Best Honeymoon Destinations On a Budget
Relax on the beach in Cancun, Mexico.
The best honeymoon destination on a budget is different for every couple. When you start planning, don’t choose your honeymoon spot only because of the price.
Take some time to talk about what kind of a honeymoon you’d like to share. Once you’ve decided what type of a trip you’d like, you can find the perfect destination for you, no matter what the size of your budget is.
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What Do You Want to Do On Your Honeymoon?
Don’t be fooled by what you see on social media. You don’t have to plan a honeymoon where you lie around gazing at each other 24/7. A bit of romance is nice, but you might get bored after a few days of it.
For sure, you want some down time. Time to relax, talk about the wedding and have some quality time together. Once you’re in vacation mode, you’ll probably want to plan some activities at your destination.
What do you usually like to do when you’re together? Do you like trying new restaurants? Learning new skills? Do you have a hobby that you enjoy together? Do you want to learn about a new culture? Do you want to try sports, like hiking or surfing?
Or maybe you’re totally exhausted from planning the wedding. If all you want to do is lie at the beach, choose the best all inclusive you can afford, book it and enjoy.
Some Popular Honeymoon Activities:
Snorkeling
Scuba diving
Kayaking
Surfing
Hiking
Biking
Spa day
Cooking classes
Dancing
Night clubs
Music shows
City tours
Set Your Budget For Your Honeymoon
When we say “honeymoon on a budget” it could mean something different to everyone. A budget for some couples might mean less than $5,000. Other couples could have a budget of $2,000 to $3,000. Some couples might mean a budget of $1,000. Decide on a dollar amount that you can spend on your honeymoon.
If your budget is less than a thousand dollars, you could book a mini-moon close to home. Spend one or two nights at a nice hotel and splurge on a romantic restaurant. If you’re the outdoorsy types, you could plan an inexpensive camping trip. Or borrow a cottage from family or friends for a weekend getaway honeymoon.
If you’ve got more to spend, you could plan a honeymoon at an all inclusive resort, or on a Caribbean cruise. You could even plan a budget trip to Europe or Southeast Asia.
Hire a water taxi for sightseeing on Phi Phi Island, Thailand.
Tips For Saving Money On Your Honeymoon
Look for less expensive times to travel. Summer time and holidays are the most expensive time to travel. To save money, you can book your trip for less popular times, even if it’s not immediately after your wedding.
Consider booking only one or two nights in the honeymoon suite. Then spend the rest of the trip in low cost, or budget accommodations.
If you’re looking for a romantic beach honeymoon, you can find fabulous beaches in Mexico, Jamaica and Dominican Republic. Or even in the US if you’re on a tight budget.
Look for a resort that includes a free honeymoon package. You’ll get a special breakfast in bed, plus a few treats to make your honeymoon memorable.
Last, but not least: stop looking at Pinterest and Instagram! It’s so much fun to look at overwater bungalows in the Maldives. But the truth is, most couples have honeymoons that are a lot less expensive. You can have a great trip, even on a small budget.
Cheap Honeymoon Destinations
Prices change, depending on the time of year, where you’re flying from and where you’re traveling to. In general, the cheapest spots for honeymoons are all inclusive resorts and cruises. Especially if you can find a package deal that includes flights, airport transfers and all inclusive accommodations at a resort.
Cheap Dominican Republic Honeymoon
Dominican Republic is a great destination for budget travelers. You’ll find dreamy, white sand beaches with luxury resorts in every price range.
You’ll need enough of a budget to pay for flights and the resort. Double check prices from your departure airport. In general, you’ll need to spend $500 per person for flights, plus $100 to $250 per night for a good resort.
For more ideas and activities in DR, read this next Dominican Republic: Punta Cana Honeymoon
Inexpensive Honeymoon in Mexico
Mexico is another spot with lots of affordable honeymoon resorts. With so many to choose from, it’s easy to find a hotel in your price range. Since Cancun is such a popular destination, there’s a lot of inexpensive flights to Mexico, too.
Depending on where you live, you might be able to find flights for as little as $300 per person. When you’re looking for accommodations, expect to pay $150 to $300 per night for a nice resort.
For more about planning a trip to Mexico, read this next Best Destinations For Mexico Honeymoons
Affordable Jamaica Honeymoon
Resorts in Jamaica are a bit more expensive than Mexico or Dominican Republic. If you’re looking for a Jamaican honeymoon on a budget, consider traveling in the off season. Or book a five day honeymoon, instead of a full week, in order to stay on budget.
Depending on when, and where you’re flying from, look for flights around $500 per person. Nice resorts generally cost between $250 and $400 per night.
If you’re thinking of traveling to Jamaica, read this next Jamaica Honeymoon: Best All Inclusive Resorts.
Budget Honeymoon on a Caribbean Cruise
A Caribbean cruise is a classic honeymoon trip. You get to enjoy luxury accommodations, food and stops at gorgeous tropical islands. Cruises can be booked in different price ranges. The most expensive are longer cruises, with stops in Aruba or St. Thomas. You can find less expensive cruises that stop in Mexico and Bahamas.
Even if you don’t have a big budget, you could still swing a cruise honeymoon. If you watch for specials, you can book a three day cruise to the Bahamas for less than $200 each. Once you add in flights, drinks and excursions, you could plan a short cruise honeymoon for less than two thousand dollars.
If you’re interested booking in a cruise, read this next Honeymoon Cruises: How Much Do Honeymoon Cruise Packages Cost?
Less Cheap Destinations For a Honeymoon
If you’re looking for a more exotic, international trip, you can plan a honeymoon to Europe or Southeast Asia. It’ll cost more than a Caribbean destination, but there’s a few ways to stick to a budget.
For an international trip, you’ll need to pay for flights, accommodations, food and activities. Depending how tight your budget is, you’ll want to save money on some, or all of these things.
Visit temples and pagodas in Vietnam.
Affordable Honeymoon Accommodations
If you’ve got room in the budget, a honeymoon suite is a fantastic way to travel. If you don’t have a big enough budget, don’t worry. It’s ok to book standard rooms. After the first day or two, most couples don’t spend much time in the room anyway.
Remember to shop around for prices, but stick with reputable websites. In general, you’ll usually find the best prices on Agoda.
To save a ton of money, book home stays or hostels. Sure, it’s not as romantic as a honeymoon suite, but if the difference in price gets you across the ocean, the sights will make up for it.
Finding Cheap Flights For Your Honeymoon
The best way to find affordable airfare is by following Scott’s Cheap Flights method: If you choose one destination and search for flights, you’ll miss a lot of great bargains.
Instead, make a whole list of places you’d like to go. Then you can monitor prices for all those spots. As soon as you see a flight that fits your budget, book it and start planning the rest of your trip.
For example, if you’d love a European honeymoon, look at flights to Paris. But also look at flights to Portugal, Croatia or Budapest. Once you have a better idea of prices, you’ll be able to choose a honeymoon trip that fits your wishes, and your budget.
For everything you need to know about flying on a budget, check out this article from Scott’s Cheap Flights - How to Find Cheap Flights in 2022: The Ultimate Guide.
Affordable European Honeymoon Destinations
A European honeymoon is tough to do on a budget if you’re set on a major destination, like Paris or London. It could be doable if you find flights in your price range, then book inexpensive rooms.
When you’re setting your budget, remember to account for your meals. To do Europe on a budget, ideally you’ll splurge on a few memorable meals, then enjoy hotels with free breakfast and DIY picnics for lunch.
If Paris and London are out of your price range, consider some other European destinations that are just as beautiful, but a lot less expensive.
Plan a Portugal Honeymoon
In Portugal, honeymooners can spend time in the picturesque capital city of Lisbon. Then visit fairy tale castles in Sintra, tour wineries in the Douro Valley and spend a day at a seaside resort in Nazaré.
Honeymoon in Croatia
Croatia is a dream for nature loving couples. Hike past crystal clear lakes and waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park, visit the scenic Old Town in Dubrovnik and visit the romantic coastal town of Rovinj.
Budget Honeymoon in Southeast Asia
Once you get to Southeast Asia, you’ll be surprised by how cheap everything is. You can book nice hotel rooms for $30 to $50 a night. And you can eat delicious meals for for around $5 each. The only trick is getting there. Flights to Southeast Asia are long, and can get expensive.
If you’d like a honeymoon in Southeast Asia, start by checking prices for your flights. Depending on where you’re flying from, your airline tickets will probably be the most expensive part of this trip.
Thailand Honeymoon
Thailand has everything you could want for a perfect honeymoon. Spend romantic days island hopping, visiting temples in Chiang Mai, and having drinks on a rooftop in Bangkok.
Honeymoon in Bali
With everything from lush jungles to gorgeous beaches, Bali is an ideal spot for a honeymoon. Enjoy spa days, flower baths and couples massages. Go on a jungle hike and swim under waterfalls. Then relax and watch the sun set from the deck at a local beach club.
Vietnam Honeymoon
In Vietnam, you can visit pagodas, temples and monasteries. Spend time at historical sites or bustling markets in Ho Chi Min City. Then take a sleeper train north, where you can cruise around the dreamy Ha Long Bay.
US Destinations For Affordable Honeymoons
If you’re looking for the least expensive honeymoons, consider staying in the US. There’s lots of romantic spots that are perfect for newlyweds on a budget.
For the best trip, choose a spot that matches your interests. If you both love live music, a honeymoon in Austin could be perfect. If you both want a beach holiday, you might love a honeymoon in the Florida Keys.
Best Destinations For a US Honeymoon on a Budget
Sanibel Island, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
North Carolina, Outer Banks
New Orleans, Louisiana
Seattle and the San Juan Islands, Washington
Austin, Texas
Nashville, Tennessee
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Grand Canyon, Arizona
If you’re planning your honeymoon on a budget, remember: don’t get sucked in by social media. Even if it’s not IG perfect, you can have an amazing trip to celebrate your newlywed status.
No matter if you travel near or far, as long as you’re having fun together, your honeymoon will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.
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Beach hotels in Cancun, Mexico.
