One of the most romantic properties in Punta Mita is Casita Mia de Mita (Playa Carayereos, Tel: 52-329-298-4114. casitamiademita.com). With only 8 spacious ocean-facing suites, the hotel is intimate and feels more like a private residence. It truly embraces the essence of Mexico and surrounding nature with design details (from tiles and tapestries) and offers gourmet Mexican cuisine (such as fresh-caught fish) under a starlit sky, with heated outdoor pool and swim-up bar, and a quiet, sprawling beach considered a gem of the coast.
Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita Mexico (Photo courtesy of Four Seasons)
If you’re looking to splurge, Four Seasons Punta Mita (63734 Corral del Risco, Tel: 52-329-291-6000. fourseasons.com) is a honeymoon paradise. Travelers say there’s true magic here, and the service is exceptional. Four Seasons Punta Mita recently debuted Naviva, 15 luxury, stand-alone glamping tents immersed within the lust forest. It’s the first of its kind in the peninsula. Don’t expect a typical glamping experience. These tents have extreme modern comforts, blending indoors and outdoors with an open-air living room, expansive deck and private plunge pools. The biophilic design and biomimicry is an architectural feast for the eyes.
While here, take a day trip to Puerto Vallarta’s Old Town, the heart of this popular beach resort area, that’s thriving with romantic bars, restaurants, and a welcoming LGBTQ community. If you’re considering a destination wedding, Saulo Gonzalez of SG Event Design (weddingwire.com) is a premiere gay wedding planner.
MALDIVES
There’s really no place like the Maldives, one of the top honeymoon destinations in the world. With over-the-top, overwater bungalows, luxury drenched beach villas, crystal-clear lagoons, and beaches so white you have to squint, Maldives is the screensaver on your laptop, and provides the romance factor that tips the scale. Every resort is on its own island (atoll) so there’s plenty of privacy; it feels like you have the entire island to yourself.
Kudadoo Maldives Private Island (Photo by Kudadoo Maldives)
Stay at Kudadoo Maldives Private Island (Kudadoo Island, Tel: 960-662-2000. kudadoo.com), a private island resort with only 15 villa residences, all over 1,000 square feet and completely overwater. Each residence is equipped with the works: 144-square-foot infinity pool, gourmet mini-bar, spa soaking tub with organic bath products, handmade furniture, high ceilings and automatic curtains.
Residences also come with 24-hour butler service, all-inclusive meals (from delicious Indian and Malaysian to English and Italian), and of course, breathtaking views of the sea and sky (prepare for mind-blowing sunsets). While it’s rare leaving your own private sanctuary, the resort offers a main pool, beckoning beaches, a two-level spa with indoor salt chamber (the only one of its kind in Maldives), and a wine and cheese cellar. The resort can arrange any outdoor activities: skiing, sailing, and private lunches on a completely isolated sandbar in the middle of the turquoise waters.
Have dinner at Hurwalhi, home to 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, the largest underwater restaurant in the world (20 feet underwater), seating only up to 30 guests for dinner. In the dome-shaped, glass restaurant, you’ll experience the magic of the sea, with colorful coral, moray eel, tropical fish, puffer fish, and often nurse sharks (vegetarians) that swim by, so be ready to have one of the most unique dining experiences.
SICILY, ITALY
Sicily, one of the most romantic places in Italy, is known for its charming villages, famous cathedrals, vineyards, island beaches, and of course, rich history. Ever since openly gay director Mike White filmed The White Lotus here, Sicily has experienced its largest tourism spike in history, with a 50 percent increase in web searches after the show’s season finale (according to Google Trends data).
Couples in the know make a beeline to San Domenico Palace (Piazza San Domenico, Taormina, Tel: 39-0942-613-111. fourseasons.com), a 111-room, 14th century monastery with archways and lavish gardens turned Four Seasons hotel (where The White Lotus was filmed). The best suites, immaculately designed, face the Ionian Sea and infinity pool. The hotel can arrange tours to major historic sites, like UNESCO Baroque churches in Noto, renowned landmarks, as well as sprawling vineyards for wine-tasting and breathtaking views.
For history lovers, Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Ancient Greek theater, is a must see. A trip to Sicily isn’t complete without checking out the beaches. Lounge Beach (loungebeachscaladeiturchi.it), one of the most popular beach bars with clubs in Sicily, is a great way to end a long day of touring with your beloved.
SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA, CHILE
Two hours from Santiago, Chile, San Pedro de Atacama (Atacama Desert) is a romantic time-warp. Due to the high altitude and little light pollution, San Pedro has the clearest skies in the world. Couples look at the night sky as if they’re back in ancient times: you can see constellations and planets with the naked eye, so vivid and bright it feels as if you can practically reach out and touch them.
But it’s not just the alluring and untainted cosmos that draws lovebirds. The Chilean desert features some of the world’s most unique and enthralling outdoor activities and attractions, including natural phenomenon like salt lakes, where you can take a wellness-inspired, detoxing dip (akin to the Dead Sea in the Middle East). Add to this the rare Tatio geyser and sinkholes for a natural steam pool experience, as well as trekking the valleys that unfurl for miles with commanding natural landscapes.
While San Pedro de Atacama had long-been backpacker’s paradise, intimate and high-end luxury resorts beckon affluent travelers, including honeymooners who enjoy upscale dining, sumptuous suites, and modern comforts at Awasi (Tocopilla 551, relaischateaux.com), a Relais & Chateaux and all-inclusive property. It has the feel of a luxury safari lodge with 10 spacious thatch roof villas and a dedicated personal guide for excursions. The high-end property is also immersed in a natural setting.
Another great option is Nayara Alto Atacama (Camino Pukara, Tel: 844-865-2002. nayaraaltoatacama.com), which is flanked by towering rock outcrops. This is a favorite for couples, thanks to intimate rooms, in-house telescope, gourmet meals (all inclusive), and one of the desert’s most sublime spas with al fresco pools and mineral baths.
