Ready to add a different kind of thrill to your honeymoon? Try one of these five tropical retreats, where you can top off a day of adventure with plenty of romance.
By Katie McElveen, Islands
Aruba
Aruba
The Resort: Set on section of Eagle Beach so quiet that it’s dotted with sea turtle nests, 104-room Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort is an adults-only retreat that was awarded the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice for the most romantic hotel in the Caribbean in 2017. First-floor rooms in the Tara wing have direct beach access; book a penthouse for sweeping views of the sea.
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The Adventure: Nearly 20 percent of the island is a designated national park. Made for adventurous outings, at Arikok National Park you can hike, explore caves, and swim in natural pools, like Boca Keto. Up the adrenaline factor by taking an ATV tour to get there.
The Romance: The resort’s Romance Concierge will plan a sunset dinner for two in one of four oceanfront dining palapas.
Nevis
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The Adventure: Nearly 20 percent of the island is a designated national park. Made for adventurous outings, at Arikok National Park you can hike, explore caves, and swim in natural pools, like Boca Keto. Up the adrenaline factor by taking an ATV tour to get there.
The Romance: The resort’s Romance Concierge will plan a sunset dinner for two in one of four oceanfront dining palapas.
Nevis
The Resort: Mellow but sophisticated, Montpelier Plantation & Beach Resort is situated on a breezy bluff 750 feet above the sea. There are just 19 rooms scattered about the lush 60-acre property, where days are spent sipping rum punch beside the serene pool or at the private beach club, and dinner is served by candlelight in a 300-year-old sugar mill.
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The Adventure: You could choose to take the resort shuttle to the beach club for lunch… or you could let Nevis native Romel Gaskin lead you there on a bike tour of the island that includes stops at Alexander Hamilton’s birthplace, the local farmer’s market, a therapeutic hot springs and historic churches. If that’s not enough, schedule a private climb to the top of 3,332-foot-tall Nevis Peak.
The Romance: If you’re lucky, it will rain during your couple’s massage at Montpelier’s outdoor spa so you can drift off to the sound of the drops gently hitting the tented roof.
Fiji
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The Adventure: You could choose to take the resort shuttle to the beach club for lunch… or you could let Nevis native Romel Gaskin lead you there on a bike tour of the island that includes stops at Alexander Hamilton’s birthplace, the local farmer’s market, a therapeutic hot springs and historic churches. If that’s not enough, schedule a private climb to the top of 3,332-foot-tall Nevis Peak.
The Romance: If you’re lucky, it will rain during your couple’s massage at Montpelier’s outdoor spa so you can drift off to the sound of the drops gently hitting the tented roof.
Fiji
The Resort: Located on a private island off the southwestern coast of Viti Levu in Fiji, the recently renovated Royal Davui Resort has just 16 vales, or Fijian cottages. Set among high cliffs or on the beach, each thatched-roof villa has two private verandahs, a plunge pool and outdoor shower. The resort also offers cultural trips to local villages and a traditional kava welcome ceremony.
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The Adventure: There are shipwrecks, colorful reefs and tons of tropical fish in the water surrounding Viti Levu, but the real action is 30 minutes away at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve, a protected sanctuary where thrill seekers can hit the water with eight species of sharks as well as Moray eels and gigantic grouper.
The Romance: Reserved for just one couple per day, the Royal Davui’s Sand Cay floats alone in sapphire-blue sea. You’ll be taken by boat to the tiny islet and dropped off with a picnic lunch, champagne, lounge chairs, a sun shade, snorkel equipment… and a cell phone to summon your boat for the seven-minute ride back to the resort.
Belize
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The Adventure: There are shipwrecks, colorful reefs and tons of tropical fish in the water surrounding Viti Levu, but the real action is 30 minutes away at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve, a protected sanctuary where thrill seekers can hit the water with eight species of sharks as well as Moray eels and gigantic grouper.
The Romance: Reserved for just one couple per day, the Royal Davui’s Sand Cay floats alone in sapphire-blue sea. You’ll be taken by boat to the tiny islet and dropped off with a picnic lunch, champagne, lounge chairs, a sun shade, snorkel equipment… and a cell phone to summon your boat for the seven-minute ride back to the resort.
Belize
The Resort: At the family-owned San Ignacio Resort Hotel, each of the 26 rooms have airy, white-draped beds and are accented with local art. Take your morning coffee at the pool, where, if you’re lucky, you’ll spot toucans, searching for fruit among the trees. The resort makes it easy to experience the region: Walk into the town of San Ignacio or stroll the trail that loops through the property’s 17-acre jungle preserve and iguana sanctuary.
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The Adventure: The hotel offers several adventurous tours to choose from. Hike through the jungle to a 1,000-foot waterfall. Glide down a river on an inner tube through an underground labyrinth of caves. Explore ancient Mayan temples, like Caracol and Tikal, which was a filming location for Star Wars.
The Romance: A short walk will take you into the ancient Maya village of Cahal Pech, where you can climb to the top of the central acropolis and take in views of the Belize River Valley. Afterwards, share a quiet picnic under groves of shady trees.
Los Cabos
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The Adventure: The hotel offers several adventurous tours to choose from. Hike through the jungle to a 1,000-foot waterfall. Glide down a river on an inner tube through an underground labyrinth of caves. Explore ancient Mayan temples, like Caracol and Tikal, which was a filming location for Star Wars.
The Romance: A short walk will take you into the ancient Maya village of Cahal Pech, where you can climb to the top of the central acropolis and take in views of the Belize River Valley. Afterwards, share a quiet picnic under groves of shady trees.
Los Cabos
The Resort: Grand Velas Los Cabos is an all-inclusive resort that boasts oceanfront, apartment-sized suites with private balconies, and amenities like 24-hour butler and room service, a fully-stocked mini bar and a beach concierge.
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The Adventure: Book the resort’s Extreme Adventure Getaway, which includes four nights of accommodations and heart-pumping activities: dive with whale sharks (December through May), surf in Todos Santos, and zip-line at night under the stars.
The Romance: Rejuvenate at Grand Velas SE Spa, a 35,000-square-foot oasis of relaxation. After an hour in the hydrotherapy area comprised of pools, saunas and steam rooms, take in the benefits of local botanicals with a couple’s massage infused with the essences of blue agave, cactus and other desert plants.
See more at: Islands
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The Adventure: Book the resort’s Extreme Adventure Getaway, which includes four nights of accommodations and heart-pumping activities: dive with whale sharks (December through May), surf in Todos Santos, and zip-line at night under the stars.
The Romance: Rejuvenate at Grand Velas SE Spa, a 35,000-square-foot oasis of relaxation. After an hour in the hydrotherapy area comprised of pools, saunas and steam rooms, take in the benefits of local botanicals with a couple’s massage infused with the essences of blue agave, cactus and other desert plants.
See more at: Islands
