Gay Honeymoon Destinations: choosing the best gay honeymoon destination is incredibly important to make sure that you have the experience you deserve. In this guide I will share some of the best gay honeymoon destinations that I have personally travelled to (Aruba, Philippines and South Africa to name a few!) – I’ll focus on places that are romantic, exciting and safe for LGBTQ+ couples.
Secondly if you are reading this, I assume a huge congratulations is in order! I hope that you will have (or have had) an amazing wedding and will have an unforgettable gay honeymoon!
Travelling as a gay person requires an extra level of thought and consideration. When spending your hard-earned money on an expensive vacation you want to feel comfortable, free and safe to be yourself.
Even more so on your gay honeymoon — just like any other couple, this is going to be a hugely romantic experience and you are going to want to be naturally affectionate and loved up with your partner.
The last thing you need to be doing is looking over your shoulder!
This is why I have thought very carefully about curating a shortlist of the best gay honeymoon destinations that are absolutely spectacular and safe for gay couples.
I want to share beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime destinations where you can openly be yourselves and enjoy the first few weeks of married life together.
I have personally been to each of the below places and am always happy to chat on Instagram if you have any questions (@theglobetrotterguys).
Let’s get into my shortlist of the best gay honeymoon destinations.
In a rush? Best Gay Honeymoon Destinations by Travel Style”
- Best for luxury: Aruba / Mykonos
- Best for beaches: Aruba / Philippines / Bermuda
- Best for adventure: South Africa
- Best for overall inclusivity: Spain
- Best Hidden Gem: Little Corn Island
Best Gay Honeymoon Destinations
Philippines
Starting of my gay honeymoon destination shortlist strong, the Philippines is nothing short of spectacular.
The Philippines is a collection of islands in South East Asia in the Philippine Sea, and the number keeps growing.
The current count by the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority is 7,641 islands in total!
Expect to find stunning beaches, perfect turquoise waters for scuba diving, lots of islands to explore, and a great mix of adventure and relaxation.
I spent three weeks in the Philippines – one week on the island of Cebu (Mactan Island), one week in Palawan (El Nido ‘winner of the most beautiful place on earth’) and one week in Boracay.
I stayed in 4/5* hotels across all the islands, which were very reasonable at c.$100–$200 per night. I felt welcome at every hotel and never once felt self-conscious as a gay traveller.
To top it all off, the Philippines has been ranked as one of the most gay-friendly places in Asia!
For more on the Philippines head over to my Complete Gay Travel Guide to the Philippines.
South Africa
South Africa would be my next choice without a doubt; in fact it is my all-time favourite destination.
In South Africa (specifically Cape Town and the Garden Route), you are guaranteed to be wowed by something every single day.
Expect the most stunning and diverse landscapes including Table Mountain, beautiful beaches, amazing wildlife on safari, hundreds of penguins at Boulders Beach (near Cape Town), and for the brave — great white sharks if you go cage diving!
For a gay honeymoon, if you are anything like me, you will be looking for luxury – South Africa delivers some of the most luxurious hotels and restaurants I have ever experienced.
It’s also good to know that without exaggeration, for me coming from the UK, some of these luxury hotels were the same price as a basic UK Holiday Inn!
In terms of food and restaurants for a romantic evening during your gay honeymoon, again South Africa has some of the best I have ever experienced – the fine dining options are out of this world and the wine (South Africa is well known for its wine) simply amazing.
Looking at South Africa from an LGBTQ lens, it was the 5th country in the world to legalise gay marriage and is miles ahead compared to many other developed countries – you can rest assured you are welcome.
I lived in South Africa for 3 months in total and have many blogs on every topic imaginable – for everything you could possibly ever. Personally I would start with my complete gay guide to Cape Town.
Spain
South Africa may be my favourite place to travel to but Spain has my heart.
I lived in Madrid for 8 months and during that time got to experience many places all over Spain. It is my go-to destination.
Whether you are looking for vibrant and exciting cities like Madrid, a mix of city and beaches such as Barcelona, or a complete luxury beach escape in the likes of Marbella, Spain has a lot to offer for LGBTQ+ honeymoons.
Not only is the country stunning, the culture feels so relaxed, open and inclusive. I have never once felt stared at or even noticed for being a gay person – it’s so common and open, you can truly let your guard down and relax.
If you were to do a two-week gay honeymoon, I would suggest 3–4 days in Madrid before heading to Barcelona again for 3–4 days where you can see the city and experience the gay beach before heading further down the coast to quieter places like Marbella.
If you have time, Seville is another city that is stunning and statistically the sunniest place in Europe!
Head to my Top 10 Gay Destinations in Spain for more.
Aruba
The epitomy of a beautiful Caribbean island, with white sand beaches and crystal clear waters.
When it comes to gay travel and gay honeymoon destinations in the Caribbean, Aruba is leaps and bounds ahead.
The island is a self-governing country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and it is the influence from the Netherlands that has helped advance LGBTQ+ rights here.
Honestly, the island is beautiful, has awards winning beaches, delectable food and plenty of activities to do (if lying on a perfect beach gets too tiresome!).
I have a full gay travel guide to Aruba to help you plan.
Bermuda
If you are looking for a gay honeymoon destination where you can completely switch off, go slow and fall into a state of tranquility, then take a look at Bermuda.
To stay on Bermuda, take a look at the beautiful boutique Rosedon Hotel. This hotel is queer run and a supporter of Bermuda Pride, making it the obvious choice for any gay travellers coming to Bermuda.
Bermuda is known for its stunning beaches with pink hued sands and plenty of snorkelling and diving opportunities – if you want a romantic escape quite literally in the middle of nowhere, take a look at Bermuda.
Read my full Gay Bermuda Travel Guide for more.
Greece – Mykonos and Beyond
Greece is iconic and often conjures images of beautiful blue-domed, white-washed buildings on the islands of Santorini and Ios, and similarly iconic blue and white streets of Mykonos.
Starting with Mykonos, this is the gay hotspot of Greece without a doubt. It is trendy, expensive, luxurious and beautiful – very fitting for a gay honeymoon.
I spent a week here and fell in love with the island. The water is crystal clear, there are many gay beaches to relax at and some very stylish beach clubs to sit around the pool and enjoy cocktails.
In terms of food and restaurants, it has so much to offer. Some restaurants on the coast have the ocean lapping right up to the edge of the dining area – try and get a seat at one of these for a romantic sunset meal.
If you want to travel somewhere in Greece with less of a ‘scene’, then Ios, Paros, Naxos and Santorini are all beautiful Greek islands with pretty towns that are sure to make you feel romantic.
And finally, if you are looking for an exciting city with tonnes of history, art and culture, Athens has a lot to offer in that department.
Head over to see my Top 5 Gay Travel Destinations in Greece for more inspiration.
Little Corn Island – Nicaragua
If, like me, you like to break from the norms and surprise people with your next destination, then Little Corn Island, Nicaragua might be for you.
For me, this is the definition of a hidden gem that to this day not too many people have heard about.
The best way to describe the Corn Islands would be to take Jamaica before tourism arrived – the Corn Islands are still pristine and when I was there, I had a whole perfect white sand beach to myself.
The Corn Islands comprise Big Corn and Little Corn. Big Corn has a lot to offer (read more here), however for a honeymoon I would focus on Little Corn.
Little Corn can be reached by boat from Big Corn, it has no vehicles on the island and truly is a hidden paradise.
Simply walk into the sea, put your head under and you will be met by an array of spectacular marine life.
Specifically for your gay honeymoon there is only one place to stay: Yemaya Reefs (previously Yemaya Island Hideaway and Spa). This is a 5* luxury property, the food is out of this world, it has a professional spa on site and the rooms are incredible (make sure you get a plunge pool).
If you want a unique gay honeymoon away from the world, this is it.
For more on the Corn Islands, read my Guide to the Corn Islands, Nicaragua.
French Polynesia
All the gay honeymoon destinations I have featured so far have been ones that I have personally travelled to – however I wanted to add one more than I am drawn to, maybe one for me for the future.
French Polynesia, especially places like Tahiti have a long history of excellent LGBTQ+ rights and social attitudes, especially when it comes to gender. It sounds like one of those places that has managed to avoid negative outside influences and has always been, and continues to be safe haven.
Combine that with what looks to be some of the most idyllic scenes of paradise, and the appeal is easy to see.
Best Time to Visit These Gay Honeymoon Destinations
For the best time to visit each of these gay honeymoon destinations:
- Philippines – best Dec–May
- South Africa – May – Sept
- Spain – May – Sept
- Aruba – Jan – Mar
- Bermuda – May–Oct
- Greece – May–Sept
- Little Corn Island – Feb – Apr
I hope that you have found this gay honeymoon destinations shortlist inspiring and exciting! If you want to talk through any ideas let me know!
I wish you a happy gay honeymoon!