Best Honeymoon Destinations in South Africa

Planning your Honeymoon? – Where to go in South Africa

To some degree “best honeymoon destinations” in South Africa is a misnomer. Why should people want to go to a different sort of hotel or destination, just because they are on a honeymoon?

If lazing on a golden beach for more than an hour leaves you pacing up and down the sand, then a straight beach honeymoon is not going to cut it for you.

Unlike many other African or Indian Ocean destinations, there are many different types of honeymoons to enjoy in South Africa, and that’s what this post is all about…

Best Honeymoon Safaris – Sand & Safari

So as we’ve mentioned in our honeymoon pages, South Africa does lend itself to bush and beach honeymoons. Pristine beaches can be combined with some truly romantic and top-class game reserves such as Phinda Rock Lodge or Thanda Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu Natal.

However ocean-front hotels in South Africa are surprisingly uncommon, apart from these.
Check out some of our favourite beach honeymoon destinations:

• The Bay, Camps Bay, Cape Town,
• The Twelve Apostles, Cape Town
• The Birkenhead, Hermanus
• Robberg Beach Lodge, Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route
• The Plettenberg, Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route
• GweGwe Beach lodge, Wild Coast
• Sala Beach House, Dolphin Coast, KZN
• Oyster Box Hotel, Dolphin Coast, KwaZulu Natal
• Thonga Beach Lodge, KwaZulu Natal

Romantic Game lodges:

Best African Honeymoons in the Lakes and Mountains

If your spirit is soothed more by glorious scenery than by burning shores, then your honeymoon will be less constrained by seasonal factors. Lodges in areas that get cold in winter such as the Drakensberg Mountains will have roaring log fires, frequently in guest bedrooms as well. Similarly, in summer you can bathe in rock pools and mountain streams.

Some hotels and country lodges have risen to the challenge of providing cuisine so delicious that you’ll hike for miles just to be able to fit in all the courses!
Here is some of our favourite:

• Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse, Drakensberg Mountains
• Hartford House, Drakensberg Mountains
• Grootbos Forest Lodge, Hermanus
• Cedarberg Ridge Wilderness Lodge, Cederberg

Best Honeymoon Destinations in South Africa – for Gourmet Food and Wine

The Cape Winelands is a tranquil and romantic end to any African honeymoon. Stay on a wine estate for glorious mountain views. Or stay in one of the picturesque towns so that you can sample different restaurants on foot. The pleasure of this honeymoon is the enjoyment of the good life: appreciating the wine and the unique Cape architecture; savoring long, lazy meals at one of the many excellent bistros; debating the merits of the latest award-winning vintages; or browsing in the craft studios and art galleries. In addition, Cape Town is less than an hour’s drive away if bright lights beckon…

Romantic hideaways in Cape Town and the Winelands

• Kensington Place, City Bowl, Cape Town
• Clarendon Fresnaye, Atlantic Coast, Cape Town
• Tintswalo Atlantic, near Hout Bay, Cape Town

• Babylonstoren, close to Franschhoek and Stellenbosch
• Avondrood Guesthouse, Franschhoek, Cape Winelands
• Oude Werf in Stellenbosch

Best Honeymoon Destinations in South Africa:  For Starstruck but Mismatched couples

What is the honeymoon solution for those times when your needs and expectations are poles apart? Honeymoons need to have enough variety to keep both of you delighted and a South African honeymoon offers plenty of scopes. It might mean a little give and take so that your desire for big game fishing is assuaged before, or after, your partner gets to indulge their passion for shopping and galleries. Rather it might mean that we find one place that has a wide variety of appeal.

Some combinations work really well. A sample honeymoon safari would be our Cape Town, Botswana & Victoria Falls safari. This gives you wildlife and adventure in Botswana, stunning natural scenery, and watery adventure sports at Victoria Falls, as well as the cosmopolitan buzz and charm of Cape Town.

Another answer for divergent honeymooners lies in choosing a romantic resort or lodge that meets differing needs.

• So if you enjoy horse-riding, botany, beach and whale-watching, consider Grootbos Forest Lodge, near Hermanus.
• Similarly for hiking and equally serious pampering, look no further than Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve.
• Finally if you are a keen golfer and want top class spa facilities, check out Fancourt Manor House in the Garden Route.

Tailor-made honeymoon options in South Africa

Finally, it is also important to remember that we can tailor-make the perfect honeymoon for you. We can start from scratch, or work off an existing tour… your choice! And if you have absolutely no idea what you actually want, then you have most certainly come to the right place.

Check out these sample itineraries:

Best Honeymoon Destinations in South Africa – was written by Kate of Cedarberg Africa

Cedarberg Africa is a specialist tour operator for Southern and East Africa. We focus on upmarket tailormade safaris for discerning and busy people. We make our money on the difference between our trade rates and the rates that are available to you, so that means that effectively all our years of experience and expertise comes free of charge…