Real Honeymoon: Tahiti

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

A couple of days after their beautiful wedding in San Francisco, my good friends Alix and Brandon left for their equally gorgeous honeymoon in Tahiti. And as if they truly planned it this way, they returned to San Francisco just in time to watch the Giants win the World Series! Sounds like the best month ever to me. Check out their incredible Tahitian honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Tahiti, October 2012. One week in Moorea, one week in Bora Bora.

How long was your trip?

About 2 weeks.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We had a really hard time deciding. We were torn between a backpackery type trip and going somewhere cultural versus somewhere where we could just plop on a beach and do nothing. We debated Tahiti, Fiji, Madagascar, Philippines and all over Europe (especially Greece and Italy). But ultimately, the weather decided our location. Getting married in October didn’t leave us with very many warm weather options (unless we wanted to risk typhoons). I had been to Greece and had always pictured honeymooning there (beautiful beaches, culture, activities etc.). And Brandon had been to Italy and really wanted to go there (wine tasting, site seeing etc.). But the weather in both places was going to be cold. Madagascar was REALLY far and there were possible issues with weather, and in the Philippines we risked typhoons. When it finally came down to it, we realized that all we wanted was warm weather and to sit on the beach and drink rum. Tahiti was a sure-thing for the nice weather and the decision was made.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Sitting on the beach, massages, the blue water, drinking rum, and having nothing to do all day, for days on end. We did a few excursions (jet skiing, ATV tour, day trip on a boat). But mostly, all we did was read books and relax on the beach.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

As perfect as it was, there were a few things that we could have done differently. We would have brought a few more liters of rum (because you really can’t have too much rum when you are living in paradise), and some more snacks to save money. As amazing as our hotels were–and they were truly amazing–we wish we saw a little more of the islands. Moorea is absolutely beautiful; it is lush, mountainous, and has a local feel that Bora Bora doesn’t have. It would have been fun to spend a little more time seeing the island. That said, Bora Bora is a wonderful place, and there is nothing you could do to improve it.

Finally, a recommendation to all you book lovers out there, go light. Brandon made the mistake of reading Atlas Shrugged during our honeymoon, and as much as he loved the book, it did not make for the best beach banter. Bring novels and magazines that will not lead you to contemplate the role of selfishness and individuality in a society that is on the verge of economic collapse.

How much planning did you do in advance?

We hired a travel agent, which I would 100% recommend (depending on where you are going). It was so nice not having to spend time figuring out where to go, and how to get to each place etc. Because we had a travel agent, we didn’t have to do much planning ourselves.

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Real Honeymoon: Iceland

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

When most people think of the ideal honeymoon location, they think of somewhere warm and tropical… and probably not a country whose name starts with the word “ice.” However, Iceland is becoming a very popular tourist destination. For one thing, it’s a lot closer to the U.S. than most people realize (only 5 hours from the East Coast), and the other-worldly scenery is just breathtaking. My husband and I would love to go there someday, so when my best friend put me in touch with Carrie, I couldn’t wait to read all about their amazing Icelandic honeymoon.

When and where did you honeymoon?

My husband and I roadtripped around the Ring Road in Iceland for our honeymoon from May 23 – June 3, 2011.

How long was your trip?

We were in Iceland for 11 days.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

Neither my husband nor I are huge beach people, so we didn’t want the typical Hawaii-Fiji-Mexico honeymoon. And having been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit previously, we wanted to try something new and different. We’d heard great things about Iceland, and it seemed like a perfect size for us to be able to cover the major and many minor sights for the time that we had. Finally, the economy in Iceland hadn’t fully recovered, so we were able to take advantage of slightly lower prices, in an otherwise very expensive country!

Icelandic horses at Eld Hestar

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Well, the best part was that we were able to get there! The Grímsvötn volcano erupted on my wedding day, May 21st, so we weren’t sure if our flights would be cancelled. Fortunately, our last leg was only 6 hours delayed, and we made it into Reykjavík safe and sound.

In Iceland, my favorite part was the Southern coast of Iceland. It was absolutely gorgeous, particularly the areas between Höfn, Vík and Hella-Hvolsvöllur. I followed the first half of this Frommer’s itinerary for that portion of the Ring Road, and it was incredibly romantic.

Skógafoss

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

I don’t think I would change a single thing–except maybe to stay for a couple more days!

Jökulsárlón

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Real Honeymoon: Italy

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Have I not yet mentioned that people love honeymooning in Italy? Allie and Jeff also chose Italy for their honeymoon because of it’s rich culture and incredible food. Read all about their wonderful Italian honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

We traveled to Italy (Rome, Venice, Florence, Lucca, Cinque Terre, and Milan) in May, 2012.

How long was your trip?

May 6 – May 22, 2012

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

My (now) husband and I love food and really enjoy different food experiences. To me Italy was the place to go to see not only 3000 year old ruins on every corner, but to explore a delicious food culture.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Going to this amazing small, family run winery. We were in Lucca and asked our concierge to recommend a winery we could go to for the day. She told us about a big winery that was very commercial and another small one that didn’t take visitors very often. When she called and told the gentlemen that we were on our honeymoon and wanted to come, he told her that we should be there at noon.

We drove through some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen and got to experience the Montichiari Winery. This man was the 3rd generation in his family to own and operate the winery. He and his wife were the most warm, inviting, friendly people I have ever met. He spoke English, Italian, and French, his wife spoke only French and Italian with a little English mixed in. I barely speak French and my husband understands a little Italian…but we made it work. We were taken around the vineyards and olive trees, shown all the best views of the property, and then sat down for one of the top meals I have ever eaten. He and his wife not only opened and shared with us 4 bottles of wine, but also opened a few bottles from their private cellar because they were just so happy to have us there.

And the food…oh man, the food she cooked was out of this world. All food was from their land or things traded with their neighbors. In total we spent 5 hours there touring the property, enjoying the beautiful view, and the hospitality of these lovely people.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

Falling asleep a few hours after we got to Rome on the first day of the trip. It threw me for a loop and I didn’t feel right the first 2 days in Rome, so it felt like a waste.

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Real Honeymoon: Germany, Croatia & Hungary

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

One of the best parts about starting this blog is hearing about my friends’ friends’ honeymoons. Although I haven’t met Jamie before, I’m so glad she shared the details of her amazing European honeymoon with one of our mutual friends. Thanks for contributing, Jamie!

When and where did you honeymoon?

Sept 2011 – Oct 2011 (3 weeks)

– Munich, Germany (Oktoberfest) 3 nights

– Croatia 12 nights total:

Dubrovnik 4 nights
Hvar 4 nights + Plitvice Lakes/National Park (Day Trip)
Rovinj 4 nights

– Budapest, Hungary 3 nights

How long was your trip?

3 weeks

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We knew we wanted to go to Europe for our honeymoon. We quickly discovered that our honeymoon would fall during Oktoberfest. We decided to take a direct flight to Munich from SF International airport and start our honeymoon with a party.

Next we decided to travel to Croatia for a little R&R. We stayed in three different cities and rented a car between cities to get from one place to the next.

Finally we decided to end in Budapest; we had heard great things about the city. It ended up being one of our favorite cities on the trip.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Experiencing so many new things with my new husband as both he and I had never been to those locations before. We have some great pictures of the two of us in our Oktoberfest costumes, that was pretty unforgettable. Other great memories: Buza 1 and 2 in Dubrovnik, Plivice Lakes/National Park, beach of Hvar, Truffle hunting in Rovinj, Beef Goulash in Budapest, European history of Budapest.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

Spending one or two less days in Dubrovnik, the city was amazing, but the people were not that warm and the food was our least favorite out of all our destinations. Make sure you get to Rovinj before the tourist day ferry to Venice stops (we missed it by one day). Go wine tasting just outside Budapest, we ran out of time for that trip.

How much planning did you do in advance?

We had our flights and our hotels booked before we left. We studied our Lonely Planet guides on our way to the next destination. We rented cars with the help of our hotels once we arrived. It was difficult to plan a wedding and really plan a honeymoon.

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Real Honeymoon: Greece & Turkey

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Last week I published Jennie and Chris’ Napa mini-moon post, and this week we have all of the details on their longer European honeymoon in Greece and Turkey!

When and where did you honeymoon?

Greece and Turkey in May/June 2012. We went to Athens, Santorini, Ephesus, and Istanbul.

How long was your trip?

2 weeks.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We’d heard great things about Greece and Turkey, and we wanted to take advantage of living a bit closer to Europe (we were living in DC at the time but live in California now).

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Spending a lot of time reading and laying in the sun in Santorini. We stayed at a great little hotel overlooking the caldera, and it had nice beach chairs right outside our room, on a balcony with a gorgeous view.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

I’d spend maybe one less day in Istanbul. It is a really cool city, but six days was one day too many. We just got tired of sightseeing and walking around a city.

How much planning did you do in advance?

We booked hotels, flights, and ferries in advance. We also booked a nice dinner in Istanbul for our first wedding anniversary. Otherwise, we planned everything else once we arrived.

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Real Mini-moon: Napa

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

I’m excited that today we have Peonies to Palm Trees‘ first ever real MINI-moon blog post! More on mini-moons in general later on, but check out Jennie and Chris’ quick trip to Wine Country below. And then next Monday, make sure to come back and read all about their longer European honeymoon, too.

When and where did you honeymoon?

Napa in June 2011. We stayed at the Napa Valley Lodge in Yountville, which I would highly recommend.

How long was your trip?

3 days.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We wanted to go somewhere close to our wedding location (Santa Cruz) since we only had a few days available for our mini-moon. And we love wine and good food, so Yountville was the perfect place to go to enjoy both.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Staying in a hotel that was walking distance from so many fabulous restaurants. It meant we got to go on some nice walks, we didn’t have to drive to all our meals, and we didn’t have to spend lots of money on cabs.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

I’d eat a little less of each course at French Laundry so I didn’t get too full by the time the meat courses arrived. They give you a ton of food, so unless you have a huge appetite, I’d suggest eating a portion of every serving and taking the rest to go so you can enjoy all of it without feeling too full.

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Real Honeymoon: Kauai

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Liz and Pat are one of the busiest couples that I know, so they really wanted their honeymoon to be a chill vacation. Read about their relaxing Hawaiian honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Kauai [August 2012]

How long was your trip?

10 nights

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

Pat had never been to Kauai and I hadn’t been since I was in 1st grade. I always vacationed there when I was young so it was really special to me. We wanted the most relaxed atmosphere so Kauai was a clear choice of all the islands. We had gotten engaged in Italy last year so we wanted to change it up and go somewhere tropical and relaxing and just spend time together.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Waking up and drinking mimosas on our patio and playing cards every morning. To spend time like that is almost impossible when we are both working so much and it was just a time I will never forget.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

Nothing :)

How much planning did you do in advance?

[The trip] was very easy to plan. Booked hotel early and everything else was very easy to book while we were there. Great location choice for busy people who don’t have time to do a bunch of planning in advance.

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Real Honeymoon: Seoul & The Maldives

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Where do you go on your honeymoon when you have a million frequent flier miles and hotel points racked up? Everywhere! Specifically, my friends Seema and Tommy chose to check out both South Korea and the Maldives during their honeymoon. Because Seema is a consultant and travels constantly for work, they were able to upgrade their long flights and they only had to pay a fraction of their costs out of pocket. Read all about their awesome honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Seoul & the Maldives, in September 2012

How long was your trip?

12 days

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We wanted to do a BIG trip to somewhere that we had never been before and some place we might never go again.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Being on a secluded island in the Maldives & the food in Seoul was amazing!

Korean Street Food

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

I’d spent 1 more day in each spot!

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Real Honeymoon: Bali & Lombok

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Peonies to Palm Trees

One of the reasons why my husband and I chose to visit Bali during our honeymoon was because our friends Ashley and James had such a great time there. Read all about their awesome Balinese honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

July 2010 – Bali and Lombok, Indonesia

How long was your trip?

10 days

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

A friend’s father owns Bali Island Villas, which is beautiful AND reasonably priced. We decided to splurge on the exotic location because you only live once, and it was definitely worth it.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Exploring the different areas in Bali. While it is a small island, each region has a completely different flavor. We enjoyed staying in Seminyak the most, because it offered great beaches and amazing restaurants. Taxis are ridiculously cheap so it was easy to explore and go on spontaneous adventures.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

Going to the neighboring island Lombok. We spent 2 nights in Lombok at the end of our trip. It was incredibly unfriendly, the downtown area is sparse, and my husband got food poisoning.

How much planning did you do in advance?

Probably a few months. We mostly just booked our flight, and I would highly recommend booking your flight in advance. It’s not a cheap flight and the more notice you have the better. I would also be sure to do your research on where to stay. I would definitely recommend finding a hotel in a good location that is walking distance to restaurants and the beach.

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Real Honeymoon: Kauai & Maui

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Peonies to Palm Trees

College sweethearts and fellow Michigan Wolverines Megan and Mike didn’t want to choose between Hawaiian islands, so they decided to go to two! Read all about their fun and adventurous Hawaiian honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Hawaii in the beginning of September (2011) – Kauai (Grand Hyatt in Poipu) and Maui (Hyatt Regency in Lahaina).

How long was your trip?

5 days on Kauai and 5 days on Maui.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We wanted somewhere warm and tropical, where we could relax AND be adventurous. We knew we would be exhausted and need lots of pool and cocktails, but we also knew we would get restless if we couldn’t get out and explore. We also didn’t want to sacrifice too much time and budget of the vacation traveling, since we were already flying from Northern Michigan back to LA. We decided on two islands because we don’t get to travel very often, and we wanted to make the most of the time off. We chose Kauai based on recommendations from friends. It sounded more quiet, so we started our trip there to unwind after the wedding. We chose Maui as the second island b/c there were so many “adventures” we read about (volcano and watefalls!).

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Watching Michigan beat ND under the lights…jokes (but it was an added bonus)! This is actually really hard to answer because we got to do so many amazing things. I loved the day we spent in Waimea Canyon in Kauai because we were both totally in our element together. We found ourselves alone on most of the trails, we went off roading in our jeep wrangler (a must on both islands!), and just enjoyed some spectacular views. I also loved our day on the Road to Hana. Nothing is more Hawaii then swimming in a waterfall.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

The day we spent on the Road to Hana in Maui. It was an epic adventure, but there are two things I would have changed. 1) I would have charged our camera before we went or even brought a waterproof disposable for all the waterfall photos and 2) I would have bought water shoes for all the slippery rock climbing in the water fall lagoons. In Kauai, I also wish I would have known to get into Waimea Canyon Park early and up to the Napali Coast viewpoint at the top before the clouds roll in. We were lucky and got a quick sneak peak, but the longer you wait the less likely the view gets.

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