Garima and Subodh – Seychelles, South Africa and Dubai
From the relaxing vibe of sunny Seychelles to exciting activities in South Africa's Cape Town and Johannesburg, Garima and Subodh's honeymoon itinerary included cool contrasting experiences.
Subodh loves exploring places that are far away from the touristy crowds, so he and Garima approached Holiday Canvas to design an itinerary that would include their love of nature, exploration and excitement. Their two-week honeymoon in Seychelles and South Africa, with a layover in Dubai, packed in everything they wanted, and more.
Travel-loving Garima and Subodh knew they would probably be able to take a break of two weeks only for their honeymoon, so they wanted to make the most of it. They sought the help of Holiday Canvas to design an interesting itinerary for their trip of a lifetime to Seychelles, South Africa and Dubai. Garima shares some highlights and experiences here.
How We Met
“Subodh and I met in the summer of 2009 as we were studying in the same college. We had the same group of friends, so we were often around each other; and if not, I would find excuses just to see him. With each passing moment I spent with him, I discovered yet another aspect about him – which made me fall even deeper in love with him. After a few months of knowing each other, we started dating and all these wonderful years together led to another beautiful journey when we got married on January 22 this year.”
Honeymoon Planning
“We decided to get in touch with Holiday Canvas to plan our honeymoon completely. Their team is amazing and ensured that we didn’t have to worry about anything. Every request, need and wish was fulfilled as they went beyond our expectations to deliver the best customer experience.”
“We’ve always wanted to visit Europe as it was on our travel wish list, but February isn’t a great time to travel there because of the weather. So we started looking for other options. Subodh loves traveling and prefers to visit places that are way from touristy crowds. He wanted extraordinary and less explored places. Hence, after discussions with Holiday Canvas, we decided upon Seychelles, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Dubai. We had a very relaxing time in Seychelles. For fun activities and adventures, Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa were perfect! We also had a short layover in Dubai.”
Honeymoon Highlights
Seychelles
“Seychelles has incomparable natural beauty with its white sandy beaches, stunning scenery, crystal clear waters, lush palm trees and amazing sunsets. We stayed at the Double Tree Resort & Spa by Hilton which is situated on Mahe Island and has a private beach as well as an infinity pool that looks out to the sea. We enjoyed every bit of our stay there. We hired a car so there were no restricted schedules for exploring the beautiful country. We enjoyed beach hopping and driving along the beautiful coastline while making frequent stops to places we found interesting. We visited a beach restaurant at Surfers, Anse Forbans, Anse Intendance, Anse Royale and the Beau Vallon beach. We also tried different food junctions such as Maria’s Rock Cafe, Banyan Tree (we highly recommend their cheesecake!), the Kempinski Resort and La Pause Cafe. We also visited Victoria, the capital city of Seychelles where we visited the clock tower, charming colonial buildings and local souvenir stalls. While driving back from Victoria, we visited Eden Island, an artificial island with a lovely view where we did some shopping.”
Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa
“Johannesburg is the place to go to if you want to experience a mix of big-city culture, shopping, dining, happening nightlife, up-close wildlife encounters and famous historical sights. We stayed at the Hyde Park villas which was like a home away from home. The Rose Bank Mall nearby was a perfect place to hang around, shop and sample amazing food. The wildlife safari to Pilanesberg National Park was an awesome experience. Cape Town was the most action-packed part of our honeymoon, especially the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. It is home to some of the most popular shops and restaurants and offers sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, Table Bay Harbour and the City of Cape Town. The old world charm of the historical harbor meets the most modern shopping experience and there are fine dining restaurants, cafes and museums here, and much more. We went there a number of times just to stroll around and have a quick bite. Another magical experience we had was the hike to The Table Mountain, which is considered as one of the seven wonders of nature. The trail offered spectacular views all the way to the top. After arriving at the top, tired and hungry, there was this much-needed place – The Table Mountain Cafe. We also visited Boulders beach, The Cape of Good Hope, The Cape Point, and some famous wineries around.”
Dubai
“Dubai was the last spot of our honeymoon. We had an extended overlay here so we had limited time to explore Dubai. We went up the Burj Khalifa which offered stunning views of the city. We also visited the sprawling Dubai Mall and did a desert safari tour.”
Best meal of the trip
“Since we are big foodies, we tried a lot of cafes and restaurants throughout our trip. Some of the best dishes we had were vegetable salads and vegetables-filled cheese omelets at Seychelles. The cheesecake at Banyan Tree in Seychelles and the fruits in Cape Town are just amazing. We relished the pizza at Piza-e-Vino in Johannesburg which we consider to be one of our best meals.”
Most romantic moment
“The most romantic moment for us was the Valentine’s Day dinner date at Windsong beach restaurant at Kempinski Resort, Seychelles. The restaurant had a beautiful beach view and the ambiance around was so romantic. It was no less than a dream date – lovely lights decorated around with the beach at our feet and live music playing in the background. Love was in the air that evening and we had an unforgettable experience. The staff, services and the food were all amazing.”
Advice to other couples
“We strongly recommend this leisure and adventurous travel combination for people looking out for a perfect getaway. The heavenly beauty of Seychelles is ideal if you want to spend quality time close to nature, and the exciting Johannesburg & Cape Town options are perfect if you are looking for fun-filled, adventure-rich holiday.”
Must-experience
“Don’t miss the sunrise and sunsets at Beau Vallon beach and snorkeling in Seychelles! Also, don’t miss out on an opportunity to hike to the Table Mountain in Cape Town.”
Can-avoid
“Avoid late night travel in Seychelles as it gets really dark as soon as the sun sets and bad weather can make the situation worse. Also, check the weather condition before hiking to the Table Mountain in Cape Town.”
Hotels We Stayed At
Seychelles: Double Tree Resort & Spa by Hilton, Mahe Island
Johannesburg: Hyde Park Villas
Cape Town: Park Inn by Radisson
Plan your customized honeymoon with Holiday Canvas here.
