Ideas

[Deleted User]

My future in laws are insisting on paying for our honeymoon for our wedding present. The budget is 20k tops but we have no idea where we want to go. We've traveled a lot (in Europe/Costa Rica/US). We really like hiking/mountain regions, semi okay with beaches but if there are beaches we would prefer a lot of attractions in the area (not just snorkeling/etc). Any suggestions?

CMGragain

What time of year?

[Deleted User]

Sorry I thought I added that...November. We live in VA...not opposed to US travel but definitely want somewhere with a lot to do and something unique different. 

LondonLisa

If you like hiking, I would suggest doing a long backpacking/ climbing trip adventure. I would suggest going to the Southern Hemisphere as the weather will be much better there in November (its summer there). How long do you have? Each of these would be about 10 days at the shortest, but I would definitely suggest doing 2 weeks. 

-Machu Picchu (Peru). Beautiful and really exciting. This would be easiest with the time change from America.

-Mt Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)-  This is an intense week long climb but truly awesome to do. They have porters to help you carry things. This one you can also combine it with a short safari afterwards.

-South Africa (Cape Town, Kruger National Park, Stellenbosch wine country etc). I would definitely suggest this if you wanted a lot of different activities: City escape (Cape Town is awesome), wine country, beaches, nature hikes, botanical gardens, Safari (very easy to see the big 5 animals: lions, cheetah, elephants, rhino and leopard in SA) and cultural museums. Every day you can really do something completely different so it can be made longer or shorter as your time allows).

-New Zealand south Island for the Southern Alps (especially if you like Lord of the Rings). This is a brutal flight, but totally worth it. I would only suggest this if you have at least 2 weeks as the time change alone will take a few days to get over. But its unbelievably beautiful. 

[Deleted User]

We were planning about 2 weeks...maybe 2 weeks and like two days. Peru is definitely something we've thought about, the others sound great too, we'll have to do more research. Thanks! 

southernbelle0915

Your budget gives you a lot of options so that's great! 

@LondonLisa's Machu Picchu suggestion is a good one. If you like to hike, the Inca Trail is one of those bucket list items for a lot of people. Just know that you'd be there at the start of the rainy season where it rains pretty heavily most days. The good thing is that it's warmer, cheaper, and less busy, but the bad thing is that it's rainy (obviously) and not all the trails are open. If you do this, you could go the Galapagos, Easter Island, or a beach in Chile (Zapallar or Bahia Inglesa are both nice) for the second half of your trip.

Personally, I'd probably do the Southern Alps in New Zealand for a week and then spend the other week on a South Pacific beach (Bora Bora, Cook Islands, Tahiti, Fiji...). That trip has been on my list for a long time. November is actually exactly when I've looked into going - it's late spring in New Zealand, decently warm but not too hot for hiking, just before busy season, tons of beautiful scenery and flowers. Mountain adventure and relaxing beach....I'll just live vicariously through you until I'm able to take that trip.

[Deleted User]

Oddly enough neither one of us had thought that much about NZ....now of course I'll be researching like crazy. That sounds like it might be perfect!

Jells2dot0

I went to NZ last year. AMAZING TRIP. We stayed in Bay of Islands, Hawke's Bay, Christchurch, and Queenstown. In Queenstown (southern alps), we stayed at Matakauri Lodge. Blanket Bay and The Rees are also nice. we did a lot of hiking and took a heli tour of Milford Sound. 

I've also been to French Polynesia, The Cook Islands, and Fiji. So many awesome places, but if you don't want to be bored, try for Moorea in French Polynesia. 

CMGragain

Honestly, it is wonderfully generous of your inlaws to pay for a $20,000 honeymoon/vacation.  Personally, I couldn't spend that much on a trip.  We travel often, but within a budget.  Our exotic two week trips cost about $8,000, including airfare.  I just couldn't spend that much on travel at one time.

I hope you guys already own a house.  This was our priority when we were newlyweds.  We were pleased to quietly help out our kids when they bought their own homes.  A honeymoon was not a huge priority for daughter, either, though they did take a cruise to Alaska.

I get it that the money was offered to you for the specific purpose of using it on your honeymoon.  I hope you have a wonderful trip.

charlotte989875

CMGragain said:

Honestly, it is wonderfully generous of your inlaws to pay for a $20,000 honeymoon/vacation.  Personally, I couldn't spend that much on a trip.  We travel often, but within a budget.  Our exotic two week trips take about $8,000, including airfare.  I just couldn't spend that much on travel at one time.

I hope you guys already own a house.  This was our priority when we were newlyweds.  We were pleased to quietly help out our kids when they bought their own homes.  A honeymoon was not a huge priority for daughter, either, though they did take a cruise to Alaska.

I get it that the money was offered to you for the specific purpose of using it on your honeymoon.  I hope you have a wonderful trip.

Just want to say, everyone has different priorities here and buying a house isn't a priority for everyone. 

Ill also echo Machu Pichu. A good friend of mine did it this year and she and her H had an amazing time. 

STARMOON44

Can I come? Maybe take a trip on this train?
https://www.belmond.com/belmond-andean-explorer/peru-luxury-sleeper-trains

[Deleted User]

Yes we have a house....this is what his parents want to do for us. Machu Pichu is definitely a strong contender...really love the train too!

CMGragain

Just a cautionary about Machu Pichu.  If you are not used to high altitudes, you can get really sick there.  I live in Colorado, and it took us about a month to really get acclimatized.  This is for 4,500 feet.  Our OOT guests really notice it.  Machu Pichu is almost 8,000 feet above sea level.  https://www.nps.gov/romo/acute_mountain_sickness.htm
I second New Zealand.  There is such a variety of things to do, and everyone speaks English, though they are incapable of pronouncing the short "i" vowel.   We did a cruise around the two main islands 14 years ago, and it was magical.  DH is into photography, and he took beautiful pictures, especially of the New Zealand Alps.  There is a wonderful scenic train that goes from Christchurch into the mountains.

knottie78c11d9fe14972fa

Would really suggest Bali if planning to go around Asia. From Bali you can check out other islands around Bali by boat and in Bali itself there are many places to eat and enjoy. other than that, Thailand and China are a good options