Beach, city or both? Choosing the honeymoon that fits you

After months of wedding planning, the honeymoon should be the easy part. It's simpler when you agree on the feel of the trip before you pick the place.

Start with three questions

• After the wedding, do you want to do nothing at all, or be out exploring?
• Is a long flight worth it for somewhere truly special, or would you rather land and relax?
• Which matters more: the room, or what's outside the door?

If you both want to switch off

Island resorts in the Maldives, Mauritius, the Caribbean or French Polynesia are made for this. Look at how you'll get from the airport to the island, because a seaplane connection can shape your flight times.

If you're explorers

Japan, Italy and Portugal combine food, culture and easy trains. Plan a gentle pace with two or three bases rather than a new hotel every night.

The best of both

Many of our favourite honeymoons are split: four nights in a city, then a week on a beach. Tokyo then Okinawa, Rome then the Amalfi Coast, Singapore then Bali. One ticket can cover the whole route.

A note from our planners

Tell the hotel it's your honeymoon when we book. It costs nothing, and sometimes there's a nice surprise in the room.