Pooja and Amulya, Bahamas, Barbados, Puerto Rico and the US

Based in Mumbai, Pooja and Amulya met through a common friend and tied the knot in a traditional wedding in Mumbai. They were looking for gorgeous landscapes for their honeymoon and got exactly what they wished for in Barbados, Puerto Rico and the US. The couple shares some highlights of their honeymoon.

Honeymoon Planning
The destination was a complete surprise for Pooja who assumed they would head to Spain for 10-12 days. But the entire itinerary was a surprise planned by Amulya as the Caribbean islands have always been on his bucket list, thanks to the beautiful pictures of the places there. Exploring the Caribbean islands made for perfect honeymoon experiences thanks to their serene beaches and quaint towns.”

Honeymoon Highlights

Bahamas
“Our first destination was the Bahamas where we enjoyed water activities such as snorkeling to see the famous sea turtles, kayaking, paddle boating and jet skiing. We missed one activity but would highly recommend that couples book a day trip to the Exumas to see the famous swimming pigs. We took a seven-day cruise called the Jewel of the Seas that took us to various islands in the Caribbean Sea. We visited the gorgeous St. Maarten as well as the Maho beach to see the super low plane landings. It was one of the most exciting experiences ever.”

Barbados
“In Barbados, we skipped snorkeling and instead chose to do a submarine tour that we had to book via the cruise. The submarine took us to a depth of 130 feet under sea level, and we saw the most beautiful aquatic life such as huge stingrays, sea turtles, colorful fish, eels and even a huge shipwreck.”

San Juan
“In San Juan, Puerto Rico, one must do kayaking at night to see the bioluminescent water. By daylight, Fajardo’s bioluminescent lagoon appears just as scenic as any other bay on the tropical Puerto Rican coastline. But come nightfall, the Laguna Grande bio bay glows fluorescent with every movement and splash, thanks to the presence of microscopic plankton that thrive in the shallow Caribbean waters. It was an unforgettable experience to see the water around you glowing brightly in the dark. Also, the local restaurants and bars in Old San Juan were very cool. A speakeasy bar – La Factoria – is one of the top 50 bars in the world and the vibe there was amazing. We had super yummy cocktails there as well as their local dish made with fried plantains called Mofongo which is a must-try treat.”

Miami
“Our next stop was the beautiful and vibrant city of Miami which has excellent beaches to relax in during the day and a rocking nightlife scene. Little Havana was a fun place to visit! The Wynwood Walls, an urban graffiti hub, were beautiful. We enjoyed the great vibe at the Wood Tavern which is a super hip pub, and also relished many delicacies served by food trucks.”

Turks and Caicos
“At Turks & Caicos, one must try ‘snuba’ – which is a mix of scuba diving and snorkeling. We also had a slide in our boat, from where we could jump directly into the sea. We saw dolphins that were a highlight of our trip as well as shoals of fish which we were allowed to feed. Another must-visit spot was the place we visited after snorkeling – it was a beautiful virgin island where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. We got down from our boat on the Atlantic side, walked for three to four minutes and reached the Caribbean side! The views from there were spectacular with crystal clear blue water on all three sides. Turks and Caicos was the most beautiful island among all those we visited. We enjoyed cycling around the town there which is the best way to get around. Almost all the resorts and hotels on the island provide guests with cycles at no extra cost. We also enjoyed visiting the Potcake Palace on the island which is a shelter for rescued puppies. Visitors can take the puppies to the beach for a walk or play with them. Puppies can also be adopted later. It was a very touching experience for me, and I recommend that any couple who plans on visiting Turks and Caicos should go to Potcake Palace to see the incredible work that the team there is doing for animals.”

San Francisco
“In San Francisco, touristy yet must-visit attractions for us included the crooked Lombard Street, 17-Mile Drive, Twin Peaks and the Golden Gate Bridge! We ate great food here, and some of our favorite meals were at places like Gracias Madre, Boudin Bakery Cafe, The Counter, Stinky Rose, Big Sur Tap house and Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine.”

New York
“If you are in New York, you must watch a Broadway musical. We went for ‘The Lion King’ and loved it. We also recommend trying the Lebanese wraps, rolls, gyros and other yummy food sold from roadside food trucks in the Big Apple. The Halal Guys were our favorite. We also ate food items that we wouldn’t normally get in Mumbai such as acai bowls, matcha ice cream, vegan burgers and beet ketchup from the famous By Chloe, as well as avocado dishes from Avocaderia and Raclette. Shopping in the Caribbean was limited and super expensive, so we made the most of our one day in New York to shop our hearts out. We went to the Woodbury Common Factory Outlets via bus and saved money on some big brands.”

Must-avoid
“Martinique, an island in the Eastern Caribbean Sea, can be avoided. The town is still recovering from the hurricane, and everything was still in a messy condition. The locals were quite hostile and unfriendly, and the town sights had little to offer.”

Advice for Couples
“One wise decision we took and which we would suggest to others is to club your US honeymoon with a detour to the Caribbean islands which are not too far away from each other. So you may as well visit the beautiful Caribbean islands too. We enjoyed the tranquility and calm of the endless ocean at Turks and Caicos which proved to be an ideal honeymoon setting, as well as the buzz of bustling centers like San Francisco and New York. One way we saved money was by taking a cruise to cover more islands in the Caribbean as the hotel and flights to these destinations were quite expensive. The cruise was a great way to cover more islands in less time, and the onboard experience was pretty cool too! For us vegetarians, food was a bit of an issue at a few islands, but a little research helped us in a big way. We made calls before our visits to the different restaurants asking them if they could specially prepare some vegetarian dishes for us, and they were almost always accommodating.”

Hotels We Stayed At
Meliá Nassau Beach, Bahamas
Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel
Grand Beach Hotel Surfside, Miami
The Sands at Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos Islands

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