brotherleelove2004

Instead of Phuket consider Koh Lanta. It's much nicer and nowhere near as commercially developed. Also, for a special retreat check Fantasy Resort on Koh Ngai (Koh Hai).

rtwin80days

Thanks, will check it out! I do agree Phuket has become too commercialised, and I have been there already. We are considering the naka island resort, which is the only resort set on a private island, off main Phuket island. The villas look so beautiful.

romeanditaly

Dears
First congratulations,second in two weeks i suggest you to chose only two country,in my opinion if you want have a romantic honeymoon you need to spend one week in France and one in Italy,my country Italy in February is little bit cold...France more than italy...but don't miss paris,rome,venice

shachi

Hi RTwin80days,

My name is Shachi. I am from India. Your idea of honeymoon is quite similar to mine idea of Honeymoon. Me and my fiance are in late 20s, vegetarians and have never been to Europe. I am getting married in 3rd week of January, 2017. I read many comments from your this post and there were lot of good suggestions. I have always love Greece and wanted to plan Greece as my honeymoon destination but it seems little skeptical to go there in end of Jan. Somehow me and my fiance want some European feel in our romantic holidays.

I just wanted to know from your extensive travel diaries, where in Europe can we opt for in end of January and/ or to add little adventure to our honeymoon trip will Mexico or New Zealand be ok?

Also, i am curious to know where did you finally set your eyes on for your honeymoon

Please reply me. Your comment will be much helpful and much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

rtwin80days

We ended up having to push our honeymoon and ended up breaking it up in 3 parts - sea view villa in a luxury resort in Goa with private beach access for few nights immediately after the ceremonies, a ten day Mexico trip in March and now a Europe trip for little over two weeks (Paris, Florence, Tuscan countryside).
Sorry for delay in answering your question Shachi. I guess you still have time to plan it? Btw I really am a novice in traveling world especially here at fodors. But to answer your question - January would be quite cold in most parts of Europe especially from the point of view of an Indian. Delhi winters is nothing compared to what winters are in Europe or US. You might have a hard time to cope. But if you're set on Europe for your honeymoon, I'd advise you to take a mini-break after the wedding somewhere in India / SE Asia and go to Europe later in May/June. Shoulder tourist season - good and reasonable availability of accommodations, lesser crowds, lesser heat. But if you don't want to postpone and still go to Europe in Jan end, choose large cities over countryside. More things to do indoors such as museums and palaces if the weather is unbearable or so. Best would be pick 3 cities - Paris, Rome, Barcelona or some such trio that you're personally moved by. Book an open jaw flight to save time. New zealand should be good. You can drive and see the beautiful country. I'm not knowledgeable about NZ so I can't add much beyond what my friends tell me who go there ever so often and love it. Mexico is awesome. Cancun area might fit the bill of the kind of vacation you're looking at. But check the weather forecasts. We went in mid march and weather wasn't too hot and it was pleasant without any fear of hurricane season. Greece in late January is not a great idea. Rainy cold weather and sleepy islands where a lot of infrastructure for tourists is shut down like smaller resorts and restaurants, ferry schedules are limited, sea is too cold to take a dip in, etc. Save Greece for some other time.

stepholawrence

Some of my favorite travel experiences in those areas that would be great for a honeymoon (or any travel!):

- A meal or cooking class with a local person. Traveling Spoon lets you book a meal or cooking class with a local - I learned how to make phyllo dough in Athens in a local woman's apartment and it was such an amazing way to experience local culture and cuisine. You can see all their destinations and book here: travelingspoon.com

- A concert at La Sainte Chapelle in Paris. This is one of my all-time favorite things I've done in France - it is such an incredible, intimate chapel in the heart of Paris with the most gorgeous stained glass windows, and they have small classical performances that are truly beautiful. I think you can see their upcoming performances and buy tickets here: https://www.classictic.com/en/specia...-chapelle/216/

travelerjan

rtwin and Shachi -- I plead ignorance but I have a question: Every year this forum and other Greece forums get inquiries from people who are from India, asking about January honeymooning in Greece. Is January the favorite month in India for weddings? much as June is for USA & N. Europe? That's a real pity if the couple wants a European beach holiday, because it's exactly the wrong time. As others have said above, best to respect the Will of the Globe... and go to beaches in S.W. Asia or New Zealand. Greece is bliss in May-June, and also in September.

Heimdall

Good question, travelerjan — I had been wondering that myself!

I am a Google addict, and you have inspired me to do an internet search. Indeed the wedding season in India is the winter months, but choosing a date seems to involve choosing auspicious dates and avoiding others. Hopefully an Indian Fodorite will offer a better explanation.

Having traveled in northern India during the month of February, I can tell you the weather was very much like early summer in Greece. I am told that from then on it gets hotter and hotter until the start of the Monsoon.

Here is one reference I found in the <i>Times of India</i> website, a reputable newspaper. It produced several popups, but if you can ignore them you come to an article about "lagnas" and auspicious dates:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/45052305.cms

rtwin80days

To explain this as simply as I can:

Summers are just too unbearable for mass gatherings to be enjoyable, although weddings do happen during the season, albeit handful of them. Imagine 1000 people wearing gold jewellery and silk sarees and other ethnic wear and eating catered heavy Indian food made when the temperature is 45 C.

Monsoons are not conducive for weddings due the heavy rains, hygiene issues (imagine eating at a social event where the caterer cooked 4 meals for 1000 people in a day during crazy downpour!). But that's my version. Most importantly, there is a blackout period of four months during monsoons called pitru-paksha during which no auspicious events are to take place as per Hindu religion.
As festivities begin post-monsoons, such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Dussehra followed by the blockbuster Diwali, the pandits start looking at the Panchang, the astrological calendar for Hindus. For google addicts, you can check drikpanchang.com for an online version of it. Nobody fixes a date for their wedding based on their convenience, or choose a weekend date or so. It is as per the options given by the pandit depending on auspicious dates in the Panchang and the kundli of the bride and groom. Bride and groom have absolutely no control over the date, and not even the parents for the most part.

Weather is beautiful in winters, mass gatherings are comfortable even in marriage halls without air conditioning, of which there are many. Appetite is back in and amazing culinary delicacies are in season. You can wear your heavy ethnic wear and makeup without making a fool of yourself. It's awesome!

I remember how every December, parents would sort the wedding cards and mull over which ones to pass given there would be multiple ones on the same day on some super auspicious day. December-January are the months where our diets go for a toss as we eat out in evening "reception" every other evening or so. You get your good wedding wear out and get it drycleaned. People take out their jewellery from the bank lockers. People prep for dance on bollywood numbers for Sangeet event during weddings. People discuss wedding arrangements of recent ones. Ooooh I miss December in India...

rtwin80days

And I must clarify - TimesofIndia is not at all considered a reputed newspaper in India. It is a glorified tabloid. Yes it has one of the highest circulation, God knows why. But anybody with an IQ in India reads the Hindu or Hindustan Times or Free Press Journal or Indian Express or any other newspaper. India has a vibrant print journalism and millions of newspapers across the country in plethora of languages. TOI is one of the oldest national English daily but it has lost its plot long back as it focuses on sensationalizing news rather than journalism with a substance.

travelerjan

Thank you! A fascinating insight into another culture and how weather, traditions, religion and astrology have such strong impact on major family events like weddings. Now I certainly understand why weddings occur when they do... and you depict so well the energy and vibrancy of that time of year. Thank you! Still remaining is the question of why these newlyweds continue to yearn for a wonderful Greek Isle or Italy experience in the worst time of year, Dec-Feb, when it's not possible.... especially when expressing enthusiasms for nature, cycling, long walks & beaches.

What if Europeans or Americans said, oh, I long to see India, to travel all over, see the famous cities and sites, and I want to go in June-July. Surely you would try to dissuade them from this, and urge them to wait and experience India when it is at its best, from perhaps November - April.

Since your fiance has 3 weeks annual leave, could you not consider taking ONE week for a honeymoon in a lovely resort area in your part of the globe (where Jan-Feb is so pleasant) and allot 2 weeks to Europe in Late Spring?

Heimdall

Rtw80days, thank you for your wonderful description of Indian weddings! Given the weather later in the year, it makes sense that winter is the most popular season. The concept of "auspicious dates" is difficult for westerners to understand, but fascinating nevertheless. My trip to India was one of my most memorable journeys, one that I will always treasure!

Sad to hear that <i>Times of India</i> has become a glorified tabloid. I used to read the paper version occasionally at my university, but that was a long time ago. As I recall, in those days it was the Indian version of <i>The Times</i> of London.

rtwin80days

Thanks travelerjan and Heimdall for your generous words.
Travelerjan, your question is valid. Maybe we grow up being fed on Yash Chopra romantic movies where the lead actress is wearing a super thin chiffon saree and dancing in the alps amidst snow (I would die if I were to do that in reality!) or maybe Europe brings out romantic notions in general for Indians. Cliche apart, Indians are becoming increasingly well-traveled and travel is becoming a lifestyle priority for newer generations. While we have certain stereotypical notions of what a European honeymoon would be like, our wedding timings are completely off and that doesn't stop us from hoping against hope or so. Sadly, going to Australia or NZ doesn't have the same 'charm' as Italy or Greece. Many settle for Southeast Asia beaches as it turns out cheaper and is nearer and beautiful nonetheless. There is no rational answer to your question, or maybe some other Indian would be able to answer better.
Heimdall, the "16 sanskars", or passage of rituals followed by Hindus cover naming the baby to weddings to death ceremonies. Panchang is a major tool for it. Auspicious dates are for everything. You'd notice gold shopping surges on Akshay Tritiya in early summer and then around Dhan Teras during Diwali. New automobile and other major purchases happen around auspicious days, such as Dhan Teras. Businessmen even worship and inaugurate their new financial year's accounting books during the festival. Religion, rituals and daily life is more intertwined than we youngsters believe. But things are changing. And yes, TOI is not of any more value than rolling it up in a cone and eating indian street-food snack bhel, now that we are talking desi stuff, this would be a good way to express its worth.

rtwin80days

And travelerjan, this is exactly what we did. We spent few days at a super luxurious resort with a private beach in Goa, India immediately after the wedding, then saved the leave for 9 days in Yucatan and Cancun, Mexico in March and later 16 days in Paris, Tuscan countryside, Florence few weeks back. Made sense I guess. Our Europe trip kept getting postponed from late summer to fall, and we were concerned about the weather. But we were pleasantly surprised by how nice the weather was and I guess this experience will shape selection of timings for future Europe visits. No more sweltering heat in July August with shoulder to shoulder crowds (although Paris and Florence was quite crowded and there were long queues even in late Oct - early Nov!).

StCirq

rtwin80days, thank you so much for all this fascinating information. It explains a lot of things that we Westerners have always wondered about, like why do Indians always want to visit Switzerland, and why are they all taking their honeymoons at the same time and wanting to go to European places that really aren't a lot of fun in mid-winter?

But here's my question: I understand the concept of "auspicious days," but wasn't that concept put into place long before a lot of Indians had the means and the knowledge to travel to Europe? Are there auspicious days for travel to certain places? Because surely you realize that traveling to Greece, for example, in January is just a terrible idea coming all the way from India.

Would traveling to Europe in spring or summer be deemed some sort of "violation" of Panchang? Would there be consequences? If so, of what sort? Is it just unthinkable that common sense should prevail when planning a vacation one is going to spend a lot of money on?

I don't mean to be prying or pesky, just interested. I have visited your country and was enthralled by it, by the way. Could not eat it up fast enough and was so fascinated I didn't want to waste a minute sleeping.

rtwin80days

StCirq and others, please feel free to ask any questions you might have. I am not the best resource, but I am happy to share whatever I understand.
Btw, swiss govt honored and awarded Yash Chopra multiple times because of his contribution to Swiss tourism (not joking!). Google it. I think bollywood movies are a big part of forming initial perceptions about Europe for majority of Indians.

And no, we don't look at panchang before we finalise travel dates. That is totally dependent on when you can get leave from office, what is a good time to travel, etc etc. And there are no consequences of any sort. lol. But if you ask me, is it possible to ask your family pandit about a good day to start an important journey, I am sure he will come up with an answer backed by some thorough study. But nobody does that. In the past, really a century or two back, probably people might have done so before starting an important journey. Not any more. Have I answered your query?

StCirq, you should visit once more. This time, focus on a different area. I am stereotyping and guessing that given it was your first visit, you might have visited Delhi / Agra / Rajasthan / Mumbai, etc? Please share. This time, it would be super rewarding to focus on central India. Great art, culture and history, folk tales, tribal culture, gorgeous natural beauty in its raw form such as rivers, mountain ranges, waterfalls, etc, religious places, great food, warm people, etc etc.

charleene

To bad it was postponed that often, but I also prefer traveling during off season. For sure cities like Paris are always full of tourists but other parts are really calm.

ethan_cruoe

Hi Lenii,
this sounds great! There really is a lot of information to find online and in books. I think it is great that you also are reading on the history of astrology!
Then I also enjoyed reading the different importance of certain topics in different cultures. This is always very interesting. One part of why I love traveling. For sure I like to see well known places and also attractions however I also enjoy talking to locals a lot. Traveling to me is more then just go to a place and leave it again.
Have a great week everybody,
Ethan