Honeymoon
Honeymoon ideas: find the right kind of trip for the two of you
The best honeymoon is not always the most famous one. It is the trip that fits the two of you, whether that means a villa over the water, a week of food and wine in Italy or a safari before the beach.
Picolo Editorial
Picolo's honeymoon guides contain no affiliate links. Our picks are made independently by our editors.
Start with the kind of honeymoon you want, not the destination. This guide sorts our honeymoon ideas into eight styles, each with the places and guides that suit it best.
In short: eight kinds of honeymoon
Beach and island: the Maldives, Mauritius, the Seychelles, Zanzibar and Bali.
Overwater villa: the classic honeymoon in the Maldives.
Private island: one resort, one island, almost no one else.
Adults-only and all inclusive: quiet pools and nothing to organise.
Food, culture and romance: Italy, Japan and Sri Lanka.
Adventure and nature: safari, rainforest, fjords and northern lights.
City and short breaks: romantic hotels in Europe's cities.
On a budget: honeymoons that cost less without feeling cheap.
Our first choice: a beach honeymoon in the Maldives, where we have stayed at Jawakara Islands ourselves. If you cannot choose an ocean, our guide to the Maldives, Mauritius or the Seychelles compares the three.
This guide is part of our best honeymoon destinations series. To match a style to your wedding date, see our honeymoon calendar.
Beach and island honeymoons
This is the honeymoon most couples picture: white sand, warm sea and nothing on the agenda. The Indian Ocean has the classic choices, while Zanzibar and Bali add culture and food to the beach.
The Maldives: a resort on its own island, with the reef outside. See Maldives honeymoon.
Mauritius: beaches with mountains and food behind them. See Mauritius honeymoon.
The Seychelles: granite beaches and island hopping. See Seychelles honeymoon.
Zanzibar: white beaches and the old Stone Town. See Zanzibar honeymoon.
Bali: temples, rice terraces and beach clubs. See Bali honeymoon.
Water villas in the Maldives. Photo: Matheen Faiz / Unsplash
Overwater villas
A villa on stilts over the lagoon, with steps straight down into the sea, is the image many couples have of a honeymoon. The Maldives has the most, but you also find them in other parts of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.
Our guide to overwater bungalows covers where to find them and what they are like to stay in. In the Maldives, the atolls explained and seaplane or speedboat help you pick the resort and the transfer.
Private island honeymoons
On a private island resort there is only one hotel, and often only a few dozen villas. It is the most secluded honeymoon you can have, and usually also one of the most expensive.
Our guide to private island resorts lists the resorts we rate most highly. We stayed at Jawakara Islands in the Maldives, where two small islands are joined by a bridge across the reef. Read our Jawakara review.
Adults-only and all inclusive
Many couples want a hotel without children and a price that covers food and drink. Adults-only hotels keep the pools and restaurants quiet, and all inclusive means you can stop thinking about money once you arrive.
Adults-only all inclusive: see our guide to adults-only all inclusive resorts.
The Maldives: see adults-only resorts in the Maldives and all inclusive in the Maldives.
Closer to home: see adults-only hotels on Crete.
Food, culture and romance
For some couples the best part of a honeymoon is long lunches, small towns and something new every day. Italy is the obvious choice in Europe, and Japan and Sri Lanka are two of the most rewarding further afield.
Italy: the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany and Rome. See our guides to the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany and romantic hotels in Rome.
Japan: temples, food and a night in a traditional inn. See our guide to ryokan in Japan and our Japan travel guide.
Sri Lanka: tea country, temples and beaches in one trip. See Sri Lanka honeymoon.
A safari in Tanzania is often combined with the beach on Zanzibar. Photo: Tanzania Wild Sky / Unsplash
Adventure and nature
A honeymoon can also be about doing things together. Safari and beach is a popular combination, while Costa Rica mixes rainforest and Pacific beaches. Closer to home, the Norwegian fjords and the northern lights give you nature on a grand scale.
Safari and beach: see our guide to safari and beach in Zanzibar.
Costa Rica: see Costa Rica honeymoon.
The Norwegian fjords: see our guide to the Norwegian fjords.
The northern lights: see our guide to the northern lights in Lofoten.
City breaks and short honeymoons
Not every honeymoon has to be long. Many couples take a few days in a European city straight after the wedding and save the big trip for later.
Romantic hotels: see romantic hotels in Europe and a romantic weekend away.
Europe: see our guide to honeymoon destinations in Europe.
Honeymoons on a budget
A honeymoon does not need to cost a fortune. Travelling outside the peak season, choosing a destination where food and drink are cheap or splitting the trip between a simple and a special hotel all help.
See our cheap honeymoon destinations and the guide to honeymoon packages.
We have been there
Uzuri Villa: six suites on the beach at Jambiani, Zanzibar
We stayed at Uzuri Villa, a small boutique hotel on the beach at Jambiani on the east coast of Zanzibar, and met Elga Giannini, who built it. There are only three suites and three junior suites, the day's catch for dinner and the sea at the bottom of the garden. After a safari, it is the kind of quiet beach most couples are looking for.
Our verdict
What Picolo chooses: a beach honeymoon in the Maldives if rest is the goal, Italy if you love food and culture, and safari and beach in Zanzibar if you want an adventure.
Why: these three give very different honeymoons, and each is a strong example of its kind.
The trade-off: the Maldives costs most and offers least beyond the resort, Italy is busy in summer, and a safari adds travel and early mornings.
Ready to start planning? Our guide to planning your honeymoon takes you through the style, the timing, the budget and the booking step by step.
Only have a few days after the wedding? Our mini-moon ideas cover short honeymoons in the UK and Europe, from the Lake District to Paris by Eurostar.
Planning a safari for your honeymoon? Our safari honeymoon guide shows how to combine Tanzania, Kenya or South Africa with a week on the beach.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most romantic honeymoon ideas?
An overwater villa in the Maldives, a private island resort and a few days on the Amalfi Coast are among the most romantic. What feels romantic depends on you, though. For some couples it is a quiet beach, for others a city full of restaurants.
What are some unique honeymoon ideas?
Safari and beach in Zanzibar, a night in a ryokan in Japan and the northern lights in Lofoten are three less obvious choices. They make a honeymoon that you will talk about for years, and they suit couples who want to experience something together. See our guide to safari and beach in Zanzibar.
How do we choose between a beach and an active honeymoon?
Ask how you want to feel on the last day. If the answer is rested, choose a beach. If it is full of new experiences, choose a trip with more to do. Many couples combine the two, for example a few days of safari or city first and then a week on the beach.
When should we go?
It depends on the destination and the season there, because the dry and rainy seasons fall in different months around the world. The Maldives are best in winter, while Bali and Mauritius are best in summer. Our honeymoon calendar shows where to go in every month of the year.
Sources
The ideas build on Picolo's honeymoon, hotel and destination guides. Our stay at Jawakara Islands was not sponsored. Last checked: 4 November 2026.
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Picolo Editorial