billgatesceo

Hi guys...first time poster. I am tasking yall with helping me find the BEST place to go on my honeymoon. This task has been assigned to me by the most amazing woman on this planet and she deserves to have the BEST. With that being said, let me give you our requirements....

1) Beach. The room/villa/suite must be on the beach. We need to be able to walk out from our room and get to the beach. There cannot be a road or long path to cross or go down to get there. We would like to be able to lay in bed with the doors open and peer out at the ocean.

2) Room must have A/C. Non-negotiable.

3) Room must be nice. doesn't have to be too big, but we would like a bedroom and some small sitting area. A plunge pool would be nice or a jacuzzi, but that is not a hard and fast requirement.

4) Culture to experience.

5) HOT!!!!! We are from South Central Texas. We like it hot!!!! We love the water and the lake and we love nothing more than 100+ degree days baking in the sun. While I understand that I'm not gonna find many places that hot, the requirement is mid 80's minimum!

6) Extra-curricular activities. We're interested in rain forest type places with places to go hiking, or biking. Horseback riding. Maybe a drive through some trails in a jeep. We love to scuba and snorkel, but will not make it a deciding factor. We figure we will scuba at least 1 day, maybe 2.

7) Budget: Wedding is July 17th. So probably would leave the 18th and come back around the 27th. So we are looking to do a 9-10 day trip (including air travel). We'd like to spend no more than $7K, $9k for all inclusive. We might could make it a little shorter to get within budget.

8) Food: We love great food. We like different places, holes in the wall, we like to venture out and find different places, so all inclusive is what we'd rather NOT do.

I think that is about it. Just to give yall a little background on us...I am 30, and my beautiful bride to be is in her younger 20's. We've been to the Keys, Bermuda, St. Croix, The Caymans, Vegas, Europe, Hawaii, Cozumel, Mexico, and of course all over the big state of Texas.

We'd like to go somewhere other than where we have gone before.

some of the places that we have researched is: Bali, Africa (too expensive to do right), Tahiti, Bora Bora (too expensive), St Lucia, and Maldives.

So, your task, should you choose to accept it, is to help be find the BEST place for our honeymoon.

Thank you all so much for your time. I eagerly look forward to you guys suggestions.

Cheers!!!

Brandon

voyager61

First, congratulations on your upcoming honeymoon, and it's great that you are trying to make it a memorable one. A word of advice on the Fodors' forums in general: you usually get the most detailed and best response if you narrow your planned destinations down a bit using guidebooks, etc. For example, two of your destinations are in Asia, which means you need to post on that Fodors' forum to get expert help, and one is in the Caribbean, need to post on that one too. Maybe you have already done that, but if you haven't, you might as well, but I would post something on the Asia forum like "Bali or Maldives for honeymoon?" and then ask questions about those locations.

Based on your budget and my own personal research, Tahiti may be too expensive for you to get what you want. Asia probably isn't from what traveling friends have told me. St. Lucia is probably somewhere in the middle on the budget issue...Caribbean was expensive even 25 years ago when we last spent time there (other than a trip to the Mayan Riviera 2.5 years ago).

There is also distance...St. Lucia is a lot closer to Texas than the other destinations...airfare would be less, thus leaving more money for everything else. Bali can sometimes have political issues...is that a concern on a honeymoon where you don't want to think about that kind of thing?

Anyway, you can get help with actual hotels and beaches from these forums once you figure out which destination is your first choice. You can also get specific info on each country with the right question on the right regional forum.

Good luck!

DownUnder

Positano on the Italian Amalfi Coast is pretty special, but then so is Bedarra Island
http://bedarralodge.com/

DownUnder

http://www.eastbedarra.com.au/index....FcQtpAodDDWwJg

Melnq8

My vote is for the Maldives. I've only spent time on Bandos, but have made day trips to some of the other islands and there are some wonderful options out there, many of which fill every item on your wish list and would be ideal for a honeymoon IMO. Getting there from Texas might bust your budget though.

I just returned from a week long stay on Langkawi...it's definitely the hottest place I've ever visited outside of the Middle East (and a heck of a lot more humid). I'm told the diving and snorkeling isn't very good, but if you're looking for something exotic with a mix of reasonably priced posh resorts and plenty of local 'flavor' it might be an option, atlhough getting there won't be cheap. I will say that I didn't care for the place, but I seem to be in the minoirty.

Then again...I realize you've been to Hawaii, but have you been to Lanai? Lanai strikes me as a pefect honeymoon option. And Bora Bora, but you've ruled that one out.

Congratulations and good luck!

DownUnder

Here is another http://www.qualia.com.au/

and another http://www.hayman.com.au/

Bokhara2

Bali ticks all your boxes.

Neil_Oz

"Bali can sometimes have political issues"

Nice euphemism, Voyager, assuming that by "political issues" you mean the nightclub bombing at Kuta some years ago. But I for one wouldn't be seen dead (no gallows humour intended) in or around Kuta anyway.

A more serious downside is that Indonesia is a long way from Texas.

stormbird

Hey Neil,

I'm going to hijack this thread a bit sorry - but I haven't seen you post lately and was wondering how you were and any chance of a last minute 'yes I can make the GTG in Melbourne on Saturday night???"

oliverandharry

Personally I would choose Capella Lodge, Lord Howe Island. Not within my budget, but we could live vicariously through yall.

billgatesceo

Thanks for all the suggestions. Yeah, we looked at Bali, but with our budget and time constraint we don't think that we could do that trip justice. Plus, we're leaning more toward the awesome beach scenes, and I just don't seem to find those in Bali.

The Maldives looked great, but kinda far, and didn't seem like there was too much to explore because of the way the island is. One of these days though as it looked amazing.

I think we are leaning towards Tahiti. I found a package for 7 nights at the Le Meridien in my budget. Does anyone have any thing to say about that place? The package includes the overwater bungalow, which is exactly what we wanted.

Thanks again for all the help!

Bokhara2

If it's exactly what you wanted - what's to question? Go for it!

Neil_Oz

stormbird, really appreciate the interest and would love to make the GTG, but it's really not a goer at the moment (a trip across town is pretty much my limit rght now! It's a pity the GTG wasn't a bit later but I'm sure you'll all have such a good time that another will be on the drawing board before too long. Enjoy!

stormbird

Hi Neil,

I'm sorry to hear that you're not quite yourself - I do hope you are back to your old self quite soon. I hadn't seen you around on the boards for a bit and you had mentioned health issues but I hope you're turning the corner now and wish you all the best.

elleryblue

The only comment I have is--we are going to Tahiti and have been advised to not stay on Tahiti, but stay on Moorea. Only a ferry ride across. Everyone tells us that is the way to go.
We are going in Aug. and staying in Moorea 3 nites and then going on a cruise on the Aranui and then to Bora Bora.

I would consider Moorea if you can get to Tahiti.