A Real Couple’s Guide to Honeymooning in the Bahamas
When there’s a wedding to plan, it’s easy to get lost in the checklist mentality (there are quite a few to-dos, after all), but don’t forget that once all is said and done, the honeymoon will be your chance to get away and celebrate the true purpose behind all of this wedding planning madness: your marriage. If you could create a romantic tropical getaway, it would most likely include toting a fun beach bag to a variety of warm-weather activities (sunbathing counts!) and indulging in authentic cultural cuisine. Oh, and maybe sipping a pretty flower cocktail when you first arrive. As you plan your first trip as a married couple, the details are so important to keep in mind. We talked with Christine and Colton Rainey, a real-life couple who shared their tips and tricks with us on how to have the perfect Bahamas honeymoon.
WHERE TO STAY
“We really wanted to go to an all-inclusive beach destination. We had some friends that had been to the Bahamas and had highly recommended it. We stayed at the Sandals Royal Bahamian, and now I recommend this resort to everyone. We absolutely loved it! In addition to their main resort, they have a private island that you can take a boat to every hour. We were there for a week, and we loved the peacefulness of the private island and spent a lot of time there. We were not disappointed!
PLACES TO GO
“During our honeymoon stay, we seriously RELAXED. We enjoyed lying on the beach, playing beach and pool games, paddle boarding, eating and not worrying about anything! The hotel had a lot of activities throughout the day (think: bingo, trivia, water volleyball, sand volleyball, etc). We tried to do as many of the hotel activities as possible, but also spent a lot of time on the beach, went paddle-boarding, shopped in town, went on a bubble sub excursion and ate lots of great food! If I had to pick our three favorite activities, it would probably be shopping in town and being immersed in local culture, relaxing on the beach and our nightly dinner dates.’’
THINGS TO EAT + DRINK
“The hotel was all-inclusive, so we ate most of our meals on-site. We tried conch for the first time to experience some local cuisine, but my favorite meal of the trip was lobster ravioli at one of the hotel restaurants. Three years later, we still talk about that meal!
In terms of cocktails, anything tropical was delicious. Vodka pineapple is usually my go-to, but there’s something relaxing about a fruity, frozen drink on the beach, so rest assured that we drank lots of daiquiris and piña coladas!”
TRAVEL TIPS + TRICKS
1. Visit the Atlantis Hotel, go to the beach as much as you can and take the bus into town. “We spent the majority of our honeymoon on-site at our hotel because there was so much to do there. If you and your significant other are planning a trip, I would say you definitely have to see the Atlantis Hotel. It’s so impressive!! We didn’t spend too much time there, but it was cool to see. Another must-do if you plan on honeymooning in the Bahamas: Take advantage of the beautiful beaches and fish. We did a bubble sub/snorkeling excursion and it was amazing to see all of the colorful fish and wildlife! Last, I would recommend taking the local bus into town.”
2. Book your vacation through the resort’s website. “We went through the Sandals website. My husband is in the Navy so we didn’t have much notice for our honeymoon. We had the entire thing planned out [so we’d be ready], and once we found out when we were able to have a week off, we booked the trip — a week before we left!”
3. Enjoy yourselves! “We made so many good memories on this trip! I loved getting to spend an entire week uninterrupted with my husband. Our favorite thing was to lay on the beach, listen to the waves and read a book. Oh, and I won the “super wife” competition one night!”
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(Photos via Christine and Colton Rainey)