Your honeymoon is the perfect time to disconnect after the busyness of planning a wedding to escape into nature. With so many incredible landscapes to explore around the world, it can be difficult choosing one that’s right for you. That’s why we recommend utilizing a travel professional to help you plan this important trip!
To provide some honeymoon destinations for Nature Lovers, we enlisted the help of Christina Carzoo, a Luxury Travel Advisor with Epperly Travel who runs the local travel website Christina Carzoo Travel.
Here are some of her favorite picks for a nature-focused honeymoon that will leave you inspired and recharged after your big day!
Australia
Australia is an enormous country which offers so much diversity in landscape. There are lush rainforests, deserts, coral reefs, beautiful beaches for surfing, the nature reserves of Kanagaroo Island, and world-class wineries to name a few attractions.
You can fly into and enjoy the glittering cities of Sydney or Melbourne before exploring the beautiful nature found here. While The Great Barrier Reef receives most of the attention (and deservedly so), Uluru, The Great Ocean Road, Whitsunday Islands, Daintree Rainforest and the Blue Mountains are also fantastic.
If you’re visiting the Great Barrier Reef in Australia be sure to base yourself at Qualia. Tucked away in an exclusive precinct on Hamilton Island’s northern-most tip, Qualia’s 60 private pavilions look onto the Coral Sea and the surrounding Whitsunday Islands. Featuring unique Australian design, its set amongst native Eucalypts, and each pavilion has been handcrafted from the finest imported and local timber and stone. To complement the natural surrounds, the interiors have been designed with fabrics and patterns inspired by nature.
South Africa
South Africa is one of Christina’s all-time favorite destinations and truly has something for everyone. Start your honeymoon in beautiful Cape Town where you will find ample opportunities to explore the city’s unbeatable setting. You can hike Table Mountain or Lion’s Head, relax on one of their incredible beaches, explore the Capelands Wine region, visit the adorable colony of penguins at Boulder’s Beach and take in the beauty of Cape Point.
South Africa is full of amazing properties that are both romantic and scenic. In Cape Town, be sure to check into The Silo which towers above the V&A Waterfront and provides magnificent views of Cape Town’s natural wonders, iconic Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill.
Of course, no trip to South Africa is complete without doing a safari to look for the Big 5! You’ll find no shortage of luxurious safari options towards Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands Reserve. Londonlozi, one of South Africa’s original private game reserves, is a pillar of global ecotourism and a proud family-run business. As a luxury private game reserve, it has been lauded internationally for its foresight and progressive land and wildlife management practices, as well as its productive community involvement.
Hawaii
Don’t overlook Hawaii just because it is a perennially favorite honeymoon destination! These beautiful islands are popular for a reason. Apart from their stunning beaches and rich culture and history, Hawaii boasts a wide variety of landscapes and excursions sure to please any nature-loving couple. From black sand beaches, to mountains, lush rain forests, stunning waterfalls, the famous Road to Hana, Waimea Canyon and the picturesque Napali Coast, you will have plenty of amazing outdoor sites to explore should you want to leave the beach.
You’ll find plenty of resorts offering you the perfect honeymoon experience to unwind and relax as well and Andaz Maui at Wailea is one of Christina’s favorites! This luxury hotel is set on 15 beachfront acres and features regional farm-to-table dining at its four on-site restaurants, direct access to Mokapu Beach, and rooms boasting tropical views.
New Zealand
New Zealand has some of the most diverse and dramatic landscapes in the world. Often added on as an afterthought to an Australia trip, New Zealand deserves its own visit outright. Made up of two islands, the North Island and South Island, this far-flung country is a nature lovers dream!
Full of incredible National Parks, fjords, tropical rainforest, glaciers, mountains, beaches, alpine lakes, world-renowned wine regions and extreme sports to satisfy any adrenaline junkie, you could spend months exploring this truly gorgeous country! This honeymoon destination is not for someone who wants to simply sit on the beach and relax as the perfect way to explore the country is to do it by road trip taking in as many places as possible. Start your honeymoon in Queenstown and make sure to visit the Milford Sound, Lake Wanaka, Kaikoura and Franz Josef Glacier.
As part of your road trip, be sure to stay at Matakauri Lodge, spectacularly located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Matakauri Lodge offers luxury lodges accommodations in Queenstown and looks out to a mesmerizing panorama of the big three; The Remarkables, Cecil and Walter Peak. Food and wine are a highlight of a stay here, as their executive chef personally tailors menus to guests’ tastes. With one of New Zealand’s top wine regions, Central Otago, just down the road, wines are well matched to each meal.
Wyoming
Not wanting to travel quite so far for your honeymoon? Luckily the United States has plenty of gorgeous destinations you can choose for this special trip including California, Oregon, Colorado and Maine. However, one of the most beautiful domestic destinations is Wyoming. A year-round destination for nature lovers, whether you want to ski on the legendary slopes of Jackson Hole or explore some of our country’s most incredible National Parks, Yellowstone or Grand Teton, the landscape of this stunning state is sure to leave you breathless!
The Four Seasons Jackson Hole provides the perfect base for exploring some of Wyoming’s best attractions. This Five-Star alpine resort is surrounded by some of America’s most rugged peaks, celebrated ski runs and an inspiring array of wildlife in nearby Grand Teton National Park. Here you can ski, hike, bike, raft or just enjoy a soak in their year-round, heated pool.
Email Christina at Christina@EpperlyTravel.com to plan your perfect honeymoon or you can visit https://christinacarzootravel.com. You can also follow her travel adventures on Instagram @ChristinaCarzooTravel.
