Select World Travel Honeymoon Gift Service
Operates in the same way as a department store list, except that family and friends contribute money towards your Honeymoon plans
The perfect alternative gift service, especially if you already have that kitchen appliance!
Receive your first 100 gift cards complimentary - include these with your wedding invitations
You can even choose the background image of the gift cards to illustrate the destination you have chosen
Each gift card will show your name, together with the closing date for contributions, and your unique booking reference number
Honeymoon in South Africa
For those choosing South Africa for their honeymoon, I can thoroughly recommend the “Camp’s Bay” hotel which overlooks the beautiful beach for which it is named – but you must opt for a sea view room.
Just 15 minutes from the airport, there are plenty of bars and restaurants within easy walking distance. While renowned “Salt” restaurant is just a short taxi ride away on Bantry Bay. “Salt” with its commanding views of the ocean is renowned for seafood, burgers and sumptuous salads.
The centre of Cape Town and the Waterfront area (with its myriad restaurants and quaint shops) are easily accessible from Camp’s Bay.
The waterfront is a romantic place to quaff a cocktail or two as the sun goes down.
An important thing to remember when visiting Cape Town is that both Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for so many years) and Table Mountain are often inaccessible due to adverse weather conditions – so take the opportunity to visit either or both at the first opportunity.
Rent a car and visit Cape Point with its stunning scenery and abundance of wildlife.
If you are honeymooning between July and September a 7-hour drive North from Cape Town brings you to Namaqualand where your senses will be overwhelmed by the sights and scents of carpets of spring flowers stretching into the distance.
A trip to Franschoek Pass to enjoy breathtaking views over the Cape Winelands is not to be missed either. Oenophiles could spend days sampling the best of South Africa’s wines at the many wineries open to visitors.
A stay at the pretty little township of Franschoek itself could be incorporated with a two or three-night drive along the world-famous, spectacularly scenic “Garden Route” to Knysna.
And for whale-watching – Hermanus! The finest land-based whale-watching spot in the world, where a 12 km cliff-hugging path provides the perfect platform from which to study these magnificent creatures in the coves below or just beyond the breakers.
The peak month for whale-watching is October – although the season lasts from May to December.
Migrating humpbacks pass through the area throughout the season. Bryde’s Whales can be seen year round and Southern Right Whales come close to shore to calve from September to November.
And what better way to round-off your honeymoon than a visit to one of South Africa’s many game reserves (some privately owned, malaria-free and reasonably accessible from The Cape)?
Indeed few places in the world have so much to offer honeymooners as South Africa.
Judy Gibb
Senior Travel Consultant
Honeymoon in Arabia
A modern magic-carpet ride of just 7 hours from London finds you in the fabled and exotic Sheikhdoms of Arabia.
Dubai (another ‘city-that-never-sleeps’) is an exciting, almost overwhelming, mixture of the ultra-modern and the traditional.
Dubai boasts some of the finest and most luxurious hotels in the world - including the renowned Burj al Arab, Atlantis at the Palm and Armani which occupies several floors of the Burj Khalifa (the tallest structure in the world).
Dubai has also gained a world-wide reputation for gourmet restaurants – three of the best being ‘ At.mosphere’ (on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa), Pierre Gagniere’s ‘Reflects’ and Gary Rhodes’ ‘Twenty 10’.
And it is a paradise for shopaholics. The Dubai Mall is the largest shopping mall in the world – even boasting indoor ski-center complete with snow! Where better to cool down after a hard credit-card workout?
To experience the real Arabia visit one of the city’s many souks or take a walk along the banks of Dubai Creek.
If you tire of the hustle and bustle of Dubai, Abu Dhabi with its beautiful Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and more than 2,000 well-maintained parks and gardens, is less than two hours away by road.
And Muscat, the capital of Oman is just a one hour flight from Dubai.
Muscat is a capital city with a small-town feel. Here one can enjoy a walk along the Mutrah Corniche or take to the water with a romantic cruise along the Oman coast aboard a traditional Arab dhow.
And whatever else you do on your Arabian honeymoon – make sure you allow for a couple of nights under the stars at one of the many desert camps.
Richard Lucas
Senior Travel Consultant
THE BEST OF CALIFORNIA
21-night self-drive tour
San Francisco: One of the world’s most exciting, vibrant and culturally diverse cities.
Napa: The ideal place from which to explore the Napa Valley – centre of California’s wine industry.
Lake Tahoe: The largest Alpine lake on earth – 6,200 feet up in the Sierras.
Yosemite: A scenic wonderland and home to El Capitan – the largest free-standing granite monolith in the world – three time higher than the Rock of Gibraltar.
Monterey: The Monterey Peninsula – bustling historical Monterey and quiet, laid-back Carmel
Highway 1: The Pacific Coast Highway – one of world’s great driving experiences.
Los Angeles: ‘Tinseltown’ – home to the stars and (in)famous Venice Beach
San Diego: Sea World, an incredible zoo, glorious beaches and great shopping
ITINERARY
(May also be taken in reverse)
Day 01 Arrive San Francisco
The Tuscan Inn, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco
for 4 nights – room and breakfast
Day 05 Pick up rental car downtown 1000 Oldsmobile Alero or similar – all inclusive except for fuel
Best Western Timbercove Lodge, Lake Tahoe for 3 nights – room and breakfast
Day 08 Yosemite View Lodge, El Portal, Yosemite
for 3 nights – room only
Day 11 Pacific Hotel, Monterey
for 2 nights – room and continental breakfast
Day 13 BW Plus Big America, Pismo Beach
for 1 night – room only
Day 14 The Harbour View Inn, Santa Barbara
for 2 nights – room only
Day 16 The Sheraton Delfina, Santa Monica
for 3 nights – room only
Day 19 The Hilton Mission Bay, San Diego
for 3 nights – room only
Day 22 Drop off rental car San Diego Airport
Depart San Diego to Heathrow – overnight flight
Maldives
When thinking of honeymoon destination the Maldives may well spring to mind with its picture perfect sandy beaches and turquoise seas but which island to choose?
A Travel Agent myself, my honeymoon is very important to me so when we finally settled on the Maldives, I researched long and hard to choose the right island and chose LUX* Maldives.
LUX* is one of the largest islands of the Maldives with 4 kilometres of beach around the resort. I have holidayed on an island like this before so we chose a larger island to ensure there were lots of activities as lying on the beach all day would suit me but not my fiancé!
There are 2 swimming pools, both on the sunset side of the island, a world-class PADI diving centre and water sports including complimentary snorkelling equipment, pedal boats, kayaks, and snorkelling trips on the resorts own reef. For a fee you can go diving, windsurfing, waterskiing, jet-skiing, kite surfing as well as fun tube rides, catamaran trips, whale shark safaris, morning and sunset fishing trips and private trips with a speedboat or dhoni. There are also some land sports available: 2 tennis courts, billiard, table football and table tennis, all of which are complimentary. For a fee you can hire bicycles which we will certainly do.
There is an extensive choice of 7 restaurants and 6 bars. If you choose all-inclusive you are able to dine in all 7 restaurants offering either buffet style or a la carte from the chef’s daily menu. This was one of the most important factors as we love to dine and if you are restricted to just one restaurant for the duration of your stay it can get a little boring. Here you can choose a different cuisine and experience a different ambiance each day/evening.
LUX* has thought of it all….the new lighter, brighter concept together with little unique touches was the icing on the cake for me…..they offer retro ice-cream parlours; on-the-beach film screenings; pop-up restaurants; freshly-roasted organic coffee; integrated wellness & spa programmes; secret bars; libraries of contemporary magazines; and hidden goodies, but it is the cumulative impact of these that encapsulate the “Island Light” experience - underpinned with truly incredible service.
If you like the sound of the LUX* concept they also have other resorts in Mauritius and Reunion Island.
I experienced LUX* Maldives for myself in April 2013 so for first hand information please telephone – 01202 709881
Hannah Vincent
Manager
Honeymoon in paradise...
Imagine swimming to your room, relaxing in a tropical seaside cottage, a cliff-top sanctuary with its own private pool … or a two-story loft suite hidden in a coconut grove!
These are just a few of the options that can make your honeymoon dreams a reality at the legendary La Toc Estate with its amazing choice of luxurious suites and accommodations.
The stately palms that grace the mile-long entrance to La Toc are a magical welcome to your honeymoon at the Caribbean’s most glamorous resort – Sandals La Toc.
Cradled within a true rain forest on the beautiful island of St Lucia – known as The Emerald of the Caribbean – its half-mile crescent shaped beach glitters invitingly, surrounded by exotic coral bluffs, lush hillsides and rolling green fairways.
La Toc’s 210-acre estate features the Sunset Ocean Bluff (a resort within the resort) with breathtaking vistas from bluff-top villas with their own private pools.
Exclusive Mediterranean-style suites boast a luxury bedroom (with 46” plasma TV) and spacious living room (with plush sofas and 42” plasma TV) that leads through a glass wall to your terrace.
Enjoy 5-star Diamond French cuisine as well as other tantalizing fare from, around the world in the resort’s eight restaurants. Revel in the largest pool on the island as you inhale the heady sweetness of flowering tropical gardens. Golfers can improve their swing on the resort’s executive St Lucia golf course.
At Sandals La Toc you can experience a millionaire’s life with your own butler – surrounded by glamour and pampered in luxury.
At Select World Travel we have first hand experience of Sandals La Toc and many other resorts.
For help with planning that very special honeymoon why not give me a call on 01202 492951.
Orlando, Florida
When I honeymooned in Orlando 30 year ago it had already become an amazing destination, But today, with even more theme parks and attractions - Walt Disney World; Universal Studios; Sea World (my personal favourite); Islands of Adventure; Wet n’ Wild; Typhoon Lagoon; Discovery Cove and Blizzard Beach – to name but a few - it is even more exciting, especially for those who like to do more than just sit on a beach or around a pool all day.
There are three main areas to stay. International Drive (the closest to Walt Disney World – apart from the Resort itself), Lake Buena Vista and Kissimmee. Kissimmee is further away from the hustle and bustle and accommodation there consists mainly of self-catering villas.
For space enthusiast, Kennedy Space Centre is within easy reach of Orlando too.
And Orlando combines very easily with the Sunshine State’s Gulf Coast resorts for those who wish to spend some time by the sea.
One tip - if you purchase your theme park tickets before you travel you will save yourself a substantial amount of money.
Returning to Orlando with our children some years after we honeymooned there, we found it just as enjoyable, if not more so – especially seeing the delight on the children’s faces as they too were overwhelmed by the excitement of it .
Judy Gibb
Senior Travel Consultant
To find out more please contact our experienced team on 01202 709881
Honeymoon Gift Service Terms & Conditions
