Romantic Honeymoon Destinations in India and Abroad

A honeymoon is usually the first trip a couple plans entirely for themselves, and that makes it a slightly different kind of holiday to plan. The temptation is to fit in everything at once; the couples who come back happiest are almost always the ones who chose fewer places and stayed longer in each. After planning honeymoons for couples across Tamil Nadu for years, these are the destinations we recommend most, and the reasons behind each one.

Romantic escapes within India

A domestic honeymoon buys you two things a longer-haul trip cannot: more days actually spent on holiday rather than in transit, and no passport timelines to worry about if the wedding date moves. None of that makes it a compromise — some of the most beautiful places we send couples are a short flight away.

1. Andaman Islands

Clear water, white sand and genuinely world-class beaches. Most couples split their time between Port Blair, Havelock and Neil Island, with a day given to snorkelling or a glass-bottom boat. Ferry timings between the islands shape the whole itinerary, so book those before anything else and keep a buffer day at the end.

2. Kashmir

Hard to beat for couples who want cool weather and scenery that does the work for them. A night on a Dal Lake houseboat, a day in the meadows of Gulmarg or Pahalgam, and a slow shikara ride at dawn make a complete week. Spring for the blossoms, autumn for the colours, winter if you want snow.

3. Kerala

The easiest honeymoon to reach from Salem and one of the most relaxing. Tea estates in Munnar, a night on a houseboat in Alleppey and a few days by the sea at Kovalam or Varkala give you three completely different settings without a single long journey.

4. Sikkim and Darjeeling

Quiet, green and wonderfully unhurried, with Himalayan views on clear mornings. Gangtok works as a comfortable base, and the tea gardens around Darjeeling pair naturally with it. Best suited to couples who prefer walks and views to nightlife.

5. Udaipur and Rajasthan

For couples who want their honeymoon to feel formal and a little grand. Lake Palace views, a boat ride at sunset and old city lanes to wander make Udaipur the pick of the state for two people travelling alone. October to March is the season; avoid the summer entirely.

Honeymoons abroad

If you have the passport and the leave, a first trip abroad together is a memorable way to start. These destinations are popular with couples from South India because the flights are manageable, the resorts are used to honeymooners, and you get real value for a week.

6. Bali, Indonesia

The default honeymoon abroad for good reason. Split the stay between Ubud, with its rice terraces and private-pool villas, and a beach area such as Seminyak or Nusa Dua. Bali is equally comfortable whether you want quiet days or busy evenings.

7. Maldives

The shortest flight to the most complete switch-off. One resort island, one villa, no itinerary at all. It suits couples who want to do nothing very well, and it works even as a four- or five-day trip, which makes it a good option when leave is short.

8. Thailand

Excellent value and endlessly varied. Krabi and Koh Samui are calmer and more romantic than Phuket, and a couple of days in Bangkok at either end gives the trip some energy. A reliable choice for couples watching the budget without wanting to feel like they compromised.

9. Dubai

Short flights, easy logistics and a lot packed into a few days — a desert evening, a dinner high above the city, and enough shopping to keep anyone happy. Best between November and March, when the weather is pleasant enough to walk around.

10. Vietnam

Increasingly popular with couples who want something less expected. An overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay and the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An are the romantic highlights, and the food is a genuine reason to go rather than an afterthought.

Choosing between them

When couples cannot decide, we ask three questions. How many days do you really have, once travel days are counted? Do you want to rest or to explore — because trying to do both in a week usually means doing neither properly? And how soon after the wedding are you travelling, given that almost everyone underestimates how tired they will be?

A couple with five days and a wedding two days earlier is far better served by one beach and one hotel than by a three-city itinerary, however good each city looks on paper.

Practical tips for honeymoon planning

Sort documents before the wedding, not after. Passports, and any visa formalities for international trips, take longer than people expect in wedding season. If the passport is in a maiden name, travel in that name and keep the ticket matching the passport exactly.

Tell the hotel it is your honeymoon. Most properties do something small for honeymooners, but only if they know in advance. It costs nothing to mention it at the time of booking.

Keep the first day empty. No sightseeing, no early start. Every couple thanks us for this one.

Book flights and ferries first. In island destinations especially, the transport timings decide the itinerary, not the other way round.

Carry a copy of everything. Tickets, hotel confirmations and ID, stored offline on both phones as well as on paper.

Best time to travel and how long to plan

For Indian destinations, October to March covers most of this list comfortably, with Kashmir and the Himalayas also lovely through spring. For Southeast Asia, the drier months between November and March are the most reliable. Allow six to eight days for a domestic honeymoon and seven to ten for an international one — anything shorter than five nights abroad spends too much of itself in airports.

Tell us your dates, your budget and the kind of honeymoon you picture, and we will shape an itinerary around it — send us an enquiry or look through our featured destinations to start narrowing it down.