Why this guide: about 14,800 people a month search Google for “best honeymoon destinations” (US, DataForSEO Labs, September 2026). This is the answer we would give a client, written to be booked from.
The short answer
- Ultimate beachThe Maldives, Bora Bora, the Seychelles, Mauritius, St Lucia, Turks and Caicos, Bali's Uluwatu, the Riviera Maya
- Romantic and culturalSantorini and the Greek islands, the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, Paris, Kyoto and Japan, Lisbon and the Algarve, Marrakech
- Adventure and two-centreCosta Rica, Iceland, Hawaii's Maui and Kauai, Peru, a Kenya or Tanzania safari with Zanzibar, New Zealand, South Africa's Cape and safari
The classic beach honeymoons
The Maldives is the archetype — a private island, an over-water villa, a house reef — at $1,000–$3,000 a night (Soneva, One&Only Reethi Rah, Gili Lankanfushi at the top; Anantara, Conrad, Kuramathi in the middle); November–April. Bora Bora for the lagoon and the Four Seasons, St. Regis or Conrad over-water bungalows ($1,200–$2,500); May–October. The Seychelles (Six Senses Zil Pasyon, North Island, Constance Lémuria) for the granite beaches; April–May and October–November. Mauritius (One&Only Le Saint Géran, Four Seasons Anahita) for the all-round resort; May–December. St Lucia (Jade Mountain, Sugar Beach, Sandals Grande St Lucian) for the Pitons; December–April. Turks and Caicos' Grace Bay (Amanyara, Grace Bay Club) for the water; the Riviera Maya (Rosewood Mayakoba, Nizuc, Grand Velas) for the easy flight from North America.
The romantic and cultural honeymoons
Santorini for the caldera (Canaves Oia, Grace, Mystique), with Naxos or Milos as the beach second week; June or September. The Amalfi Coast (Le Sirenuse, Il San Pietro, Monastero Santa Rosa) with Capri or Ravello; May or late September. Tuscany's villas and Florence (Castello di Casole, Borgo Santo Pietro, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco); May–June or September–October. Paris, obviously, with a Loire or Champagne day. Japan — Kyoto's ryokan (Hoshinoya, Tawaraya), Tokyo, Hakone's onsen — in April blossom or November colour. Lisbon and the Algarve or Comporta; Marrakech and the Atlas with a Sahara night; Istanbul and Cappadocia's balloons.
The adventure and two-centre honeymoons
Costa Rica: Arenal's volcano and hot springs, Monteverde's cloud forest, then the Pacific coast (Nayara, Origins, Lapa Rios, Four Seasons Papagayo); December–April. Iceland: the Ring Road, the lagoons, the lights (Deplar Farm, the Retreat at Blue Lagoon, ION); June–August or February–March. Hawaii: Maui's Wailea and the Road to Hana, then Kauai's Na Pali (Four Seasons Maui, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay); year-round. Safari-and-beach: Kenya's Mara or Tanzania's Serengeti (Angama Mara, Singita) followed by Zanzibar or the Seychelles; June–October. South Africa: Cape Town, the Winelands, then a Sabi Sand lodge; September–November or March–May. Peru: Cusco, the Sacred Valley (Explora, Sol y Luna), Machu Picchu; May–September. New Zealand: the South Island's lodges (Blanket Bay, Matakauri) for a January honeymoon.
Choosing by season, budget and flight
Winter weddings (December–February): the Maldives, the Caribbean, Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, Dubai, New Zealand. Spring (March–May): Japan, the Seychelles, Bali's dry start, Morocco, the Caribbean after Easter. Summer (June–August): Greece, Italy, Bora Bora, Bali, the safari season, Iceland, Hawaii. Autumn (September–November): the Mediterranean's best month, Kyoto in November, the Maldives from November, Cape Town, Peru's end of season. Budget: the Riviera Maya, Bali, the Greek islands and Portugal deliver luxury at $300–$600 a night; the Maldives, Bora Bora and the Seychelles start at $1,000. Flight time from Toronto or New York: the Caribbean and Mexico 3–5 hours; Europe 7–9; Hawaii 10–12; the Maldives, Bali and Bora Bora 20+ with a connection — consider a two-night city stop (Dubai, Singapore, Tahiti) on the way.
Booking it
Tell the resort it is a honeymoon — upgrades, a bottle and a decorated room are standard. Book the over-water and caldera rooms four to six months out; the Maldives and Bora Bora for Christmas a year out. The engine has destination pages for the Maldives, Bora Bora, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Saint Lucia, Turks and Caicos, Cancun, Santorini, Amalfi, Florence, Paris, Kyoto, Lisbon, Marrakesh, Cappadocia, Costa Rica, Reykjavik, Maui, Kauai, the Serengeti, Zanzibar, Cape Town, Cusco and Queenstown; the Resort Collection filters honeymoon properties; Vacation Packages bundle the flight; and the chauffeur booker handles the airport the morning after the wedding. See our best islands, best beaches and best time to visit guides.
Three things to get right
- Choose the type (beach, city, adventure) together before the place.
- Match the month — the Maldives in July or Santorini in January is a mistake.
- Long-haul (Maldives, Bora Bora, Bali): add a two-night city stop en route.
Book it
Featured destination: Santorini, Greece — hotels, airport and activities on one engine page.
