Getting to plan a honeymoon is one of the most exciting parts about planning a wedding (well to me anyway). You know how much I love to travel, so planning our honeymoon has been like planning another vacation, but even more extra! I’ve planned plenty of holidays in my life, and sometimes I’ve spotted many honeymooners where I go, so I thought it would be a nice idea for me to put together a post on Honeymoons for Every Budget. While there are many awesome places you can explore in the world, you also have to stick to a budget, but trust me, no matter what your budget is, there is a fabulous little spot in this world for you!
These are just general prices of things, based on my own experiences. Of course everything also varies based on time of year, how you are booking etc. For my Travel Saving Tips and Tricks post you can click over here, and just keep in mind that the below options are all estimates based on how much I spend, or how much I got a quote for. The below is based on 5-7 nights, economy class flights and 4 star hotels.
R5000-R10000 per person
Knysna, Balitto, Cape Town, Kruger National Park
Good For– Making your money go further by spending local currency.
Flights- Up to R2000 (remember to always use your Vitality discount if you can!).
Accommodation– R5000
Tours and Restaurants– R3000
Local is lekker, and a local honeymoon is just as nice as an overseas trip! Our country is stunning and you can explore such beautiful parts of it on your special holiday. Knysna is magical, I love Balitto for a beach vacation, the Kruger National Park is breath-taking and we all know of my love for Cape Town.
For a R1000 per person per night you get some beautiful hotels, but you can save even more by using Air Bnb (Steve and I have stayed in some great places for R500 a night each). You can definitely make your buck go further locally while still enjoying beautiful settings.
Check out my post on Cape Town Accommodation over here.
R10 000-R15 000 per person
Zanzibar
Good For – All inclusive vibes on a beach
Zanzibar is best done on a package, so I wouldn’t even recommend purchasing your ticket and accommodation separately (for your interest a ticket to Zanzibar is about R5000 return). The reason for that is if you book a package through an agent, most of the time it will include a transfer to and from the hotel, which is crucial on islands (no Uber there ;)). Steve and I went to Zanzibar back in 2017(you can read the post here) and we paid R13 000 per person for 4 nights through Africa Stay (we did go at a peak time).
Zanzibar is very relaxing, as there isn’t much to do but drink and relax! You can take some local tours to the Spice Route and Stone Town (about R1000 each) plus a day boat for some fun (R750 or so each). The flight is quick (4 hours), the drinks are good, and the food is delish. Highly recommend it if you are looking to relax and unwind!
Check out my post on Zanzibar over here.
R15 000-R25 000 per person
Mauritius
Good For– A luxurious vacay on the beach with a bit of activities.
Flights– R7000
Hotel– R10 000
Tours and Spending Money– R5000
Another amazing island not too far away, is Mauritius. A common choice for honeymooners due to its beautiful beaches and tropical surroundings. We went to Mauritius in 2016 and it was fabulous! We stayed on an All Inclusive Basis at Le Victoria Hotel and it was R2500 per person per night back then (so R5000 for a couple). You can get great deals though if you book early or wait for a special, but in any case, if you want to do the all-inclusive package, it will set you back R15 000 at least per person(possibly including flights if you catch a great deal).
I found it worth it, and when it comes to islands like these, I do recommended doing the all-inclusive package. You will end up spending more if you don’t (especially on drinks), and besides who doesn’t want pancakes at 4 in the afternoon at the pancake bar?
Check out my post on Mauritius over here.
R25 000- R30 000 per person
Bali
Good For– Adventures, Beach Breaks and Exploring a Different Culture.
Flights– R10 000
Accommodation– R7000
Food and drinks– R5000
Tours and transport- R3000- R5000
While I did Bali quite differently on a Contiki Tour, I had the most amazing experiences of it! This tropical gem stole my heart, and Steve and I are actually considering Bali for our honeymoon. The flights are the most expensive part here, I paid just under R10 000 in 2017 on Singapore Air. Where Bali wins is that the local currency is great against the rand, so you don’t always feel like you are getting ripped off. The food is cheap(and delicious), you can find great 4 star accommodation at a good price, the only thing that I found expensive were the drinks due to the high tax.
There is a lot to see in Bali, so you wouldn’t be sitting still like you would in Zanzibar or Mauritius. We visited 3 islands, and it all depends on whether you want to party (then choose the Gili Islands), shop and experience local cuisine (Seminyak, Nusa Dua and Kota are for you) or relax (Lombok is the perfect spot for you). You can also do Thailand on the same amount or even less, or Vietnam! Asia is really good due to the currency so this is a top option on my list.
Check out my post on Bali over here.
R30 000 per person
Maldives and Seychells
This is a ball park that I’m currently working with, and because I want a water villa (duh), I am not finding anything less that R25 000 per person for accommodation. Flights are another R10 000, but I have seen some good packages for R30 000 per person. Seychelles costs about the same, so keep an eye out on my Instagram to see what I end up choosing and for wheat amount.
R30 000 upwards
Eurotrip
Guys I love Europe, but IT IS EXPENSIVE! The euro kills me every time, but I love Europe so I keep going back. A flight to Europe (whichever way you look at) starts at R8000 (the cheapest I ever paid was to Greece last year for R6500 due to Emirates Vitality discount). London is R10 000, Italy you can get for R8500, France is R9000, Holland about R11 000.
You can read about my Greece trip here and this cost R30 000 and we visited 3 islands.
Italy will start at about R20 000 per person, depending on how many cities you want to do. Amsterdam set us back R10 000 for accommodation, train from Brussels and food, drinks and museums.
Check out my post on best things to do in Europe over here.
Other great options to consider
Victoria Falls
A trip to Dubai
Any other ideas for a great honeymoon vacation?
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