I am often asked the question – where is the best honeymoon destination in the world? The answer is, quite simply – I don’t know! So much depends on what type of person you are. There is little point in an action junkie with a fair skin complexion spending two weeks on a remote Maldivian castaway island, but for those of us born with a particular penchant for the slower things in life, and are quite happy to do less than nothing, then castaway living is paradise found!
This is where we, at Turquoise, earn our money. We combine our knowledge, inspiration and imagination with some probing questions and perhaps most importantly of all, we try to do a lot of listening, to enable us to design, plan and execute your perfect honeymoon!
But back to the question in hand. I would go for the ultimate compromise, therefore ignoring the other two vital ingredients when planning a honeymoon – time and money (I hate the word budget) – and instead, I would take a round the world ticket with the Best Airline in the World, Air New Zealand. But unlike my backpacking days, I would take a seat in one of their Premium Cabins (Premium Economy is the way to go whilst still trying to keep the money side of things sensible). Flying west from London, I would spend two nights in LA living it up with the stars – I love Santa Monica and The Viceroy which overlooks the beach – then on to the untouched and charming Cook Islands, known for its beautiful beaches and laid-back approach to life. The Cooks really are perfect for those looking for total relaxation and this is definitely a place where you can lose the blackberry and not wear shoes for the whole of your stay!
Warmed, chilled and bronzed from a stay in the South Pacific, I would then travel on to New Zealand and avoiding the clichés of adventure and rugby, I would spend a week amongst the vines in Hawkes Bay on the east coast of the North Island, staying in one of our fun, unique and romantic cottages – wine tasting and walking by day, sampling local restaurants by night! This a great way to discover the real and authentic New Zealand often missed by so many.
For the last stop of my Round the World honeymoon, Hong Kong offers a feast for the senses. It teems with life – a place where modern fuses with the ancient – two to three nights here would be the perfect Orient stopover.
We always try to tell our clients not to do too much. Slow and savour should be the rule! Including flying time, you need three weeks to do this kind of trip – anything less, makes it far from relaxing!
