10 Best Honeymoon Destinations in Asia

Surely there is no better way to round off the hard months of wedding planning then feeling the soft, warm sand between your toes as you run into the idyllic turquoise sea, hand-in-hand with your new husband. Or, would you prefer to learn how to become an elephant mahout on a jungle-clad Thai island? Or even getting down and dirty with the locals and staying in a rustic rural homestay, to create truly unique memories that will last the lifetime of a wedding?

That’s the beauty of your honeymoon; it is all yours and you can make it whatever you want it to be. No two couples are quite the same, and your honeymoon should be as unique as you.

These days, more and more fantastic resorts are springing up, teasing you with their enticing infinity pools and inviting spa rooms, making it harder and harder to decide where to go. But since I so love giving away all my best-(not)-kept secrets as a travel agent, I have got together with my colleague and old university pal Kate, to give to you the ultimate Asia honeymoon destination list. Between us we’ve seen inside more than 2,000 hotel rooms across Asia, which on retrospect makes us sound a bit like a honeymoon couple ourselves. Ahem.

Here we are, posing with our impressive work camera in ‘another’ hotel in Hue, Vietnam and on the right jumping for joy about a spectacular motorbike ride we took (but that’s another story for another day)…

So, that’s enough about us. Let’s get onto the real meat… ladies and gents, may I present our top honeymoon spots in Asia (in no particular order). Drum roll please….

1) Fusion Maia, Da Nang – Vietnam

Fusion Maia not only lies on a gorgeous spot on Vietnam’s central coast but it offers free unlimited spa treatments. Yes, you heard us correctly. It is one of the first spa-inclusive resorts in Asia, where you can have your shoulders rubbed, feet tickled and calves stroked all day long for no extra cost. Of course, there are couples massage rooms available too – so you will still be able to see each others lavender-scented feet poking out from under a white, fluffy towel all day. To make things even better, all villas at the resort have private pools and there is a ‘breakfast anywhere at any time’ policy – which is pretty much perfect for a honeymoon couple still sleeping off the stresses of the wedding. Villas start from £300 per night, for more details on Fusion Maia click here. (PS They’ve also opened a fabulous new place called Alma Courtyard in the old town of Hoi An with complimentary daily 90 minute ‘spa journeys’, for those that want to be more central.) I’ve written a whole blog about Fusion Maia here too.

2) Dubu Suite, Kahanda Kanda – Sri Lanka

We absolutely adore this beautiful carved wooden pavilion, with lovely views, opulent interior and private pool; making it the honeymoon suite of all honeymoon suites. Kahanda Kanda is just 15 minutes inland from Galle, set on a low lying tea plantation, so it oozes privacy but is in a great location for sightseeing. It has a lovely pool, gorgeous restaurant that looks out onto the valley below and a peaceful spa but what makes this place stand out is the privacy and luxury of a private villa. And we think it’s fairly reasonable for what you get. The hotel can arrange lovely private dinners in the garden with a canopy, lanterns, candles, petals and colourful cushions. The suite costs £290 per night, B&B. For more details, click here.

3) Song Saa Private Island, Cambodia

‘Private island’ and ‘honeymoon’ go together like Pimms and cucumber… and nobody would dare argue with that, would they?! Seriously, this place is a little slice of heaven – it is all inclusive so from the moment you walk in (to heaven) your wallet is redundant. Your private villa (on stilts over the water) or in the luscious jungle and of course you have a private pool. The island has sparkling clear water and soft, white sand and it has the best Champagne Mojito cocktails ever (helped by the fact they are also included). I pretty much start salivating whenever I talk about this place – but I have talked about it a lot recently, so click here to read all about it. Prices start from £770 per night but they have some amazing deals on at the moment.

4) The Four Seasons Tented Camp, Chiang Rai – Thailand

Learn to become an elephant mahout on your honeymoon and re-enact scenes from Out Of Africa in stunning copper roll top baths. The camp can only be reached by boat and is small and intimate with rope bridges linking the tents, restaurant, pool area etc… It really is quite magical. A three-night package costs £1,843. For more information click here.

5) Naladhu – Maldives

Twit twoo… this list is getting serious now. Yes Naladhu, comes with a heftier price tag than others in this list but we think it’s worth every penny and if you don’t believe us, take a peek at this video, which is sure to leave you drooling. Naladhu is nothing short of incredible. An open air bathroom with a swimming pool in it is just part of the package you can expect to receive – along with the uber romantic hanging swing chair for two on the veranda. It’s homely yet opulent and includes Butler Service. If you’ve got the wallet, look no further folks. Prices start from £1025 per night, ocean house with pool, B&B. For more details on Naladhu click here.

6) Knai Bang Chatt, Kep – Cambodia

Knai Bang Chatt is a true gem of a find on Cambodia’s southern coast. The hotel is made up of lovingly converted modernist villas, built by a contemporary French architect, which ooze style, luxury and have bags of character. We love the story behind this place. These villas, reminiscent of Cambodia’s heyday in the 1960s, were abandoned and fell into disrepair during the years of the communist Khmer Rouge occupation, but have now been restored to their original grandeur and stand proudly on the ocean’s edge. And best yet, it has the best sunset spot in all of Cambodia (well along with the Sailing Club next door that is). Prices start from £125 per night – read more about it here.

7) Koslanda, Haputale – Sri Lanka

There aren’t many places in the world where you really can re-enact the Bounty advert with your other half, but at Koslanda you can do so in private. The intimate 4-bedroom hotel is located on an extensive pepper plantation and has access to it’s own very impress waterfall. It is safe to swim in and the hotel can arrange picnics down at the waterfall in the day. We think this ticks a lot of honeymoon boxes. Prices start from £110 per night, half board. For more details on Koslanda click here.

8) Anywhere on Koh Yao Island – Thailand

Koh Yao island is the Thailand of the past it is a stunning location and just what we expect when we think of a Thai Island. Due to the wishes of the island’s traditional Muslim community development has been slow despite the islands close proximity to Phuket (45 minutes). With a jungle interior, prestine beaches, a small collection of small boutique hotels and views and access across Phangan Bay it really is honeymoon material. Hire a private long tail boat to take you to the hidden coves, emerald lagoons and caves of the bay, while the rest of the world cram on to large sightseeing boats coming from Phuket and Krabi. We have several places to suit your budget. At the high end check out Six Senses (pictured) (£350 per night, b&b) and at the lower end we love Koh Yao Island Resort (Hideaway Pool Villa costs £135 per night.)

9) Hideaway, Arugam Bay – Sri Lanka

This is the perfect destination for any funky, surf loving honeymoon couples. The Hideaway in Arugam Bay is the perfect place to hang out. Expect yummie cocktails, great food and a up market back packer vibe. We recommend a double bungalow, prices start from about £180 per night. For more details click here. 

10) An authentic homestay in Pu Bin, VietnamIf you want to mix your fine hotels with a more authentic experience then I can think of nothing better than staying with a local family in a homestay off the beaten track, like Pu Bin in Vietnam (about four hour’s drive from Hanoi). You can spend your day walking through colourful rice terraces and cycling through small tribal villages and communities. Make sure you do your research so you don’t end up sleeping back to back with 10 other tourists in one room, which can happen. We work with a lovely ehthnic White Thai family who only host our guests, but there are other good ones out there too. Expect to pay around £25 per night – to see what it looks like in our itinerary click here.

So, there’s a few ideas to get you started. Do leave us a comment below if you also want to share a place with us – we’d love to read about it.

Do check out our blog on the Top 10 Luxury Beach Hotels in Vietnam for even more inspiration. Other honeymoon posts include 7 Best Honeymoon Surprises for the Bride and The Best Honeymoon Dinner Spot… Ever,

If you want any help at all booking these lovely places you can of course contact Kate and I at our boutique London travel agency Fleewinter. We could even chat on the phone and wouldn’t that be lovely. Right, we’re off to find some husbands…

(and Kate! x)