Iceland, Kenya, Maldives: there’s no shortage of destinations you lovebirds can fly to from one of Scotland’s runways
1. Abu Dhabi
“Gone are the days when Abu Dhabi was just a stopover en route to the Far East,” states Fiona Clarke of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture. “Today, it is a must-see city in its own right, regularly surprising visitors with its astonishing diversity.” A seven-hour flight direct from Edinburgh will take you to a land of powder-white beaches, skyscrapers and cultural wonders, such as the gleaming Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
NEED TO KNOW Two packages are available from Etihad Holidays: either five nights at the St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, from £899pp, or the same duration at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, from £1,020pp.
2. Gili Lankanfushi, Maldives
It feels like a world away, but you could find yourselves at the sumptuous Gili Lankanfushi in under a day’s travel from Glasgow (via Dubai). We’re longing to dip our toes into the emerald waters and be spoiled by a personal ‘Mr Friday’ as we explore the eco resort.
NEED TO KNOW For around £2,648 for two, you can nab four nights for the price of three in September, including breakfast and half-board meals.
3. Lefay Resort & Spa, Lake Garda
Hop on the plane at Edinburgh Airport, switch flights in Amsterdam and before you know it you’ll arrive in fair Verona, the setting of Romeo and Juliet. But before you cop a feel of the Capulet beauty’s statue (for luck, of course), head to nearby Lake Garda for a contemplative and restorative wellness honeymoon at the Lefay Resort & Spa.
NEED TO KNOW Health and Fitness Travel has put on a tempting five-night package at the Lefay from £1,495pp, which includes breakfast, a choice of programmes (select from a range of outdoor workouts and personal training, such as total body sculpting and yoga), return flights and transfers.
4. Mondrian Doha, Qatar
Now that’s a ceiling! The Mondrian Doha certainly lives up to its namesake, with bold, graphic décor the directional artist would have been proud of. What’s more, in May, Qatar Airways is launching a brand new non-stop flight between its capital city and ours.
NEED TO KNOW The hotel is within easy access to the Pearl, Lusail City, West Bay, Al Dafna and Hamad International Airport (a half-hour taxi will take you right to the door). Rooms start at around £149 per night and flights take seven hours.
5. River Kwai, Thailand
It’s hard to believe this freshwater scene was captured in Thailand, but the country has much more to offer than bucket-list beaches. Vivid Travel can send you and your other half on a trip down the River Kwai and then out into the countryside to visit coffee plantations and an elephant sanctuary, where you can get close to the majestic creatures.
NEED TO KNOW Flying from Glasgow to Bangkok with Emirates (via Dubai), expect to pay from £4,454pp for accommodation for 19 days, two tours of Bangkok (one by boat), the elephant sanctuary visit, a sunset cruise and more.
6. Hemingways Watamu, Kenya
Glorious five-star boutique hotel Hemingways Watamu has been treated to an extensive makeover lately and can be used as a base to get to know the surrounding Watamu Marine National Park.
NEED TO KNOW Fly with Turkish Airlines from Edinburgh to Istanbul for four hours and jump on a connection to Nairobi for a further six hours.
7. Deplar Farm, Iceland
Sometimes, you just need to get away from everyone and everything. Eleven (the travel agency, not the telekinetic heroine from Stranger Things) has your back. Honeymoons don’t come more remote than a trip to Deplar, a converted sheep farm in the Flijot valley near the frosty Arctic Circle, where you can marvel at the Northern Lights from the lodge’s geothermally heated outdoor pool.
NEED TO KNOW Rates at Deplar Farm start at £1,915 per room per night and cover full guide service, pre-arrival planning, meals and round-trip transfers to Akureyri Airport. You can fly from Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen to Reykjavik in under three hours and then onto Akureyri in 45 minutes.
8. Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Wellness Resort, Mauritius
A full 16 hours in the air sounds punishing, but with a junior suite at the beguiling Heritage Le Telfair in Mauritius waiting for you at the other end, who cares about the journey?
NEED TO KNOW Kuoni will hook you up with a seven-night stay at this haven in the Indian Ocean, complete with Emirates flights from Glasgow (via Dubai) and resort transfers for around £1,900pp.
9. Sandals Royal Barbados
Start your journey by flying from Edinburgh to New York in under eight hours. Once there, you’ll board a plane to Bridgetown for another five hours, by which point you will have touched down in the Caribbean island and be well on your way to Sandals Royal Barbados, a new all-inclusive resort on Dover Beach, St Lawrence Gap.
NEED TO KNOW For seven nights later in the year, it will cost from around £2,602pp for a Royal Seaside Crystal Lagoon Oceanview Butler suite with a Balcony Tranquillity soaking tub.
10. Seychelles
Imagine getting this bird’s-eye view of the Seychelles. Talk about speechless. It calls to mind the tropical Tracy Island (and, incidentally, the Thunderbirds film was shot on location here) and is a sanctuary for flora and fauna.
NEED TO KNOW A number of airlines fly from Scotland to the Seychelles – try Emirates, Etihad Airways and Turkish Airlines – typically stopping over in Dubai and taking roughly ten hours’ travel time.
11. Rendezvous, St Lucia
The Caribbean island of St Lucia has plenty to lure you in: stunning beaches, rainforest trails, reef-diving sites and a truly memorable place to stay: the luxe Rendezvous, an all-inclusive, couples-only boutique resort.
NEED TO KNOW Travelling to St Lucia from Edinburgh requires a change at New York, with the next and final stage taking around four hours. A seven-night stay costs roughly £982pp for a Premium Garden View room, looking out on the lush tropical grounds.
12. Gennadi Grand Resort, Rhodes
Take a four-hour direct flight from Glasgow to the historic Greek island of Rhodes and stay at the soon-to-be-finished Gennadi Grand Resort, an eco-friendly five-star hotel on a secluded stretch of coastline. Once a fishing village, the area is off the beaten track and retains its laid-back charm.
NEED TO KNOW For a seven-night honeymoon, Planet Holidays’ packages begin at £1,611, based on two adults staying in a double room on a B&B basis, with return flights from Glasgow.