Daily Press (Sunday)

Top places for far-off weddings, honeymoons

- By Juan Antonio Osecuera TravelPuls­e

If there’s a wedding in your future, there are many decisions to make. Have you already decided on the dress, the banquet place and the party list? If you are in the middle of all these details, it’s also a time to dream about what comes next: the honeymoon.

When planning a wedding, picking a location is probably high up on the priority list. Consider these destinatio­ns that received a Travvy Award for 2022.

Jamaica: Make it official with a destinatio­n wedding in this Caribbean country. Then make it unforgetta­ble with a romantic honeymoon that starts immediatel­y after the ceremony.

There is little doubt that Jamaica has captured the hearts and minds of travelers across the globe. Rich cultural heritage, warm, friendly people, outstandin­g gastronomy, riveting sounds of the one-drop reggae beat, world-class athletics, and beautiful land and seascapes are just a few of the things that come to mind.

To fully experience Jamaica is to know the intimate spaces of the island; it is to taste the delicious land crab steamed with escallion, thyme, pimentos and pepper served with corn and coconut bits that have been sold along Heroes Circle for generation­s. It is to be delighted by the artistic re-awakening of downtown Kingston. It is to recognize the people’s essence, laughter and cries. The story begins in the capital city of Kingston, the cultural and entertainm­ent mecca and, indeed, the island’s heartbeat.

Aruba: Celebrate your love on a peaceful, romantic and blissful island. Getting married in Aruba is an experience like none other.

There are endless venues and plenty of fun and romantic ways to experience the island. Whether looking for romantic strolls on the beach, eating by candleligh­t at a beachfront dinner, discoverin­g Aruba’s natural beauty or going on an adventure for two, couples can craft an unforgetta­ble time together on the “One Happy Island.”

Every year, Aruba receives hundreds of inquiries about getting married on the island. Whether you tie the knot on the beach, during a private sunset cruise or at a lush tropical garden, getting married in Aruba is a beautiful way to add exotic romance to your wedding day. Many properties on the island have complete banquet facilities for your reception, and many of Aruba’s fine restaurant­s offer elegant private rooms for special occasions.

Costa Rica: Every couple has dreams of walking hand-in-hand along a perfect paradise of a beach, feeling the soft sand between their toes as the nearby ocean sets the tone for romance. Costa Rica’s multicolor­ed beaches are the perfect wedding scenery under the sun.

Many memories are to be made: the underwater world and diving experience, sailing, kayaking, fishing, golfing and natural reserves filled with lush greenery. The passion and romance are hidden in the beautiful sunsets.

Riviera Maya: This area of Mexico is a paradise of abundant nature, diversity of flora and fauna, and lush jungle that surrounds the entire destinatio­n, making it perfect for enjoying many eco-tourist activities for those who want to celebrate their wedding.

The beaches of the Riviera Maya are the most popular — beaches of fine white sand, turquoise blue waters and large coconut palms.

Saint Lucia: Equal parts beauty and mystique, Saint Lucia captivates anyone who sets foot on her coastline. Always evocative, she welcomes visitors with her soothing waves, warm beaches and hospitable people. The island personifie­s adventure and inspiratio­n as the only sovereign nation to be named for a woman. Her visitors invariably find themselves reluctant to leave and eager to return.

Imagine yourself walking on the beaches and luxuriatin­g in your honeymoon. Soak in the volcanic mud baths of Soufriere, zipline through lush rainforest­s, indulge in authentic island food, club-hop on the Rodney Bay strip and ride ATVs through the countrysid­e.

Cancun: This city in Mexico is recognized worldwide for its spectacula­r beaches of fine white sand, its turquoise blue sea and unusual weather, as well as excellent air and land connectivi­ty and a first-class hotel infrastruc­ture that places it as one of the best destinatio­ns for tourists in the world thanks to everything it offers to its visitors: outdoor activities, adventure tourism, archaeolog­ical sites, Mayan culture and history, a variety of gastronomi­c experience­s, spectacula­r shopping centers and seductive entertainm­ent offers. Cancun is the perfect place to enjoy your new spouse’s company and chill out after the stress of planning a wedding and have a lovely honeymoon.

 ?? LAWRENCE WESLOWSKI JR./DREAMSTIME ?? The blue waters of the Caribbean Sea can be seen in the distance at the Couples Negril resort in Negril, Jamaica.
LAWRENCE WESLOWSKI JR./DREAMSTIME The blue waters of the Caribbean Sea can be seen in the distance at the Couples Negril resort in Negril, Jamaica.

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