5 Bespoke romantic destinations to celebrate your love

ZAMANDOSI CELE

WITH February being the month of love, celebrating love with your loved one has never been more important.

Celebrating your love and overcoming the challenges that come with relationships and marriage is pivotal to the longevity of your relationship. It’s important that you take the time out to appreciate your partner and rekindle your romance.

Here are five bespoke romantic destinations to celebrate your love this year.

andBeyond Benguerra Island, Mozambique

If you’re looking for a romantic island getaway, consider the private beaches of andBeyond Benguerra Island. This resort off the coast of Mozambique is perfect for honeymoons and for lovers seeking “privacy”.

Benguerra Island is a luxury beach holiday destination and an exquisite paradise boasting warm waters on the Indian Ocean.

It is within the protected marine reserve of the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park and blessed with marine life, idyllic beaches, inland freshwater lakes and towering sand dunes.

Lovers can disappear for a secluded afternoon romantic castaway picnic, a sunset dhow cruise where you can toast to your love, swimming on horseback or scuba diving at Two Mile Reef.

Consider a stay at andBeyond’s Cabana from $920 (about R17 000) a person a night, which is all-inclusive of accommodation and meals.

Lion Sands Game Reserve, Sabi Sand, South Africa

Imagine saying: “Love, pack your bags, we’re going to the Kruger National Park.” For the safari-lovers, Lion Sands Game Reserve is set on the banks of the Sabi River, and this luxurious resort comprises four lodges and two villas.

The reserve has three unique treehouses, Chalkley, Kingstone and Tinyeleti, which are lit by lanterns, candles, the stars and the moon, providing the perfect bush experience for lovers.

After viewing elephants and lions on an open jeep drive, enjoy traditional Boma dining, then settle in for the night, surrounded by the distant sounds of hippos, hyenas, leopards and lions. You can also enjoy a bush breakfast, dinner or riverbed dinner.

If relaxation is your thing, enjoy bush walks, yoga and spa treatments at the lodges. A stay at the Ivory Lodge Villa starts at R39 000 a person sharing a night.

THE Ion Luxury Adventure Hotel in Selfoss, Iceland. RIGHT: LION Sands Game Reserve is set on the banks of the Sabi River.

Aman Kyoto, Japan

Aman Kyoto is steeped in Japanese culture and this makes it the perfect getaway for a couple seeking an escape within a city setting.

According to Conde Nast Traveller, there’s no shortage of things to see and do in historic Kyoto, including Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, and the cherry blossom gardens that burst to life each spring. The Aman, set in the city’s northern suburbs, is surrounded by hilly woodland and criss-crossed by coursing streams and moss-covered paths and feels worlds away from everyday stresses.

You can enjoy the resort’s sublimely quiet, peaceful feel, exploring the forested slopes it shares with the nearby Kinkaku-ji Temple, or Temple of the Golden Pavilion, a protected Unesco site, and strolling the property’s lush garden, where camellias bloom in winter and azaleas arrive in summer.

Book meditation sessions with a zen Buddhist monk and the chance to dip into the mineral hot springs in the resort’s onsen bathing pools and you’ll find a thoughtful, almost unexpectedly romantic trip that allows you both the chance to relax and regroup on your own terms. A stay at the resort starts at 320 000 JPY (about R43 500) a night.

AMAN Kyoto is steeped in Japanese culture and history and a perfect getaway for the couple seeking a nature escape within a city setting.

Ion Luxury Adventure Hotel, Selfoss, Iceland

Although it’s less than an hour east of Reykjavík, Ion’s isolation makes it a popular first stop for international travellers doing bigger cross-country drives as well as for Reykjavíkers who want a peaceful, but action-filled weekend getaway.

It’s perfect for the adventure or thrill-seeking couple who likes activities such as fissure-diving and snorkelling at Silfra in Thingvellir National Park, where North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, or a glacier trek at Sólheimajökull.

Its privacy and seclusion also make it a perfectly romantic destination where couples can enjoy a thermal pool and relax and warm up before heading to the bar. The 46-room hotel has floor-to-ceiling windows, making it easy to view the Northern Lights. A stay here starts at ISK 52 700 (about R6 700) a night.

EASE into a state of bliss at La Residence in Franschhoek after a day of memorable explorations through the undulating Wine Country. | Instagram

TOAST to your love on the warm waters of the Indian Ocean at andBeyond Benguerra Island, Mozambique. The resort is perfect for lovers seeking privacy. | Instagram

La Residence, Franschhoek, South Africa

La Residence is the perfect place for oenophiles looking to discover the flavours of South African wine. Set in the charming and picturesque town of Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands, La Residence’s 30-acre wine estate is the perfect place to unwind with its swimming pools, spa restaurant, vineyards, and many private corners.

The farm produces its own wines named affectionately after members of the Biden family. You can try out the Nicole Charlotte Cabernet

Sauvignon, the Alexandra Frances Shiraz, and the Rosemary Jane Rosé.

Guests can also enjoy the many wine estates in and around Franschhoek with fabulous tasting rooms and restaurants or take the wine estates specially curated winetasting excursions and find yourself choosing between a wine tour by helicopter, by road, on horseback, by bike, or on foot.

A stay at a one bedroom Vineyard Suite starts from R16 000 a suite. The list was compiled according to Conde Nast Traveller’s Most Romantic Places to stay in the World.