Why, when a raft of experts are called in for weddings, do so many feel adequately qualified to organise what should be the most romantic and most memorable trip of their lives? Firstly, it’s a false economy as there are so many reduced airfares and savings to be snatched through a reputable luxury tour operator. Then there’s the first-hand knowledge and insider tips that elevates a sunny holiday to a smooth-as-butter, spine-tingling adventure.
Fortunately, The Turquoise Holiday Company has this all in droves, and, having pulled off thousands of honeymoons and romantic escapades with flying colours, their knack for expressing what makes couples tick through bespoke itineraries is not simply wanderlust wizardry or algorithmic prowess, but good, old fashioned experience – the sort that makes them a cut above the rest. Every element of a suggested itinerary has been tried-and-tested by an eagle-eyed team member, and they even offer a gift list woven into the itinerary for family and friends to contribute to (as opposed to the diluted and somewhat opaque honeymoon pot).
Added to this is the family-run tour operator’s VIP touches for honeymooners, guaranteeing slick manoeuvres through airports-stations-jetties. But above all, pore over the otherworldly itineraries that will stir even the spoilt traveller. From summer safari escapes that wind up on the powder-white sands of Mauritius to winter-sun with lashings of culture and frankincense-infused spa time in Muscat, here are the most epic honeymoons for 2024 for all seasons.
Spring honeymoons
Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia’s lush, dramatic scenery and its pristine white beaches can feel like a mirage following a winter of cosy-pub-hibernation in the UK. There’s certainly a telepathic quality to the 9 hour direct flight with British Airways or Virgin Atlantic, and the hour’s road transfer is just the ticket for those looking for far-flung exoticism. Honeymooners can stretch into shoulder season (May and June) for more favourable rates, and with only a five hour time difference, there’s no painful jetlag wall to break, avoiding precious honeymoon days wasted feeling groggy. For an island, Saint Lucia landscape serves up a vast array of activities, from hiking the majestic Pitons to exploring the marine park with a snorkel, just off Sugar Beach, making it an easy contender for the most epic spring honeymoons for 2024. The island is also well known for its chocolate making prowess (an afternoon well spent, sampling various flavours and understanding the process), as well as its dripping rainforest where adrenaline-seekers can clip onto zip wires and nature-lovers can marvel at the various tropical bird species lighting up the tree canopy. Turquoise is particularly fond of Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort for its privileged spot on the west coast of the island, with views of the mighty Pitons on either side and a backdrop of dense, tropical rainforest. The sunsets here are always yolky-scarlet showstoppers and there’s plenty of activities to offset the lazy beach days (watersports such as diving, paddleboards and waterbikes and hiking or zip wire adventures). The treehouse setting of the Rainforest spa sends hairs raising before treatments have even begun; and couples booking with Turquoise can look forward to a bottle of sparkling wine and truffles on arrival.
Enjoy 7 nights, on bed & breakfast, staying in a Luxury Sugar Mill Room, from £3,072 per person, including private airport transfers and international flights.
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Calabash luxury boutique hotel in Grenada
Grenada’s warm people, wildly pretty beaches and unexpectedly wild countryside make this one of the Caribbean’s most authentic, unsullied destinations. Saint George’s, the island’s capital, woos visitors with its historic forts and pastel-hued houses, while inland, rainforest trails leading to waterfalls and historic cacao and spice plantations (as well as rum distilleries) await. Turquoise recommends visiting December to April, though May and June offer better rates and possibly rooms. Those two magic words ‘direct flight’ make the far flung sun escape all the sweeter, with an 11.5 hour flight time and minimal jet lag. In step with the island’s easy going, authentic allure, Turquoise suggests a stay at family-owned Calabash boutique hotel, where the pool suites are the stuff of honeymoon reverie – immensely private and with an outdoor tub for scenic soaks. Honeymooners booking with Turquoise can look forward to those little VIP perks that make all the difference: a bottle of prosecco and house truffles on arrival, along with a candlelit dinner along the beach and a suite category upgrade. There’s even a 60-minute Swedish massage included per guest, with tropical birdsong and rustling palms lowering shoulders a few inches still further. The best part? The unbelievably speedy 10-minute airport transfer – what romance is truly made of.
Enjoy 7 nights, on bed & breakfast basis, staying in a Junior Suite, from £3,035 per person, including private airport transfers and international flights.
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Bali
Too often overlooked for winter trips, Bali is in fact a stellar choice for spring honeymoons. The Indonesian Island is an assault to the senses, with its delicious array of bright colours, vibrant culture and surreal beaches (a mix of volcanic and golden sand). First-time visitors typically leave feeling a little bewitched, and honeymooners booking with Turquoise are guaranteed ten nights of the very best of Bali – including those insider, on-the-ground gems that no amount of internet mining can discover. Following an easy transfer to Uma Ubud, honeymooners can kick off their shoes and check into barefoot luxury for three-nights in the Uma Pool Villa. They’ll feel as though they’ve tipped into a different dimension with the hotel positioned in the bright, animated village of Ubud, against a tangle of jungle and the Ayung River gorge. Newly-weds can browse the markets filled with artisanal wonders (the sort they’ll want to fill a suitcase with) and revel in the ultimate honeymoon luxury – long, drawn out breakfasts, sampling exotic plates. From here, they’ll be transferred to Canggu’s Ametis Villa, where traditional Balinese wooden architecture and interiors spill into a tropical walled garden as heavenly little cocoons for couples wanting to tip off the edge of the earth.
Enjoy 10 nights, on bed & breakfast basis, staying in an Uma Pool Villa and Ametis Villa, from £2,950 per person, including all transfers and international flights
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Summer honeymoons
Marataba Safari Lodge, South Africa and The Oberoi, Mauritius
Combining a South African safari with a Mauritius fly and flop is a tried-and-tested formula that Turquoise highly recommends, particularly for honeymooners who can’t decide between the two. May to October is the suggested travel window, with a direct 11-hour flight to Johannesburg followed by either a four-hour drive or one-hour thrilling (and magically scenic) flight to Marataba Safari Lodge. With only one hour time difference in South Africa and a civilised three-hours in Mauritius, there is none of that nasty jet lag to contend with, so you can dive straight into the honeymoon feeling fresh as daisies. What’s more, this is malaria-free territory and a privately managed conservancy, where safaris are worlds away from the ‘Disney style’ drives often experienced elsewhere, and couples can enjoy a little spontaneity when it comes to stumbling upon roaming wildlife with expert guides.
What can often put couples off with the adventure + beach formula is the shlep from one country to a far flung island, but Turquoise has ensured a slick three-hour and 50-minute flight to Mauritius from Johaneesburg with all transferred guaranteeing a well-oiled scoot out of airports and into an air conditioned car. Adults-only Marataba Mountain lodge sits in the sort of dramatic Out of Africa scape honeymooners dream of, and is owned, along with the Marataba Safari lodge, by the 4th generation More family. Deftly curated Turquoise itineraries feature Game drives, bush walks, morning and sunset water safaris and those romantic, lantern-lit bush dinners or breakfasts à deux that couples will hark back to for years to come. One night sleeping in a treehouse is particularly magical for honeymooners, snoozing under the stars, and couples are rarely disappointed on drives, with the conservancy located deep in Big Five territory. The Oberoi is the beachy exhale to a high-energy, spring-tingling safari, with endless white sand and tropical gardens to recalibrate in and lean into one another’s company. Couples can practise their serve on the tennis courts, make the most of the watesports on offer or simply yoyo between sun lounger and gin-clear, warm water, only to pull themselves away for lunch or the odd spa treatment.
Enjoy 11 nights, on an all-inclusive basis, in an eco-suite at Marataba Mountain lodge, followed by bed and breakfast, in a Luxury Pavilion at The Oberoi, from £5,259 per person, including all flights and transfers
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Tahiti Bora Bora & Private Yacht Charter Escape
For a step up from the Maldives, somewhere that embodies all far flung idylls, and for the ultimate escapism with a private yacht charter, consider Turquoise’s irresistible French Polynesian itinerary between Tahiti and Bora Bora. Advised for honeymoons between April and October, the intensity of the colours, from sea to jungle-backed beach are well worth the 11-hour flight to LA, with a one night stay then 8-hour flight to Tahiti. Tahiti’s paradisiacal qualities are well documented, though nothing can prepare newly-weds for the flawless beaches and vibrant turquoise waters teeming with marine life. Couples can flop after a long journey at the mirage-like Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa, checking out of reality in one of the Deluxe Pool Bungalows with poetic views over mountainous, jungle-meets-sea landscape. Time hits differently in Tahiti and couples will soon find themselves drawing out their sundowner cocktails, lingering at Toatea Bar for absurdly delicious French crepes and sauntering to the beachside spa for a couples massage with Champagne. Evenings light up at lagoon side Arii Vahine with its Polynesian dance shows and pineapple-infused cocktails. Eyes widen further at the next stage of the honeymoon, where couples fly from Moorea to Raiatea to jump onboard a private luxury yacht. With a private skipper, hostess and inviting sunbathing deck, they can look forward to three-nights of waterborne bliss; exploring remote islands and swimming back to base for beautifully cooked food throughout the day. This otherworldly trip winds up at Conrad Bora Bora Nui for four-nights of white sand beach, bath-warm shallows and sunsets that sink below the mighty Mount Otemanu that, stopping walkers in their tracks.
Enjoy 10 nights, with breakfast in Moorea and Conrad, and full board basis on the Yacht, staying in accommodation described including a private catamaran, from £8,495 per person, including all transfers, domestic flights within Tahiti and international flights
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Matangi & Likuliku, Fiji
There’s a spirituality to Fiji that strikes even the squarest of first-timers, leaving them feeling exhilarated and incomprehensibly happy. It’s the ultimate honeymoon destination for those who wish to disappear and distance themselves from any semblance of modern day reality. Cathedral skies are bluer-than-blue, beaches are ash blonde and beautiful, and the rich Fijian culture is like a spell for the overspun British traveller. Turquoise’s Fiji itinerary (recommended between April and October) features an 11-hour flight to LA or Singapore, followed by a one night stay and further 11-hour flight to Fiji. It’s not the easiest spot to reach – a scenic 90-minute flight from Nadi to Taveuni, with a 20-minute drive and further 15-minute boat ride to Matangi, but true, unspoilt paradise has never been easy to find. Matangi Private Island is precisely that, 240 acres of untouched tropical island to hike, coconut palm-fringed beaches to lie on and glassy waters to snorkel. A picnic at the dreamscape Horseshoe Bay has to be one of the most romantic honeymoon jaunts possible. Couples can hunker down (or up high) in the treehouses woven into the rainforest, occasionally spotting pods of dolphins in the bay. Their next stop, Likuliku Lagoon, is a heartthrob spot even for Fiji, reached by boat or helicopter. Here, couples can tuck into spanking fresh exotic seafood, kayak across a pancake-flat lagoon and indulge in various exotic treatments at the Tatandra Spa. A day spent on Likuliku’s private island, Mociu, (aptly known as ‘honeymoon island’) is not to be missed.
Enjoy 10 nights, on an full board basis, staying in a Tree House in Matangi and an Overwater Bure in LikuLiku, from £7,995 per person, including road and boat transfers to Matangi and Likuliku, inter-island flights and international flights
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Autumn honeymoons
Island hopping honeymoon, Thailand and Bangkok
Autumn is the perfect time to scoot to the Far East for 12 nights of island hopping in Thailand. Turquoise cleverly keeps honeymooners in Bangkok following their 11-hour flight from London, allowing them to drop their bags at Chakrabongse Villas for two nights (a princely stay on the banks of the Chao Phraya River) and experience the invigorating sensory assault of its busy streets. The itinerary perfectly balances the rich culture found in the island’s north with the laidback rhythms and natural splendour of the beaches in the south, with honeymooners then flown to Koh Samui followed by a 40-minute boat ride to Koh Phangan. Here, they can fully unwind in a Pool Suite at the elegant island stalwart, Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan – think paddleboarding at dusk and cocktails at sunset. The final stop, Six Senses Samui (a breezy 40-minute speedboat ride away back to Koh Samui) is a wellness sanctuary architecturally woven into a tangle of rainforest, with heart-stopping views across the Gulf of Thailand. Lazy days are spent here poolside, exploring the jungle at your own pace (on foot or bike) and even sauntering at a leisurely pace alongside elephants from a nearby sanctuary.
Enjoy 12 nights, on a bed and breakfast basis, staying in a Garden View Suite, Pool Suite, and Pool Villa, from £3,720 per person, including all transfers and international flights
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Raffles, The Seychelles
The Seychelles quite rightly tend to sit near the top of honeymoon lists. The islands’ bone-white beaches that tip gently into impossibly clear, warm water are what Brits dream of as soon as the cold, soggy months roll in and evenings begin promptly around 4pm. Turquoise knows how to really tap into the Seychelles wow-factor for honeymooners, having combed the archipelago for its treasure, from richly-populated reefs or scuba diving reverie to secluded beaches and UNESCO-listed national parks. With a recommended visiting window between April and October, the Seychelles is reached via a 13-hour indirect flight to Mahe and a 20 minute flight to Praslin where you can enjoy a mere three hour time difference. Newly-weds arriving at Raffles will be bowled over by its contemporary-styled villas that stagger down the jungle-carpeted hillside to meet the beach. Of all these, Turquoise recommends honeymooners opt for the Hillside, Oceanview or Panoramic Pool Villa for the most romantic vistas. Service here is legendary, with round-the-clock butlers conjuring up poolside Champagne or candle-lit dinners and (included in any Turquoise stay) shifting that couples massage forward a few hours to make room for a spontaneous snooze on the beach.
Enjoy 7 nights, on a half board basis, staying in a Private Pool Villa, from £3,699 per person, including return private transfers and inter-island and international flights
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Safari in Sri Lanka
This vibrant, staggeringly pretty country is known as ‘the land of plenty’ for good reason. The teardrop island is crammed with such rich variety, from its knockout beaches and ancient ruins to its old world towns and tea plantations, it speaks to every tribe of traveller and lots can be done in a remarkably short space of time. Turquoise are particularly fond of Sri Lanka, for this sheer diversity but also the palpable warmth of its people. They recommend visiting between October and April, where couples can jet to Colombo airport direct in under 11-hours. The insider-curated itinerary proves that Sri Lanka is so much more than simply a beach destination. Honeymooners can easily click into the four and a half hour time difference with a night at Wallawwa in a swishy Garden Villa before flying to Sigiriya. Here, they’ll stay at eco-luxe and delightfully serene Ulagalla – the ultimate Cultural Triangle launchpad for exploring the surrounding national parks and the ancient city itself, chiselled into an enormous mass of granite rock. Newly-weds are then whisked to the adult-only, 18th-century manor-turned-boutique-hotel, Kandy House for two nights of swanning along old world verandahs with gin and tonics in hand, dipping into warm, uplit pools after dusk and exploring the sacred Temple of the Tooth and the nearby Royal Botanical Gardens. A scenic drive or train journey (the latter highly recommended) winds up at Ceylon Tea Trails, where couples can climb Adam’s Peak, then round off your Sri Lanka Safari along the south coast with a laid back four-night stay at Anantara Peace Haven, where languid days along the beach can be broken up with an elephant safari to Udawalawe National Park.
Enjoy 13 nights, on a bed and breakfast basis in all accommodations or half board in Ceylon Tea Trails, staying in accommodation described below, price varies & includes all transfers and flights.
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
Winter honeymoons
Cambodia
Couples keen to combine a deep dive into a rich, ancient culture with Maldivian-grade beaches and serious down time, will fall head over heels for Turquoise’s Cambodia itinerary. With suggested visits keeping to ‘cool season’ (November to May), Cambodia is the ultimate winter honeymoon, with a 12-hour flight to a major Asian City followed by a two hour flight to Siem Reap. The journey and six hour time difference is worth every wince, with life-changing experiences such as beholding the temples of Angkor and Kbal Spean – an Angkorian-era archeological site and meticulously carved riverbed found deep in the jungle. The Cambodian honeymoon begins at the palm-framed and pool-centred Shinta Mani resort with its own night market and proximity to the hard-hitters of the Cambodia culture trail (including the Rolous Temples and Kompng Pluk). Couples are then thrust into a slower tempo at the Royal Sands Koh Rong, where a vast ivory mass of sand (of the Maldivian cadre) is lapped by warm, glassy waters. Six docile days here are romance personified, with long breakfasts to a birdsong chorus, afternoons spent thumbing the pages of a sun-cracked book on the beach and evenings all lantern-lit and peaceful, slow pacing in linen to al fresco suppers.
Enjoy 10 nights, on a bed and breakfast basis, staying in a Pool View room and Oceanview Villa room, from £3,895 per person, including private transfers and international and domestic flights, and all touring
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
The Philippines
This well known winter sun refuge is too often overlooked for the classic Maldives or safari honeymoon. The arresting archipelago offers that coveted mix of adventure, showstopping scenery and downtime on the beach. What’s more, Turquoise likes to emphasise its unchartered appeal, with destinations here remaining rustic and unspoilt compared to many of the popular honeymoon spots in South East Asia. Visits between November to May involve an overnight flight Caticlan airport via Singapore, with five nights at the sensational Shangri-La Boracay – a quietly elegant, pitched roofed hotel that sprawls across 30 acres of jungle-meets-beach on the northern tip of Boracay Island and where seafood and sunsets play a starring role. The seven hour time difference is soon washed away with a few rounds of strong, fruity cocktails or an invigorating treatment in the spa. A 10-minute speedboat to Caticlan, followed by a transfer and flight to Manila, then finally a hair-raisingly scenic 10-minute speedboat through Bacuit Bay, winds up at Pangulasian Island. Here, couples drop their bags and bearings in one of El Nido Resorts Canopy Villas, and while the island resort appears perfectly stitched into tropical natural splendour with local timbers and stone, interiors are luxurious and contemporary – a challenge to leave, even for theatrical morning kayas among the surging limestone karsts of Bacuit Bay or snorkel-equipped forays into the calm waters above the coral reefs.
Enjoy 10 nights, on a bed and breakfast basis, staying in a Premier Sea View Room and a Canopy Villa, from £4,795 per person, including all transfers, and international flights with Singapore airlines
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
The Best of Oman, The Chedi Muscat
Oman’s winter sun promise is made all the sweeter with its seven-hour direct flight to Muscat and civilised three-hour time difference. Couples aching for the mysticism and exotic allure of traditional Arabia, Oman has it in droves, with its rich Bedouin culture, ancient trading routes and cities and villages carved into slopes and valleys of its mountains. Turquoise recommends travelling here between October and April, when the sun is bearable and evenings lean slowly into a cool breeze. Their honeymoon itinerary starts on the modern foot, with four nights at The Chedi Muscat (superlatives are abundant in the Middle East, but it’s worth inspecting the region’s longest pool here, along with the sensational spa – book in for Balinese massages or facials from highly trained, nimble fingers (a one hour massage is complimentary with Turquoise bookings during their stay). Couples can switch to a more intrepid gear for a night camping in the luxury authentic desert, in the grip of its humbling energy and star studded sky, before taking things high altitude to Alila Jabal Akhdar – a tastefully lavish mountain refuge with those wildly romantic desert-meets-mountain views all Arabia-bound honeymooners long for.
Enjoy 8 nights, with bed and breakfast in The Chedi and Alila Jabal Akhdar, and half board in the Desert night camp. Staying in a Serai Room in The Chedi, Premium Villa in the Desert Camp, and Mountain View Room at Alila Jabal Akhdar, from £3,099 per person, including flights and transfers
For more information, visit: turquoiseholidays.co.uk
For more information on Turquoise Holidays or to enquire, please visit turqouiseholidays.co.uk or call our team on 01494678400
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