1. The Maldives
If you have visions of yourselves lazing in hammocks in your over-water villa, while your butler brings you a Martini by boat, then the Maldives is the honeymoon destination for you.
Every year the resorts of the Maldives out-do each other with increasingly opulent and romantic experiences – candlelit dinners for two on your own private sandbank; rambling wooden suites on stilts out to sea, which can only be accessed by boat. The only difficult decision you'll have to make is choosing the right island to suit you. Almost all of them offer the kind of dreamy, laid-on-luxury holiday fit for a honeymoon, surrounded by the bluest of blue scenery that never, ever loses its sparkle.
When to go
Go for a hit of winter sun between November and April.
2. Amalfi Coast, Italy
Closer to home but with the promise of ethereal charm, Italy’s Amalfi Coast is widely considered one of the world’s most breathtaking coastlines, beloved for its chocolate box towns, white-washed villages and the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. You’ll be hard-pressed to find one spot here that isn’t a photo opportunity, but the Amalfi is much more than the sum of its biscuit-hued beaches and hidden coastal caves. This romantic area offers a slower pace of life, and easy charm that lulls even the most highly-strung newlyweds (table planning will do that to any couple) into a pervading calm. Dotted with forests, mountains, small fishing villages and ample opportunity for island-hopping, it’s not hard to see how this no-stress destination makes it onto the list of best honeymoon destinations. For maximum romance, rent a vintage, open-top car and drive yourselves around the 50km stretch of road between the port city of Salerno and clifftop Sorrento, winding past grand villas, terraced vineyards and cliffside lemon groves.
When to go
The best time to visit the Amalfi Coast is in the spring and fall, specifically May and September.
3. Krabi, Thailand
Beloved by party-goers and gap year students, Thailand can end up often being overlooked as a honeymoon destination, but Krabi, at the tail end of the west coast, tends to be less crowded, making it ideal for couples after a taste of The Land of Smiles’ calmer side. Blue waters lap at grass-covered limestone stacks just offshore, best viewed via private boat tour, or from the secluded beaches that pepper the area. Fill days here with tours through Krabi’s ethereal mangroves, scuba diving around the coral reef and lethargic afternoons around the pool or on the sands.
When to go
The weather is most even between December and March, with the latter being the hottest month here.
4. Greece
There's something so utterly captivating about Greece and the Greek islands. The simple beauty, the rich history and mythology, the scrubby wildernesses scented with wildflowers, the perfect clash of blue and white. All that light! Dazzling on little whitewashed church domes and fishermen's cottages built into the rock. And the unbelievable blue of the sea and the skies in long, hot summers that seem to last most of the year.
How remote do you want to be? Hundreds of islands, their names like gods and monsters – the Cyclades, the Ionians; Thassos and Zakinthos and Spetses - each with their own distinct character. One of the most photogenic of them is Santorini, a honeymooner's paradise. It is absurdly beautiful, but thanks to the natural amphitheatre of its caldera, anyone staying in the whitewashed villages that tumble down its steep hillsides gets an uninterrupted view of the volcano and the deepest blue sea. At sunset the setting sun paints the villages pink and honey-gold.
When to go
Spring or early summer will be sunny without too many crowds, while most of the islands stay warm well into autumn, too.
5. Bali, Indonesia
Land of pirates, and dragons, of a million islands, misty, mythical mountainous stacks. Land, too, of some of the most beautiful places to stay in the world – and most of them are on Bali. It seems almost unfair, just how many heavenly hotels Bali has; and still more keep opening. Those deep-green infinity pools, jungle-cloaked and inviting, so classy after all that ubiquitous turquoise.
Yet however many five-star hotels open up, Bali is no homogenized island resort. It's a magical, spiritual place, which manages to retain its authenticity and culture, as well as its unspoilt beaches and green tropical landscapes. And there are places to stay for all budgets from backpacker beach-huts (full-moon parties can be found) to super-sexy designer retreats.
When to go
Dry season is April to September, although July and August are the busiest months. A visit in spring or autumn will be quieter.
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