Wedding Guide Asia

Picture courtesy of www.ilove-indonesia.com

The island of Bali, Indonesia is world renowned for its beauty and mystique – and if you’re planning a wedding in South East Asia, why not consider getting hitched in one of the most beautiful places in the region? After all, some of the local resorts have extensive wedding facilities. Here are some of our faves…

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Ayana Resort and Spa Bali

Set on 77 hectares of cliff-top tropical gardens perched 35 metres above Jimbaran Bay, Ayana provides you with majestic views in a secluded location, just 10 kilometres from Bali’s airport.

And of all the resorts in Bali, Ayana seems to have the most extensive variety of wedding packages and venues to complement its beauty. From seaside chapels (they actually have two!) to garden weddings and even a private jetty, Ayana will have you spoilt for choice.

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Conrad Bali Resort and Spa

Located on Jalan Pratama Raya in Tanjung Benoa, north of Nusa Dua Beach, the Conrad Bali Resort’s claim to fame is its extensive facilities, including a massive garden and their own, custom-built wedding chapel.

One of a kind, the chapel provides you with gorgeous ocean vistas as the backdrop for your big day. There’s even a dedicated professional wedding planner who can assist you with all the preparations, the legal and religious ceremony and the reception.

If you fancy getting married in an ocean-side chapel, do consider Conrad Bali.

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The Melia Garden Villas

The Melia Garden Villas are located within the premises of the Melia Bali Villas Spa Resort in Nusa Dua Beach. There is a quaint covered area near the beach especially appointed for weddings, which might interest those with simpler tastes and adventure running in their blood. Plus the resort management can arrange for all the legalities involved in the process.

So, for a more quaint Bali wedding experience, why not try it out?

Picture courtesy of www.balivillasservices.com

Jimbaran Villas

Okay, so the resort wedding is not everybody’s cup of tea. In that case, why not hold your wedding in a private villa overlooking the sea?

Jimbaran is a thriving fishing village that embraces a white sand beachfront overlooking a gentle bay on Bali’s southern coastline. It is an area that strongly maintains its cultural values and is a place to enjoy the simple pleasures that life has to offer. Jimbaran Bay is renowned for its mesmerizing sunsets and grilled seafood served in cafés all along the beach. Also, it is home to numerous seaside private villas perfect to hold a wedding in.

These villas range in price and facilities, so you can pick and choose to cater to your needs. (more…)

The wait is nearly over and fairly soon our sister site The Luxe Nomad will be going live! There you’ll find some of the best hotels in Asia to honeymoon in. From Bali to Thailand to Shanghai, we’ve made personal trips to find getaways that we think will suit your style.

One of the best things about The Luxe Nomad are our flash sales. Every week, we’ll have different resorts from around the region at exclusive rates which you can’t find anywhere else. What does this mean??

Cheaper honeymoon = Vera Wang wedding dress = More champagne = Happier hubby!!
(we’re thinking out loud here)

Besides our launch partner hotel, Sri Panwa in Phuket, expect to see hotels such as The Amala in Bali, Constance in Maldives and many more!

Sign up now for early bird membership as The Luxe Nomad is member-only. (more…)

Recently, I had the pleasure of staying at one of Samui’s best hideaways, Villa M (Villa Macpherson). Tucked away in the trendy and endearing Fishermen’s Village, the only absolute beachfront villa there and an all-white home away from home. Owned by Australian couple Neill and Leslie Macpherson; they fell in love with the magical island Samui and ended up building Villa M, then decorating it personally bit by bit.

Besides the beautiful interior (which I’m trying to replicate at home!), I simply love the location of Villa M. To be very honest, my prior experience in Samui had kind of been limited to the infamous Full Moon parties, so I was surprised to discover that Fishermen’s Village is actually full of quaint cafes and boutiques.

Thus, if you’re looking for a honeymoon destination or even a great place to chill for a Hen’s getaway, then Samui is the place with a bit of everything.

There are five bedrooms to choose from at Villa M and of course, yours truly took the best one (haha)! The third floor has only just one large bedroom with a balcony and a small pool accompanied by deck chairs. How r & r is that? As with all villas in Asia, there is also a fulltime maid available who can also cook up a storm should you wish.

Thus my day equated to: Waking up. Having breakfast in bed. Swimming. Tanning. Eating & repeat!

Isn’t the interior amazing? Teak floors, white linen couches and personal paintings and pictures really make you feel like you’re staying at a friend’s vacation home!

It is interesting to note that there are no nightclubs in Fishermen’s Village. However, if you are looking for a bit of a boogie – simply hop in a cab and head over to Chaweng. Warning: Chaweng is popular with the beer-drinking, Singha singlet crowd – but I always have lots of fun dancing whenever I’m at the cheesy Green Mango Club (isn’t it always when you don’t know anyone there?!). (more…)

Attention, please!

“The perfect escape.”

If it has eluded you before, then fret no more as Sri Panwa certainly ticks all the boxes.  From winning numerous awards (World’s #2 Beach bar – CNN) to press coverage in the likes of the IHT, Harper’s Bazaar UK and so on, Sri Panwa is certainly a Thai brand that has made its mark.

Personally speaking, it has also long been on my list of Phuket resorts to stay at… like, we’re talking years! So as you can imagine, I was definitely counting my lucky stars when I recently got to visit this much talked about resort.

Here are my top 10 reasons, on why you should be heading there:

One of a kind

And I mean it literally! Nestled on the South Eastern point of Phuket, in Cape Panwa, you’re a while away from the standard tourist haunts. After all, isn’t it the point of a getaway to avoid the hustle and bustle? Privacy? Yes, please!

The View

Yes, I woke up to this every morning *sigh*!

The Villas

With such stunning views and your own private pool, Sri Panwa has been designed such that you don’t ever (or want) to leave. There are many rooms and villa types to choose from but if you feel like splashing out for the honeymoon, then you might want to think about the 2-bedroom luxury villa. Which even has their own steam room!

Not sure what you will get up to in the second bedroom, but the more space the better, no? *Wink* :) (more…)

Courtesy of E-gallery

* In case you missed it, here’s our honeymoon article from WGA’s bi-weekly column with The Star newspaper (Malaysia)!

Everyone talks about having the “wedding of their dreams”, but what about the honeymoon of your dreams? Let’s be honest, planning a wedding takes up a lot of time and one thing’s for sure – it’s the honeymoon that gives newlyweds the perfect opportunity for some quality time.

Be it the beach holiday you’ve always wanted to go on, an action-packed adventure or a month getting lost in Europe, these days, going just about anywhere is a possibility (cue: “Now everyone can fly”). Yes, with budget airlines and travel portals offering competitive rates, jetsetting need not be as expensive as it used to be.

Courtesy of www.maldivesonlineguide.com

Tropical paradise

Truth be told, in South East Asia (where we’re based!), there are many pristine beaches nearby. But if you’re after something a little out of reach, then look no further than the Maldives. The current “in” place for honeymooners and the only island I’ve been to where I literally felt like a drop in the ocean – the Maldives is one of a kind.

From getting a massage at an underwater spa, diving with manta rays or staying at a lavish villa overlooking the water… when it comes to r&r (relaxation and romance!), there’s no shortage of options at these islands . Research online and if you need some assistance, the agency AtollParadise.com was great at recommending resorts for me.

For your information, if you’re in the Maldives, it is quite a common sight to see Korean couples embarking on mini-photoshoots of themselves! I once saw a guy shout directions to his wife under the hot noon sun, “Pose. Change! Pose. Quick change!” Not sure if this will catch on with Malaysians, but hey, it’s an idea (wink).

Courtesy of www.blog.paradizo.com

Let’s take a ride

So, you feel like a little pampering after all that hand-shaking and gift opening. Then how about a trip on the famous Orient Express? There are a few options to choose from but for a honeymoon, I’d pick the London to Venice route. Spend a night in a posh London hotel, then board the train and enjoy the luxury of your own personal steward for the entire trip. Not only do you end up in wonderfully romantic Venice but you also stop off in Paris and Verona on the way!

All this, while getting to travel through some of Europe’s most beautiful scenery. And best of all, the Euro and Pounds Sterling aren’t as high as they used to be, which is another reason to convince yourself to go! (more…)