Megan And Carl’s Honeymoon In Thailand

Carl and Megan

Planning a wedding is a daunting process and a tiring task. I should know… I planned my wedding for over 14 months. Planning the honeymoon…. that I don’t have any experience with. Why? Because this task was solely dedicated to my then fiancé to organise and he managed to keep this a surprise right up until the wedding. We flew out the day after our wedding, which in hindsight probably wasn’t the best idea. Having partied until the wee hours of Sunday morning, then hosting a breakfast on the Sunday morning, getting on a plane and flying overseas that afternoon was slightly overwhelming.

So the destination? None other than the beautiful country of Thailand. My husband chose this as he knew I was not the type of person who would enjoy the relaxation and tranquilty that typical honeymoon destinations such as Fiji or even the Maldives would offer. He wanted to take me somewhere that we could relax but also experience everything the place had to offer. We arrived at 1am Thai time, were picked up from the airport by a private driver and travelled 45mins to Karon Beach, South of Phuket. Our hotel was absolutely breathtaking, even without daylight. My husband chose the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket as our hotel for our honeymoon. We stayed in the Penthouse Plunge Pool Villa which was set over two levels with a spacious king bed, day bed for reading and roof top pool with sunbed. Every afternoon the staff would come in and turn down the sheets and leave freshly picked flowers on the bed and Buddha quotes.

We learned very quickly that even though the hotel’s prices were still cheaper than anywhere in Australia, they were no where near the prices outside the hotel. We indulged daily in massages and manicures/pedicures for a mere $10 an hour and dined on a variety of seafood and traditional Thai dishes for under $3 a dish. We were anxious at first after hearing so many horror stories with reactions to the food or water, but we walked away unscathed and thoroughly enjoyed trying new tastes every single day. Breakfast was included each morning at the hotel which was a range of Western and traditional Thai meals. The fruit carvings and the freshly made omelettes to order were some of our favourite.

We managed to fit so much in during our six days of travelling, that a few more days to lay by the pool would have been amazing. We visited a local village and learned how to cook their famous Thai Green curry, shopped in the endless street markets, drank every cocktail on the menu, island hopped on a speed boat, visited temples and enjoyed everything Thailand had to offer. On our second last day we jumped on Tripadvisor to find a personal driver who could drive us around the southern part of the island for a day. This turned out to be a great decision as we managed to see so much more than we could have in a tuk-tuk and the great thing is it only cost us $40AUD. It was actually Songkran on this day which is Thailand’s New Year and they celebrate by lining the streets with water pistols and buckets, targeting anyone who walks past. It was really special to partake in such a monumental day for Thailand’s culture and also get a little wet to cool down in the heat.

Some reasons why you should consider Thailand as your honeymoon desitnation:

It is so affordable (which is very important especially if you went a bit over budget on your wedding day)! The people are overwhelming beautiful and I felt safer in Thailand than I did in many places throughout Europe and North America. The food is better than any local Thai restaurant in Australia, it is authentic and you are eating some of the freshest produce each day. You are also providing much needed money to the local economy of Thailand if you shop at local markets and restaurants outside of the Hotel. Be brave and explore outside of your hotel, whilst relaxing by the pool is a great way to start the day, you don’t get to fully appreciate the liveliness and energy that the streets are sure to show you.

Photos from Megan and Carl’s collection

Ms Gingham says: It’s so great to see one of our gorgeous brides, who we’ve followed from engagement to wedding share her final installment here with her honeymoon! Congratulations to Megan and Carl and thankyou for so generously sharing your story with us!

Megan says: “I am a 24 year old high school teacher in Brisbane. Married in April to a man that makes me laugh every single day.”