, fishing...
The water is crystal clear and the sand (due to the corals) is one of the best worldwide. If you love scuba diving or snorkeling and swimming in warm water with many tropical fishes and corals around you then this is the place to be. It's like swimming in a huge aquarium. It's definetly the most romantic place I have ever been to. I visited this place twice and am yearning to go back. They sometimes offer you a trip to a so called 'desert island'. They drop you off with a picnic basket. You get the enjoy the island just by 'yourself' with your partner and then in the evening they come and pick you up. How romantic is that?
It's a number one travel destination for European Honeymooners and more and more Americans are discovering this place. But it is definetly not cheap.
To get an idea I would suggest you to check out the pictures here:
i really wanna go to maldives but 1 week may be too short for that. travelling there alone is alreay half a day but i will definitely visit that island one day. im drooling just by looking at pictures.
In regard to Majorca I would be abit careful. We have been there last year. If you want to visit it it is definetly nice but be aware that it is the number 1 travel destination of Germans. If you go there you will most likely see Germans, German restaurants, German signs, newspaper..you name it.
You don't really have the feeling of being somewhere in Spain. The prime target group in Mallorca is
a) families with young children b) retirees.
We did a mistake by not checking the hotel we booked first. We ended up being the only ones within the age of 30 yrs while everyone else was 60+ .
No matter where you go I would recommend you to check the hotel reviews on http://www.tripadvisor.com first before booking anything.
Instead of Majorca I would rather opt for the island of 'Sardegna' in Italy. For both islands a rental car is highly recommended.
Oh and for anyone who is looking for really good European / Asian / Southamerican airfares (such as 1 cent plus tax for a one way ticket in Europe. It is true!) you may check out the links on my website:
I paid ~ 600 USD total for 3 airfare tickets (me, my boyfriend and his brother) travelling to 6 European countries last year. I also took my mom and my sister to Barcelona from Germany and paid for the three of us 60 USD roundtrip!! Good luck with your plans
i loooove the south of france! there's lots to do besides doing the beach thing if it tickles your fancy. i haven't been to wineries in that particular region but that's one thing you can do. gras has great perfumeries which is fun. plus you can just drive around in the hills and visit darling little towns. and the food. just get outta here with the food. its to die for. : )
just beware that during the film festival, cannes + nice is insane.
If you're considering the Caribbean (i.e. USVI), may I suggest St. John. I've lived off and on there since I was a kid and it is incredible. The scenery, the snorkeling, and the hiking are much better than on St. Thomas or St. Croix and it's safer than those islands too. They have everything from platform tents in eco-resorts to villas. My family often rents ours out for wedding parties, etc.
I agree. I would prefer south of France (such as Aix en Provence) over Greece. You can rent a car and drive over to Monaco. The coastline Cote d'Azur there is breathtaking. But attention: it's pretty curvy and you want to be a good driver. South of France has sandy beaches whereas most beaches in Greece are stone beaches. I recommend to visit the artist village of Saint Paul de Vence. Due to your time constraint I would try to fly into Nice instead of taking the train from Paris, which would take too long and if you do it in the summer time it can be awfully hot.
Vive la France!
If I were to pick a honeymoon destination in Europe I definetly would pick south of France.
We are going to Sandals in Jamaica -- Ocho Rios -- you really got a lot for your Money! We got 7 nights in a private suite with a pool and butler service for $3035 -- total for both of us! That includes all food and drinks!
If you decide to stay in St. John, it depends on what you're looking for--eco-chic camping style or romantic bungalo tucked away in the woods. The best (and almost the only) resort on island is Caneel Bay--very gorgeous with gardens, spa, and fancy restaurants, but resorts are just not my style. If it were me, I'd want the privacy of a house and the freedom to roam, so I'd rent a small cottage, esp. one with a hot tub. It gives you the option of cooking at home some nights, skinny dipping without fear, etc. I like the hippy feel of the east end of the island better (Coral Bay, not Cruz Bay). Please feel free to message me if you would like any specific suggestions. My family's house is too large for a couple, but it gives you an idea of the views on the Coral Bay side:
Though we're flying in August on a weekday there is not non-stop flights to Cancun from Minneapolis so we will have a lay over maiking travel time about 7 hours in total (normlly non stop would be 3 for me)
I would definitely consider either Costa Rica (beautiful beaches, great hiking and nature, and it's famous for the ziplines! CR is not as touristy as other sun destinations, although it's becoming more popular) or the south of France (day trip to Monaco if you go to the south of France)! Portugal would be another consideration - it's not quite as expensive and touristy as the rest of Europe. Another spot I've been to and loved was the southern tip of Spain, right near Gibraltar. There are a lot of beautiful hotels there, great golf courses, swimming, you can do a day trip to Gibraltar, and you can even catch a ferry ride to Morocco (just 15 km away across the water - it's so cool, you can see Africa from your hotel.)
FI and I love the beach and that's our number one factor in booking our vacation. We've been to the carribean a lot so we'd like to go somewhere else but the carribean. We live in NYC and the most we would travel for our honeymoon is maybe 7-9 hrs since we only have one week to spend. Greece is one of our options but you guys might have some ideas.
I know this may sound complicated but does anyone have any recommendations where to go?
Thanks so much.
posted by springb2b 38 posts 9 months agoMexico could be nice and a bit different from the Carribean.
posted by barbarabee 25 posts 9 months agoWe may be going to Bora Bora which is 11 hours away from NYC. Otherwise, the Mexican Riviera might be up your alley, like Cabos or Puerto Vallarta. It's very beachy and beautiful, but also a different culture from the Carribean.
Majorca is an island off of the coast of Spain that is gorgeous as well! I would definitely look into that.
happy planning!
posted by lilneko69 203 posts 9 months agowe actually have been to the mexico also.
what airline are you taking to bora ?
i'll look into spain...thanks
posted by springb2b 38 posts 9 months agothe south of spain has gorgeous beaches, but europe is expensive right now. brazil has nice beaches too and inexpensive but may be a bit of a flight.
posted by danibel 69 posts 9 months agoToo bad. If you had more time I would highly recommend you the Maldives - Maldives - Maldives!
It's the most exclusive independent island state in the Indian Ocean. 10000 better than Hawaii. The islands are very small and are not volcanic but coral build islands. There is usually one - two hotels per island only. This is why it is very exclusive. You get to enjoy the beauty of the nature with your siginifant other. And there is still alot you can do: Island hopping, visiting the capital of the Maldives Male, scuba diving, fishing...
The water is crystal clear and the sand (due to the corals) is one of the best worldwide. If you love scuba diving or snorkeling and swimming in warm water with many tropical fishes and corals around you then this is the place to be. It's like swimming in a huge aquarium. It's definetly the most romantic place I have ever been to. I visited this place twice and am yearning to go back. They sometimes offer you a trip to a so called 'desert island'. They drop you off with a picnic basket. You get the enjoy the island just by 'yourself' with your partner and then in the evening they come and pick you up. How romantic is that?
It's a number one travel destination for European Honeymooners and more and more Americans are discovering this place. But it is definetly not cheap.
To get an idea I would suggest you to check out the pictures here:
http://www.conradmaldivesrangali.com/images.php
PS: There are many different Atolls there. I strongly recommend 'Ari Atoll'
posted by Camille 131 posts 9 months agoWhat about Croatia and the Dalmation Islands? They're gorgeous, exotic, different, and affordable:
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/croat-dazure
posted by lotusmoss 99 posts 9 months agolet's see... how about:
www.palaceresorts.com
www.riu.com
puerto rico
usvi
brazil
costa rica
santorini
these are way over 9 hours away but: thailand; vietnam; boracay or palawan
posted by Anti-Zilla 385 posts 9 months agoi really wanna go to maldives but 1 week may be too short for that. travelling there alone is alreay half a day but i will definitely visit that island one day. im drooling just by looking at pictures.
usvi, santorini and mykonos are also on our list.
fi and i have been to boracay. loved it there.
posted by springb2b 38 posts 9 months agoIn regard to Majorca I would be abit careful. We have been there last year. If you want to visit it it is definetly nice but be aware that it is the number 1 travel destination of Germans. If you go there you will most likely see Germans, German restaurants, German signs, newspaper..you name it.
You don't really have the feeling of being somewhere in Spain. The prime target group in Mallorca is
a) families with young children
b) retirees.
We did a mistake by not checking the hotel we booked first. We ended up being the only ones within the age of 30 yrs while everyone else was 60+
.
No matter where you go I would recommend you to check the hotel reviews on http://www.tripadvisor.com first before booking anything.
Instead of Majorca I would rather opt for the island of 'Sardegna' in Italy. For both islands a rental car is highly recommended.
Oh and for anyone who is looking for really good European / Asian / Southamerican airfares (such as 1 cent plus tax for a one way ticket in Europe. It is true!) you may check out the links on my website:
http://lan-pham.de/?p=126
I paid ~ 600 USD total for 3 airfare tickets (me, my boyfriend and his brother) travelling to 6 European countries last year. I also took my mom and my sister to Barcelona from Germany and paid for the three of us 60 USD roundtrip!! Good luck with your plans
For Europe: Ryanair and Easyjet are the best
posted by Camille 131 posts 9 months agoi loooove the south of france! there's lots to do besides doing the beach thing if it tickles your fancy. i haven't been to wineries in that particular region but that's one thing you can do. gras has great perfumeries which is fun. plus you can just drive around in the hills and visit darling little towns. and the food. just get outta here with the food. its to die for. : )
just beware that during the film festival, cannes + nice is insane.
posted by bora 62 posts 9 months agoWe are going to Greece for a week and Italy for a week! We like to travel/explore/and sit on the beach so we are getting the best of all of that :-)
posted by Octoberbride2009 5 posts 9 months agoIf you're considering the Caribbean (i.e. USVI), may I suggest St. John. I've lived off and on there since I was a kid and it is incredible. The scenery, the snorkeling, and the hiking are much better than on St. Thomas or St. Croix and it's safer than those islands too. They have everything from platform tents in eco-resorts to villas. My family often rents ours out for wedding parties, etc.
posted by lotusmoss 99 posts 9 months agoI've heard so many good things about St. John. Where is the best place to stay?
posted by springb2b 38 posts 9 months agoI agree. I would prefer south of France (such as Aix en Provence) over Greece. You can rent a car and drive over to Monaco. The coastline Cote d'Azur there is breathtaking. But attention: it's pretty curvy and you want to be a good driver. South of France has sandy beaches whereas most beaches in Greece are stone beaches. I recommend to visit the artist village of Saint Paul de Vence. Due to your time constraint I would try to fly into Nice instead of taking the train from Paris, which would take too long and if you do it in the summer time it can be awfully hot.
Vive la France!
If I were to pick a honeymoon destination in Europe I definetly would pick south of France.
posted by Camille 131 posts 9 months agoWe are going to Sandals in Jamaica -- Ocho Rios -- you really got a lot for your Money! We got 7 nights in a private suite with a pool and butler service for $3035 -- total for both of us! That includes all food and drinks!
posted by caliocteach 720 posts 9 months agoIf you decide to stay in St. John, it depends on what you're looking for--eco-chic camping style or romantic bungalo tucked away in the woods. The best (and almost the only) resort on island is Caneel Bay--very gorgeous with gardens, spa, and fancy restaurants, but resorts are just not my style. If it were me, I'd want the privacy of a house and the freedom to roam, so I'd rent a small cottage, esp. one with a hot tub. It gives you the option of cooking at home some nights, skinny dipping without fear, etc. I like the hippy feel of the east end of the island better (Coral Bay, not Cruz Bay). Please feel free to message me if you would like any specific suggestions. My family's house is too large for a couple, but it gives you an idea of the views on the Coral Bay side:
http://www.stjohndrakesview.com/island.php
posted by lotusmoss 99 posts 9 months agoShort plane trip was one of our criteria too -
we're doing 10 days here:
Excellence Riviera Cancun
Though we're flying in August on a weekday there is not non-stop flights to Cancun from Minneapolis so we will have a lay over maiking travel time about 7 hours in total (normlly non stop would be 3 for me)
posted by Sweeney2Be 1,488 posts 9 months agoTry the Algarve in the southern part of Portugal.
posted by c-girl 32 posts 9 months agoI would definitely consider either Costa Rica (beautiful beaches, great hiking and nature, and it's famous for the ziplines! CR is not as touristy as other sun destinations, although it's becoming more popular) or the south of France (day trip to Monaco if you go to the south of France)! Portugal would be another consideration - it's not quite as expensive and touristy as the rest of Europe. Another spot I've been to and loved was the southern tip of Spain, right near Gibraltar. There are a lot of beautiful hotels there, great golf courses, swimming, you can do a day trip to Gibraltar, and you can even catch a ferry ride to Morocco (just 15 km away across the water - it's so cool, you can see Africa from your hotel.)
posted by smartl 353 posts 9 months ago