Escaping Together On A Cheap Honeymoon

Most couples hold their once in a lifetime wedding during the summer months which is unfortunately, the most expensive time of year to travel.

One option, is to seek from your employer a couple of days off work, to recover from the wedding before heading back to work, then book your week-long honeymoon in late autumn or just after the Christmas holidays. This is one of the cheaper times to travel for your honeymoon.

If you like to spend your honeymoon tanning on the beach, then you'll appreciate the sunny tropics so much more in January than you will in July. Not only will your friends and family envy your tan, a cheap honeymoon in the off-season will allow you to stay on budget and not start life as a new couple in debt and maxed out credit cards.

Escaping to your family cottage for a week may be another option for a perfect honeymoon. It allows you to spend quality time together and away from the noise of the city, making a complete escape for the week after your wedding.

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Adventurous Couples Escaping With Honeymoon Vacations

Bill Fischer, founder of Fischer Travel in New York, says that honeymoon vacations are getting more and more extravagant. "We just finished planning a four-month honeymoon all over the world for a couple," he explains.

"They're going to Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand and India. The bride had her sister come over for three weeks, now her parents are there and her in-laws are meeting them in China."

He says that many couples come to travel agents for their romantic travel needs -- whether it is a castle, a villa or an island destination. Here are some of the latest honeymoon trends to consider.

Many couples are looking to stay in a "home away from home" on their honeymoon vacations, which is why the Private Villa romantic vacation idea is picking up steam. Couples can choose from a country cottage to a beach rental to a luxurious mansion.

While these exclusive rentals often cost a pretty penny, many people feel it is totally worth it to be left alone for their whole honeymoon, while still receiving the best treatment from personal butlers, chefs, housekeepers and masseuses.

Popular romantic destinations include Amanyara in Turks and Caicos (www.amanresorts.com), Cotton Bay Villas in the Bahamas (www.discovercottonbay.com) and the Ritz-Carlton in Bali (www.ritzcarlton.com). For a more comprehensive listing of 1,600 villas, visit www.wimco.com.

Some couples who feel indecisive or who don't travel much may want to plan "country hopping" honeymoon vacations. This is ideal for people who like a blend of old world and new world, of beach and city, of culture and pampering.

One possible itinerary is to begin in metropolitan Dubai, then fly five hours to sandy beaches in The Maldives. Couples can also visit romantic destinations like Sicily (Italy), Athens (Greece) and Crete (Greece) on a Mediterranean cruise.

In the Caribbean, couples can experience the nightlife of Antigua and the wildlife of Dominica. In Europe, cheap airfare can be found at www.ryanair.com and www.easyjet.com.

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Honeymoon Vacation Paradise In The Caribbean

On your honeymoon vacation, there will be some activities that are obviously romantic, like soaking in mineral hot springs, enjoying a fine five-course dinner or walking hand-in-hand on the beach.

Yet, when you're in love and honeymooning, every new experience can be transformed into a magical bonding adventure. Even if you've traveled to some of these romantic vacation destinations before, there's nothing like seeing them through the eyes of a loved one who has never been there before.

Whether you're zip-lining through tree canopies, snorkeling the coral reefs or touring a banana plantation, love and intrigue awaits you on the Caribbean Islands.

Once you gaze upon the island peaks of St. Lucia, you'll see why it's been dubbed "Helen of the West Indies." Even though honeymooners frequent the island, 19,000 acres are protected as part of the St. Lucia National Rain Forest, so you'll see unspoiled territories and dense tropical foliage.

The capital city of Castries is within walking distance from your port stop in Place Carenage or Pointe Seraphine. Avid shoppers will enjoy duty-free shopping, local crafts markets, farmer's markets and souvenir shops. The white, relaxing sands of Choc Beach is a 20 minute cab ride away, although Pigeon Beach is preferred for visitors who love museums, restaurants, water sports and other amenities.

Anse des Pitons is a fantastic beach for snorkeling and diving. Gros Islet offers countryside and beach horseback riding, which can be part of romantic vacation packages.

Another romantic travel option is to take a bus, rental car or cab to the south, where you'll see the former French colonial capital, Soufrie's drive-in volcano and sulfur pools, as well as the Diamond Botanical Gardens. Adventurous types can trek through the rainforest, uncover hidden waterfalls and snorkel amid sunken ships in Anse Cochon.

Bonaire is a strange sort of honeymoon vacation paradise. Tall cacti line the plateaus, earning the island the nickname "Arizona By The Sea." If you're lucky, you'll also catch a glimpse of shy flamingos, gray donkeys and wild horses that inhabit the island.

Bonaire is much more laid-back than flashy Aruba, with all its casinos and parties. Instead, the people of Bonaire invite you to take a dive into their more than 86 dive spots at Bonaire National Marine Park or interact with reef animals at Touch By the Sea.

You can visit a Donkey Sanctuary; ride horses to mangroves, flamingos and ocean waters; go deep sea fishing with Captain Chris Morkos; windsurf at Lac Bay Beach; snag a romantic island vacation meal at Zeezicht; visit the historic slave village of Rincon; and take a two-hour tour through Goto Meer and Goto Lake for flamingo and cactus viewing.

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Escaping Together For A Romantic Honeymoon

Romantic honeymoon destinations often depend upon the time of year one gets married. After all, the last place you want to find yourselves is in the middle of a hurricane evacuation! To a lesser extent, it would also be dismaying to pack a suitcase full of summer clothes, only to find that your chosen location is unexpectedly chilly at that time of year.

Whether you're planning your romantic travel for January or July, there is perfect weather awaiting you somewhere in the world.

You're snowbirds, what can you say? Your bridesmaids may have frowned when you informed them this December they'd be wearing sheer dresses and boots rather than heels, but this is your dream wedding.

There's something so tranquil about this time of year, with the snow lightly falling and white blanketing the world, causing you and your darling to huddle closer together. Yet, for your romantic honeymoon, you want to get away from the weather for a spell.

Las Vegas is the ideal romantic weekend in December. The cheapest time to visit is the weeks before Christmas and Sundays through Thursdays. You needn't gamble all your savings away.

Instead, you can stay off the strip at the brand new Platinum Hotel and Spa, where you'll enjoy Swiss showers, couples massages and plush suite amenities. If you're the adventurous types, why not try skydiving over Vegas from www.vegasextremeskydiving.com?

Come May, you can take a romantic honeymoon to the Greek Islands. This month is ideal for a Greek island vacation because it's a month before their high season and tourists are fewer.

The Katikies Hotel (www.katikies.com) looks down over blue waters and boasts a romantic atmosphere with its infinity pools, winding staircases, terraces and antiques. This romantic resort is also world renowned for their White Cave Restaurant, which is actually located inside a seaside cave.

Since there are only three tables there, you'll need to book your reservation in advance. With ancient architecture and Old World charm, you'll fall in love all over again on the Greek Islands.

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Time To Relax Together With A Romantic Honeymoon Vacation

"Most couples are looking for a place that is obviously romantic, but also a place to create memories," explains celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss. "After all, for most couples this can be their first real trip together."

For a romantic honeymoon vacation, she often recommends romantic resorts like One & Only Palmilla in Mexico and Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos. It's not unusual for couples to consider romantic accommodations over romantic destinations, she says, since so much time will likely be spent in the room and on the resort property, just enjoying each other's company and a bit of quiet after a harried wedding.

Service is a definitive factor for a romantic honeymoon vacation suite. "Couples are very aware of whether the hotel staff 'get them' and are turned on to how much attention or privacy they need," explains Anne Morgan Scully of McCabe World Travel.

Many of the most romantic resorts offer round-the-clock butler service, she adds. To offer greater seclusion and privacy, a number of resorts offer stand-alone villas with beach access from their terraces (like Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos), suites separated from the rest of the resort with private entrances (like Palacio Duhau in Buenos Aires) and exclusive over-water beach bungalows (like Four Seasons in Bora Bora).

Choosing the right romantic honeymoon vacation involves checking the weather, the hurricane seasons, the tourist traffic and the romance level of different destinations. Some places are always hot, says Susan Moynihan, the Editor in Chief of Destination Weddings.

Hotel de Crillon in Paris, France offers romantic views of Place de la Concorde and packages with flowers, champagne and custom cocktails. Halekulani in Hawaii lavishes newlyweds with a bridal suite designed by designer Vera Wang, as well as access to Vera Wang bath products, flowers, china, glassware, movies and a romantic travel package that includes meals and other freebies.

The One & Only Palmilla in Mexico offers private yoga classes and couples massages in a private seaside cabana. Parrot Cay in Turks & Caicos delivers half-days of spa pampering in the Spa Cottage, along with a private dinner. The best romantic resorts go the extra mile to see that their guests are lavished with attention and special perks.

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Love The State Of New York Romantic Getaways

Have you always wanted to look into New York romantic getaways, but just found that you did not have the time to search through all of the cities and towns in the state? The state of New York is very diverse and filled with plenty of places to visit for those vacations romantic in nature.

There are the lush woodlands, the teaming hustle and bustle of the city or a relaxing day in the country. The choices are yours and there are plenty from which to choose.

Some people love the idea of New York romantic getaways that feature the ocean, but what about thousands of gallons of water crashing down in a cascading waterfall. Niagara Falls is a great destination spot and an inexpensive honeymoon idea for the couple on a budget.

If you are feeling particularly brave you may want to consider crossing the border into Canada and taking one of their "Maid of the Mist" boat rides up to the falls. Be ready to get wet though.

You can always find information from the New York State tourism board for great romantic vacation spots tucked all over the state. There is more to New York than just the Big Apple.

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Better Tips For Honeymoon Trips

Weddings can drive you completely insane. All the details of planning a wedding, from organizing all of the people to making arrangements for out of town guests can drive anyone over the limit of sanity.

Not to mention the dress fittings, tuxedos and all of the flower arrangements. The upside to weddings is the welcome relief of honeymoon trips, where you can spend time with your new spouse and unwind from all of the stress.

An inexpensive honeymoon is possible if you know what you want and keep this in mind when searching through honeymoon trips.

If your budget is very tight you may have to forgo the month long trip to Rome, but that does not mean that your honeymoon has to be at a local no-tell-motel. Do a bit of research to popular tourist towns close to you or consider going to a travel agent to find the best deals.

Most honeymoon trips are a time when the happy couple will have a chance to further bond before returning to work and general responsibilities. Enjoy this time alone and worry about what will come after the honeymoon until later.

If you have children or your partner does, do yourself a favor and leave them with a loved one. This is your time to relax and enjoy yourselves.

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