When it comes to choosing your honeymoon destination, you want somewhere and something you’ll never forget. You want to see new parts of the world and try activities you either love, or have always wanted to have a go at. 

When you’ve got all these boxes to tick – especially a big one for somewhere romantic – a hotel and a normal holiday just won’t cut it. You need to start thinking outside of the box, particularly if you’re going to need to save up a lot of money, or learn new skills and get qualifications. If this is the route you’re going down, you could look at putting contributions towards your honeymoon in lieu of a wedding gift. 

If you’re bored of the normal views of paradisiacal beaches and horizons, then why not search out a different set of sights? A diving honeymoon – scuba or snorkeling – will take you to beautiful, exotic lands, where the underwater scenery is just as brilliant as what you get on land. From Bali to Brisbane, you won’t be limited in terms of where you can go either. There are plenty of amazing diving spots in countries all over the world, suiting all kinds of budgets and preferences. Just make sure you’ve got your open water diving qualifications before you go, to give you more freedom while you’re there. 

One of the most exciting, romantic honeymoon adventures is going on safari. You’ll be able to witness the most majestic, beautiful animals, all free to live and roam in their natural habitats. After you’ve spent the day exploring and spotting animals, you can then choose to have a ‘glamping’ experience, with huge tents featuring gorgeous beds and all the home comforts you can imagine. You can wake up every morning to buffets – shared with the local wildlife of course, and then relax in the evenings in a hot tub, under the stars. Safaris aren’t rough-and-ready camping trips anymore: they’re an opportunity to see nearly-extinct animals, while enjoying 5* accommodation. 

To have the most action-packed honeymoon, why not look at mountaineering? Whether you want to find somewhere in the snow, and get ice picks and cleats, or you’d prefer somewhere in the sun, trekking up dry, arid paths, there’s plenty of choice. Plus, it’s an easy activity to combine with some of these other suggestions, giving you even more adventures in the same holiday. If you want to head to the sun, consider somewhere like Mount Kilimanjaro, and use the guide on AlienAdv to help you climb this impressive mountain. Otherwise, treks to Everest’s Base Camp are getting more popular, and far more accessible to people with normal skill levels. Plus, if you really want to heat things up, hiking up the sides of volcanos is now an amazing option for you to consider! Most are dormant or long extinct, but the thrill of peering over the edge of a volcano crater is like nothing else. 

If you enjoy hiking and sleeping in the great outdoors, then plan a hiking honeymoon through some of the world’s most beautiful nature parks. Do your research carefully before you go, as some parks may close down in certain seasons due to weather and wildlife. Likewise, if you don’t want to spend your time worrying about bear protection or coyotes, head to a reserve or a country without these animals. After the stress of planning a wedding and looking after family and guests, you’re sure to enjoy this back-to-basics holiday, and the chance to get away from modern life for a while. 

If you both have shared interests and passions, why not find some charitable work in these areas? Going away to volunteer in another country isn’t just an amazing way to give up your time – it’s also a way to cement your relationship. You’ll never forget a honeymoon where you spent your days helping others less fortunate. From children and families to abandoned animals and the environment, there are so many different paths you could take. Plus, you’ll be able to give something back to a country, in more ways than just spending money in their tourism businesses. 

If you want to fully immerse yourself in nature, but you get bored of hiking and walking, then why not look at a horseback riding honeymoon? From driving cattle on big ranches to seeing the Rocky Mountains, you can do almost anything on the back of a horse. Plus, you’ll be riding horses that are incredibly well trained. If you decide to do this, and you or your fiancé have never ridden before, it’s well worth having a few lessons in advance – so you can at least figure out where you’re going to ache the most! Relive all those fairytale dreams, and ride off into the sunset with your knight in shining armor. 

If you both love the water, but don’t want to swim or dive, then how about sailing? There are so many ways you can do this, depending on how extreme a honeymoon you want. You could head over to the United Kingdom, and hire a canal barge, and spend a few weeks traversing the English countryside from the still, calm waters of the canal network. Or, explore the European coast in a fully managed ship: you’ll have a crew to sort out the sailing, while you holiday in luxury, mooring up only when you want to. If you’re experienced sailors, then go the whole way and hire your own boat in a destination of your choice. 

If there’s just too much that you want to do, then why not try to do it all? Pick all of your top destinations, see how far away they are from each other, then start planning a big trip. Yes, some of them might be too far away to get into one trip, but even if you manage to hit a few favorites on the way, you’re sure to discover new, amazing destinations as you drive. Then, the choice is yours on the smaller details: you could hire a fun campervan and sleep on the road, pack a tent and camp, or book into hotels along the way.