Warm Honeymoon Destinations in December

[Ryan Allison]

My fiance and I will be getting married in early December and taking our honeymoon over Christmas break. We want to go somewhere warm and tropical but not too expensive. I figure we need to head close to the equator but I wanted to ask and see what options we have. Thanks.

[Julie]

Hi Ryan,

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I work with resorts in the Caribbean and Atlantic. Any island in the Caribbean will be warm and tropical that time of year (but the Atlantic islands in the Bahamas and Bermuda will not be as warm).

That time of year, end of December, begins high season for the region, which means higher rates. However, there are always good values available. The islands are each unique in what they have to offer for activities, culture and resorts. Also, some islands are easier to access than others.

Did you and your fiance have specific things in mind?

[Ryan Allison]

Julie,

Thank you for your response! I wasn't sure if I was going to get any responses through the discussion board. The only specific things we want are warm weather, clear water, all-inclusive (if possible), and not a family resort. If we have to, the family thing can be cut but we want a nice, quiet environment. 

We also are recent college grads so we don't have a lot of money. My parents will be helping us plan and pay for our trip but we want to keep it as affordable as possible. Any suggestions you may have would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Julie]

Hi Ryan,

One of our clients, Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, is an All Inclusive on St. Thomas right on a beach with lots of activities and clear water. It is popular for honeymoons and if you want to check it out: http://www.bolongobay.com/rooms/all-inclusive-caribbean.html.

 

I've also had several friends opt for the big all inclusive resort chains (such as Sandals) for their honeymoons and enjoyed it. In addition, from friends who have traveled there and what I know about the Caribbean, Dominican Republic and Jamaica both have a lot of All Inclusive resort options and beautiful beaches (although I have not personally traveled there).

 

Aruba, Antigua and St. Lucia have all inclusive resorts as well. I have been to each of these. Antigua has gorgeous beaches, St. Lucia is more lush and Aruba is more arid - but again, all have great beaches and clear waters.

 

Of course, I'm sure there are other islands with all inclusives but these are the ones that come to mind and that I'm familiar with.

 

If you have more questions or want more information, I'm happy to help as best as I can. You can also email me directly at julie (at) madiganpratt (dot) com.

[Ed Wetschler]

Ryan, your "not too expensive" phrase caught my eye. It's going to be hard to avoid paying high rates during Christmas break, because the price per room can go up 50% or higher that week. How to get around that? Two thoughts. First, in the Caribbean proper, consider Jake's ( http://www.jakeshotel.com/cms/index.php?page=home-map ), a small, arty, hip hideaway in Jamaica with less than astronomical rates. Mind you, Jake's is not for everyone, but check out the website and let us know what you think. Meanwhile, other Tripatini members, if you've been to Jake's recently, feel free to jump in here to confirm or disagree with my take on the place.

Another option I'd urge you to look into is resorts in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and other spots along the Riviera Maya, which tend to give you more bang for the buck than many Caribbean island resorts. 

[Ryan Allison]

Ed,

Thank you so much for the information. I do realize that traveling in December isn't ideal but that's just the time slot we have available. I haven't been able to travel a lot in my young life but that's why I look to you guys (the experts) to aid me in my travel plans. This site is great and I will definitely be promoting it to all my friends. 

[Ryan Allison]

Ed,

Jake's looks awesome! It's different from normal resorts. I think we might like that place!!

[Susan Breslow]

The holidays are a tough time to travel since so many people take advantage of the time off. Not only is it high season in the tropics, but the best hotels and flights get booked up fast. So  I recommend you make reservations early. You can find a collection of honeymoon ideas for December on my site as well as all-inclusives info. 

If you're short on cash, consider signing up for a honeymoon registry, so you can get some of your travel paid for instead of household items.

[Ryan Allison]

Susan,

Thanks for the advice. I have looked at honeymoon registries. Interesting idea. Might have to try that out. 

[Iberostar Hotels & Resorts]

Ryan, we have a number of wonderful all-inclusive resorts in the Western Hemisphere that are perfect for a honeymoon and offer tremendous value in exciting tropical destinations including Mexico (Cancun, Cozumel, the Yucatan's Maya Riviera), the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Brazil.  And our super-friendly staff of "Starfriends" is eagerly waiting to welcome you and your bride! You can get more information on our web site: http://www.iberostar.com/en/hotels-destinations. 

[Ryan Allison]

Thank you for sharing. I will definitely keep Iberostar in my list of probable locations.

[Jason Bateman]

Hola Ryan!

Greetings from tropical Costa Rica!  Costa Rica offers a wide variety of destinations for those looking for adventure or just to relax - from pristine beaches, simmering volcanoes to an extensive national park system. The genuine friendliness of the people, the incredible natural diversity and quality of the accommodations and service will have you coming back to Costa Rica again and again!

Over the years we've planned hundreds of honeymoons, and it would be an honor to help you with this important occasion as well. We'd be happy to send you a sample itinerary so that you have a better idea of what we offer.  Let us know how we can help!

Pura Vida,

--
Jason Bateman
Travel Coordinator
My Costa Rica
Toll Free: 1(866) 498-0824
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[Las Villas de Bellavista]

Inspite of the hype about safety in Mexico which CNN just announced last night that Mexico is safe for tourists, this would be your best choice for a honeymoon destination on a budget since the peso is now at 14/1 pesos to the dollar making Mexico very inexpensive in comparision to the Carribean or Hawaii.

Mexico, as you may know is a world-famous wedding destination and the hotels here specialize in putting on incredible weddings and honeymoons.  Check out the Maroma Spa and Resort in Playa del Carmen, or the romantic offerings in Tulum, just south of Playa where candles are used in the eves for electricity throughout the town, or try the Pacific Coast if it is nearer to you like Careyes, Manzanillo's Las Hadas, Troncones, just north of Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta, or Los Cabos which is now THE place to go in Mexico.