Traveling has long been considered the ultimate way to enrich our lives, allowing us to explore new cultures, meet interesting people, and escape our daily routines for a more relaxed and vibrant experience.
For centuries, honeymoons have provided couples with a special opportunity to embark on a journey together after their wedding, celebrating their love and creating cherished memories. However, honeymoons can often be costly due to the desire for luxury and comfort.
But there’s no need to worry! Fortunately, numerous affordable destinations offer stunning landscapes, delicious cuisine, and unforgettable experiences. So, what are the ten best budget-friendly honeymoon ideas?
Thailand Honeymoon: Explore the Exotic Beauty on a Budget
With millions of tourists per year, Thailand is one of the best destinations for the small budget. Its territory is so varied and beautiful to leave anyone breathless: crystal clear waters surrounded by islands with white beaches, rainforests full of exotic species of animals.
You may see elephants and gibbons, beautiful plants, and finally, picturesque mountains that hide Buddhist temples set in nature. And again, a city in constant motion, like the capital Bangkok, full of unique shops and typical food.
Best Time to Go
Since the climate of Thailand is tropical monsoon with temperatures that become very high between March and May, the ideal time to visit the country are the months of January and February. Although, in general, Thailand is very cheap. You can save money during the low season, which runs from mid-late April to the end of October.
Beautiful Activities
The opportunities that Thailand offers are many. If you feel adventures, we advise visiting the capital, with a tour on the typical tuk-tuks or a canoe, furrowing its many canals. For lovers of the sea, you can’t miss the white beaches of Phuket and the hundreds of scattered islands, especially in the South.
For lovers of uncontaminated nature instead, try a guided tour in a forest, with an overnight stay in fantastic fields immersed in the jungle. This journey will give the possibility to create more intimacy and harmony for the couples.
Goa, India
Another pearl of Asia is India. This country is dotted with beautiful landscapes and exotic nature, continues to capture the attention of millions of tourists due to the hospitality of its people. One of the best destinations is undoubtedly Goa. This region attracts many visitors thanks to its ideal climate and beaches bathed by clear water.
Best Time to Go
The best time to go on a honeymoon in Goa is between November and March. This location is considered one of the most expensive in India. Although, compared to other places, Goa is a bargain, indeed, with top quality, affordable hotels (the food is delicious and cheap too).
Things to Do
The best things to do in Goa for a couple are taking a bath on the beautiful beaches of Baga (in the Northern region), eating fresh and delicious seafood in one of the typical restaurants.
Moreover, we strongly recommend you to do some cultural visit to the colonial Chapora Fort and the marvelous Mangueshi Temple. Furthermore, you should take advantage of the possibility to spend a lovely night in one of the many beautiful houseboats on the rivers. Lastly, to satisfy adventure needs, we suggest you do some watersports in Calangute, like parasailing, dolphin spotting, banana boat ride.
Portugal
One of the best places for a wedding trip to Europe is Portugal. This country is one of the most popular destinations for spouses. It presents a perfect mix of culture, art, sea, and nature with beautiful landscapes, the miles of coastline overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the small ancient villages, and the delicious traditional food.
Best Time to Go
With a mild and temperate climate all year round, Portugal is a destination that can be visited in any month. For the sea holidays, we would recommend going to the summer to enjoy the beautiful beaches and the ocean fully. However, to get the most out of the city and an inexpensive honeymoon, consider spring or autumn, as it is not very hot, and there are many affordable flights and hotels.
Beautiful Activities
Due to its huge variety of things to do, Portugal offers a wide range of activities. You must visit Lisboa and Porto, the two main cities, admiring their palaces in the streets on a traditional tram. A must-see place is undoubtedly the Sintra’s Castle or Placio de Pena, built overhanging the ocean and painted with very bright colors. For sea lovers, we recommend taking a trip to the beautiful and wild beaches of the Algarve and the Alentejo.
Riviera Maya, Mexico
And we arrive in Central America, to the famous Mexico. For those who dream of having a budget honeymoon, I strongly recommend booking a flight to spend your couple’s journey in the Riviera Maya. It’s in the Yucatan peninsula and is considered a fascinating part of this country. Thanks to the exotic postcard sea of the Caribbean Sea with its endless beaches of fine white sand framed by green vegetation, and the many places where the Mayan civilization was present.
Best Time to Go
The climate is tropical, and it is ideal to stay when the temperatures are not too high, during the months of December-April. Also, avoid the period between September and October because of storms. In general, the place is very affordable, but you can save a lot of money by booking in the summer.
Things to Do
The first thing to see is Tulum. It’s a mix of paradisiacal beaches, culture, history, and nature, with the fantastic Mayan ruins built sheer above the crystal sea that can be climbed to the top.
The city consists of two parts: the Zona Arqueológica of Tulum and Tulum Pueblo, the center where you will find restaurants, hotels, hostels, and all the services designed for tourism.
Do not miss Cancun, a popular tourist destination that offers beaches like Playa Tortugas suitable for all water sports. Playa Caracol is ideal for relaxing during the hot days spent sunbathing. Also interesting is Playa Chac Mool, the center of the youthful nightlife in the area.
Montenegro
Let’s go back to Europe, precisely in another romantic getaway on a budget is Montenegro. A low-cost destination for a holiday of culture, nature, and folklore, Montenegro is a marvelous slice of the sun-kissed Mediterranean that presents a winning alternation of mountains, forests, and the sea.
Best Time to Go
The climate in Montenegro is the Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters: the coast, full of long beaches, is very hot, while the hinterland, especially in the mountains, generally has cooler temperatures. The best time to travel is spring-summer, from May to September, when the sun shines strong and the temperatures are perfect. Montenegro is very affordable, with many high-quality hotels.
Beautiful Activities
The most attractive destination is the Bay of Kotor: the sea is very calm and clean and offers the possibility to practice many water sports such as watercrafting. A place to visit is certainly the medieval old town with the Cathedral of San Trifone, the Clock Tower, and the Ducal Palace.
For lovers of gastronomy, we recommend visiting close to the capital city Podgorica. It has the largest vineyard in all of Europe: the Plantaže, where it will be possible to savor excellent wines and food in a very romantic couple hike. And finally, Budva, the medieval city surrounded by the most grandiose defensive walls and the whitest shores of Montenegro, is a lively city by day as well as by night, and a favorite destination for young couples, with many inexpensive pubs and hotels.
Cappadocia, Turkey
Let’s move between Europe and Asia, and go to Cappadocia, Turkey. What could be a better destination for a romantic honeymoon? Cappadocia known for the famous “fairy chimneys”, high cone-shaped rock formations found in the Valley of the monks. This arid land is much sought after by lovers of nature and fairy sunsets that is possible to admire sitting on the rocks drinking tea.
Best Time to Go
The climate is generally arid, and the temperature differences between day and night are always quite vast. The best time to visit Cappadocia is spring, April, and May, followed by autumn, September, and October. The climate is very cold in winter. The region is very cheap, especially for western tourists, the hotels have an average of 40 $ a night, and also all the couple activities are not expensive.
Things to Do
A destination of many honeymoons each year, Cappadocia offers many affordable activities for a just married couple. I recommend staying in one of the hotels in the central city of Goreme because they are built inside caves, and the experience of sleeping in it will be unique.
The region has many underground cities that are worth a visit, especially Kaymakli. You should not miss the fantastic and romantic balloon ride. Hot air balloon tours are certainly the most requested attraction in Cappadocia. You will be able to admire skies full of colored balloons that move in the most varied directions for a single flight. Finally, we recommend completing the tour by land with a suggestive horseback excursion along the amazing valleys of Cappadocia.
Dominican Republic
If you are still looking for Caribbean landscapes, warm seas, and coconut palms, I want to take you back to South America. The Dominican Republic is another pearl of the Caribbean. Located in the center of the Caribbean Sea, the island is visited every year by millions of couples. The hospitality of the population and the many affordable resorts make it a prestigious location.
Best Time to Go
The climate of the Dominican Republic is tropical, with high temperatures all year round. The driest season, during the winter, is characterized by high temperatures with no humidity. Tropical storms and hurricanes are frequent during the wet season. The best time to travel
is undoubtedly the one that goes from December to April during the driest season. Except for flights, which could be a little bit expensive, all hotels and businesses are very cheap all year.
Beautiful Activities
When you think of a trip to the Dominican Republic, especially a honeymoon, you surely think of relaxing in the shade of a palm tree. Also, you will get a white beach with a crystal clear sea in the most famous resorts of Santo Domingo, Bayahibe and Punta Cana. Well, all this is just the appetizer, the country offers dozens of other activities. There are numerous national parks in the Dominicana Republic. You can tour to discover rich streams, waterfalls, tropical forests, the jungle of monkeys, caves, several zipline paths to cross the jungle suspended on the sliding ropes.
For those who are never bored, I want to recommend the safari to discover the whales at the Bahìa de Samanà. Finally, the north coast of the Dominican Republic boasts very famous places, especially for water sports: you can practice surfing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing.
Vietnam
Has anyone ever heard about Vietnam? I hope so, this pearl of Southeast Asia is a place where everyone at least once in their life will have to go. It is considered one of the cheapest countries for honeymoon vacation. Thanks to the low cost of living. Vietnam offers excellent experiences, colors, natural beauty, and liveliness, especially for curious tourists: this country has everything it takes to amaze you.
Best Time to Go
Dry winters and rainy summers characterize the climate. The summer season is always preceded by very hot periods. The ideal time to visit the North, where the capital Hanoi is located, is from March to May. The alternative time of visit is from October to November when the rainy season is over. In the South, the weather is hot all year round, and the best time for a honeymoon is between December and February when the heat is not stifling. Also, in these periods, the flights are very cheap, as well as the hotels.
Beautiful Activities
Vietnam offers many places to visit and things to do. First of all, we recommend a cultural tour of the three most beautiful cities of Hanoi. You will be excited with Its historical buildings, temples, and pagodas. Ho Chi Minh is the most modern and commercial center of the country. Hué is the ancient capital of Vietnam, where there are the remains of the imperial city, with the Palace and the mausoleums. The best way to admire all the natural beauties is the cruise on the Mekong River and the tour to the beautiful Pangua waterfalls.
Lastly, the beautiful beaches at the central coast to the south of Vietnam: Cua Dai, with soft white sand, equipped for water sports and with excellent fish restaurants and Mui Ne in Phan Thiet, which with its red dunes and crystal-clear water.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
The capital of Argentina is for those who are still attracted by the charm of South America but prefer the dynamism of a city to the tranquility of forests. Dubbed the Paris of South America, Buenos Aires is one of the largest South American cities. Here, many cultures mix with an incredible achievement of different architectural styles, food, and art.
Best Time to Go
The climate of Buenos Aires is called “pampeano” which is a variant of the humid subtropical climate, with hot and rainy summers, mild and relatively dry winters. Basically, it looks a lot like the Mediterranean climate, but it has many more days of rain. Buenos Aires, thanks to its mild climate, can be visited at any time of the year; however, the best seasons are spring and autumn. Hotels and restaurants have affordable prices, which increase a bit in the summer.
Things to Do
Precisely because a honeymoon should take place in the city, you need to start with a tour of the best sites. Start from the famous Plaza de Mayo, with the picturesque presidential palace Casa Rosada and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Passing through Avenida de 9 Julio, which is inspired by the Champs Elysées in Paris, you will reach the Teatro Colòn, one of the best in the world for lyric music.
We suggest you take a trip to Puerto Madero, the westernmost of the districts of Buenos Aires, where skyscrapers, offices, museums, and businesses mark the daily life of this area. And finally, to visit the multi-ethnic and picturesque neighborhoods of San Telmo, full of typical restaurants, and the Boca. Lastly, you can make your new groom happy with a visit to the nearby Boca Junior stadium.
Egypt
The last one, but at the same time, an essential destination is Egypt. It is one of the most beautiful African countries with thousands of years of history. It presents various territory, ranging from the hot desert to wonderful oasis, from such beautiful cities along the Nile River to the beaches of fine sands of the Red Sea.
Best Time to Go
The Egyptian climate is of a hot desert type on almost all of its territory. Winters are generally mild, but in the desert, they can even register temperatures below 0 ° C. Summers are extremely hot.
However, in the Mediterranean area, the climate is more temperate. The best time to organize a honeymoon is for archaeological visits in winter, while for beach life, the ideal is spring and summer. The prices of hotels, shops, and restaurants are very affordable, except for such luxury resorts on the beach.
Beautiful Activities
The best activities you can do here for a honeymoon are firstly a guided tour of the famous Pyramids in Giza, near Cairo City. Also, all the principal cities of the glorious ages: Luxor and Assuan with their temples.
We advise you to enjoy the dromedary safari in the desert. For little money, you will see marvelous oases on the back of a dromedary, dine in the desert, watch the acrobatics of fire-eaters and belly dancers. If you love the sea and beaches, go to Sharm El-Sheikh, the best sea located in the country. Here you could take a bath in the hot and crystal water of the Red Sea and enjoy many watersports like scuba diving or snorkeling, to admire the beautiful corals of the sea-backdrop.
Considering Budget Honeymoon Destination
Well, as we have seen, the world is full of opportunities for travel. We have to say that it is not true that only who has a lot of money can go on a trip, especially a wedding trip. There are a lot of beautiful destinations that can guarantee many comforts and activities at affordable prices. So, you have only to find your favorite one, book your holiday and take off with your husband for the most beautiful trip of your life.
