30 dreamy honeymoon ideas and best destinations to get you planning ahead

If I had been writing this at any time while I was an editor of Brides magazine, it would have been a breeze. I could have told you the latest hotspots without a care in the world. After all, that’s the beauty of being in the honeymoon and weddings industry – it’s joyful and carefree. But currently, those adjectives feel a little stuck in my throat. Stuck when my brother and his fiancée tell me they have postponed their big day for a year, stuck when my best friend is forced to cancel hers and feels too jaded to set another date. We all know somebody whose wedding has been affected by Covid – and their trip-of-a-lifetime, too.

This year, it’s back to basics. We want to reignite that spark of joy, to look to the future with hope. Travel is about escapism, and what could be more escapist than a honeymoon? Taking flight from your normal lives to mark a new chapter, the pair of you in the best bubble possible. It’s the sort of trip that’s packed full of those special moments that are hard to explain, yet live forever in some part of your ­consciousness. It’s a precious thing, especially after such a tumultuous time, and it’s worthy of proper research. And that part – the planning, the dreaming and the hoping should start now. 

We can’t predict what or where those brilliant moments will be, but we do know that it’s often the hotel you pick that kick-starts this super-personal journey. It’s your essential jumping-off point, the crucial diving board into that glorious pool of memories… which is why it’s important to get it right. Your honeymoon is out there on the not-too-distant horizon – you just need to plan it first.