Best Destinations for The Off-peak Honeymoon Season, Revealed

New study reveals what Brits look for when booking their honeymoon, and the most desirable places to visit during the off-peak season. 

After the amount of time, detail and energy that goes into planning your wedding day, finding the perfect destination for your honeymoon in is an important choice for newly-weds.

And according to Hitched, traditional wedding season falls between May and October, meaning soon-to-be-married couples across the nation may be searching for their dream getaway later in the year – either serving up some off-season sun or heading to a snowy paradise. 

With this in mind, we set out to find the best destinations for an off-peak honeymoon and discover how Brits like to spend time together as they begin their married lives.
To do this, we conducted a survey of 2,000 UK adults in a relationship about what activities they'd like to get up to on their honeymoons – from spa days to cooking classes to enjoying a romantic sunset.

In addition to this, we worked with luxury travel experts at Scott Dunn to reveal the top 19 honeymoon destinations in 2023 and ranked these locations based on what Brits said was most important to them. This includes average temperatures, sunshine hours, best sunsets, number of five star rated landmarks, number of beaches and the number romantic hotels available to book.

The most popular month for honeymoons is September, with one in seven (13%) choosing it as their top month, followed closely by June (12%) and August (11%).

One in ten (10%) respondents preferred to honeymoon between October and December, whilst perhaps unsurprisingly, the least popular month was January (2%).

Just under a third of couples (28%) will either go or plan to go on their honeymoon the day after their wedding, and just over a fifth (23%) wait until a few days after. Over one in six (17%) of those surveyed can’t wait to get away quick enough and would be willing to travel the same day as their wedding!

Conversely, just 4% either waited or will wait more than two years before going on their honeymoon – at least there’ll be plenty of time for planning.

The number one activity for Brits to enjoy on their honeymoon is watching the sunset, with over half of those surveyed (52%) picking it out as their favourite thing to do.

Sightseeing (45%), beach days (39%), watching the sunrise (33%), sunbathing (30%) and boat trips (27%) also ranked highly, while the least popular activities include skiing/snowboarding (3%), dance classes (4%) and parasailing (6%).

Elsewhere, just 4% of women mentioned fishing as a favourite activity, compared with almost one in ten (9%) men – they sound like a catch.

The survey shows that 18–24-year-olds prove more adventurous, with almost one in five (18%) picking out hiking as their favourite honeymoon activity, followed by horse riding (16%), bike riding (14%) and playing sports (12%).

On the flipside, those over 65+ prefer a laid-back approach to their honeymoons, with well over half (61%) picking out sightseeing and almost three in ten (28%) choosing wine-tasting as their favourite activity. 

According to those surveyed, the nation looks for the simple things when booking their honeymoon. Our findings show that the most important criteria are finding somewhere romantic (47%), affordable (43%) and has plenty of sunshine (43%).

Whereas bustling nightlife (10%), cool temperatures (9%) and snow (5%) were some of the least important factors for respondents – looks like Après Ski could be off the cards.

Claiming 103.5 points out of a possible 133, our rankings show that India was the best place for an off-peak honeymoon – due to factors such as having a 32-degree temperature between September and November, a low average cost for a one-week stay (£435) and being home to 10,000 5* rated landmarks, according to TripAdvisor. 
 
And with impressive landmarks such as the Taj Mahal, also known as ‘The Monument of Love’, and postcard-perfect coastlines like Radhanagar Beach, there’s a whole host of romantic activities available for newly-wed couples in India. 
 
Coming in second place was Indonesia (90.5) due largely to having 1,859 romantic hotels to choose from and balmy 30-degree winter sun.
 
Thailand (88.5) followed closely behind in third place, with average temperatures of 31 degrees and three TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice award winning beaches.

1.     India – 103.5
2.     Indonesia – 90.5
3.     Thailand – 88.5
4.     Sri Lanka - 87
5.     Greece – 82
6.     Vietnam 79
7.     Mexico – 78.5
8.     Mauritius – 76.5
9.     Argentina & Italy - 76
10.  South Africa – 74
 
Alongside India, Sri Lanka also clocked one of the highest temperatures between the months of September and November, boasting a scorching 32-degree average.
 
At the other end of the temperature scale, Finland clocked the lowest by some distance, with an average temperature of just 2-degrees between the months of September and November – brrrr! 
 
Although only ninth in our top 10 destinations ranking, Italy is home to the most five-star rated landmarks according to TripAdvisor – a whopping 50,000 – for couples wanting to take in some local culture during their honeymoon.
 
Additionally, the country also boasts the most romantic hotel options, with 2,707 available to choose from. Only Greece offers anything close to that number, with 2,262 potential options.  
 
For those looking for a sun-filled honeymoon, South Africa is a clear favourite, clocking an incredible 287 sunshine hours between the months of September and November. Following closely behind is Mauritius with 270 hours – don’t forget to pack your suncream!  
 
For those less bothered about the sun, Finland again may be the perfect choice, banking only 77 hours (about 3 days) of sunshine and the coolest average temperatures – perfect for a snowy romantic getaway

With the looming cost of living crisis still providing an unfavourable backdrop for many, value for money is high on the agenda when booking an off-peak honeymoon. 
 
Sri Lanka - fourth in our overall top 10 destinations list - is the clear value for money champion, with the average cost for a week-long getaway coming in at just £301 per couple. India follows in second place with an average cost of £435, while Indonesia – second in our overall top 10 destinations list – comes in third at £675. 
 
At the other end of the spectrum, off-peak honeymooners in Antigua would fork out an average of £3,865 for a one week stay!

It comes as no surprise that for those who postponed going on their honeymoon, the main factor was cost, with over four in ten (43%) of those surveyed highlighting it as a key reason.

One in five (20%) chose to push their post-wedding trip back in order to visit their chosen destination at a different time of year, while a further 16% felt limited time off work meant honeymoons were deemed unrealistic and 12% noted commitments like childcare as a mitigating factor, too.

For some it seems there’s just too much choice, though, as a further 12% chose to postpone simply because they couldn’t decide where to go – what a luxury!

James Chapman, an independent honeymoon specialist and Travel Counsellor known as The Travel Chappy on Instagram says: “After an expensive wedding, it's important to get a honeymoon that fits within your budget. One of the easiest ways to do this is to travel out of season and avoid the school holidays. This is when hotels and airlines are offering the best deals.

It's important to pick the right destination though, as you don't want to spend two weeks in the rain on your honeymoon, but luckily there are lots of places that even though it's out of season, will offer plenty of sun to make your honeymoon perfect and save you lots of money at the same time.”

With the excitement of a new marriage, there’s no doubt that you’ll want to show your ring off! 
But it’s important to keep in mind that losing an engagement or wedding ring whilst away can be very distressing and affect how enjoyable your trip is. These three top tips can help to add some extra security for your precious accessories:
 
1.     Invest in a secure case for your jewellery 
When transporting your favourite accessories, using a travel jewellery box is a great way to keep your gems untarnished and detangled.
  
Alternatively, a pill case can work well for smaller jewellery items such as earrings, studs and rings. The standard pill box design allows each piece to have its own individual compartment, to prevent any scratches and tangling.  
 
And if you are looking to use items that may be already in your home – try the cling film hack! Fold up your pieces in standard cling film to keep them protected and separate. Once done, pack this away in your jewellery box or suitcase amongst other items to prevent unravelling. However, be careful not to lose any smaller jewellery pieces and place these in a secure compartment. 
 
2.     Only take one set of jewellery – and wear whilst travelling 
 Though this may seem like common sense, wearing your pieces whilst travelling allows you to keep an eye on your treasured pieces amidst busy airport environments.  
 
Gold, platinum, sterling silver, and other fine jewellery rarely causes an alarm at airport security, meaning you can wear your rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and watches without a problem.  
 
3.     Fancy a swim? Leave your jewellery behind 
There are a few instances on holiday when you might want to leave your jewellery in a secure hotel safe or remove it temporarily to avoid damage to your items.  
 
If you’re feeling like a dip in the hotel pool, it is advised to remove all jewellery before heading in –including your new wedding and engagement rings. Chlorine can cause discolouration and damage to metals such as gold and silver, which will eventually weaken your pieces.  
 
Similarly, salt water from the sea can erode layers of your jewellery, leading to eventual weakening of the metals. Not only this, the risk of losing your items in the sea is much greater – as once it’s gone, it’s likely not going to be found.   
 
If your jewellery does suffer damages or discolouration, seek a repair service to restore its original appearance. 
  
4.     Purchasing a substitute ring for your holiday 
If you’re worried about wearing a valuable piece of jewellery on holiday, such as an engagement ring or wedding band, buying a cheaper alternative to take with you can be a good solution. There are many Cubic Zirconia rings that can act as a convincing replacement when looking to substitute your engagement ring, such as the Silver Cubic Zirconia Solitaire Ring. 
It’s clear from our findings that people just want a bit of overseas romance and a show-stopping sunset to toast their honeymoon, no matter what time of year.
 
That said, for those set to embark on an off-peak romantic getaway in the coming months, there are so many faraway destinations to choose from, each catering to different wants and needs. After all, why stay in the UK during the winter when India and Sri Lanka are clocking temperatures of 32 degrees?
 
We really hope this study has helped to inspire your post-wedding holiday plans, and potentially encouraged you to book some of the popular activities mentioned once you’re away – not every day has to be a beach day!
 
And if you’re currently gearing up to pop the question, check out our range of engagement rings for some gem-spiration.