In convention, a honeymoon tends to look one particular way. It tends to involve some combination of:
- A beach (preferably with sparkling white sand and palm trees for decor, which of course yield fresh produce every day)
- Glasses of champagne being clinked
- Sunsets (you also need the beach for this, as without a requisite beach + sunset picture then you’re not actually married…)
- Sun, and lots of it (nothing says “spend our lives together” like risking skin cancer!)
Beach? Check. Sun? Check? Glasses of champagne? You betcha.
And that’s it. That’s the standard honeymoon.
For some couples, that standard honeymoon is going to sound like the ideal honeymoon – and more power to them. But they’re covered; it’s safe to say this is an angle that has been talked about countless times. If that’s the honeymoon you want, you can’t click online without being bombarded with countless options.
What if you want something different?
We Want… Adventure
Look no further than New Zealand.
New Zealand is one of those countries that we all know exists but don’t really think about often. It’s a settled, Pacific country that – apart from the occasional devastating earthquake – doesn’t much bother the global consciousness.
If you want adventure though, it’s all you could ask for. Rugged terrain with all manner of adventure sports on offer, not to mention taking advantage of the South Island‘s beautiful ocean for water sports.
We Want… To Give Something Back
After the grandiosity of a wedding, you can sometimes feel like you need to re-anchor yourselves. Spending your honeymoon helping those less fortunate than yourself is the perfect tonic to this issue.
The countries to choose from are plentiful, though your mind probably immediately flits to Africa. It’s something of a standard. If you prefer the idea of something a little different, then you will find many an opportunity in other countries. Perhaps you could volunteer in Thailand or provide help for the railway children in India.
We Want… Quiet
With the stress of wedding planning behind you, you might just want to kick back and get away from the usual tourist throng.
Northern countries are your best bet here. While everyone is rushing in search of a beach and sunshine, you can buck the trend and go somewhere cold. Iceland is an amazing country with a rich geological uniqueness that is a wonder to behold. The Scandanavian countries offer the same, with Norway’s Fjords being a particular highlight.
We Want… History
For the more intellectually-minded couple, you might want to add a little nod to the centuries past as you begin your lives together.
The Cradle of Civilization is often used to refer to Mesopotamia (found in modern day Iraq) but there is a strong argument for Egypt actually being the beginning of society. The history from the region is varied, but beautifully blended into a thriving, modern city. For example, you may have seen pictures of the great Pyramids before, with wild deserts behind them – but did you know how close they actually are to a modern day Cairo?
With Egypt, you can add a little historical significance to your honeymoon without having to step too far from the modern world.
Submitted on behalf of Modern Weddings