Hubby and I spent a fair bit of time considering our options for our honeymoon. After all, such a holiday is very well deserved after all the planning and stress of a wedding! We wanted to spend our time equally between relaxing and ‘doing things’. Hubby gets bored if there is too much lazing around and fair enough too. And we also wanted something that would be budget friendly, particularly with flights. Luckily, Perth is pretty close to South East Asia so flights are usually pretty well priced. We decided on 6 nights in Koh Samui, Thailand for a beach break and a 3 night Singapore honeymoon for shopping and indulgence.

Koh Samui is a beautiful island off the coast of Thailand. It is surrounded by gorgeous beaches and has lots of things to do and see. We spent equal amounts of time relaxing by the beach and exploring the island (and surrounding islands) for day trips. We didn’t find the shopping particularly good in Chaweng Beach (where we stayed). It was very similar to Bali, cheap knock-offs and the prices were not great. However, I was saving all my shopping energy for Singapore! We both love Thai food and we had a great time choosing different restaurants to eat at each night and rating the meals. We also took a Thai Cooking class with SITCA (Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts). It was an afternoon course where we learned 3 different traditional Thai dishes. It was amazing, there was heaps of food (probably too much!) and we got to take a recipe book home so we could try it in our own kitchen.

We took two day trips during our stay. One to Koh Anthong Marine Park where we tried kayaking and one to Koh Tao where we spent the day snorkeling the coral reefs. Both day trips were well worth it and provided some great experiences.  One of the highlights of our stay in Samui was definitely the “dinner on the water” organised by our hotel. We had a 7 course dinner at sunset which took place on a candlelit pavilion on the warm, shallow water in front of our hotel. It was incredible to be waited on by staff that waded out to our pavilion with our meals and drinks and watch the paper lanterns being released on the beach by tourists as the night progressed. The tide came in by the time our dinner was over so we were taken back to the beach by canoe! Quite a funny and memorable moment! We loved Koh Samui and the vibe is very relaxed. If we stayed again, we would probably try one of the areas on the other side of the island (like Boput) which are slightly quieter and less touristy.

Chaweng Beach

My new husband and I had never been to Singapore before and it was an amazing place to explore. We stayed at the Marina Bay Sands hotel which is one of Singapore’s newest and most iconic hotels. It is made up of 3 towers with a top level connecting them all on level  57 by an infinity edge pool and “The Club” bar and restaurant. It kind of looks like a boat on top of 3 buildings! The hotel is almost a city in itself, with a shopping mall, casino and Metro (train) station all attached. We were very lucky to be upgraded to a suite, which meant we got a huge room on the quieter side of the hotel. We also had access to The Club which meant breakfast on Level 57 every morning (those views!) and complimentary canapés and drinks for two hours between 5- 7pm each evening.

Let’s just say we made the most of that because we didn’t need dinner two of the nights we stayed there! We shopped up an absolute storm on Orchard Road. I’m lucky hubby does love to shop (when he’s in the mood!) and we had a great day exploring all the shops from the high-end Gucci and Prada to the cheaper Zara, H&M and Abercrombie & Fitch that we could actually afford! We also checked out the Gardens by the Bay which is attached to Marina Bay Sands. The gardens are huge indoor ecosystems with skywalks, waterfalls and rare plants and flowers. Something we have definitely never seen before. One of the things that is so good about Singapore is how easy and cheap it is to get around. The Metro train system is clean, very easy to navigate and very cheap. We used it to go everywhere and it was impossible to get lost! On our last day, our flight was not until late in the evening so we checked out of the hotel and took a day trip to Sentosa Island. It was easy to get there via the Metro and then on the cable car across to the island. We spent the day at Universal Studios. It was pretty good, however I suspect it is slightly more fun for kids or if you’re really into theme parks. It was good to pass the time at least!

A tip, definitely mention you are on your honeymoon! And take a photocopy of your ceremonial marriage certificate if you can. We loved the extra treatment we got for being honeymooners. From the hotel upgrade, to the best tables at restaurants and a free drink here and there, it pays to mention it!

Overall, we had a wonderful 9 day honeymoon. It was great to spend our first days together as husband and wife exploring different cultures and creating new experiences together.

Ms Gingham says: This looks like a great mix of relaxing and getting out and about! I love the Marina Bay Sands hotel… luxurious and right in the heart of everything.

Melissa says: “I am newly married to my high school sweetheart of over 11 years. I loved every moment of the wedding planning process and I am loving being a ‘wifey’.”