Planning the best romantic vacations

If you are planning to take a romantic vacation, you have a wide choice of sunny beaches, tropical islands, or snow-clad mountains. Basically, you would want to get the best quality time for your budget.

Here are some fun ideas for a great romantic vacation..

1) Follow your dream

Head for your dream spot - the place you have always wanted to visit. Forget about the usual destination that you always head for and follow your dream to a new getaway for a memorable holiday.

2) Splurge

Since it is going to be a rare occasion, be prepared to spend a bit, like booking a good hotel. You would like to spend your romantic weekend in the lap of luxury and not to cut corners.

3) Book for all-inclusive

This way you will not have to worry about anything except having fun. All-inclusive hotels serve food through out the day and arrange for sightseeing tours as well as water sports and other activities.

4) Go to couples-only hotels

Many hotels have couples-only packages, so there are arrangements for privacy and non-intrusive service.

5) Go for a cruise

Going for a cruise is one of the most romantic experiences. The fresh sea air, the diverse activities, the exotic and varied cuisine, all beguile the senses.



6) Get a diving certification

Most resorts have underwater activities, especially tropical resorts, where there is rich marine life that will take your breath away. So learn to scuba dive - most resorts have diving certification programs.

7) Celebrate a vow renewal

Renew your wedding vows at a resort, as many exotic resorts offer facilities for this purpose. Their staff cooperates to make the function as formal or informal as you want.

8) Take a child-free vacation

You must break free of your childcare routine and get away from them for a while. Enjoy a quick getaway to a tropical paradise all by yourself - no children included!

9) Choosing the resort

You must choose the resort based on both your likes. For example, If both of you like nightlife, you must choose a place which offers plenty of that. You must also pay attention to factors like crowded or lean season, pleasant or unpleasant weather and availability of air-conditioning, especially in tropical areas, and availability of private honeymoon suites.

10) Enjoy the adventure

Do head outside the resort to soak in the different culture, people, sights, food and shopping. This will make your trip unforgettable.

11) Here are some of the best vacation spots

a) Hawaii

An island paradise with the world’s finest beaches. A honeymoon package includes stay in O’ahu, Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Hawaii. World-class beach-front resorts, black sand beaches, the Pearl Harbor memorial, tropical forests, waterfalls, golf courses and plenty of shopping for local crafts make this island paradise a dream romantic vacation.

b) Mexico

Offers a wide variety of experiences - from the nightlife of Cancun to coral reefs off Cozumel. Ancient ruins more than 600 years old, Mayan settlements among the tropical forests and a bullfight in Acapulco offer a unique cultural experience. Then there are pristine beaches and opportunities for snorkelling, water sports and deep-sea fishing. Mexico also has a thriving spa industry.

c) Jamaica

The music of Bob Marley and some of the finest beaches and greenery in the world at the center of the Caribbean Sea, all belong to Jamaica. Visit old plantations, white sand beaches and the historic houses of Montego Bay, cliffs of Negril overlooking turquoise ocean waters and Dunn’s River waterfalls. Most hotels offer all-inclusive packages including water sports.

d) Tahiti

You are on a tropical island in the South Pacific. It is a wonderful romantic paradise, unspoilt and beautiful. Instead of high-rise hotels, Tahiti offers thatched local huts, more in tune with the local landscape. It has some of the best scenic spots, lagoons, beaches and mountains in the world. It is a serene getaway, far away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the world. Some popular activities in its crystal waters are big game fishing, sailing and surfing. You can shop for a local garment, a wrap-around called 'Paseos' or local wooden crafts. Plenty of private beaches and sandy spots. Bora Bora is possibly the world’s most beautiful island. Shop for Tahitian black pearls.

e) Bermuda

It is a top honeymoon site. Its legendary pink sands, flowery landscape, clear blue waters and powder pink beaches are situated just 600 miles off the coast of North Carolina, U.S.A. It consists of over 150 small islands in the Atlantic and is popular for sports like golf and tennis. In fact, it boasts the highest number of golf courses per square mile in the whole world. Its British roots are very evident. It has some interesting shopping including the popular Bermuda shorts. It is also a popular for destination weddings.

f) Venice, Italy

Go cruising in a gondola in the lazy waters of Venice, with its beautiful landscape of classic architecture all around. Venice is the most popular destination of honeymooners to Italy. A starry-eyed couple can walk hand-in-hand across a piazza, with no disturbance from vehicles. The city is compact, making it easy for the couple to return to their hotel room in between sightseeing. The city has an old-world charm that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

g) Las Vegas, USA.

It is simply the hot spot for celebrating romance and having fun, with its posh hotels, restaurants, shops and wedding sites. Choosing from 100,000 hotel rooms like rooms from the top-of-the-line the Four Seasons Las Vegas, is itself a difficult choice. There are many exotic alternative hotels like the Wynn Las Vegas, the Bellagio, the Venetian, Mandalay Bay, the Mirage, Paris, Hard Rock hotel etc. It would be a great honeymoon if you like swimming outdoors in warm weather, playing golf, or tennis, gambling, being entertained and dining well. The Las Vegas strip has attractions like Fountains of Bellagio, Stratosphere Tower thrill rides, Red Rock Canyon, Eiffel Tower experience at Paris King Tut Museum at Luxur, gondola rides at the Venetian, Las Vegas and the Las Vegas fashion show mall.

h) Aruba

A romantic island 15 miles off the coast of Venezuela and a four-hour flight from New York City, it is a perennially sunny island. It has a range of hotels to suit different budgets. You can reach Yamanota, the island’s highest point, by foot, horseback or mountain bike. Other scenic spots include Palm Beach, the rock formations of Ayo and Casi Bari and the Spanish Lagoon. Snorkelers, scuba divers and Travelers in glass bottom boats get a visual treat of marine life and ancient shipwrecks. Golfers have Tierra Del Sol - an 18-hole course. Shop for local crafts and taste exotic cuisine.

i) St. Lucia

It is one of the lushest Caribbean islands. It has steep coastlines, twin emerald peaks and lovely reefs offering the couple opportunities for excellent hiking, snorkelling and scuba diving. Just 27 miles wide and 14 miles across, it offers French-Creole warmth combined with English hospitality. It is dotted with picturesque plantations and fishing villages. Trekking through a fern-filled tropical forest leads you to sulphur springs, home to a seven-mile wide volcanic crater. St Lucia’s mountainous interior is one of the Caribbean’s finest locales for hiking and bird watching. You can shop for local crafts.

j) Lillehammer, Norway

Famous for the 1994 Winter Olympic Games and a great spot for snow and skiing enthusiasts. While it offers good slopes for intermediate level skiers, its main attractions are 200+ miles of cross-country trails, many lit with torches in the evening. Trail blazing offers a perfectly romantic evening. Molla Hotel, a former flourmill decorated in Norwegian wood and lace bedspreads, offers a beautiful refuge.

There are many beautiful spots around the world waiting to be discovered and explored and all you have to do is to make up your mind and plan well for a great romantic vacation.