From a rail journey through the Peruvian Andes to a new luxury specialist that can help you plan the great escape, here is our honeymoon travel diary to inspire your travel plans for the months ahead
Andes by rail
Set to be one of the great rail journeys, the Belmond Andean Explorer sets off for the first time in May 2017. A partnership between Belmond and Peruvian investors, it will be a majestic train ride along one of the highest rail routes on earth, traversing the Peruvian Andes from Cusco to Lake Titicaca and Arequipa. Various journey options, plus glamorous cabins, guarantee a magical adventure. And for those in the know, Belmond is the way to travel by train – it already offers a host of iconic rail journeys, as well as being the force behind some of our finest hotels, Hotel Cipriani, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Copacabana Palace among them. belmond.com
Deluxe adventures
The Private Travel Company is a new tailor-made travel specialist that can help you design a bespoke luxury travel experience. Sister company to the award-winning Caribtours, it has a team of dedicated advisors (all seasoned travellers) who specialise in the curated adventure. Destinations span the globe – from Europe and the Caribbean, through Arabia, USA and the Indian Ocean. Hot tips for honeymooners in 2017 include the wellness break, the eco-luxury retreat and the foodie experience. For the health hunters, The Private Travel Company recommend Coral Reef, Barbados – featuring an idyllic spa, shaded cabanas and luxury hydro pools as well as all sorts of fabulous treatments. To get away from it all, try Castara Retreats, Tobago, an idyllic spot facing the sea with two acres of tropical gardens and plenty more rainforest to explore. For the foodie couple, Cobblers Cove in Barbados offers old-fashioned island hospitality, fabulous beaches and vistas and a fresh chef in residence each year. And if you want to combine blissful beach and ocean downtime with a spot of shopping, Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman gives you the best of both worlds. theprivatetravelcompany.co.uk
Honeymooon hitlist for 2017
So where are you thinking of going on your honeymoon? If the choice seems an impossible one, take inspiration from the experts. The Association of British Travel Agents tells Absolutely Weddings that the most popular destinations on honeymooners’ radar include Thailand, Caribbean islands and the tropical paradise Mauritius (pictured above, courtesy of Mauritius specialist Beachcomber). Sri Lanka is also rising steadily up the popularity rankings. Twin centres are increasingly being requested – with couples tying the knot on paradisical islands such as the Maldives, before heading off to exotic cultural and shopping hotspots such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi. While the USA road trip is a perennial favourite, in Europe we just love romantic Italy. UK minimoon hotspots include Scotland, the Cotswolds and the Lake District, as well as the wild Cornish coastline. You will find ABTA a useful source of information on everything from travel tips and essentials to checking out the credentials of agents. abta.com
Caribbean immersion
While the only way to get the full holiday experience is to pack your bags and go, hats off to Sandals for their immersive travel store in Chelsea, which opened in spring 2016. In an era when so much travel planning happens online, it’s a refreshingly ‘face to face’ and interactive space where you can get specialist advice and plan down to the last detail. Designed to offer sensory experiences, it offers virtual sightseeing, a bar to give you a taster of the pleasures to come and even a dedicated wedding lounge where you can plan your dream escape. Visit the store – which also showcases Beaches and Grand Pineapple – at 135 Fulham Road, SW3. sandals.co.uk
