Australia is the perfect dream destination to take a honeymoon. It’s just different enough from the United States/UK that it’s exciting, but there is still a decent level of service (no roughing it or hassles with “surprise” charges or needing to haggle over every little thing)
When to Go
Visiting Australia in Spring or Fall is ideal. Their winter (UK/US summer) can get a little cold. Their summer can get crazy hot and/or overrun by local tourists on summer break in December/Jan.
City Break Honeymoon in Sydney
If you’re city people, Sydney offers a great combination of fine dining opportunities, shopping, 5 star hotels, and what are probably the WORLD’s BEST city beaches i.e., Bondi and Coogee. Another plus for Sydney is that you can get a direct flight from the US (via either LA or Dallas) so no need to take an additional domestic flight within Australia.
Melbourne – An Alternative City Destination
Melbourne is more arty and bohemian than Sydney. It doesn’t have the city beaches that Sydney has or the glorious harbor but it has a great cafe scene and a vibrant theater scene.
The weather can be pretty unpredictable in Melbourne but some people just prefer the vibe to Sydney.
There are Melbourne people and there are Sydney people. If you like the East Coast of the US or LA, you are probably a Sydney person. If you prefer places like San Francisco, Portland, Seattle etc then you are probably a Melbourne person. You can also fly direct to Melbourne from the US or UK (via Asia).
Beaches and Islands
Although the West Coast of Australia is beautiful, if you’re only in Australia for less than a month it probably makes sense to stick to the East Coast. The best honeymoon worthy destinations on the East Coast are found on the offshore islands. There are places that have an American level of service if that’s what you’re looking for e.g., Hayman Island. There are also plenty of activities available, including opportunities to snorkel or dive the Great Barrier Reef. If you happen to have sailing skills and your new spouse isn’t prone to seasickness, you could also look at chartering a sailing boat.
What about everywhere else?
The key to a great honeymoon is to plan well (e.g., get the weather right) and not to over do it by trying to squeeze in too many destinations. It’s supposed to be about the two of you more than planning an epic, full-on “touring” type trip.
Australia has some other cool attractions like wine regions, Uluru (Ayers Rock), and the island/state of Tasmania off the south coast. However since getting to Australia is already a long flight, we’d recommend picking one or two of the options given and sticking to those if you want to have a relaxing honeymoon after your wedding. We’d also recommend delaying the honeymoon until the season is right for visiting Australia if your wedding is in US/UK summer i.e., AU winter. This will also give you a bit more time to enjoy researching and planning your honeymoon vs the stress of trying to plan a wedding and a honeymoon at the same time.
photo credit: Sarah_Ackerman via photopin cc
Kim & Clark Kays quit their jobs for an uncertain trip around the world. Originally from St. Louis, they relocated to Chicago after getting married in 2005. After working for five years in middle school and the Fortune 500, they realized there was more to life than the 9-to-5, so made the crazy decision to exchange money for time rather than the other way around.
Their hobbies include fighting over writing styles and searching for gelato. They think food, beer, architecture, and photography are some of the best things about travel—especially when combined. Their travel blog, To Uncertainty and Beyond, includes long-term travel tips as well as humorous anecdotes from their journey through Europe and Asia. They invite you to experience their journey and learn from their adventures and mistakes.
