GETTING MARRIED? BETTER BOOK A WELLBEING HONEYMOON

Online searches for romantic venues and honeymoons have soared this month, which can only mean one thing - we’re on the cusp of wedding season. One of the stand-out trends this year is for dreamy getaways with a side of self-care, as couples turn away from the bar and seek out the spa instead.

A wellness honeymoon makes perfect sense after the stresses and strains of organising a wedding according to expert Jane Anderson, Editor of 101 Honeymoons. Here are her top romantic places to relax, unwind and reconnect with yourself, as well as each other.

SEYCHELLES

If wellness means a digital detox to you, then a private island honeymoon may be the tonic you both need. Denis Private Island Seychelles is a pretty incredible place to begin married life and one that will stay with you forever. Its mantra is ‘no phones, no keys, no shoes’.

The feeling is one of being marooned on a castaway coral key in the Indian Ocean, except there’s five-star service to keep you happy and chilled out. With just 23 private cottages on the island with no mobile phone signal, in-room internet or television, you can hide yourselves way, enjoying your open-air bathroom and courtyard garden, all just steps from the beach.

Dining is a farm to table concept and on Fridays you are taken to a secret location for a night of dancing round a bonfire and feasting. On island you can explore the incredible wildlife, indulge in couples’ treatments at the beachfront spa cottage including outdoor massages, and try your hand at sport fishing or scuba diving. BOOK NOW.

OMAN

I was lucky enough to visit Six Senses, Zighy Bay when it opened in 2008. It was the first, and as far as I know, still the only hotel where guests can choose to arrive by paraglider, floating down to this beachside resort from the high mountains of the Musandam Peninsula. This beautiful resort is a hideaway in the truest sense of the word. An oasis of luxury and well-being in an unforgiving, yet utterly beautiful, Omani landscape.

Six Senses Hotel Group broke the mould when they launched 30 years ago, pioneering the notion that holistic wellness could be the raison d’etre for a luxury hotel, with destination spas that go above and beyond in their design, and also the range and standard of treatments on tap. At Zighy Bay, highly trained therapists will create a personalised wellness programme for each of you during your stay. And beyond the spa, healthy activities include rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, snorkelling and scuba diving.

There are six places to dine throughout the resort including ‘Sense On The Edge’, a mountaintop restaurant with panoramic views out to the Gulf of Oman where staff will set up a private table for two. The whole resort is built in the style of an Omani village – albeit a very designer one – and your private villa will feel like your very own zone of calm and indulgence. BOOK NOW.

SOUTH AFRICA

If you have a UK winter wedding, and want a sunny honeymoon escape full of healthy outdoor lifestyle, South Africa is a brilliant choice, in particular Cape Town. Best of all, once you’re there your pound will go much further than in other destinations.

I recommend a stay at the Future Found Sanctuary in Hout Bay on the slopes of Table Mountain where romance and wellbeing come together. Owned by Jim Brett, former boss of J. Crew and Anthropologie, there’s a strong sense of style here. Just nine suites are split across two villas with interiors by art gallery Southern Guild. Beneath one of the villas is the wellness centre with a yoga studio, gym and Sensorium Spa where personalised retreats focus on sleep, nourishment, movement, mindfulness and healing arts. There’s also a natural pond for swimming, and beehives.

The food is all seasonal and locally sourced but there’s no denying yourselves any indulgences of delicious South African wine. BOOK NOW.

THAILAND

Chiva-Som in Hua Hin is one of the world’s most renowned wellness resorts. Founded in 1995 by Boonchu Rojanastien, this ‘Haven of Life’ won the ‘Top Destination Spa Resort in the World’ by Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards amongst many accolades, and is just the place for newlyweds who crave a honeymoon where you can both de-stress, rejuvenate and detox.

In the first day or so you will undergo personalised wellness consultations and follow up with treatments tailored to you both to maximise self-discovery and wellbeing. This holistic approach encompasses spa treatments, physiotherapy, nutrition, fitness and aesthetic beauty.

Gorgeous suites and pavilions are surrounded by tranquil gardens with lotus ponds. The cuisine is as healthy as you desire and the service is reflective of the best Thai hospitality. A honeymoon here will feel like a journey of renewal as well as new beginning. BOOK NOW.

SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

If wellness means taking things at a gentler pace, especially after all the excitement of a wedding, then the slow holiday movement is for you. Avoid the stress of airports and flights, and head up to Scotland for a gentle self-drive honeymoon, wending your way around the splendour of the North Coast 500.

Highlights of the 513-mile circuit can include a day with a private guide exploring the historic treasures of Caithness and Sutherland, or a boat trip off the rugged West Coast on Loch Broom. You’ll overnight in the cutest of locations in a range of accommodation from former fishermen’s cottages to family run hotels in Dornoch, inland in the Flow Country, Tongue, Badcall Bay, Ullapool and Shieldaig. BOOK NOW.

KILIMANJARO & ZANZIBAR

If you’re the type of couple that relish a challenge and are looking for a memorable honeymoon, climbing one of the world’s most iconic peaks - the snow-capped Kilimanjaro in Tanzania - could be just about the most romantic thing you’ve ever done together. Not to mention how spectacular your honeymoon photos will be!

The guided climb takes the Rongai Route over seven days and is followed up by a week’s recovery and chill-out time on the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar at the relaxed Pongwe Beach Hotel which has just 22 rooms and a beachfront spa for post-hiking massages and pampering. BOOK NOW.

SAINT VINCENT & THE GRENADINES

Sandals Resorts has made a name for itself as the ultra all-inclusive for couples, specialising in honeymoons and weddings. You might not realise they also excel in wellness. At the new Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines which opened its doors last March, many of the suites feature a personal fitness room with exercise bikes, yoga mats and a library of fitness classes.

There are lots of healthy eating options and, as well as all land and water sports, there are activities included for couples such as guided kayak experiences to the nearby Buccament Bat Caves, sunset paddleboarding, Pilates and bikes for winding through the resort’s gardens.

For a real treat, honeymooners can opt to stay in a Vincy Overwater Two-Storey Villa. There are healthy dining options at Parisol an open-air beach club and kitchen with options such as smoothies which incorporate the viral superfood, sea moss. Imoro is a grab-and-go concept restaurant named after the Arawak term for green and serves healthy bowls. The Red Lane Spa offers a vast range of wellness treatments. Off-resort, fitness loving couples can hike up the active volcano, La Soufriere. BOOK NOW.

THE MALDIVES

The Maldives remains a hotspot for honeymooners looking for ultimate escapism and relaxation, and many resorts well known for romantic getaways, are turning up the dial on wellness. The Nautilus Maldives is one such place, and a perfect choice for newlyweds prioritising their health and wellbeing.

The resort kicks off the New Year with the launch of its Masters for Masters calendar where guests are invited to begin their year with a journey of inner calm, renewed energy and stress relief. From 22 to 31 January, 2025, The Nautilus welcomes two senior therapists from its partner hotel, Ananda in the Himalayas, one of the world’s most renowned holistic wellness retreats.

The feel-good factor carries on for the rest of the year at the Solasta Spa that provides wellness programme, a range of treatments, and yoga, fitness and mediation classes. The island has just 26 beach and ocean houses and residences. Each comes with its own full butler service with a dedicated House Master ready and waiting to create a tailored programme of experiences, from private yacht cruises to diving. If you fail to return from Nautilus feeling like the most relaxed couple in the world, you may have to review your marriage... BOOK NOW.

SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka comes high on its list of destinations that fill both the criteria of romance and wellness, with its incredible culture, landscapes and traditions steeped in wellbeing.

A stay at Malabar Hills, Weligama, a luxury adults-only boutique property should do the trick. Cocoon yourselves in your very own private villa with pool – one of just 12 – perched on a jungly hilltop with ocean views and a leisurely 10-minute tuk tuk ride from the beautiful southern beaches of Sri Lanka.

Simply being here will lower your heart rate, and if you choose to, there are so many enriching pastimes including yoga and meditation, an interactive tree trail, a tour of the veg garden and cookery demo, wetland bird watching, cycling through the lush countryside and temple visits BOOK NOW.

MARRAKECH

The secret to a wellbeing honeymoon in Marrakech is to find the perfect oasis in this city that’s so well known for its high energy vibe which, although exciting, can be over stimulating! It’s great to dip into the souk and beautiful spots like Yves Saint Laurent’s Jardin Marjorelle – now with beautiful alfresco café and architecturally noteworthy museum next door - but what makes it sweeter is the chance to retreat back to an authentic and intimate, retreat such as the luxurious Villa Des Orangers, a member of Relais & Chateaux.

Set in the heart of the Medina, it’s embraced by orange trees and features a serene ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ Ec(h)o Spa with Gemology Paris treatments and a traditional hamman where you are stretched out on warm marble and enveloped in an orange blossom mousse. There are three outdoor pools to relax by and gorgeous cuisine to BOOK NOW.

More wellbeing honeymoon ideas...

• 'I went on a wellness bliss honeymoon in Mauritius'
• Discover a secluded island wellbeing sanctuary in the Maldives
• Santorini's sunsets are the most Instagrammed in the world

Cut through the noise and get practical, expert advice, home workouts, easy nutrition and more direct to your inbox. Sign up to the WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWSLETTER

2025-03-13T16:56:06Z