Maldives - Honeymoon?

[cptwhite_uk]

Have you considered Mauritius? We had our honeymoon there, booked with Mercury Direct, staying at The Sands Resort and Spa and it cost around £3500 (June 2012).Around 22-24C typically in June (winter for them). Mountainous island with great beaches and tropical seas so it allows you to mix relaxation with day trips.

There's a protected part called Casela which has some great activities. We did quad biking around a savana (visiting ostrich, zebra, giant tortoise). A zip line adventure (treking through the low mountains and doing some zip lines across canyons, with BBQ lunch), walking with lions. This was all at Casela. We also had a day out at sea swimming with wild dolphins in the morning, visiting a deserted island for a lobster bbq lunch and swiming in the shallow coral reef in the afternoon (this was a particularly awesome day).

The hotel was great with onsite spa and massage facilities.

Here's a few highlights:

Hotel private beach:


Hotel gardens (outside of apartments):


Zip lining in the mountains: (Casela park)

[Smudger]

Try Premium Economy, more legroom, half the price of Business and also a chance of upgrade to Business. We booked Premium Economy with BA to Aus. It was rubbish, but they merged two 747s onto a Qantas a380 on the way home and we got bumped to Business. By the time I'd finished playing with everything we were there. Plus they got us blind drunk!

[icemantaz]

Disney orlando! Haha, we actually went on a Caribbean cruise on ours in 2012. Visited 3 islands, only one was a lazy beach type day, other two we spent walking around and shopping. But plenty of time to relax on the ship on the sailing days.

[csgohan4]

If you don't mind going economy class, look at the Conrad resorts in Maldives

it's the only one I know with an Underwater Restaurant, amazing Link here

One thing that separates Maldives from others, is the ability to have Water villas. I have a fear of Mosquito's and they were perfect as they were mossie free. They were also amazing in the morning, you wake up to the sound of the sea literally. Brushing my teeth with the sun rising and the Water splashing is something to die for and indeed should be on your bucket list.

tell your missus, this is the only chance to go to Maldives before it is gone indefinitely as it is sinking Also if she wants a busy holiday she has the next 50 years or so to do it. Maldives is a once in a life time!!

[apmallett]

My wife and I mixed the Maldives and Dubai as part of our honeymoon as we wanted that split between relaxing and doing things. We did the week in the Maldives at Kuramathi, which we can both highly recommend, which is exclusive through Kuoni in the UK. It's a bigger island and had 7 fantastic restaurants over and above your standard all inclusive, which you can go in for ultra all inclusive to get part of your package, it was good as it kept the variety. It had plenty to do with island hops back to Mali, sailing, and smaller watersports, diving, snorkelling, spa etc. It was Dubai that then kept us busy with other activities, but equally Sri Lanka as mentioned has plenty to see and was on our shortlist. The one thing we found in that one is there is a lot of traveling around between places, so can be less "relaxing" if that is what you are after, but different opinions. Personal highlights were the sea plane back in the morning, and the snorkelling is fabulous. We really wanted sea villas, but couldn’t quite stretch to it, but we had a fabulous beach villa, which was a nice 10 seconds walk into the sea.

Couldn’t agree more that it is the best place we have been and stretch if you can, and to keep interesting that’s why we split in two, I think we did 9 and 3 nights. Good luck, and if you can book Emirates, they were great to fly with, and the A380 out to Dubai was a great pleasure, even in economy.

[neonplanet40]

So far we are looking at doing a 2 week break. 1 week in Maldives and 1 in either Sri Lanka or Dubai.

That would get a nice mix of both

[TheAnimus]

One thing that separates Maldives from others, is the ability to have Water villas. I have a fear of Mosquito's and they were perfect as they were mossie free.

You get those almost everywhere in the tropics. I've stayed at a couple in Malaysia, and nearly stopped off at one once in French Polynesia on my way to Aus, before I realised how hard flights would be.

On a different note I'd just like to say how boring Dubai is. I normally say that a place is what you make of it, and it's often the mark of the man who decries a place, but imagine if slough had money. That's Dubai. It's a collection of all the worst morality and hypocrisy in one place, I visited it a little too much when I'd made friends with a stewardess, it's a detestable place that makes me sad that I've wasted a dozen weekends of my life there.

[peterb]

-snip---> I'd made friends with a stewardess, it's a detestable place that makes me sad that I've wasted a dozen weekends of my life there.

I'm sure they weren't completely wasted!

[TeePee]

Try Premium Economy, more legroom, half the price of Business and also a chance of upgrade to Business. We booked Premium Economy with BA to Aus. It was rubbish, but they merged to 747s onto a Qantas a380 on the way home and we got bumped to Business. By the time I'd finished playing with everything we were there. Plus they got us blind drunk!

If you collect miles, it's usually relatively cheap to upgrade premium econ to a confirmed business seat using Avios.

Similarly, those Singapore Suites are bookable with miles, and not nearly as many as I expected. I could probably transfer some MR's....

[nicktids]

I have just finished a 3 month honeymoon starting italy, india, sri lanka, Japan, Vietnam and Cambodia. (emigrated to australia so had to have a long honeymoon as my visa was delayed so were on budget in most places except Japan)

I would highly recommend some cultural experience rather than just a beach, start life with each other on an experience to a place you may never see again rather than a beach and sea. Japan was the highlight for us, expensive accommodation and transport but the food is dirt cheap and the culture shock will give you things to remember.

If you want something a little cheaper then Vietnam you can have 5 star accomodation and eat some of the best food in the world while experiencing asia at it finest.