Honeymoons were so simple a few years ago. The newlyweds left the celebration with cans jingling in the back of their car to spend the night in a nearby hotel before leaving the next day for a typical romantic getaway. There are now more variations on honeymoon destinations and ideas than there are options on a dating app.
Your honeymoon could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Dream and experience-based vacation spots have joined the wedding travel market. Today, many couples are postponing their honeymoon and investing their hard-earned money and time off in pursuit of seasonal travel, like swimming with sharks and skiing, rather than leaving right after the wedding.
Of course, many honeymooners still envision a beach resort where the only things to do are sleep, eat, romance, and repeat. Australia is like a huge platter full of tasty options for any kind of honeymoon. If you make the right decision, you can have your cake and eat it too. Here are the top five honeymoon destinations to consider this year.
1. Lord Howe Island, NSW
Although you might visit Lord Howe Island for the first time during your honeymoon, most couples can’t help but go back. And not simply because Sydney is only a two-hour flight away. Under a thousand people live on this volcanic island that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It boasts a stunning landscape and the world’s southernmost coral reef. It’s the ideal honeymoon location for nature enthusiasts who don’t want to invest a lot of travel time because it’s pristine and laid back. There are only 400 guests allowed on the island at once, so plan ahead, and you’ll get rewarded with amazing treks, snorkelling, and wildlife encounters.
2. Uluru
Uluru is undoubtedly one of Australia’s most enchanting locations. Along with its profound First Nations cultural value, this location is not only a must-visit for travellers from all over the world, but its excellent offerings and packages turn the heat up for honeymooners.
You can take segway tours of Uluru as well as hikes to Kata Tjuta. Consider booking and experiencing the desert dinners served under the stars after an evening of relaxing with online poker at online pokies in your hotel room.
3. The Barossa Valley
The Barossa Valley in South Australia is the perfect honeymoon spot if you enjoy seeing the countryside and savouring fine wines. Barossa, one of the top wine-producing regions in the world, is just an hour from Adelaide.
The area’s history of English and German inhabitants has also influenced the culinary scene in Barossa. You’ll find cafes, bakeries, and gourmet meat shops in practically every little town in the Valley. There are also several upscale restaurants and boutique hotels.
If you book your honeymoon for fall in Australia, you’ll catch the Barossa Vintage Festival, a 5-day celebration of the region’s cuisine, culture, and art.
4. Great Ocean Road, Victoria
One of the best drives in the world, The Great Ocean Road is so much more than just a road. Driving through this road, which stretches 240 kilometres from Torquay to Allansford, is the only way to appreciate its exhilarating curves that follow the coast and its breathtaking views of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean.
But take a break for some time to enjoy a delightful excursion of windswept beaches, rough surf, golden sand coves, beautiful rainforests, and abundant animals. Not to mention the constantly expanding culinary scene, which includes some genuinely outstanding restaurants in the charming communities dotting the route.
There are numerous luxury vacation homes along the Great Ocean Road, so you can easily find a romantic spot to settle in or go on a honeymoon road trip to explore everything this stretch has to offer.
5. Hunter Valley
Australia is the ideal location to celebrate love, as seen by honeymoon hotspots like Hunter Valley. You and your significant other will embark on a journey to learn about the production of the 4,000-year-old beverage in Australia’s oldest wine-growing region, which was created as a response to the Portuguese Duoro and Italian Barone Ricasoli wine regions.
There are more than 120 wineries and numerous fine dining establishments in the valley. You can even schedule concerts in the vineyards. It is one of the spots to take into consideration if you are beginning your honeymoon in Sydney, the country’s biggest coastal city, which is only around two hours away by car.
6. Hamilton Island & Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is easily accessible from Australia’s largest and most populated island, Hamilton Island. The island also offers helicopter, aircraft, and catamaran tours of the stunning Heart Reef if lovebirds want to view the coral formations, turtles, fish, and manta rays only in the deep and pure waters.
You can stay in hotels with a reef view to feel more grounded and in touch with nature, but the island also provides a top-notch experience in a five-star luxury resort with top-notch restaurants.
Final thoughts
Australia is one of the top honeymoon locations in the world because of its extensive selection of activities that appeal to all honeymooners. Not only does Australia have beautiful nature, but it also has excellent amenities for couples, such as luxurious spas, excellent restaurants, and world-class hotels.