How to plan the perfect honeymoon
This month Arabian Travel News challenges two agents from tour operator Holiday Factory in Dubai to the task of planning out the perfect honeymoon
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Abeer Ahmed, operation manager, Holiday Factory
Abeer suggests a beautiful Bavarian honeymoon at the InterContinental Berchtesgaden Hotel — the jewel of the German Alps
Day 1:
Arrival Salzburg
Meet and greet at Salzburg Airport and transfer to the InterContinental Berchtesgaden Hotel. Welcome drink upon arrival and check-in. The guests will receive a cake and flowers in their room. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2:
Relaxing massage
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel followed by a massage for two at the hotel SPA.
Day 3:
Berchtesgaden
Breakfast at the hotel. After a free day of leisure, enjoy a candle-lit dinner for two at the hotel restaurant.
Day 4:
Eagles Nest
Head off to visit the famous ‘Eagle’s Nest’, located 1,834 m above sea level and 800 meters above the Obersalzberg, this is the nickname given by the American occupying forces of 1945 to Hitler’s lodge. It was given to him for his 50th birthday as a teahouse for diplomats and During World War II remained untouchable. Since 1952 the Eagle’s Nest has been open to the public with a restaurant offering a beautiful view. It is accessible only by special mountain bus from Obersalzberg (open from mid-May until October). If Eagle’s Nest is closed a visit of the memorial World War II site of Obersalberg
is included.
Day 5:
Lake Koenigssee
Depart Berchtesgaden for a visit to Lake Koenigssee which is surrounded by towering rock faces. Koenigssee resembles a fjord set in the Bavarian Alps. Take a boat trip along the lake (around one hour) and visit the St. Bartholomä peninsula to admire the natural beauty of the surroundings while walking on the island.
Day 6:
Berchtesgaden – Salzburg
Have breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Transfer to Salzburg for your flight home.
Price:
AED 9,730 per person in twin-sharing; including flights on Austrian Airlines, airport transfers; cake, flowers and drink in the room on day one; massage for two; dinner for two; and all tours mentioned. Offer subject to availability at the time of booking.
Contact: HOLIDAY FACTORY + 971 4 701 4006 www.holiday-factory.com
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Ahmed Sabra, tour consultant, Holiday Factory
Ahmed plans a honeymoon in India taking in Cochin, Mummar and Kumarakom including a romantic night on the backwaters in a houseboat
Day 1:
Arrive Cochin
Arrive Cochin International airport. Meet and assist at airport and drive to the hotel. In the afternoon take a sightseeing tour of Cochin, taking in the Dutch Palace where scrolls of the Old Testament and copper plates inscribed in Hebrew script are preserved, St. Francis Church (1510) where Vasco da Gama was buried in 1524, the Dutch Cemetery, the Chinese fishing nets at the entrance of Cochin Harbor and Willingdon Island.
Day 2:
Cochin-Munnar After breakfast drive to Munnar (about five hours away), one of the most popular hill stations in India. The hills are at an altitude of 5000 - 8000 feet above sea level and are situated at the confluence of three mountain streams — Mudrapuzha, Nallathani and Kundala. Sprawling tea plantations, picture book towns, winding lanes and holiday facilities make this a popular resort town. Check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 3:
Munnar
After breakfast, visit the Tea Museum. Then it’s on to Mattupetty Lake, a beautiful picnic spot. Enjoy boating in the lake, taking in the mountains and landscapes. Head to Echo Point, famous for the natural echo phenomenon then to Top Station offering marvellous views of Munnar valley below.
Day 4:
Munnar – Kumarakom
Leave for Kumarakom (approx 180 kms/ 3.3 hours). The village is a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake. This small water world is part of the Kuttanad region. The bird sanctuary, spread across 14 acres is a favourite haunt of migratory birds and an ornithologist’s paradise. Egrets, darters, herons, teal, waterfowl, cuckoo and wild duck are a fascination for visitors. The best way to watch the birds is a boat trip round the islands.
Day 5:
Kumarakom
Enjoy a Kerala Ayurvedic massage or spa treatments.
Day 6:
Houseboat
The traditional ‘Kettuvallam’, is a boat reincarnated as your floating ‘home-away-from-home.’ A bamboo thatched canopy sets the ambience for a river cruise that will make you want time to stand still. Nestled underneath this canopy lies a complete home-unit, giving you all the comforts of modern living in a truly ethnic setting. There’s even an elegant en-suite bathroom which uses bio-septic plumbing, so you can be sure of a pollution-free environment.
Day 7:
Depart
Wake up to the smell of freshly brewed tea from the kitchenette; and watch your personal chef cook breakfast. Disembark at Alleppey jetty and transfer to Cochin Airport (approx 100 kms/1.5 hours) for the flight home.
Price:
AED 3,290 per person on a Twin Sharing basis — including return flights with Qatar Airways, accommodation, daily breakfast, transfers, local English-speaking guide in Cochin and government service tax.
Contact: HOLIDAY FACTORY + 971 4 701 4006 /holiday-factory.com