Matt and I have been travelling together for a looooong time now. A very long time. The great thing about it is a lot of our travel memories are shared, so it’s easy to relive all the good times (and a few of the late-night fights, lost, on the way back to the hotel). It’s awesome being able to look at your partner and say, “Hey, remember that time we walked into the most expensive restaurant in Lisbon and were so broke we could only afford to order entrees and then got hauled up onto a stage to do a traditional dance in front of 100 rich people as we were discreetly trying to leave….” (that actually happened).
Long story short, travelling with your partner is awesome. When Matt and I travel together we like to have as much fun as possible. While spending a week at a gorgeous seaside resort is lovely, it’s important to us to be able to have FUN when we travel and we both tend to get a bit bored if we’re confined to a resort for too long. To help you and your sweetie have a fun time travelling together, here are 5 of my favourite travel destinations that are loads of fun and perfect for couples.
1. Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo pops up on a lot of my lists because I absolutely love the place and think everyone should visit. Tokyo is great for couples because it’s pretty much a big kids playground. You can spend the day smacking home runs at the Oslo Batting Cage, then pump up at the jam at Karaoke for 2 hours while they bring you beers and snacks. Presumably to keep you hydrated and energised. Gotta keep those energy levels up when you’re dropping sick rhymes.
Tokyo is open all hours of the night too, so you can stay up late and go to crazy bars where they serve you amazing cocktails. You can play arcade games with Japanese businessmen in suits or you can go to Takashimaya, grab takeaway food and head to Yoyogi Park on a Sunday for a picnic you’ll never forget. Visit a Cat Cafe, Dog Cafe and all other manner of wonderful, themed restaurants. I loved visiting Tokyo with Matt because we were always laughing! We had so much fun there and for me, fun is the most important part of any holiday.
Check out my guide on 43 Things to do in Tokyo for some more inspiration.
2. Greek Islands, Greece
We visited the Greek Islands as part of our big Europe and America trip in 2012. Our trip took us to Corfu, but I had visited Mykonos before and it would also be a great place to go as a couple. The Greek Islands are an ideal destination for couples for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s so beautiful there that you can’t help but feel really happy and grateful to be there, which sets you up for making the most of your time together and having a lot of fun.
The Greeks sure do know how to have fun, that’s for sure. You can visit local bars and clubs and find yourself, quite literally, dancing on tables by the end of the night. If that’s a bit too wild, you can find a nice restaurant along the water and enjoy a seafood feast to end all feasts, complete with cocktails and fantastic bottles of wine. Spend days exploring the island, loose hours to the beach, swimming in perfect brilliant blue water and discovering the beauty of the island. Stay up late, sleep in. Spoil yourself.
You’ll find some of the most beautiful beaches you’ve ever seen and you can hire a 4×4 to explore the islands by yourself if you like. Whizzing around on the back of a 4×4, clinging to your sweetie, wind in your hair… that’s what life is all about. Moments of freedom like those stick with you forever.
3. Wanaka and Queenstown, New Zealand
Both Wanaka and Queenstown are playgrounds for adults. If you love to have fun, either of these places in New Zealand’s south island, are the spot to visit. They’re great because there are so many adventure activities to get your heart pumping. You can take a ride in the Shotover Jet, throw yourselves off the bungee, go for a scenic helicopter flight to a glacier, do loop-de-loops in a vintage Tiger Moth or go skeet shooting! The opportunities to have fun are endless.
Once you’ve worn yourselves out, you get to feast on the amazing food and wine New Zealand has to offer. From the beautiful fresh produce to locally farmed livestock and award-winning world-class wines. What’s also great about this part of the world is there are some really gorgeous accommodation options too, so if you have a little extra cash to splash you can set yourself up in some really nice accommodation and bliss out for a week.
Check out my guide on 31 Things to do in Wanaka for more inspiration
4. New York, United States
Matt and I visited New York in 2012 and absolutely loved it. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to go back to, it’s just so fun. You can spend days just walking around New York, stopping in at boutique shops and farmers markets, wandering through Central Park, eating at amazing cafes and restaurants. There are loads of wonderful bars to choose from and the bartenders are always friendly and fun.
We had a blast running around New York, spotting different places we’d seen in movies or TV shows. We visited famous spots like the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Centre, Times Square and Central Park. We ate so, so much great food and saw so many cool locals it’s not even funny. Around every corner, there was something else to marvel over, eat or enjoy. It was like being a really big amusement park. There were times we found it hard to go back to the hotel, we just wanted to stay out and let our sense be overrun by New York.
Check out my guide to 13 Hidden bars you must visit in New York for more inspiration.
5. Chiang Mai, Thailand
We were in Chiang Mai earlier this year and had an amazing time. The great thing about Thailand is the weather is warm, the food and drink are cheap, it’s super relaxed and the accommodation is as affordable as you need it to be. Those things combined make for a great holiday, no matter what. But add to that the fun, anything-goes vibe of Chiang Mai and you’re onto a real winner.
Our days were spent eating a healthy, delicious breakfast first up then sightseeing the streets of Chiang Mai. Around lunchtime we’d grab lunch a cold beer, then out for more sightseeing, getting a lift from the local red taxis. At night, you can explore the local markets, grab more food and more cold beer and just relax. There’s loads of shopping to do, plenty of temples to explore, scenic areas to visit by taxi or car and many, many massages and cocktails to be had. If you love a bit of adventure, like us, you can go zip-lining, buzz around on all-terrain 4×4’s through the jungle or go rafting. Chiang Mai’s a great destination for couples because you get to have easy fun and it won’t break the bank.
Check out my guide on 35 Things to do in Chiang Mai for more inspiration.
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