The next great honeymoon spots

By Joe Yogerst

updated 4:41 p.m. ET Feb. 7, 2007

You’re going where?! Be among the first to make tracks to these undiscovered yet unyieldingly romantic destinations.

When it comes to travel, some couples prefer to blaze their own trail. We’ve got the scoop on six up-and-coming destinations that most people can’t point out on a map – and all of them are ideal for postwedding bliss.

Croatia: The Other Mediterranean
The Inside Scoop: Created when Yugoslavia broke into six different countries in the early 1990s, Croatia may not seem the most obvious choice for a Mediterranean honeymoon, but the Balkan republic is one of the hottest vacation spots in Europe. Wedged between the Adriatic and the Alps, the country can easily be combined with a romantic Euro trip that includes Venice and Vienna.

Claim to Fame: Croatia is famous for two things: basketball and beaches. This sliver of a country had produced more NBA players per capita than any other nation, and its prime spot along the deeply indented Adriatic gives it a longer Mediterranean shoreline than France and more offshore islands than either Italy or Spain. Much of the coast remains refreshingly undeveloped, making the country an affordable and almost totally unspoiled alternative to the Greek isles or the French Riviera.

Why it’s Hot: This is the Mediterranean you’ve always dreamed about: ancient stone houses framed by vineyards and olive trees, unpretentious waterfront cafes where tourists can mingle with local fishermen and seawater so clear you hardly need a mask and snorkel. Local life continues as it has for hundreds of years in offshore havens like Hvar and Vis, connected to one another and the mainland by frequent ferries. The Dalmatian Isles are ideal for sailing, diving or just plain relaxing. And all of them have unique stories: Stone quarried on Brac Island was used to construct the original White House in Washington D.C.; Marco Polo was born on Korcula Island; and on Mljet, the mythical nymph Calypso kept the Greek warrior Ulysses as her love slave for seven years.

What Makes it Unique: Croatia may be a new member of the United Nations, but most of the country is as old as the hills. The ancient walled city of Dubrovnik – a warren of red-tiled roofs and cobblestone piazzas set against a backdrop of sapphire sea – is considered the most perfectly preserved medieval town in Europe. This incredible 13th-century burg is like a waterfront version of Florence, with elbow room. The nation also has outstanding natural attractions, such as the jade-colored Plitvice Lakes, protected within the confines of a national park that offers dozens of waterfalls, towering limestone cliffs, several wild rivers and one of Europe’s last old-growth forests.

The Grenadines are a sailing hot spot.

Try this: Charter a sailboat for a week or two and flit around the Dalmatian islands on your own. The Moorings recently established a new yachting base in Dubrovnik, with bareboat charters available for roundtrips through the archipelago or one-way voyages between Dubrovnik and Trogir.

Where to Stay: Other than the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik you won’t find a lot of big-chain hotels along the Croatian coast. Most overnight abodes are locally owned, and many charge less than $100 per night for a double room. One of the best-loved hotels is the Peristil, literally built into Roman ruins in the medieval heart of Split.

Tuamotus: The Undiscovered Tahiti
The Inside Scoop: If there was ever a perfect place for the next Cast Away film it’s the Tuamotus, a chain of 78 unspoiled atolls about an hour’s flight north of Tahiti. The archipelago sprawls more than a thousand miles from east to west, a maze of coral reefs and sandy lagoons that early European explorers dubbed the Dangerous Islands because navigation was so difficult. Rangiroa is the main island, a port of call on many a French Polynesian cruise. But if you are looking for something even more off the beaten path, head out to the less-visited islands of Manihi, Tikehau and Fakarava.

Claim to Fame: Ironically, the Tuamotus are great because they aren’t famous yet, unlike sister islands Bora Bora, Moorea and Tahiti. Our advice: Get there before the rest of the world discovers them, because it’s only a matter of time. There isn’t a better place to be stranded in the entire South Pacific than these remote and wildly handsome islands where you often feel like you’re the only two people on the planet.

Why it’s Hot: The locals. Tourism may dominate life in other parts of French Polynesia, but the people here go about their daily business with little regard for the ebb and flow of visitors. Old men snooze beneath coconut palms while their grandkids play in the shade of a sacred tou tree in the village square. Women scale fish or pound taro root on the front porches of their brightly painted homes. The aroma of French bread drifts from waterfront bakeries. All around these islands, you run into folks who are shy and unassuming but ever so eager to help if you need it. They don’t know the meaning of the word “jaded.”

What Makes it Unique: The water. There isn’t another place on Earth with so many different shades of blue and green. Beneath the surface lurks an astounding variety of marine life. Researchers from the Cousteau Society discovered that the Tikehau lagoon harbors more fish species than any other place in French Polynesia. Manihi’s lagoon serves as a major breeding ground for manta rays. Rangiroa is renowned for drift snorkeling, riding the outgoing tide in narrow channels that connect the lagoon to the open ocean. And if that’s not thrilling enough, try diving the Manihi drop-off, a 4,500-foot plunge into liquid oblivion.

Try This: The Manihi lagoon is home to more than 60 oyster farms that produce the famous Polynesian black pearl. Most of these little round balls are not technically black, but rather a whole spectrum of deep shades including peacock blue, fly-wing green and eggplant purple. Some of the farms create their own jewelry, and all sell raw pearls that you can take back home to your own jeweler for setting or stringing. The Manihi Pearl Beach Resort also has a great jewelry boutique.

Where to Stay: The overwater bungalows at Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort hover above a coral reef that you can study through glass-top tables or explore by leaping off your private dock with mask and snorkel. Its sister property on Manihi feels like a family-run resort, a place where you’re quickly on a first-name basis with the staff and fellow guests.

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