If there’s one element of wedding admin that elicits more excitement than eye-rolling, it’s unequivocally the honeymoon. Who doesn’t enjoy a dose of exotic island reverie, or scanning overwater love nests and otherworldly hotels suddenly within reach for, let’s face it, the most important holiday of your life?
This exciting process is, however, too often marred by the sheer choice out there and unfiltered guidance, leaving overwhelmed newly-weds, and increasingly pre-weds, feeling anxious to put a foot wrong, for the one holiday that truly matters.
Luckily, a handful of reputable travel operators, such as Turquoise Holidays, wield their expert, on-the-ground knowledge and decades of experience to ensure choosing a dreamy, cut-above-the-rest honeymoon is a smooth, and crucially, pleasurable process. Known as far-flung island aficionados, Turquoise Holidays’ insider portfolio of exotic destinations, ravishingly pretty hotels and bespoke adventures makes even the most seasoned traveller swoon.
It therefore comes as little surprise that they have partnered with the much-lauded Six Senses Hotels & Resorts, aligning with their belief in authentic experiences, sensational destinations and design, discreet-yet-slick service, and generally operating in a luxxy league of their own.
And you can forget excel sheets – Turquoise Holidays will sort all the planning. All you have to do is sit back and peruse their heavenly edit of Six Sense Resorts, then see which one (or three) speaks to you, and finally, get in touch with the seriously friendly Turquoise team.
So, keep scrolling to see which Six Senses honeymoon you would choose.
For go-slow, untouched paradise
Six Senses Laamu, Maldives
Best time to visit: November to May, although the tropical summer months are well-suited to honeymooners with children, as well as being the best time to see turtles laying their eggs.
As the only hotel occupying the Laamu atoll and farthest-flung island in the Maldives, Six Senses Laamu
epitomises exotic isolation, as well as the maxim that the most effort yields the highest reward. Ring fenced by flawless white sands that slope into an eternal stretch of blue and turquoise, the hotel is privy to some of the prettiest views in the Indian Ocean. And the exquisite seclusion is within surprisingly easy reach: a breezy 35 minute flight followed by a 15 minute speedboat.
Honeymooners can hide away and unwind in their elevated eco-villas, either stilted overwater or nestled in mangroves on the beach, then surface, island time, for sundowners at the hotel’s bar, Chill. Foodies will delight in Laamu’s organic kitchen garden, whose fragrant wafts and freshly-picked bounty can be enjoyed at LEAF restaurant (perched on tables quite literally above it), and overwater spot, Longitude, where healing grapefruit drinks can offset mango-filled brioche french toast breakfasts.
The most demanding activities on this island include gently peddling around its sandy pathways carved through a tangle of tropical green, or of course, marvelling at its protected coral gardens bursting with colourful fish or simply splashing around in warm, crystal-clear shallows before shoring up for lunch.
Six Senses Ibiza
For authentic Balearic charm
Best time to go – May to October when island businesses, shops and restaurants are in full bloom, and July and August for a sun-sure trip.
When it comes to European hotels’ eco-credentials, Six Senses Ibiza has rightly earned its status as the green lung of the Balearics. Honeymooners relishing its supine poolside afternoons, with stunning views over the glassy waters of Cala Xarraca Bay, or easing into its bohemian rhythm, in tune with the island’s hippie soul, can observe first-hand how luxury and sustainability can co-exist.
It all begins with its ancient working farm, an enviable gold mine of fresh fruits, vegetables, cheese and olive oil for the hotel chefs to work their creativity on. Then there’s Six Senses’ renowned local touch – encouraging guests to explore the island’s authentic culture and lesser-known spots (the deliciously sleepy side of Ibiza) with off-grid picnic trips, paella cooking classes and even flamenco lessons.
For the ultimate eastern promise
Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman
Best time to go – Between October and May for blissfully warm waters and long, sun-soaked days
Welded into hotel lore, Six Senses Zighy Bay will feature on most seasoned-travellers bucket lists, if they haven’t already been. Perhaps due to its majestic, biblical-grade Hajar Mountain setting, occupying a mirage-like sandy bay, or the dramatic entrance (either a heart-racing drive down over the cliffs, a hair-whooshing speedboat into the bay or a slick and rather sensational mountain-to-villa paraglide). Whichever honeymooners opt for, they can be safe in the knowledge that the thrilling entrance is just a warm up.
Subdued rooms carved from natural stone echo a traditional Omani village, each with their own serene pools, skillfully blended into the natural landscape. A roster of activities, from high-octane watersports along Zighy Bay, to more leisurely hikes and languid afternoons on a traditional dhow charter, allow couples to set their own pace. But all tribes of traveller agree that the soul-stirring, mountain top views from the Sense of the Edge restaurant and its cavalcade of sensory dishes are romance personified and worth flinging on a linen shirt for.
For tropical fantasy with a top-drawer spa
Six Senses Zil Pasyon, Seychelles
Best time to go: Though its two distinct seasons tend to speak to different styles of traveller, the dry season from May to October and the wet season from November to April, the Seychelles is special in its year-round appeal.
It’s the contrast of crystalline, turquoise waters lapping rugged, land-before-time granite boulders that flank the private island of Félicité that guests are first confronted with as the helicopter begins its descent to this exquisite slice of the Seychelles – an island few superlatives do justice. As the latest member of the Six Senses family – Zil Payson’s high-standard spa and foodie credentials have somehow made it to this wildly secluded location, cast adrift in the Seychellois sea.
When not nursing a vintage rum in Lakabiz or settling into a third helping of two-hours-fresh, grilled tropical fish, honeymooners can perch up on the Chef’s table and immerse themselves in the rituals and rapture of truly splendid cooking. Then, after an adrenaline-fuelled helicopter tour of Félicité and its neighbouring isles or an afternoon snorkel spent gliding alongside eagle rays and turtles, the spa’s sumptuous, shoulder-lowering treatments are just the ticket.
For ravishing sunsets and surf
Six Senses Fiji
Best time to go: Fiji’s hotter and more humid summer period runs from November to April, while its winter, May through to October, may attract those after a cooler breeze.
Escape to the bountiful island of Malalo, whose enticing mix of aquamarine waters, lush jungle-clad hills and vanilla white sands personify tropical allure. And if the stunning setting is not enough to stir the senses, a fully-charged spa, replete with a sleep specialist, yoga trainer and alchemy bar, courtesy of The Six Senses holistic approach to wellness, truly will.
The sunsets here are really quite beautiful, and generally accompanied by a fresh fruit-inspired cocktail and a soothing island soundtrack of gentle waves and a warm, evening breeze. But beyond the watersports, sustainable cooking classes and hikes to explore the local village, the siren call of nearby Cloudbreak, one of the world’s most challenging surf spots, is a hard one to resist for those well acquainted with a board.
For rooms with extraordinary ocean and mountain views
Six Senses Yao Noi, Thailand
The best time to visit Koh Yao Noi is from November-April, during its dry season.
The Sea View Villas peppered along the fringes of Six Senses Yao Noi on Southern Thailand’s Koh Yao all, as the name suggests, possess knockout views over the iconic limestone mountains or karsts which surge vertically out of Phang Nga Bay’s vast and ethereal expanse of turquoise water. Everything, from alfresco Champagne breakfasts and romantic Thai suppers along the beach to sumptuously simple wooden villas dressed in fresh linen, twists like flowers towards this magnificent vista.
The magnetic allure of Yao Noi’s location informs the spa’s soul nourishing treatment menu, and invites moonlit dips or a generous interpretation of Gin & Tonic hour, prepared by a 24-hour butler. But for a serious serving of romance, the sort that will imprint itself in couples’ shared memories for years to come, book into The View for its glorious infinity pool, private cinema and trippy glass floor revealing a waterfall cascading through thick jungle beneath.
For a timeless ode to barefoot luxury
Six Senses Samui, Thailand
Best time to visit : February or March through to September, for dry, warm and sunny days with temperatures ranging from the late 20s to the early 30s.
For couples desperate to ‘get away from it all’, Six Senses Samui on the very northern tip of Thailand’s Koh Samui deals a thrilling dose of isolation. Its scattering of 66 wooden villas along a jungle slope seizes on a clear eco-narrative of elevated simplicity, sacrificing little in the way of luxury where divinely comfortable beds, private pools and a photogenic sala for private (and seriously romantic) sunset suppers are concerned. And the food is exceptional – the Six Senses enjoys a reputation as one of the island’s top dining spots, which is hardly surprising given both the setting (Dining on the Rocks comprises a series of wooden terraces tumbling down the hillside toward the sea) and the spec of its cooking, from wildly creative tasting-courses to smart riffs on home-spun Thai classics.
The more intrepid couples can explore the island on a hike, bikes or even by elephant, perusing the authentic, lo-fi foodie scene of Bo Phut Fisherman’s Village or further afield, to the hauntingly pretty islands of Angthong National Marine Park. But they’d be excused for simply floating from the villa’s linen-framed outdoor bath to the four posters with a good book, in a shoeless, joyous delirium.
For Vietnamese culture and next level spa treatments
Six Senses Con Dao, Vietnam
Best time to go: from November to April during the dry season
Exotic, untouched charm and luxurious sanctuaries coalesce at Six Senses Con Dao, a contemporary hideaway located on a paradisiacal archipelago which traces the layout of a traditional fishing village. Con Dao’s villa design is perfectly pitched to the natural surroundings and also honours traditional Vietnamese style (a Six Senses hallmark), while an eco-first approach keeps footprints solely on the sand.
Honeymooners sighing at the glorious views from the Ocean Duplex Villas will enjoy an air-con-free sleep with its clever architecture. And though snorkelling trips to the national marine park followed a merchant history lesson and Ms Len’s Vietnamese noodles, rolls and wraps sounds more-than-appealing, Con Dao’s winning card though has to be its world-renowned spa. Check in for yogic wellness programs and a string of mellowing treatments.
For romantic stargazing on a volcanic island
Six Senses Krabey Island, Cambodia
Best time to go: June to October, and occasional patches of afternoon rain can be pardoned by a long stint in the spa
This whimsically pretty 30-acre volcanic island, where jungle meets sea and villas bearing natural materials are artfully sewn into the natural landscape, is testament to Six Senses’ knack for tracking down ethereally beautiful destinations. What’s more, the hotel’s light touch leaves a veritable paradise for honeymooners to explore, whether on thrilling diving trips, hikes or expert led star-gazing sessions.
The arrival is almost as spectacular, a ten-minute scenic drive from Sihanoukville airport then a stylish boat ride towards Cambodia’s bewitching Koh Krabey. Couples can curl up with a book alongside their private pool in the volcanic stone and local timber-clad villas, or share an outdoor shower peering into the jungle. And having sampled the dizzying roster of ice cream flavours at the Six Senses signature parlour, honeymooners should lean into the cocktail menu at the open-walled bar, with expansive views over the Gulf of Thailand.
