Tailor-made Honeymoon Holidays

Planning your honeymoon

When choosing your honeymoon, planning is half the fun made even more enjoyable with a helping hand from our experienced Travel Experts, many of whom have been on honeymoons themselves.

Our most important tip? If you’re changing your name, make sure the names on your airline tickets match your passport and all legal documents to avoid any mishaps.

When shall I book?

There’s no rule as to when to begin planning a honeymoon but given this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, it’s never too early. We suggest at least 11 months in advance when the airlines release their schedules and fares, and you can take your pick of flights. Another thing to consider is that smaller, boutique hotels tend to fill up quickly so to make the most of availability and early bird offers, you may want to book ahead.

How long shall I go for?

The average duration for a British honeymoon lasts for around two weeks (it can take a couple of days to even unwind) but at Alfred&, every trip is tailored to suit you. If you’re short on time, you could choose a mini-moon to a destination such as South Africa with as little as one hour’s time difference, so no jet lag. On the other hand, some combine their honeymoon with month-long sabbaticals to make the most of what is one of life’s most memorable events.

Unforgettable honeymoons are composed of your shared tastes. Plus, researching is half the fun. Take inspiration from our blogs offering snippets of our most romantic experiences handpicked by our experts. Once you’ve gathered (and agreed on) your wish list, all you need to do is call. Below are some initial ideas:

The beach honeymoon

If it’s a classic beach honeymoon, Zanzibar and Kenya never disappoint with brilliant-white sand, gin-blue sea and hotels ranging from barefoot escapes to smart resorts. Vietnam offers something for both culture vultures and sun worshippers from the lantern-lit canals of Hoi An to Danang’s sun-drenched beaches. Don’t forget the Philippine islands for supreme scuba diving and Mozambique for an off the beaten track celebration.

A safari honeymoon

Getting away from it all has never been so perfectly embodied than on a safari honeymoon. Romance is always in the air from game drives at the crack of dawn to sundowners in the bush. There are plenty of places to compliment all that adventure with a well-deserved stint on the continent’s beautiful coasts – the ultimate bush-to-beach combination.

Honeymoons in the city

For cultural adventurers, a city sojourn can be most sensational. Cape Town has something for every couple with cosmopolitan vibes and staggering natural backdrops. If you’re food obsessed, take to Tokyo to sample Michelin-starred sashimi, and Hanoi in Vietnam to slurp bowlfuls of pho. Or head to Japan’s Kyoto for weeping willows, ornate gardens and a bygone geisha district.

The cultural honeymoon

Looking for complete immersion? In Asia it’s easy to connect with local culture be it cycling through the rural villages of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, admiring Buddhist temples in Laos or sampling Cambodia’s sizzling street food. On the African continent, explore the Kenyan bush with members of the Maasai tribe while you can discover Cape Town on a foodie tour where every dish is a reflection of the city’s cultural identity. Victoria Falls offers authentic moments swapping stories over a home-cooked meal with a local family.

A multi-trip honeymoon

If you’re looking for a bit of everything – city, culture, adventure and beach, then don’t worry, multi-centred holidays are our speciality. So, if you’re torn between overwater villas and jungle abodes, or want a honeymoon for both daring foodies and culture enthusiast alike, with our help, you can combine your tastes whether that’s a bush-to-beach combo or a continent sweeping escape.

LGBTQ

If you’re a member of the LGBTQ community, we understand the importance of choosing the right destination for your all-important honeymoon. Our travel experts can help assist with creating your once-in-a-lifetime trip, step by step.

The family moon

Family moons are a fantastic way of celebrating your life together. With careful planning and expert advice, we can create a once-in-a-lifetime trip that’s similarly hassle-free. Whether you want to play out your Robinson Crusoe-filled dreams or dive into local culture so you can all learn something new, whatever the family size or age, we’ll make sure it’s adventurous, fun and special for all.

There’s a whole world out there playing host to some of the most romantic destinations. Whether you’re looking for a beach escape in an ocean-facing villa or adventure in staggering mountain scenery, an extraordinary experience awaits.

Kenya: Best for bush-to-beach combinations. First timers may want to start in the Maasai Mara for Big-5 spotting on the savannah famed for the Great Wildebeest Migration. In Amboseli National Park, you can sip your sundowners under Mount Kilimanjaro and in Nairobi you can breakfast with giraffes. Combine this with the powdery beaches of Diani, Watamu or the Seychelles to completely disconnect.

Zanzibar & Tanzania: Zanzibar’s seductive beaches and chic pool villas are enough to tempt any honeymooner, or even the blissful seclusion found on far-flung Pemba Island. Add awe-filled safaris in Tanzania’s great Serengeti and the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Crater for a winning combination. While the lesser-known Nyerere National Park (formerly the Selous), offers quieter game drives in one of the oldest and greatest wildernesses.

South Africa: There’s something for every couple in South Africa. Cape Town is a sensory adventure in itself brimming with world-class restaurants and a staggering coastline. Go on safari in the heart of Zululand and embark on a road trip along the Garden Route known for breaching whales offshore. Otherwise drink top-notch wine and let your hair down on miles of sun-kissed beaches. The choices are endless.

Botswana: The undisputed safari hero not only has an array of earth’s most exciting game but also some of the most luxurious camps from which to traverse the Okavango Delta wetlands be it by traditional mokoro canoe, galloping along the floodplains on horseback or sleeping out in the moonscapes of the Makgadikgadi pans. The proximity to Victoria Falls in neighbouring Zimbabwe makes it easy to visit these extraordinary waterfalls.

Philippines: In an archipelago of over 7,000 islands, many islands still remain untainted by tourism. Honeymooners can dive into cities buzzing with jeepneys and appreciate 16^th-century architecture built during colonial rule. There’s romantic scenery aplenty from Banaue’s cascading rice terraces to the rolling conical Chocolate Hills. Scuba diving is exceptional here with explosive coral reefs and translucent blue, green sea.

Japan: Where ancient tradition meets 21^st-century living, Japan is a sure contender for adventurous honeymooners. There’s Michelin-starred cuisine, cool creative cities and romantic ryokans (traditional inns) showcasing the country’s high standard of hospitality. Travel during cherry blossom season for gardens bursting with dusty pink colours. Travel couldn’t be easier with buses arriving to-the-minute and the thrilling Shinkansen bullet trains carrying passengers at 200 miles per hour.

Namibia:  Honeymooners looking for an off-the-beaten-track adventure will find it here in Namibia’s deserts, rock-strewn plains and wind-battered coastline. Spend your days scaling epic sand dunes in Sossusvlei, taking boat trips along the skeleton coast and spotting wildlife in Etosha National Park. Designated an International Dark Sky Reserve, NamibRand Nature Reserve has planetarium-worthy skies to dine, and even sleep, beneath if you stay in a luxury star-bed lodge.

In continents as vast as Africa and Asia, there’s always an exciting destination for any time of the year. The main things to consider are weather, cost and those incredible activities that make your heart sing.

January to March: It’s the dry season in Kenya and Tanzania. Prices are cheaper and it’s a great time for game viewing, as animals are easier to spot in the shorter grasses and around waterholes. The romantic beaches on the Kenyan coast and Zanzibar are hot and sunny with clear skies.

It’s hot in South Africa with short bursts of rain. It can be busy until mid-January, but honeymoon in February and March and you’ll catch the tail end of summer while avoiding the crowds.

Tet Festival is always a fun time to visit Vietnam and as a year-round destination with weather that varies by region due to the country’s long length, there’s always somewhere sensational to go.

Laos’s romantic colonial cities and spectacular scenery enjoys warm and dry weather although it can be cooler in the highland areas.

The best time to go to the Philippine islands are in January and February when the temperatures are warm and the rain has hopefully ceased. The dry season continues into March and April but temperatures do rise.

April to May: It’s the start of dry season in Southern Africa and quieter with pleasant temperatures. Meanwhile the extraordinary wilds of Botswana and Zimbabwe enjoy cooler, more comfortable weather when visitor numbers increase. Easter holidays in particular can be busy.

April is a month of celebration in Japan during cherry-blossom season when gardens are awash with glorious pink colours, shops showcase cherry-inspired treats and locals enjoy hanami (picnicking beneath the petals). The first blossoms usually start in Okinawa during January before reaching Kyoto and Tokyo in April and ending in Hokkaido in May. Undeniably romantic but it can be very crowded.

July to September: This is high season in East Africa due to clear skies and virtually no rainfall – ideal for candle-lit dinners under the stars. Kenya’s world-famous Great Migration means that this is the most popular and expensive time to visit so it’s essential to book far in advance to secure your first choice of camps and lodges. The Kenyan beaches and Zanzibar may experience light showers.

South Africa is at its quietest in winter but there are still some great destinations enjoying warm temperatures such as the Kruger National Park, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. Mornings and evenings are much chillier until the beginning of September. During this month, whale-watching season peaks in the town of Hermanus.

This is peak game-spotting time in Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. Depending on the rains, it’s also the best time to see the exhilarating Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe just across the border.

Japan’s sensational autumnal colours inspire travellers almost as much as cherry-blossom season. It’s the perfect time to walk avenues of gold ginkgo trees or to see fiery red maple framing ancient temples.

October to December: In East Africa, November to December is the short rainy season and a fantastic time to see newborn animals as well as migratory birds.

South Africa’s weather turns from mild in October to hot in December experiencing a few short, sharp showers in some areas. December is busy due to summer holidays for local schools and universities. It’s still a great time to spot whales until the end of November.

In Laos, the rainy season is coming to an end in October although it tends to be short. From October onwards, warm and sunny days continue through to April, the perfect climate for cultural activities.

Vietnam turns from cooler to cold in the north yet sees no rain while the south sees consistently wonderful warm temperatures. Expect balmy nights in Ho Chi Minh, hazy mornings on the Mekong Delta and sunny days on the country’s best white-sand beaches.

Creating the trip of a lifetime is easier than you think. Tailor-made holidays start with a blank canvas so you can fine-tune your itinerary with those exceptional activities to suit you. We have the contacts on the ground and years of experience to realize the perfect post-nuptial escape, whether that’s accessing luxurious airport lounges or orchestrating surprise candle-lit dinners.

Making it special

Honeymooners should never settle and we’re here to help you achieve that. While hotel perks generally include discounts, room upgrades and private dining, why not guarantee some of those standout experiences that mean the most to you? Like a hot air balloon safari, canyon zip-lining or wine tasting with a sommelier all of which you can pre-book in advance. After all, your trip is totally tailor-made. You choose, we’ll spare you the logistics.

Upgrading your journey

Airline upgrades, these days, rarely happen for free but now you have the perfect, guilt-free opportunity to make your journey extra special. There are a variety of perks. While premium economy offers extra legroom, business class feels worlds away with lie-flat beds and free-flowing champagne. First class takes it to that next level with select airlines even including a private pod for ultimate seclusion and a driver who’ll whisk you to the airport. Plus, many airlines offer access to some of the most luxurious airport lounges you can imagine, each offering something different from an extensive wine cellar to a private cabana. So when you get to the booking stage, just ask. It might feel at first like an unnecessary cost but considering overpriced airport restaurant prices, those extra amenities may be well worth the splurge.

The Gift List

If you’re looking for a totally unique wedding present or already have everything you need for your new home, our Gift List is a personal way for friends and family to invest in what you really desire. So whether you have private picnics on a vineyard estate or a hot air balloon ride in mind, each personal contribution is another step towards funding your once-in-a-lifetime trip. Your gift list can also help towards those added perks such as flight upgrades and chauffeur-driven airport transfers.

Once you book your honeymoon, we’ll create a gift list online and send you a welcome pack complete with announcement cards to send with your invites. Your guests can log on, donate and leave you a personal message, ideal for keeping track of those important thank-you notes. When your holiday balance is due, you can use your contributions to help pay. If guests contribute after your holiday has been paid, you can request to withdraw the funds and we will send you a cheque in the post. It couldn’t be easier.