Travel Acia

Honeymoon spots that aren't the Maldives

Five alternatives to the over-Instagrammed default, ranked by how much you'll actually remember.

Waves rolling onto a Bali beach
Waves rolling onto a Bali beach

Ideas · 7 min read

Honeymoon spots that aren't the Maldives

Five alternatives to the over-Instagrammed default, ranked by how much you'll actually remember.

The Maldives is wonderful and we've sent plenty of couples there. But it's also flat, expensive, and the second you arrive at the resort you've seen the place. Here are five honeymoon options with more texture per dollar.

Waves rolling onto a Bali beach

1. Bali (the east coast)

Skip Seminyak; spend it in Ubud and Amed. You get the rice terraces, the temples, the snorkeling, and a fraction of the bill.

Wooden chalet beside a Swiss lake

2. Switzerland by rail

Lucerne, Zermatt, Lauterbrunnen. Glacier Express in the middle. View from the chalet at every stop.

Cusco rooftops at golden hour

3. Peru's Sacred Valley

Cusco for old streets, Sacred Valley for slow days, Machu Picchu for the headline. Unbeatable mix.

Torii gates of Fushimi Inari, Kyoto

4. Kyoto in autumn

Mid-November through early December. Foliage that ruins every other autumn for you.

Tilework and arches in a Marrakech riad

5. A Marrakech riad week

Pick one beautiful riad, don't move, eat brilliantly, hammam every other day. Bonus: drive to Essaouira for the weekend.