Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Newlyweds aren’t choosing between minimoon or big-moon—they’re taking both, carving out a breather right after the pheras and saving the long, indulgent blowout for later. Travel platform Thrillophilia’s latest report notes an 18% YoY jump in short, experience-driven escapes, hinting at how Indian couples are redesigning romance with precision-planned pauses.
International honeymoons have surged 41% YoY, with couples choosing Bali, Thailand, Dubai–Abu Dhabi, and even Turkey as their new love-scapes. Experts say easier visas and swelling disposable incomes have turned global travel into a shared love language—and passports into relationship scrapbooks.
Bali quietly dethrones the Maldives with 21% of newlyweds stamping their first marital memory on the island’s emerald cliffs. Travel analysts say the shift reflects a growing appetite for culture-rich, spiritually charged getaways over purely luxe, overwater clichés.
Kerala dominates domestic honeymoons at 18%, pulling couples into its lagoon-lit calm. From heritage courtyard stays to private backwater cruises, planners say the state’s “slow-life seduction” is becoming the antidote to wedding-week burnout.
Meghalaya’s rain-kissed valleys, Coorg’s coffee-scented quiet, and Himachal’s pine-wrapped chalets are rising as silent stars. Travel researchers point to a growing demand for privacy, digital detoxing, and landscapes that feel like a soft landing after months of shaadi chaos.
Couples are shelling out about ₹1.05 lakh on domestic and ₹2.45 lakh on international honeymoons—and 17% are doing it on EMIs or pay-later plans. Financial planners say this reflects a cultural shift: experiences over savings, moments over math.
According to Thrillophilia’s co-founder Abhishek Daga, the “Europe checklist” is out. Today’s honeymooners crave slow luxury—private villas, heritage stays, sunset cruises, and wellness resets. It’s romance curated like a mood board rather than a city-hop marathon.
Winter couples are flocking to Switzerland and Lapland for chalet coziness and glass-igloo nights where stargazing becomes a shared ritual. Travel experts say the rise of “snowmance” is tied to social-media-driven aesthetics—and the irresistible lure of warmth in a frozen world.
Cappadocia, Wadi Rum, and Sri Lanka are catching newlyweds’ attention with desert sunsets, balloon-brushed skies, and coastal calm. Planners say these spots offer an emerging sweet spot: exotic visuals, intimate silences, and just the right amount of adventure.