HONEYMOON HOTSPOTS
Stylish Kiwis on the best destinations
KAREN INDERBITZEN-WALLER AND DELPHINE AVRIL PLANQUEEL
Karen, a photographer, and Delphine, a model, married at Las Vegas Strip Club, Auckland, on 28 May, 2009.
Where did you honeymoon?
Karen: Crete, Greece. We were on our annual trip to France and decided to finally take our honeymoon – we’ve always wanted to go to Greece. Crete looked more remote and quiet than Santorini and Mykonos. Where did you stay? In a white palace on a cliff top above the sea with a private beach. What was the best thing you did there? We drove to the opposite coast via a monastery, passing black-scarfed women tending the olive groves, sampling the best beach-grown bananas, and fighting off crazy goats trying to attack the rental car.
What did you wear? Tigerlily swimwear,
Petit Bateau T-shirts and singlets with Zambesi shorts, Levi’s cut-offs and Repetto shoes – easy stuff in nice, comfortable fabrics. What was the most memorable meal? A barbecue of seafood by the sea with all the Greek touches, and of course Greek salad. What souvenir did you came home with? Greek honey and mountain flower tea, all of which was consumed on our return to Paris.
What’s your favourite memory? Enjoying ouzo on the rooftop every evening, looking out to the Mediterranean and making friends with Austrian bikers.
What’s the stupidest thing you fought about? Whether to go poolside or beachside – it’s a good break from reality when your only daily dispute is of this nature!
If you had a second honeymoon, where would you go? Somewhere in Greece or Portugal, or coastal Italy.
EMMA CRUICKSHANK AND DAN GOSLING
Emma, a PR director and Dan, director of Stolen Girlfriends Club, married at Musket Cove, Fiji, on 6 June, 2009.
Where did you honeymoon?
Emma: Tokyo, London, Paris, Barcelona and San Francisco. I had always wanted to go to Tokyo so that was a no-brainer, Dan had never been to Paris and we were fascinated with Gaudi so we thought we would slot a couple of extra stops in between.
Where did you stay? The Claska in Japan, The Clift in San Francisco, The Boundary in London, Hôtel Thérèse in Paris and Banys Orientals in Barcelona.
What was highlight? Visiting all the Gaudi architecture in Barcelona, and spending a day in Harajuku, Tokyo, was fascinating. What was the most memorable meal?
The ramen places we visited in Tokyo and the Claska breakfasts were amazing – I loved the house-made banana jam on toast.
What’s your favourite memory? A day in Paris where we walked from about 8am until late at night, visiting museums, having a long lunch and standing under the Eiffel Tower. What’s the stupidest thing you fought about? Directions in Tokyo – the public transport systems are confusing!
Were there any cheesy upgrades? Dan mentioned it was our honeymoon when booking and all our rooms were amazing. Where would you go on a second honeymoon? Berlin or Croatia.
What advice would you give honeymooners? Plan ahead so you don’t waste a day. I usually go with the flow but because we were visiting so many places we had a pretty good plan.
From gallivanting in Greece to skinny-dipping off Great Barrier Island, we revisit the honeymoon stage with five fashionable couples
VICTORIA AND ANDREW HARVEY
Victoria, a stylist, and Andrew, a photographer, married at The French Café, Auckland, on 24 February, 1991.
Where did you honeymoon?
Victoria: Medlands Beach, Great Barrier Island. It’s our most favourite place.
Where did you stay? Our family bach.
What was the best thing you did there? Fished and collected seafood, ate like kings, swam, read and relaxed.
What did you wear? Not much.
What was the most memorable meal?
A red curry made with mussels we collected. What’s your favourite memory? Sipping Champagne on the beach at sunset, and skinny-dipping under a full moon.
Where would you go on a second honeymoon? This year is our 25th wedding anniversary, so we are planning a second honeymoon to Croatia, Italy and France. What advice would you give to other honeymooners? If you can’t afford an overseas trip, have a local break. There are so many amazing options in New Zealand.
MADELEINE HARMAN AND JONATHAN KEMPS
Harman Grubiša designer, Madeleine, and advertising executive, Jonathan, married at Thurlby Domain, Queenstown, on 13 December, 2013.
Where did you honeymoon?
Madeleine: Bora Bora, Tahiti – we wanted to go somewhere relaxing and warm
– then Queenstown.
Where did you stay? A wonderful resort that was less Westernised than others and really relaxing, which was great as we really wanted to unplug. We had a beachfront hut with a plunge pool, it was very lush! What was the best thing you did there? We took an outrigger all the way around the island and the sea life we saw was incredible. What was the most memorable meal? Sadly the food wasn’t too memorable, but by the time we left we had gone through every single cocktail on the list.
What’s your favourite memory? Lying in the hammock outside our hut in the evenings, reading and drinking G&Ts.
Were there any disasters? As we boarded the plane home Juno felt a bit off colour. By the time we arrived in Queenstown he had come down with Dengue fever and I spent the next two weeks alone at the dinner table. What’s your best honeymoon advice?
Have fun and throw caution to the wind! We called ours a ‘moneyhoon’.
CHRIS AND HELEN CHERRY
Designers, Workshop and Helen
Cherry, married at Highwic in Auckland on 15 February, 1992.
Where did you honeymoon?
Chris: Initially in Tonga at a very off-thebeaten track resort on Vava’u, but we ended up shifting to Fiji halfway through.
What made you choose this destination? The resort in Tonga was recommended by a photographer friend, however, it turned out that he had a very different interpretation of a ‘luxury island resort’ than us. We stuck it out for a few days before changing to Matamanoa in Fiji, where we got the tropical luxury we were looking for.
Where did you stay? We flew from Nuku’alofa to the outer island of Vava’u and then had a very long drive along a windy, bumpy dirt road. To say the resort was basic would be an understatement; it was essentially falling apart. The owner was constantly up a ladder fixing things. Not quite a tropical Fawlty Towers but close. What was the best thing you did there? Vava’u had the most spectacular snorkelling and diving; the most beautiful, lush, dense coral gardens I’ve ever seen.
What did you wear? As little as possible. Sun hats, sandals, swimsuits, sarongs.
What was the most memorable meal you had? I recall a feast of freshly caught and grilled seafood and tropical fruit.
What was your favourite memory? Snorkelling in the outer reefs of Vava’u amidst the most beautiful and remote tropical seascape. Quite surreal.
Where would you go on a second honeymoon? Somewhere in Italy we haven’t been to yet – maybe Venice, the Amalfi Coast or Capri. Helen has always wanted to sail from Croatia to Italy; that would be cool. What advice would you give to other honeymooners? Do your research before booking the resort!