Best honeymoon resorts: Viceroy Riviera Maya

Friday, 25 May 2012 9:28 AM

Tucked away in the small village of Playa Xcalacoco near Playa del Carmen on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, The Viceroy Riviera Maya sits on the edge of tropical jungle and soft beach paradise. Sleek and modern, yet eco conscious and natural, the resort provides romantic seclusion for a perfect honeymoon.

Scattered across seven miles of desiccated coconut like sand, sit 41 private Maya villas, with ocean or jungle views. Chic with clean lines and polished wooden floors, each villa has its own private kidney shaped swimming pool and all high tech modern amenities. Sit out on your sunny terrace admiring the view or lie in your crocheted hammock, rocking to the sound of the waves.

The Viceroy is known for its excellent cuisine and you can choose between fine dining on seafood in La Marea Restaurant, pizzas and grills and the Coral & Grill Bar or traditional Mayan cuisine at Casita Maya, an ancient outdoor kitchen.

Honeymoon specials
The resort’s Timeless Honeymoon Package includes a four night stay in a luxury villa with private pool as well as daily breakfast, fresh flowers on arrival, one couples massage in the spa suite, and a private candlelit dinner with champagne.

Beyond the bedroom
There are so many activities to do in and around the Riviera Maya that you’ll definitely want to leave your villa at some point. Among some of the more adventurous include sky diving, kite surfing, jungle tours and cenote diving and snorkelling. There are also options to visit wild spider monkeys and go horse riding.

However, the one highlight you shouldn’t miss is the mysterious Mayan site of Chichén Itzá. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is made up of the Kukulcan, a 75m high pyramid; The Temple of the Warriors, built in 1000 AD; The Ballcourt, where the Mayans played ancient sports; and the Sacred Cenote, a natural limestone sinkhole.

Romance rating: ♥♥♥

Best honeymoon resorts: Huvafen Fushi

Huvafen Fushi is that iconic dreamy resort you see on posters, screensavers and calendars - a horse shoe of thatched stilted villas sitting out in the middle of an aqua marine blue ocean. If you want a traditional Maldivian beach honeymoon with nothing but flour fine sand, wavering palms and luxurious accommodation, then this is the place for you.

Best honeymoon resorts: Lizard Island, Australia

Close your eyes and picture a haven of serene sugar sand beaches protected by luscious coves and a sea as clear as glass - this is Lizard Island. Consistently rated as one of the top ten hotels of the world, Australia’s northern most island resort is located right on the Great Barrier Reef and 240km off the coast of Cairns.

Best honeymoon resorts: Benguerra Lodge, Mozambique

Set in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Mozambique lays the sparkling island chain of the Bazaruto Archipelago, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Here on the largest island in the chain, surrounded by coconut palms, sits the Benguerra Lodge - a place of true barefoot luxury.