Europe
Amalfi Coast, Italy
The cliffside villages (Positano, Ravello, Praiano) are genuinely stunning. The crowds in July and August are genuinely bad. Go in May or late September. Rent a private boat for a half day if your budget allows; it changes the entire experience. Expect to walk a lot of stairs.
Santorini, Greece
The sunsets from Oia are not overhyped. The crowds are. Book dinner reservations weeks in advance if you want the view. Caldera-facing rooms cost more and are worth it. Fly into Athens and take the ferry, or fly directly into Thira.
Porto, Portugal
Significantly less crowded than Lisbon, better for couples who want to actually explore rather than queue. Excellent food, good wine, walkable old town. The Douro Valley wine country is an hour away and worth a day trip.
Tuscany, Italy
Best for couples who are serious about food and wine. Stay in an agriturismo and you can walk to vineyards. Florence is 30 minutes from most areas. September has harvest, which makes everything smell like grapes and feel romantic in a way that is hard to manufacture.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
The Old Town is one of the most beautiful in Europe. It is also extremely busy in peak summer. Stay just outside the walls to avoid the worst of it. The Elafiti Islands nearby offer a quieter version of the Adriatic.
Southeast Asia
Bali, Indonesia
Best value of any destination on this list. Ubud has rice terraces, temples, and good food. Seminyak and Canggu have beach clubs and sunsets. Split your trip between the two. The rainy season (November to March) brings heavy afternoon showers but also lower prices and fewer tourists.
Hoi An, Vietnam
Compact, romantic, and genuinely good for couples who want a slower pace. The tailors are worth using; get something made. Ha Long Bay cruise is cliché for a reason: it is spectacular. Northern food is different from southern food, so plan to eat a lot of both if you have time.
Koh Lanta or Koh Yao Noi, Thailand
Skip Phuket unless you love crowds. Koh Lanta is quieter with better beaches. Koh Yao Noi is tiny and private, positioned between Phuket and Krabi. Excellent seafood, warm water year-round outside of monsoon season (May to October).
The Caribbean and Americas
St. Lucia
Best Caribbean island for couples who want more than beach time. The Pitons are dramatic and hikeable. The northern coast has excellent resorts. Choose between Rodney Bay for more activity or the south for more seclusion.
Turks and Caicos
Grace Bay Beach is genuinely one of the best beaches in the world. That is the selling point. It is expensive and focused on relaxation. If you want to do anything beyond swimming and eating, go somewhere with more variety.
Cartagena, Colombia
Colorful colonial city, warm year-round, excellent food, significantly cheaper than Caribbean islands. The walled city is walkable and beautiful. Good for couples who want culture alongside beach time; the nearby Rosario Islands are a good day trip.
Further afield
Kyoto, Japan
Underrated for honeymoons. The temples and bamboo groves are genuinely beautiful. Staying in a ryokan with onsen access is one of the most relaxing experiences available. Go during cherry blossom season (late March to early April) for the famous look, or fall foliage (November) for fewer crowds.
South Island, New Zealand
Best honeymoon for couples who want to do things together: hiking, kayaking, scenic drives. Queenstown is touristy but a good base. The Milford Sound boat trip is one of the most dramatic things you can see. Rent a campervan if you both enjoy that; stay in lodges if you prefer comfort.
The Maldives
The overwater bungalow photos are accurate. So is the price. Best for couples who genuinely want to do nothing for a week in the most beautiful water on earth. Not a good fit for couples who get restless; the islands are small and activity options are limited.
When to book
Book flights and accommodation six to twelve months in advance for popular destinations in peak season. For Europe in summer, closer to twelve months. For Southeast Asia, six months is usually fine. The Maldives fills up fast year-round.
Traveling together for the first time on the honeymoon means you do not yet know each other's travel rhythm. Pick a destination with enough variety that if one of you wants to explore and the other wants to sit still, both options exist.