Online - April 15, 2009

Sweet as Honey

Honeymoon Trips

The wedding was a dream. Except for the dance with handsy cousin Harry. And the embarrassing toast about the duckies on your underpants. And your brother’s puking on the gift table.

Right about now, somebody needs a honeymoon. Some of these trips are easy; others are easier with help. So choose your own adventure. Only you know when you’ve had too much.

Uruguay
The area around hotspot Punta del Este is hidden, remote, and awesome. Design snobs will drool over Casa Zinc in La Barra. Privacy hounds will love La Posta del Vinyet in José Ignacio. In rolling countryside that looks like the plains of East Africa, Estancia Vik has suites designed by contemporary Uruguayan artists. Shop Bajo el Alma in JI’s main square for delicate knit sweaters and have a meal at Francis Mallman’s amazing Garzon. Want more? Agent Lisa Lindblad (info@lisalindblad.com) has the best insider scoop.

Burgundy
Start your future by stepping back in time to a medieval abbey. Built in 1131, Abbaye de la Bussière was recently renovated in high French country style. Rooms have park and lake views, period furniture, and elaborate textiles. You’re a half hour from Dijon and its insane food scene, though you’ll be well fed by the Abbaye’s young Michelin-starred chef. By the way, no one needs to know how affordable this place is.

British Columbia
Clayoquot Wilderness Resort is a summer-only ecoretreat outside Pacific Rim National Park. Those tents sure feel like an African safari — only instead of elephants and lions, you’ll get incredible kayaking (yes, those are black bears along the shoreline) and salmon fishing (they’ll can your catch so you can bring it back), as well as horseback riding, windsurfing, archery, and hiking. It’s a bit of an ordeal to get there — a seaplane from Vancouver, a horse and buggy to the camp — so get Michael Holtz (michael@smartflyer.com) to arrange the trip and a few nice extras.

Morocco
You may not get 1001 nights, but you still want the Arabian fantasy. You’ll live it at Palais Rhoul & Spa in Marrakech. Just behind its fortress wall, the hidden gardens, decadent hammam, colonnade around the circular pool, and pillows strewn around the fireplace should inspire your inner Scheherazade. Especially if you book L’Harem tent room, which has a sunken pool at the foot of the bed. That’s some magic carpet ride.

The Amazon
Before it’s too late, you want to see the world’s greatest rain forest firsthand. Set up camp at Amazonat, where you can get a riverside or jungle room. But if you want to experience the Amazon as few ever will, head deep into the forest via speedboat. You’ll set up camp and sleep together in hammocks under the jungle canopy, listening to the monkeys roaring overhead. It’s the ultimate adventure, and local travel gurus Dehouche (info@dehouche.com) can hook it up.

Corsica
The island is as rugged and crazy as France and Italy get, which, okay, isn’t saying much. But, damn, it’s beautiful. Hotel Casadelmar has sweeping Mediterranean views (book the higher floors) and lazy beaches. Rent a car and tear into the twisty, mountainous countryside — take D368 to Zonza, D69 to N193 (don’t. look. down.), then D84 through Scala di Santa Regina (stopping to skinny-dip in the Forêt d’Aitone), and out to the beach at the Calanche. Speed limits be damned.