Top Honeymoon Destinations: 2025 vs 2026

Honeymoon trends shift faster than most people realize. The destination that felt fresh and exciting in 2025 can feel predictable by 2026 — and the places that weren't even on the radar last year are suddenly the ones every well-traveled couple is booking.

As a travel advisor who plans honeymoons every day, I watch these shifts closely. So I've put together a side-by-side look at where couples honeymooned in 2025 — and where the most discerning couples are going in 2026. Whether you're newly engaged and starting to plan, or you're still debating between two destinations, this will help you make the right call.

The Most Popular Honeymoon Destinations of 2025

These were the destinations couples booked most in 2025 — and for good reason. Each one delivers on romance, luxury, and experience. But as more couples discover them, the experience starts to change.

🇲🇻  Maldives

Still the undisputed king of honeymoon travel in 2025. Overwater villas, glass floors above coral reefs, 24-hour butler service, and complete privacy. The Maldives delivers a level of seclusion and luxury that's hard to match anywhere in the world. Soneva Fushi, Baros, and Conrad Maldives remained the most sought-after properties. The caveat: it's expensive, the flight is long, and the resort-island model means you're largely contained to one property for the entirety of your trip.

🇬🇷  Santorini, Greece

Santorini remains one of the most photographed honeymoon destinations on earth — and the reality lives up to the images. Caldera views, cliffside infinity pools, cave hotels, and some of the best sunsets in the world. The challenge in 2025 was the crowds. Oia in peak season can feel like a tourist queue rather than a romantic escape. The couples who loved it most were the ones who stayed in smaller boutique properties and planned around the shoulder season.

🇮🇹  Amalfi Coast, Italy

Colorful villages, turquoise sea, Michelin-starred dining, and some of Europe's most dramatic coastline. The Amalfi Coast is classic for a reason. In 2025 it continued to attract honeymooners in droves, with Positano and Ravello remaining the most popular bases. The traffic and crowds on the coastal roads were a recurring complaint — but for couples who built in slower days and booked private boat excursions, it remained magical.

🇫🇷  Paris, France

No destination has the romantic legacy of Paris. The Eiffel Tower, river cruises, Michelin dining, world-class art, and hotels that set the global standard for luxury. 2025 saw a surge in couples combining Paris with the French Riviera or Champagne region for a multi-destination honeymoon. The post-Olympics energy gave the city a renewed buzz that made it feel more alive than it had in years.

🇹🇭  Koh Samui, Thailand

Named the top trending honeymoon destination of 2025, Koh Samui offered everything couples were looking for — lush beaches, world-class spa resorts, incredible food, and a price point significantly below the Maldives or Bora Bora. The Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui and Anantara Lawana were among the most booked properties. Thailand as a whole surged in popularity and we expect that momentum to carry firmly into 2026.

🇯🇵  Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto had its biggest honeymoon year yet in 2025. Traditional ryokans, tatami floors, kaiseki dinners, temple gardens at dawn, and some of the most beautiful seasonal scenery on earth. Couples who went in spring for cherry blossom season or autumn for the foliage said it was unlike anywhere they'd ever been. Six Senses Kyoto was the most talked-about property. The only challenge: it books out months in advance, so early planning is essential.

🇵🇫  Bora Bora, French Polynesia

The original overwater bungalow destination. Bora Bora's turquoise lagoon, dramatic volcanic peaks, and legendary resorts like the Four Seasons and Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts maintained their hold on the honeymoon imagination in 2025. It's one of those destinations where the reality genuinely matches the dream — if the budget allows.

🇱🇨  St. Lucia

St. Lucia consistently tops Caribbean honeymoon rankings and 2025 was no different. The twin Pitons, lush jungle, volcanic beaches, and boutique luxury resorts like Jade Mountain make it one of the most visually dramatic destinations in the Caribbean. Couples loved the combination of adventure and relaxation — you can hike a volcano in the morning and have a private dinner on your room's infinity pool terrace by evening.

Where Smart Couples Are Honeymooning in 2026

In 2026, the most exciting honeymoon bookings aren't following last year's trends — they're setting new ones. These are the destinations gaining momentum right now, either because of stunning new hotel openings, a shift in what couples are looking for, or simply because the world has finally caught on.

🇫🇯  Fiji

Named the top overall honeymoon pick for 2026 by multiple travel publications. Fiji offers 333 islands, genuine Fijian warmth that feels unlike anywhere else in the Pacific, overwater bungalows, and the kind of seclusion that Bora Bora used to offer before it became a bucket list checkbox. The Yasawa Islands in particular are drawing couples looking for something more remote and authentic. Likuliku Lagoon Resort remains the gold standard for honeymoons.

🇮🇹  Southern Italy — Puglia & Sicily

While the Amalfi Coast remains popular, the most adventurous couples in 2026 are heading further south. Puglia with its trulli houses, masseria estates, and turquoise Adriatic coastline is having a moment. Sicily — especially following new luxury openings — is drawing couples who want Italian romance without the crowds of the north. Slow lunches, baroque architecture, local wine, and a pace of life that actually lets you exhale.

🇸🇨  Seychelles

The Seychelles is surging in 2026 as couples look for a Maldives-level experience with more to see and do. Granite boulders, impossibly clear water, private island resorts, and an untamed natural beauty that feels genuinely wild. Six Senses Zil Pasyon and the Four Seasons Seychelles remain the most coveted properties. For couples wanting the Indian Ocean at its most spectacular and exclusive — this is the answer.

🇵🇹  Portugal — Lisbon & Alentejo

Portugal has been building toward this moment for years and 2026 is its honeymoon breakout. Lisbon brings cobblestone romance, rooftop bars, world-class dining, and the new Andaz Lisbon opening with 170 rooms and stunning city views. But the real secret is Alentejo — cork forests, wine estates, clay amphoras, and slow lunches that stretch into the afternoon. For couples who want Europe done differently, Portugal is the answer for 2026.

🇬🇷  Greece — Beyond Santorini

Greece remains one of the world's great honeymoon destinations — but in 2026, the most discerning couples are moving beyond Santorini and Mykonos. Crete is having a landmark year with the opening of Rosewood Blue Palace. Folegandros, Sifnos, and Naxos are drawing couples who want the authentic Cycladic experience without the cruise ship crowds. Same Aegean magic. Half the people.

🇲🇽  Mexico — Beyond Cancún

Mexico has always been a honeymoon staple, but 2026 is seeing a shift in where couples are going within the country. Riviera Maya and Los Cabos remain popular, but the opening of Aman's first Baja property — Amanvari — is putting the East Cape on the luxury map. Couples looking for Mexico with genuine soul, seclusion, and world-class design are paying attention.

🇯🇵  Japan — Ryokans & Beyond Tokyo

Japan's honeymoon momentum from 2025 is carrying straight into 2026 with even more to offer. The opening of Capella Kyoto — designed by Kengo Kuma — is the most exciting new luxury property in the country. Couples in 2026 are building richer itineraries that combine Tokyo energy, Kyoto tradition, and the hot spring towns of Hakone or Nikko. Japan rewards the traveler who goes deeper, and honeymoon couples are starting to realize that.

🇦🇪  Dubai, UAE

Dubai continues its rise as one of the world's most popular honeymoon cities in 2026 — particularly for couples from the US and Europe who want a layover destination that feels like an event in itself. World-class hotels, extraordinary dining, desert experiences, and a level of service that sets the global standard. It pairs brilliantly with the Maldives or Seychelles for a two-destination honeymoon.

So Which Should You Choose?

The honest answer: it depends on what you're looking for. The 2025 destinations are popular because they're genuinely incredible — if you've always dreamed of the Maldives or Santorini, don't let trend lists talk you out of it. But if you're open to something that feels more surprising, more personal, and less like everyone else's honeymoon — 2026 has some remarkable options.

What I always tell my clients: the best honeymoon isn't the most popular one. It's the one that's right for you.

Ready to plan yours?

As a luxury travel advisor, I specialize in building honeymoons that are tailored entirely to you — the right destination, the right hotel, the right experiences, and none of the guesswork. I have access to exclusive rates, complimentary upgrades, and VIP perks at many of the world's top properties that you simply won't find booking on your own.

Sarah Hazim is a luxury travel advisor and founder of Trips by Sarah, specializing in honeymoons, bespoke itineraries, and the kind of travel that actually stays with you.