7 Best affordable honeymoon destinations

Though quieter and more restrained than Cancun and its Spring Breakers, the town of Tulum still boasts ample all-inclusive resort hotels, from big-name places like the Palms down to boutique hotels and their hammock-lined verandahs. 

Such rivalry ensures extremely competitive prices, with a similar story on UK airfares to Cancun (two hours away). Tulum also scores for numerous white-sand beaches, warm Caribbean Sea waters, great snorkelling and activities galore.

Read more: 6 paradises for divers

Though the security worries have been confined to small corners of Turkey, the fear induced by them has been sufficient to deplete tourism to perfectly-safe preserves along its southwestern coast.

As such, the best resorts in and around Marmaris, Bodrum, Dalaman and Akyaka have had to plunge their prices and introduce regular special offers.

It all spells opportunity for honeymooners, with the usual fly-and-flop options complemented by inland hiking, markets and historical sites.

Read more: A tour of the hidden treasures of Turkey

Sure, it’s a bit costly and fiddly—the quickest way is via Miami—to get to Nicaragua, but once you reach this now-peaceful Central American land, you’ll enjoy bargain-priced living costs.

You’ll also find, floating offshore in the Caribbean, the Corn Islands: two beach-lined specks with excellent surfing and diving.

Hotels here are as rustic as luxurious but very lovely, and extremely affordable.

Ballyfin in the Republic of Ireland. Image via Hotels.com

A huge percentage of most honeymoon costs goes on flights; one alternative way to do it is to re-invest that money in upscale, exclusive accommodation.

Central and west-coast Ireland is not only full of beautiful, emerald countryside and sublime seascapes but dotted with luxury castle and hotel accommodation.

Take Ballyfin, a period home and country estate where Kanye West and Kim Kardashian honeymooned in 2014.

A similar logic to Tulum renders this the best-value Caribbean island.

While it can be tough to ever fully escape the crowds, Jamaica’s ideal if your preferred activities are mostly of the horizontal type.

Resorts from Montego Bay offer regular special offers, often in packaged-up collusion with UK specialists like Thomson or Kenwood Travel, meaning a top-notch honeymoon with all the trimmings can cost under £2,000.

First of all, South Africa’s rand is currently very weak against our own sterling, meaning holidays here are almost half as cheap as they were a decade ago.

The other great lure is that this is the best African country for combo trips—specifically trips including Cape Town, the tipple-producing Winelands, the beach-speckled Garden Route and a Big Five safari with wonderful food in Kruger National Park.

Tick, tick, tick, tick.

It’s no secret that prices are low in South-East Asia, and the just-married can equally easily begin their wedded life in Cambodia, Vietnam or Bali.

But Thailand’s sheer array of options, from islands to mainland boltholes, makes it extra-appealing for cash-strapped couples. Five-star resorts are staggeringly cheap, while inter-country flights and daily costs are just as piffling.

Hotels here are also very experienced in hosting weddings or receiving honeymooners, so you’re almost guaranteed free champers and an optimum romantic atmosphere.

Read more from Richard Mellor

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Enjoyed this story? Share it!